Brief instruction guide for using Sord M5 on MAME

version 1.0
12.03.2016 by Ales Dlabac

Please note even this is MAME based emulator it can emulate ONLY Sord m5.

Usage:

If you didn’t use any parameters graphical interface will be used for selecting driver and software

List of all options: -su
Example:  m5_x86 -su

Driver name options: m5 m5p m5p_brno

Japanese version(NTSC)
Example:  m5_x86 m5

European version(PAL)
Example: m5_x86 m5p

European version(PAL) – Brno mod
Example:  m5_x86 m5p_brno

Additional options specific for Sord M5 driver

-cart1 and -cart2 are used for attaching cartridge 1 or 2 or both. It doesn’t matter if you use only -cart2 and not -cart1

After -cartX you must specify which ROM(s) to use. You can either use special short name or filename of ROM stored on disk. If this rom is not in right folder you must use full path for it.

Example:  m5_x86 m5p -cart1 basici Example:  m5_x86 m5p -cart1 64kbi -cart2 c:\roms\basic-i.rom

The short names can be listed using -verifysoftware followed with partial name

Example:  m5_x86 m5p -verifysoftware ba

There are few special short names which hasn’t physical equivalents. It is miscellaneous rom carts for example memory expansions carts. For Sord exists so far:

em_5 EM-5 Expansion memory 32Kb
64kbi EM-64 Expansion memory 64Kb
64kbf 64kbf Expansion memory 64Kb with included Basic F
64krx 64krx Expansion memory 64Kb with windows menu containing several Basics and MSX emulator. It is defined by original hardware you cannot use MSX and Basics together. You must select on DIP switch what ROMs are active. To access DIP switches in MAME simply press Tab key. If nothing happens first press Scroll lock and then Tab key. You should see menu and ther Dip switches options. Use arrows and enter for navigation. There you can select your prefered ROM.

in future there might be support for another periferials

Example:

Similarly as cartridges there is -cass switch which is used for mounting cassette images. This could be wav or cas format. And then -flop1 and -flop2 for diskettes. In present time there is no
working floppy interface for m5 and m5p. FD5 is implemented but not working. So only way how to use it is in m5p_brno mod.
In software list is one short name for boot diskette for mp5_brno. It’s name is bb. Without boot disk you will be unable to run cp/m

Example:

As a option you can use console version of cp/m without “windows” menu. In that case use

For both cp/m versions following drive letters assignment. A: is 1Mb ramdisk and C: is 720kB diskettes of specific format. Booting diskette contains few MSX games and cp/m programs. Games can be run by this command
msx <game name>

So this is it. I described only Sord oriented help of course MAME can do lot more! Maybe if you want debug some Sord programs you will find helpful internal debugger. Just add -debug switch.
I wish you happy emulating.
If you will find some ugly bug or you will have some request for feature don’t afraid to mail me to adlabac at gmail.com