[E3-hacking] Re: I am trying to uncompress the Amstrad E3 cramfs file system

[Antony Stone]

On Sunday 24 December 2023 at 12:17:21, Tina Poole wrote:

> I managed to uncompress its cramfs file system partly, so some of the files
> are missing data so are all 0s and some files are OK, am I missing
> something, can't work out why, can anyone here help me, that's if anyone's
> around?

I don't have an answer to your question/s, although I sincerely hope that 
someone else does.

I just wanted to say that I'm very pleased to see further dialogue on this 
list.

Merry Christmas, or however people choose to enjoy this time of year.


Antony.

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Re: [E3-hacking] Anyone know the Pinout of the Amstrad E3 Videophone Mailboard

[Antony Stone]

On Wednesday 21 August 2019 at 20:39:56, Nick Griffin wrote:

> Just connected the Mailboard to a PS/2 adapter and its works on Windows but
> the keys are wrong so how would I go about changing each key to the right
> one..?

https://www.makeuseof.com/tag/create-custom-keyboard-layout-windows/ looks 
helpful to me.


Antony.

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Re: [E3-hacking] Config / content filesystem

[Antony Stone]

On Friday 26 April 2019 at 22:01:29, Nick Griffin wrote:

> Ok thanks,I got my new E3 today

So, does that mean you have two now?

> and the seller told me it was working and able to make a call on it before I
> bought it and its unregistered so deactivated…

Sounds good so far...

> dam it.. ☹ ,he said to me he don’t understand how it was reset when it was
> working…???

What do you mean by "reset"?

> Its Main Software is V4 so the dial for email trick don’t work.

Please remind me what this "trick" is?

> so no point in copying the firmware

I disagree - a comparison (especially of the boot loader, not necessarily the 
main software) could be instructive.

> but I am glad I have the clock back,

Be thankful for small mercies :))

> Has anyone have a idea of copying the firmware on the E1 or E2,

You mean copying the firmware for interest's sake, or with the idea of copying 
from the E1/E2 to the E3?

I really doubt that E1/E2 firmware would work on an E3.  Different CPUs, for a 
start.

> I have a E1 that activated too now.. I don’t know how the E1/E2 E-mailers
> OS work maybe someone can explain, well it not Linux like E3 so what does it
> use..?

Remember that there was a day when people wrote firmware for devices from 
scratch, without using an "operating system".  It's only since the days when 
embedded devices like wireless routers, telephones, televisions etc have had 
enough CPU and RAM to run Linux that this has been a simpler starting point.

> Spanner..

Why do you always write this at the end of your emails?


Regards,


Antony.

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Re: [E3-hacking] Would Chafa work on E3 Linux for Animated gif on CLI

[Antony Stone]

On Sunday 14 April 2019 at 12:31:05, Nick Griffin wrote:

> Hi..
> I just wanted to know if I could install its tarball because E3 Linux don’t
> have a repository to install programs, but it might need dependencies so its
> trial and error to see which programs works and what don’t, I thought it was
> a good idea using it as photo viewer, the goal was to put Linux on the E3
> but now, you have to find something to do with it otherwise what's the point 
of putting Linux on it in the first place, Well part of it is a learning curve
> and to see if it was possible, hats of to all that made it possible..  but
> it needs a end result,the whole idea is to make it better and useful, what
> it really needs is a basic desktop, something bit like what's on the
> Raspberry PI 1 or Zero but the E3 is probably not powerful enough or it
> needs its own custom GUI.

I do find myself wondering "what are you trying to achieve with this process?"

 - what are you trying to end up with being able to do with your E3?

If it's primarily a learning process, then I believe you are already 
succeeding - congratulations.



Antony.

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Re: [E3-hacking] I found Cliff Lawson old website about Amstrad

[Antony Stone]

On Saturday 06 April 2019 at 19:55:51, Nick Griffin wrote:

> I found Cliff Lawson old website about Amstrad..  The files work on there
> too, so if you need to download something for you PPC640… 
> 
> https://web.archive.org/web/20100111065846/http://web.ukonline.co.uk:80/cli
> ff.lawson/ archive.org/web/20100111065846/http://web.ukonline.co.uk:80/cliff.lawson/
> ata=02%7c01%7c%7cec60a40c8c474674a9e108d6baafc57f%7c84df9e7fe9f640afb435aaa
> a%7c1%7c0%7c636901661420165108=AYuOwEPXcqIuCLVxgq/VMaeODqQOjH
> tk9ctgHx/uiEY%3D=0>

That link gives me "Hrm.
The Wayback Machine has not archived that URL.
This page is not available on the web
because of server error"


Antony.

