Applied Engineering Viewmaster 80 User manual

Viewmaster
80™
User's Manual
A DIVISION OF AE RESEARCH CORPORATION
v4.4

Applied Engineering
Telephone Numbers
Technical Support
[phone]
9 AM to 12:30 PM & 1:35 to 5 PM (CST)
Monday through Friday
Do not return any
product for service without a
Retum Material Authorization (RMA) number.
An RMA number can be obtained by calling Technical Support.
Sales
[phone]
9 AM to ll PM (CST) 7 days

Viewmaster
80™
User's Manual

Federal Communications Commission
Radio Frequency Interference Statement
The equipment described in this manual generates and uses radio frequency energy. If it is not
installed and used properly, that is, in strict accordance with these instructions, it may cause
interference to radio or television reception.
FCC I.D. Number: EYW5QGVIEWMASTER
This equipment has been type tested and found to comply with the limits for a Class B computing
device in accordance with the specifications in Subpart I of Part 15 of the FCC Rules. These rules
are designed to provide reasonable protection against radio and television interference in residential
installation.
However, there is no guarantee that interference will not occur in a particular installation. If this
equipment does cause interference to radio or television equipment off and on, the user is
encouraged to try to correct the interference by one or more of the following measures:
Reposition the receiver's antenna. Also make sure the antenna
wires are making good electrical contact.
Use a roof-mounted antenna rather than a "rabbit-ear" antenna
or an antenna mounted in the attic.
Make sure that all electrical connections on the computer are
secure and any shielded I/O cables are properly fastened.
Move the computer away from the receiver.
Plug the computer and receiver into separate electrical circuits.
If necessary, the user should consult the dealer or an experienced radio/television technician for
additional suggestions. The user may find the following booklet prepared by the Federal
Communications Commission helpful:
"How to Identify and Solve Radio-TV Interference Problems"
This booklet is available from the U.S. Govemment Printing Office, Washington, D.C, 240402,
Stock No. 004-000-00345-4.
Applied Engineering®is not responsible for any radio or television interference caused by
unauthorized modifications to this equipment. It is the responsibility of the user to correct such
interference.
Warning: This equipment has been certified to comply with the limits for
Class B computing device, pursuant to Subpart J of Part 15 of FCC Rules.
Only peripherals (computer input/output devices, terminals, printers, etc.)
certified to comply with the Class B limits may be attached to this
computer. Operation with non-certified peripherals is likely to result in
interference to radio and TV reception.

