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Post by sjgray on Oct 5, 2016 23:12:20 GMT
Yes, Please do post an update when you get it tested. This is a cool project. Also I am surprised to hear that you have received "low feedbacks" on this project. I am really looking forward to seeing it in action. Thanks! I will let everyone here know, and I also keep the webpage updated. Yesterday I added a list of known problems with the first board. Meanwhile, I did a bit of a re-design on the VYMS64 board. I upped the video ram to 192K and added a bus expansion port (for my own projects). I will try to post updated schematics and pictures of that soon. Steve PS: It was not my project that had negative feedback. So far, everyone here has been quite positive ;-)
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Post by sjgray on Oct 6, 2016 1:02:59 GMT
Ok, the new VYMS64 schematics and pics are posted. Of course the new cart will depend on the outcome of the first prototype. I've also ordered a batch of my "Link 232+" board (check my projects page) which is the RS-232 part of the VYMS64 on it's own.
Steve
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Post by Zippy Zapp on Oct 10, 2016 14:31:08 GMT
PS: It was not my project that had negative feedback. So far, everyone here has been quite positive ;-) Well that is good to know! I must have misread something. LOL
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Post by trantor on Nov 2, 2016 5:42:55 GMT
Any news? Have you done some more in-depth tests on the board?
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Post by sjgray on Nov 4, 2016 3:04:07 GMT
Any news? Have you done some more in-depth tests on the board? Sorry, family stuff got in the way. I'm hoping to have something on display at this years World of Commodore in December, so it needs to get done soon... I will post here when there is news, or check my page. Steve
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Post by mrbombermillzy on Nov 8, 2016 12:24:12 GMT
Hey Steve! That project is looking great! I remember that MSX 2 graphics processor being the cream of the crop for the 8 bit systems. Putting it in a cart for a C128 would turn the 128 into an Amiga/STE basher. I've already mentioned before about how the C64 demos of today are actually starting to look like A500 demos. With THAT GPU, the SID and a OPL synth chip, all running at 2Mhz the C128 will be kicking butt. This will certainly blow what I was planning to do with the 8568 out of the water. If there is a list for people who want to test the unit and maybe write some demo code, please put me on it! The timing of this is great as I have been recently sniffing around some retro systems to convert my game onto from Windows. I have been looking at the Acorn Archimedes, the Amiga, ST/E, Falcon and funnily enough the C128 in 80 column mode with a 64k '68. The only real impractical aspect in the C128's case being the miniscule number of people who actually own that hardware AND a CGA/Ega/low scan multisync/scandoubler/RGBi to RGBa converter to run it on. This cart would definitely increase that pool. The only thing I would have prefered is perhaps the option to get the unit connectecd on the inside of the 128D with some sort of passthrough connector on the port itself, as with my REU, sampler and MIDI cart attached its a bit of a nightmare at the back! But this is not a major headache. Perhaps we can knock up a cartridge port internal daughter board (like the Amiga A2000). Im sure theres a company in Germany that has probably done this years ago. That, and a beefed up PSU to handle all the extra stuff! Speaking of PSU strength, have you got any sort of idea of the current drain of this cart? Also an approximate final sale price would be exciting!
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Post by Pyrofer on Nov 8, 2016 12:41:39 GMT
In regards to the small pool of 128 users, I am sure there will be fewer 128 uses with this cart than without! Also, the 80 col output can be forced into a lower resolution VGA 31khz to work directly on any VGA monitor without scandoubler. A few resistors at least will do the TTL to RGB conversion. Not knocking this project, I think it's awesome. I would however like it if you would do some work on the "raw" 128 and help me demonstrate the power of the machine as it shipped and its under valued 80 column output!