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Re: [E3-hacking] About connecting to the serial on the E3

[Antony Stone]

On Thursday 04 April 2019 at 17:47:21, Antony Stone wrote:

> On Thursday 04 April 2019 at 17:44:13, Nick Griffin wrote:
> > I have connected the CP2102 and I am getting garbage text in Putty..
> 
> That suggests the wrong baud rate to me.

http://www.cambridgewargames.org.uk/members/andy/emailer/ and 
http://www.earth.li/~noodles/hardware-e3.html say 115,200 8n1 no handshake.


Antony.

> >  ▒y▒▒7▒w5'=▒▒▒_{g▒S{-'7▒▒}5w5;1▒myu▒▒▒e{▒c}cwV▒ii
> >  ▒V
> > 
> > W▒▒▒6▒g-%▒/▒y!75u#7▒/▒_{g▒▒gY
> > ▒▒
> > ▒▒y▒▒/▒5%▒%!7'5▒'!=75▒▒gw[▒S{-'7▒▒}5▒e!7▒9=#▒▒!▒
> > ▒▒▒
> > ▒▒▒eue▒3'=/_}[eY▒3'=/▒▒▒
> > ▒gw [▒3'=/gmcUO▒3'=/▒Q▒+
> > ▒▒'5▒9/59)-#1▒gw[▒S▒▒=▒▒▒='-5'!=7▒▒▒9/59)-#1▒gmc
> > UO
> > ▒S▒▒=▒▒▒='-5'!=7▒▒▒9/59)-#1▒eue▒S▒▒=▒▒▒='-5▒
> > ▒▒▒
> > '!=7▒▒▒s▒▒▒9/59)-#1▒_}[eY▒S▒▒=▒▒▒='-5'!=7▒▒뗿e!7'
> > 5▒5
> > 57=▒='-7▒▒▒gw[▒/-#)▒1'!;='▒#%;53!/5%▒-▒s!#7▒%!7▒▒gmcUO▒▒S▒▒▒=▒▒▒
> > ▒▒▒
> > ▒s!#7▒%!7▒▒_}[eY▒▒S▒▒▒=▒▒▒g-#▒9!%%=#7▒'-#▒!▒57-s!#7▒%!7▒
> > ▒gm cUO▒▒S▒▒▒=▒▒▒U▒!#7▒▒▒g-#▒=▒=%▒▒}# *▒-#1▒g-#▒
> > 
> >▒:▒▒
> > 
> > ▒-#1▒/5▒)5'▒▒▒Vi▒▒5▒▒A%'▒▒▒=%▒75'=▒▒75▒▒'-#W-7▒;▒▒--!#▒=9/-#5
> > ▒
> > ▒}eY▒wugW}▒ae}_▒▒J!75%▒5#=;'5▒a#▒#!75▒▒▒!='=15!#5▒▒▒
> > ▒▒▒ =15▒▒▒!#5▒▒▒=15▒▒▒!#5▒▒▒5▒9%3#▒▒-#-▒▒=9%3▒-#5▒▒9!#!'5▒
> > ▒75▒737;▒▒=%A%%!7A;=5sss=%A%%!7A-
> > 
> >  5▒▒sss▒%5%▒▒▒e▒=%A%!7A5
> > 
> > ▒'!!dً▒▒{!1!em_Y▒▒YMIH▒h!#!'5▒▒9!'!7%%
> > ▒9!#3-17▒▒V]▒[S[▒▒VM▒▒:▒▒-559▒▒-/▒#!▒5'▒!-!#▒5#=;'57▒
> > ▒▒
> > Q(▒▒▒뺿▒333;▒▒-▒▒-▒=▒ae}_▒U}[W▒▒▒Q(▒▒▒뺿▒5;-▒▒-▒=~Y%=Y
> > ey▒
> > ▒HIOT▒9▒▒[Wy▒!5▒5▒755957▒▒▒*u#=;'-#1▒[WyS:▒%5▒y'!9)▒w▒▒R▒JZ▒
> > ▒▒▒ '!▒555▒▒;=9/▒▒▒ݵe▒▒7-#--='- 57▒[}e▒7-)▒!3▒i▒-
> > 
> >5▒▒;'!9)-
> > 
> > 5▒▒W▒u▒#▒s{▒▒9▒▒▒[-715[#▒▒m#9▒▒▒V Jj▒▒

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Re: [E3-hacking] About connecting to the serial on the E3

[Antony Stone]

On Thursday 04 April 2019 at 17:44:13, Nick Griffin wrote:

> I have connected the CP2102 and I am getting garbage text in Putty..