Limited Warranty & Disclaimer
Applied Engineering warrants the Viewmaster card against defects in material and workmanship for a period of 5 years
from the date of original retail purchase. Applied Engineering also warrants that, under normal use, the magnetic media
on which the included Æ software is stored is free from defects in materials and workmanship for a period of 30 days
from the date of original purchase. Any misuse, abuse, or non authorized alteration, modification and/or repair to the
Applied Engineering product will void the warranty. This warranty will also be void if you use the IE product for any other
purpose than its intended use. If you discover a defect, Applied Engineering will, at its option, repair or replace only the
Applied Engineering product, provided you return the product during the warranty period, transportation prepaid, to
Applied Engineering.
This warranty applies to the original retail purchaser only, Therefore, please include a copy of the original invoice or
a small service charge may be applied. lf the product is to be sent to Applied Engineering by mail, the purchaser will
insure the package or assume full responsibility for loss or damage during shipping. Prior to returning the product for
warranty consideration, call Applied Engineering Technical Support for a Return Material Authorization (RMA) number
and shipping instructions.
Even though Applied Engineering has tested the software and reviewed the documentation, Applied Engineering makes
no warranty or representation, either express or implied, with respect to the manual or the software; their quality,
performance, merchantability, or fitness for a particular purpose. As a result, the software and manual are sold "as is",
and you, the purchaser, are assuming the entire risk as to their quality and performance.
ln no event will Applied Engineering be liable for loss or damages of any kind caused either directly or indirectly by the
use or possession of its products, even if advised of the possibility of such damages. The Applied Engineering Warranty
is for the Applied Engineering Product itself. In particular, Applied Engineering shall have no liability for any other
equipment used in conjunction with Applied Engineering products nor for programs or data stored in or used with Applied
Engineering products, including the costs of recovering such equipment, programs, or data.
The warranty and remedies set forth above are exclusive and in lieu of all others, oral or written, express or implied. No
Applied Engineering dealer, agent, or employee is authorized to make any modification, extension, or addition to this
warranty.
Some states do not allow the exclusion or limitation of implied warranties or liability for incidental or consequential
damages, so the above limitation or exclusion may not apply to you. This warranty gives you specific legal rights, and
you may also have other rights which may vary from state to state.
This manual and the software (computer programs) described herein are copyrighted by Applied Engineering with all
rights reserved. Under the copyright laws, this manual or the programs may not be copied, in whole or in part, without the
written consent of Applied Engineering, except in the normal use of the software or to make an archival copy. This
exception does not allow copies to be made for others, whether or not sold, but all of the materials purchased(with all
archive copies) may be sold, loaned, or given to another person. Under the law, copying includes translating into another
language or format. You may use this software on any computer owned by you but extra copies cannot be made for this
purpose.
Applied Engineering cannot guarantee that you will receive notice of revisions to the software, documentation, or
products described in this manual. Be sure to check with your dealer or Applied Engineering for information on possible
updates. However, Applied Engineering reserves the right to make any improvements to Applied Engineering products
without any responsibility toward upgrading previously released products.
Apple is a registered trademark of Apple Computer, Inc. AppleWorks, AppleWriter, DOS 3.3, and ProDOS are trademarks
of Apple Computer, Inc.
Applied Engineering is a registered trademark of Applied Engineering. Viewmaster, Viewmaster 80, Z-80 Plus, and AW 2
Expander are trademarks of Applied Engineering.
Franklin Ace is a registered trademark of Franklin Computer Corporation. CP/M is a registered trademark of Digital
Research, Inc. Videoterm is a trademark of Videx, inc. Microsoft and Softcard are trademarks of Microsoft Corporation.
Radio Shack is a registered trademank of Tandy Corporation.
©Copyright 1988, Applied Engineering
Applied Engineering
P.O. Box 5100
Carrollton, Texas 75011
Sales: [phone] 9 AM - 11 PM (CST) 7 days
Technical Support: [phone] 9 AM - 12:30 & 1:35 - 5 PM (CST) Monday - Friday
(The Technical Support telephone lines cannot be accessed through the Sales department.)

Table Of Contents
INTRODUCTION -GETTING STARTEDiii
  About the Viewmaster 80iii
  System Requirementsiii
CHAPTER ONE -INSTALLING THE VIEWMASTER 801
CHAPTER TWO -USING THE VIEWMASTER 803
  Adjusting the Video Screen3
  Software Compatibility4
   In General...4
   CP/M Software5
   Pascal Software5
  Hardware Compatibility5
  What’s Next...6
CHAPTER THREE -SPECIAL KEYBOARD CHARACTERS7
  Alternate Keyboard Characters7
  Lowercase Characters8
  Optional Shift Key Hardware Modification8
APPENDICES10
A: Video Troubleshooting Guide11
B: Automatic Graphics Override13
C: For Programmers Only...15
  Activating the Viewmaster 80 from BASIC15
  Screen Editing Commands15
  Controlling the Display from Applesoft BASIC16
  Display Control Commands17
  Cursor Positioning19
  Custom Cursor Shape19
  Viewmaster 80 Graphics Display20
  Hardware Control of Viewmaster 8021
   40 Column Override21
   Light Pen Support22
Table of Contents i

D: A Brief ProDOS Tutorial23
  Operating System23
  Naming Volumes23
  Root Directory and Subdirectory23
  Pathname24
  System Files24
  Additional Resources25
E: Getting Help26
  Returning a Product27
   Include27
   When You Ship28
   When We Receive28
ii ViewMaster 80

