Hi, so i got an asl smarterm 80 column card and a z80 card marked H006 z80 that im assuming is a clone of something else. The 80 column card I assume goes in slot 3 and the crt in and out jack is easy enough to figure out. The z80 card i have not a clue and im looking for copy of cp/m might work with it. Looking for a manual link or helpful info.
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ALS SmartTerm indeed goes in slot 3. Plug a short RCA cord between the back of the Apple II and the in socket on the card and the monitor into the out jack. There is a small trimpot to adjust the level so it matches the brightness of the 40 column display. Activate with PR#3 like any 80 column card, or use software designed for it. Sadly a lot of software for the ][+ era machines only supports Videx even though arguably the ALS card is better. Most later software is designed for the //e 80 column.
For the Z80 card that looks like it is likely a very formula clone of the Microsoft Z80 Softcard, so the CP/M images designed for it will probably work. You can find those on the Asimov Apple II Archive here:
https://mirrors.apple2.org.za/ftp.apple.asimov.net/images/cpm/os/
I have the ALS Z80 card and a couple of PCPI Applicards, so I can't tell you exactly which images are the best for a Microsoft style card, but they should be there at that link.
You will also want to use both of those cards together in your II+.
CP/M works best in 80 columns.
You are absolutely correct about that! In fact, I would word it like this "CP/M is almost useless without 80 columns". Most software for CP/M was written for 80 columns. You might be able to run MS-BASIC and write little programs in it in 40 columns but you don't want to try to run Wordstar, DBase, Turbo Pascal or any of the things most people want to run on CP/M without 80 columns.
Frankly, even on the Apple ][+ side... most business/productivity software works better in 80 columns... Applewriter, Visicalc, etc.
Apart from the curved traces, this Z80 softcard clone appears to be identical to mine, so take a look at this post, where I have attached the software that makes it run in combination with an 80-column card in slot 3 and makes it boot straight into CP/M: https://www.applefritter.com/comment/99307#comment-99307
Z80Clone.JPG