Brief instruction guide for using Sord M5 in MAME

version 1.0
12.03.2016 by Ales Dlabac

Please note: even this is MAME based emulator version downloaded from this site 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 -su

Driver name options: m5 m5p m5p_brno

Japanese version(NTSC)
Example:  m5 m5

European version(PAL)
Example: m5 m5p

European version(PAL) – Brno mod
Example:  m5 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: using short name  m5 m5p -cart1 basici
Example: using filepath m5 m5p -cart1 c:\roms\basic-i.rom

The short names can be listed using m5 -verifysoftware or use one from table below. Medium column indicates which parametr must be used for such short name. Examples below.

There are few special short names which hasn’t physical(file) equivalents and it is miscellaneous ram carts.

Examples:

m5 m5p -cart1 64kbi -cart2 basici
m5 m5p -cart1 64kbf
m5 m5p -cart2 em_5 -cart1 pooyana

64kbi and 64krx modules had hadware switches for selecting their modes. Eg. in 64krx you need to select whether you want MSX or Basics. To access switches so called DIPs 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.

Similarly as cartridges there is -cass switch which is used for mounting cassette images. This could be wav or cas format or short name for original programs. For diskettes use parameter -flop for m5p and -flop1 and -flop2 for m5p_brno . In m5/m5p FD-5 floppy works only in Basic-F, which has commands which can communicate with it. But for advanced things like listing diskette content you must use special programs which can do that. I’ve collected them from paper listings and rewrote them into Sord. So it may be possible it isn’t perfectly same as original programs. You can use them if you will mount floppy with short name fd5gen. Similary there is diskette for mp5_brno. It’s name is bb and contains cp/m boot. Without boot disk you wont be able 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