INTRODUCTION
Getting Started
This chapter tells you a little about the Viewmaster 80™ and what
you need to install it.
About the Viewmaster 80
The best way to describe the Viewmaster 80 is to list some of its
many features:
- Super sharp 7 x 9 dot character matrix with true descenders
- Capable of both normal and inverse video character display
- Full 80 columns by 24 lines
- Fully compatible with all Apple®programming languages
- Highest compatibility with existing 80 column software
- Power and input connector for light pen
- Programmable cursor shape
- All Apple II on-screen editing commands supported
- Fully Videoterm™ compatible
- Compatible with both 60 and 50 Hertz power
- Very low power consumption (CMOS technology)
- High speed scroll rate (18 MegaHertz)
- Compatible with Apple ][, ][ Plus and Franklin Ace®computers
System Requirements
Here’s what you need to install your Viewmaster 80:
- An Apple ][, Apple ][ Plus or Franklin Ace (1000 series)
computer
- At least one disk drive
- A composite video monitor capable of 80 column display (NTSC
composite video).
Intro. - Getting Started iii

Most monochromatic computer monitors are capable of 80 column
display. Most TV sets, on the other hand, are not. Televisions are only
acceptable for programs which use a 40 column display. The
narrower 80 column characters tend to blur and are very difficult to
read when displayed on a TV screen.
iv ViewMaster 80

CHAPTER ONE
Installing the Viewmaster 80
Nothing complicated here. Just read these instructions carefully.
1. Turn the computer power supply switch OFF, but leave the
computer plugged in (This provides an electrical path to
discharge static electricity).
2. Remove the computer's cover.
3. Discharge any static electricity on your body or clothing by
touching the metal case of the power supply. Go ahead, it won't
hurt. And it is important! A static shock can seriously damage
the chips on the Viewmaster and on the computer’s
motherboard as well.
4. Remove the Viewmaster 80 from its anti-static bag. Do not
touch its gold edge connector.
5. Line up the gold fingers of the edge connector with slot 3 then
gently and firmly insert the connector into the slot by pressing
down on the top of the card.
Note: Expansion slot 3 in an Apple ][, Apple ][ Plus, or Franklin
Ace is fourth from the LEFT.
6. Connect one end of the short video cable, included with the
Viewmaster 80, to the bottom video connector on the
Viewmaster 80 card.
Ch. 1 - Installing the ViewMaster 80 1

7. Route this cable out the back of the computer and connect the
other end to the computer's video output connector.
8. Connect the video cable coming from your monitor to the top
video connector on the Viewmaster 80 card.
9. Replace the cover.
10. Congratulations! Installation is complete.
2 ViewMaster 80

CHAPTER TWO
Using the Viewmaster
Adjusting the Video Screen
Once the Viewmaster 80 is installed in your computer, the monitor
may need to be readjusted to provide the optimum 80 and 40 column
displays.
Although many of the adjustments and controls are different on the
various brands of monitors, they all basically do the same things.
Read the owner's manual that came with your monitor to find out
how to adjust the video display. If you're not sure what a particular
adjustment knob adjusts, experiment. Turn it slightly in one
direction. If it doesn't adjust what you want it to, return it to its
original position. Adjusting a monitor is similar to adjusting a
television set. But don’t just start twisting knobs!
Here’s basically what you need to do:
1. Turn the computer on. Boot your system disk. You should be in
40 column mode.
2. Perform the 40 column video adjustments (Brightness, Contrast,
Focus, Vertical, and Horizontal adjustments).
Adjust the brightness, contrast, and focus controls (if available)
so that the characters are legible and clear and the background is
dark. Too much brightness may cause the background "raster"
lines to appear. Too much contrast or brightness may cause fuzzy
characters. Too little contrast or brightness may result in dim
characters.
Use the horizontal controls to adjust the width of the display.
Then use the vertical controls to adjust the height of the display.
3. While still in 40 column mode, enter the following video display
program:
10 PRINT CHR$(12)
20 FOR J = 32 TO 127
30 PRINT CHR$(J);
40 NEXT J
50 C = C + 1
60 IF C = 17 THEN END
70 GOTO 20
Ch. 2 - Using the ViewMaster 80 3