That suggests the wrong baud rate to me.


Antony.

>  ▒y▒▒7▒w5'=▒▒▒_{g▒S{-'7▒▒}5w5;1▒myu▒▒▒e{▒c}cwV▒ii▒V
> W▒▒▒6▒g-%▒/▒y!75u#7▒/▒_{g▒▒gY▒▒
> ▒▒y▒▒/▒5%▒%!7'5▒'!=75▒▒gw[▒S{-'7▒▒}5▒e!7▒9=#▒▒!
> ▒▒▒eue▒3'=/_}[eY▒3'=/gw
> [▒3'=/gmcUO▒3'=/▒Q▒+
> ▒▒'5▒9/59)-#1▒gw[▒S▒▒=▒▒▒='-5'!=7▒▒▒9/59)-#1▒gmcUO
> ▒S▒▒=▒▒▒='-5'!=7▒▒▒9/59)-#1▒eue▒S▒▒=▒▒▒='-5
> '!=7▒▒▒s▒▒▒9/59)-#1▒_}[eY▒S▒▒=▒▒▒='-5'!=7▒▒뗿e!7'5▒5
> 57=▒='-7▒▒▒gw[▒/-#)▒1'!;='▒#%;53!/5%▒-▒s!#7▒%!7▒▒gmcUO▒▒S▒▒▒=▒▒
> ▒s!#7▒%!7▒▒_}[eY▒▒S▒▒▒=▒▒▒g-#▒9!%%=#7▒'-#▒!▒57-s!#7▒%!7▒▒gm
> cUO▒▒S▒▒▒=▒▒▒U▒!#7▒▒▒g-#▒=▒=%▒▒}# *▒-#1▒g-#▒
>▒:▒▒
> 
>   
> ▒-#1▒/5▒)5'▒▒▒Vi▒▒5▒▒A%'▒▒▒=%▒75'=▒▒75▒▒'-#W-7▒;▒▒--!#▒=9/-#5▒
> ▒}eY▒wugW}▒ae}_▒▒J!75%▒5#=;'5▒a#▒#!75▒▒▒!='=15!#5▒▒
> =15▒▒▒!#5▒▒▒=15▒▒▒!#5▒▒▒5▒9%3#▒▒-#-▒▒=9%3▒-#5▒▒9!#!'5▒
> ▒75▒737;▒▒=%A%%!7A;=5sss=%A%%!7A-
>  5▒▒sss▒%5%▒▒▒e▒=%A%!7A5
> ▒'!!dً▒▒{!1!em_Y▒▒YMIH▒h!#!'5▒▒9!'!7%%
> ▒9!#3-17▒▒V]▒[S[▒▒VM▒▒:▒▒-559▒▒-/▒#!▒5'▒!-!#▒5#=;'57▒▒▒
> Q(▒▒▒뺿▒333;▒▒-▒▒-▒=▒ae}_▒U}[W▒▒▒Q(▒▒▒뺿▒5;-▒▒-▒=~Y%=Yey▒
> ▒HIOT▒9▒▒[Wy▒!5▒5▒755957▒▒▒*u#=;'-#1▒[WyS:▒%5▒y'!9)▒w▒▒R▒JZ
> '!▒555▒▒;=9/▒▒▒ݵe▒▒7-#--='- 57▒[}e▒7-)▒!3▒i▒-
>5▒▒;'!9)-
>
> 5▒▒W▒u▒#▒s{▒▒9▒▒▒[-715[#▒▒m#9▒▒▒V Jj▒▒

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Re: [E3-hacking] About connecting to the serial on the E3

[Antony Stone]

On Wednesday 03 April 2019 at 19:51:57, David Given wrote:

> I've got a tool which speaks the PBL protocol and will let you read and
> write the flash: http://cowlark.com/amstrad/

Thanks for (re?) posting this link to a very useful tool.


Antony.

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Re: [E3-hacking] Some things I have found on the Amstrad E3 while I was pressing different buttons.

[Antony Stone]

On Wednesday 03 April 2019 at 17:53:32, Jake Sloan wrote:

> Enough time has passed that bruteforcing the required key is probably
> feasible..
> 
> I think the list has the details, somewhere.

I seem to remember a posting along the lines of "this has got close enough 
that we're not going to give more details, because we don't want to annoy 
Amstrad, but anyone with enough clue might be able to take it from here".

I don't believe the actual steps needed were ever publicly posted (but I'd be 
happy to be pointed at a correction if I'm wrong).

> You need to send a packet that hashes to a specific value to enable any
> of the fun pbl functionality.