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Post by mrbombermillzy on Nov 8, 2016 19:07:05 GMT
If Steve can knock this cart out cheaply then there is no reason why most C128 users cant get one. Notice how I said 'C128' users; thats C128, C128D and C128DCR (oh, and maybe VIC20 by the sounds of it! lol). Thats basically ALL iterations of the C128 and I expect it will run on the C64 too. Thats quite a large user base. This would probably revitalise the scene, the same as the C64DTV did to some extent or the Vampire600 has for the Amiga. In contrast, what I was looking into was based on the end user having access to the 8568VDC AND having a device to output the VDC display. I was even possibly going to have to try to persuade users to lightly modify their precious C128DCR's too. Probably not going to be that high a number. Saying that, I do STILL intend to exercise the VDC chip itself; perhaps an explanation is in order, as I havent posted my progress for a while. Well, I ended up quitting my job (who was I talking to here about the stresses of UPS?? Hydro maybe?) and had to sell two (yes two!!) of my C128D's. The one that I kept was the one with a broken PSU... and I havent been able to get it fixed yet, although I have a donor XBone PSU waiting in the wings (my 9v AC on the broken PSU is fine so I will only need the 12v and 5v DC). Thats basically as far as Ive got with any C128 related shinnanigans of late. On a positive note, I have managed to resuscitate my Commodore Ranger 15" CRT! And to be fair, Im very busy with my game too, so its not just been me sitting on my butt all day. Anyway, not wanting to hijack this strangely already hijacked thread (lol), I think the key to this particular project succeeding would be the price and not having it take too much use away from the actual C128 itself (e.g. like the chameleon cart). I think Steve is pretty much spot on with that. Im not too bothered about the FM synth chip, but the RS232 would be handy (Im starting to run out of working floppies/drives here) for sending stuff from the PC.
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Post by eslapion on Nov 10, 2016 3:37:36 GMT
If Steve can knock this cart out cheaply then there is no reason why most C128 users cant get one. Notice how I said 'C128' users; thats C128, C128D and C128DCR (oh, and maybe VIC20 by the sounds of it! lol). Well, the VIC-20 is faster than the C64. Even if you turn off the 40 column display of the C64, the PAL version runs at 0.985 MHz while the PAL VIC-20 runs at 1.1084 MHz In NTSC machines, the C64's CPU runs at the same speed as the VIC-20 but only if you turn off the 40 column display.
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Post by sjgray on Nov 10, 2016 3:42:43 GMT
Hey Steve! That project is looking great! I remember that MSX 2 graphics processor being the cream of the crop for the 8 bit systems. Putting it in a cart for a C128 would turn the 128 into an Amiga/STE basher. I've already mentioned before about how the C64 demos of today are actually starting to look like A500 demos. With THAT GPU, the SID and a OPL synth chip, all running at 2Mhz the C128 will be kicking butt. This will certainly blow what I was planning to do with the 8568 out of the water. If there is a list for people who want to test the unit and maybe write some demo code, please put me on it! The timing of this is great as I have been recently sniffing around some retro systems to convert my game onto from Windows. I have been looking at the Acorn Archimedes, the Amiga, ST/E, Falcon and funnily enough the C128 in 80 column mode with a 64k '68. The only real impractical aspect in the C128's case being the miniscule number of people who actually own that hardware AND a CGA/Ega/low scan multisync/scandoubler/RGBi to RGBa converter to run it on. This cart would definitely increase that pool. The only thing I would have prefered is perhaps the option to get the unit connectecd on the inside of the 128D with some sort of passthrough connector on the port itself, as with my REU, sampler and MIDI cart attached its a bit of a nightmare at the back! But this is not a major headache. Perhaps we can knock up a cartridge port internal daughter board (like the Amiga A2000). Im sure theres a company in Germany that has probably done this years ago. That, and a beefed up PSU to handle all the extra stuff! Speaking of PSU strength, have you got any sort of idea of the current drain of this cart? Also an approximate final sale price would be exciting! I'm having trouble finding time to work on it, but I will get it done. At this point the design is not set in stone so any type of feedback is gladly accepted (contact me off list if you want to discus). I have no list of testers, but I will think about that once I verify that the board will work. I thought about MIDI. I wonder if I can make a change to provide midi support on the RS-232 connector with an adapter cable. I haven't looked into it but I understand perhaps a different crystal might do it. No idea about power at this point, but I guess I should think about it ;-) Steve
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