4. Activate the 80 column mode and tune the 80 column video
display.
Activate the 80 column mode by entering PR#3 and pressing
Return. Type RUN to execute the video display program. The
screen should fill with characters.
lf necessary, readjust the display controls as you did for the 40
column mode in step 2.
5. Switch back to 40 column mode and recheck video alignment.
Enter Control-Z and then 1 (Press the Z key while holding down
the CTRL key then press 1). This is the command to deactivate
the 80 column mode and return to 40 column display (The @
symbols on the screen are normal). RUN the program again. You
may need to repeat steps 4 and 5 until the video display is
acceptable in both 40 and 80 column modes.
Something not right? See the Video Troubleshooting Guide in
Appendix A.
Software Compatibility
In General...
The Viewmaster 80 will support virtually all 80 column application
software written for the Apple ][ or ][ Plus. Most software written
specifically for 80 column display will usually activate the 80 column
mode automatically or give you a menu option to select either 40 or
80 column display. Some earlier programs, however, were written
before there was an established standard for interfacing with 80
column display cards. These programs may require a "preboot"
program to activate the Viewmaster 80 and make the necessary
modifications to enable the software to use the 80 column display.
Older versions of AppleWriter ][ and VisiCalc are examples of
programs which may require a preboot disk to work properly with
the Viewmaster 80 (or any 80 column card). Usually the publisher of
the software will provide the preboot program or an updated
program which will support the Viewmaster 80. Many useful
programs for making earlier 40 column software compatible with 80
column cards are available in the public domain. Please check with
the software publisher, your dealer, or local Apple user's group about
preboot utilities or updates.
4 ViewMaster 80

Note: Most 40 column software does not automatically
deactivate an 80 column card. If you try to run a 40 column
program while the Viewmaster 80 is in 80 column mode, nothing
will appear on the screen. Use the "Control-Z 1" command to
deactivate the 80 column mode or boot your program disk using
the computer's power switch.
CP/M®Software
Booting the CP/M operating system automatically initializes the
Viewmaster 80. The Viewmaster 80 is compatible with both the
Applied Engineering®Z-80 Plus™ card and the Microsoft®
Softcard™. Other Z-80 processor cards which use a non-standard
version of the CP/M operating system may not be completely
compatible with Viewmaster 80.
Pascal Software
The Viewmaster 80 is fully compatible with Pascal and is
automatically initialized whenever the Pascal operating system is
booted.
The Escape codes used to generate the alternate characters not
available on the Apple ][ Plus keyboard (described in Chapter 3 )
may interfere with Pascal. To overcome this, Applied Engineering
has developed an enhanced console driver utility to enable the
alternate characters to be entered from the Apple ][ Plus keyboard
without conflicting with Pascal in any way. The Pascal Enhanced
Console Driver utility disk is available from Applied Engineering
Sales. The instructions are contained in a Pascal text file on the disk.
Hardware Compatibility
The Viewmaster 80 was designed to provide Apple ][ and Apple
][ Plus computers with 80 column display capability.
Most video monitors are compatible with Viewmaster 80’s video
output. A very small percentage of monitors may exhibit an
annoying flickering when the 80 column display is active. The Apple
Monitor ///, originally designed for the Apple /// computer, is one
of these monitors. The screen flickering can be eliminated by the
substitution of one of the ROM (Read Only Memory) chips on the
Viewmaster 80 card. Please refer to Appendix A for details.
Ch. 2 - Using the ViewMaster 80 5

What's Next...
Now that you have successfully installed the Viewmaster 80 and
adjusted the monitor to provide the optimum display in both 40 and
80 column modes, what you do next depends on how you wish to
use your Viewmaster 80.
If you wish to modify AppleWorks to run on your Apple ][ Plus, refer
to the AW 2 Expander Instructions manual.
Regardless of how you intend to use your Viewmaster 80, read
Chapter 3. It covers some very important information about using
Viewmaster 80's special characters.
6 ViewMaster 80