Is that "specific value" generic, or device-specific?

Antony.

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Re: [E3-hacking] Some things I have found on the Amstrad E3 while I was pressing different buttons.

[Antony Stone]

On Wednesday 03 April 2019 at 17:09:43, Nick Griffin wrote:

> Delta_e_live could stand for Delta Emailer Live, why have the name live in
> its name, so that could be the file that keeps in on and that file after 2
> or 3 months gets deleted or it tells the Emailer how long to keep a live
> for and then the Emailer deactivates itself

Or, possibly it refers to the "Live" release of the software, distinct from 
"Development" and "Test" etc?

> That file looks important because it has a its own IP address so the
> Emailer can download it. http://212.225.36.174/delta_e_live.config and it
> has a version number - config_a version: 0. Just some idea.. 

I also wanted to reply to this thread simply to confirm that there's at least 
one other person out here who's still interested in these things (I believe I 
have either 4 or 5 in total, never connected to a phone line, and I also have 
a serial connector cable (somewhere), although it's still RS232, not USB (but 
I think that can't be hard to change)).

Happy to help out further if I can make the time for it :)


Antony.

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Re: [E3-hacking] HI I have a Amstrad E3 Emailer that's deactivated and I was wondering..

[Antony Stone]

On Thursday 14 March 2019 at 23:15:10, Nick Griffin wrote:

> I through we need to go with the times and needed a FB group, I made it

Please bear in mind that not everyone uses (or wants to use) Facebook.

Signing up to a mailing list is a lot simpler and "safer" for those of us who 
don't like Facebook's systems and/or policies.

On Friday 15 March 2019 at 01:07:00, Nick Griffin wrote:

> There is other stuff I found, there on the Facebook group.

Please post useful stuff here as well, to maximise your audience.

Thanks,


Antony.

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Re: [E3-hacking] Amstrad emailer plus EM2001-UK

[Antony Stone]

On Thursday 19 Feb 2015 at 00:29, Richard Lytton wrote:

 I've been given an amstrad emailer plus EM2001-UK, but it has no power
 supply. What voltage is needed to power the unit?

28V dc
280mA

Centre +ve


Regards,

Antony.

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Re: [E3-hacking] Just got an e3 - where do I start

[Antony Stone]

On Wednesday 17 October 2012 at 17:21, Jake wrote:

 The 5.1 PBL requires a handshake first ( as previously discussed on list )
 of the aforementioned key as a blob. Once it gets that, the old flashing
 commands are all available..
 I think I actually posted the sig of the key on list ?

On Wednesday 17 October 2012 at 17:34, Jake wrote:

 Yup, I did..
 We even know the plaintext length: 392 bytes ..

For anyone searching for a link to this, I assume it's 
http://www.earth.li/pipermail/e3-hacking/2008-January/000795.html

Regards,


Antony.

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Re: [E3-hacking] Just got an e3 - where do I start

[Antony Stone]

On Wednesday 27 June 2012 at 00:17, Edward Robbins wrote:

 Sorry for 3rd email...

 Using a 9V supply the emailer appears to start - email and voice lights
 flash, then after some time the power light comes on when I press power,
 and camera light comes on when I then press video, but the LCD does not
 come on. So I suspect that amstrad were being cheap in choosing such a high
 voltage PSU - because they didn't want to include a backlight inverter to
 boost the voltage for the LCD backlight. I thus further suspect that I can
 still talk to the serial port without the full voltage input... so if I
 build a cable, is there a way I can tell which PBL I have from the serial
 output?

See the first line of http://www.earth.li/%7Enoodles/files/delta.boot (linked 
from http://www.earth.li/~noodles/hardware-e3.html).

Hope this helps,


Antony.

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Re: [E3-hacking] Just got an e3 - where do I start

[Antony Stone]

On Wednesday 27 June 2012 at 00:17, Edward Robbins wrote:

 Sorry for 3rd email...

 Using a 9V supply the emailer appears to start - email and voice lights
 flash, then after some time the power light comes on when I press power,
 and camera light comes on when I then press video, but the LCD does not
 come on. So I suspect that amstrad were being cheap in choosing such a high
 voltage PSU - because they didn't want to include a backlight inverter to
 boost the voltage for the LCD backlight. I thus further suspect that I can
 still talk to the serial port without the full voltage input... so if I
 build a cable, is there a way I can tell which PBL I have from the serial
 output?

See the first line of http://www.earth.li/%7Enoodles/files/delta.boot (linked 
from http://www.earth.li/~noodles/hardware-e3.html).

Hope this helps,


Antony.

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