CHAPTER THREE
Special Keyboard Characters
Many of the programs written for the Apple //e and //c use
features not available on a standard Apple II Plus. This chapter deals
with some of the differences between the earlier and the more recent
Apple computers and how the Viewmaster 80 can emulate many of
the display features of the //e and //c.
Alternate Keyboard Characters
The Apple ][ and Apple ][ Plus do not have many of the special
character keys available on the Apple //e keyboard. The AW 2
Expander Instructions list some substitute keys you can use within
AppleWorks. Some of these same keys can be used in other
applications. The Viewmaster 80 is internally programmed to
recognize certain unique keyboard command sequences, enabling it
to display these special characters on the screen. The chart, below,
shows the Apple //e keyboard characters and their equivalent Apple
Il keystroke sequence. Since these characters are stored in Read Only
Memory (ROM) on the Viewmaster 80 card, they are only available
when the Viewmaster 80 is active (80 column mode).
Apple //e KeyboardApple ll Plus Equivalent
TabControl-I
Cursor UpControl-K
Cursor DownControl-]
DeleteEsc #
|Esc !
_Esc -
\Esc /
[Esc <
]Esc >
{Esc (
}Esc )
You can get a reverse apostrophe by typing Esc ' (apostrophe). There
is no reverse apostrophe on an Apple //e.
Ch. 3 - Special Keyboard Characters 7

Lowercase Characters
When Viewmaster 80 is activated with a PR#3 from BASIC, it
automatically enters uppercase mode. To toggle this shift lock feature
between uppercase and lowercase, use Control-A (Press the A key
while holding the CTRL key down). For this feature to work within a
commercial application program, the program must support this
lowercase display feature. Some application programs (e.g.
AppleWriter ][) use a different method to support upper and
lowercase character display.
Optional Shift Key Hardware Modification
This is an easy to install, one-wire modification for the Apple ][ Plus
which will enable you to use the lowercase feature of Viewmaster 80
and use the Shift key as a real shift key. If you are running an
Applesoft BASIC program or AppleWorks, this relieves you of
toggling Control-A every time you wish to change case (Control-A
will still function as a shift-lock).
No cutting or soldering is required. The only part needed is readily
available at your local Radio Shack®store. It is called a "Mini Clip
Lead" and the part number is 278-016.
This modification requires a newer style keyboard used on revision 7
or later Apple ][ Plus computers. Contact your authorized Apple
dealer for an upgrade to the latest revision main logic board &
keyboard.
Here’s how to apply the shift key modification to an Apple ][ Plus:
1. Turn the computer OFF and remove the cover.
2. Attach one of the lead's spring loaded clips to pin 1 of the
74LS251 integrated circuit "chip, " which is just forward of the
Game I/O connector (toward the keyboard). See drawing
following.
3. Connect the other end of the mini clip wire to pin 24 of the
keyboard encoder connector. This connector is a row of 25
parallel wires extending between the keyboard and the keyboard
encoder circuit card suspended below it. Pin 1 of this connector
is nearest the power supply; pin 25 is nearest the right side of the
computer (...pin 24 is second from the right).
4. Replace the cover; installation is complete.
8 ViewMaster 80

Ch. 3 - Special Keyboard Characters 9

APPENDICES
The following appendices are included for further reference and
reading enjoyment:
A--Video Troubleshooting Guide
B--Automatic Graphics Override
C--For Programmers Only...
D--A Brief ProDOS Tutorial
E--Getting Help
10 Appendices

APPENDIX A
Video Troubleshooting Guide
If you're having difficulty obtaining an acceptable video image,
here's a list of video display symptoms and recommended solutions:
No Video
Check the simple things first; don’t overlook the obvious. Is the
computer plugged in? Is the monitor plugged in and turned on?
Are the monitor and Viewmaster 80 video cables properly and
securely connected? (See Chapter One). Is the monitor adjusted
properly (eg. brightness, contrast, etc)? Is the Apple ll’s video-
level potentiometer, near the I/O Game port, turned fully
clockwise? (See Figure B-3 on page 14)
Unstable Display
This problem is usually caused by an improperly adjusted
monitor. Adjust the monitor's vertical and horizontal controls
until you get an acceptable display. Also, check the
troubleshooting guide in the monitor's owner's manual.
If you are experiencing a quivering display on an Apple
Monitor ///, call Applied Engineering Technical Support! A
special ROM chip for the Viewmaster 80, available from
Applied Engineering, will eliminate this problem.
Weak 40 Column Display
This problem is usually associated with the video-level A
potentiometer on the Apple ll main logic board. Make sure that
it is adjusted to near-maximum output, fully clockwise (See
Figure B-3 on page 14). Also check the cables and the video
brightness and contrast controls on the monitor.
App. A - Video Troubleshooting Guide 11