DigicoolThings Forum

Just uploaded my latest card for MECB to Github. I also uploaded, a couple of days ago, TLCmon, my take on a monitor program for the 6502 card. I won't be doing much hw/sw now until the 28/29th as I am on a house-hunt "holiday" from tomorrow (21st) until next Sunday, but I will be popping in here during the week.

EDIT:
I just finished the update to the 6502 pcb. Update on my github.

lenzjo wrote: ↑Sat Jul 20, 2024 11:36 am Just uploaded my latest card for MECB to Github. I also uploaded, a couple of days ago, TLCmon, my take on a monitor program for the 6502 card.
EDIT:
I just finished the update to the 6502 pcb. Update on my github.

Awesome stuff!

I do really like that Philips ACIA chip (SCC2691). Hadn't seen it before, and nice skinny DIP retro friendly package, plus some nice more advanced features like quadruple buffered receiver data, a good baud rate generator, and definable flow control pins etc.

Do you have a Tindie Store (or considered setting one up)? It would be good for those who want to support you (and help offset your parts aquiring costs). I know I'd place an order!

Editor wrote: ↑Sat Jul 20, 2024 8:01 pm Awesome stuff!

I do really like that Philips ACIA chip (SCC2691). Hadn't seen it before, and nice skinny DIP retro friendly package, plus some nice more advanced features like quadruple buffered receiver data, a good baud rate generator, and definable flow control pins etc.

Thanks Greg. Indeed it is a nice chip but you have to take care how you program it. For example, the first two regs (MR1 & MR2) are at the same address and if you use index addressing you will miss MR1 because the indexed addressing on the 6502 has a read before write operation in it. The read op increments the 2961's internal reg counter going to MR2 and then the write puts the data into MR2.

Editor wrote: ↑Sat Jul 20, 2024 8:01 pm Do you have a Tindie Store (or considered setting one up)? It would be good for those who want to support you (and help offset your parts aquiring costs). I know I'd place an order!

Nope, I haven't got a Tindie store. As it is now, there are not enough hours in the day to do the stuff I want to do. I also don't need the paperwork. For me this is a hobby and I don't want it tainted by making it a business and all that entails.


This is why I include the gerbers etc. For less than $30 a person can get the pcb made and delivered to them in about a week. If a parcel is late or gets lost it's not my headache, they can go to jlcpcb or where ever. However, if a person has a question I don't mind helping out if I can.

lenzjo wrote: ↑Sat Jul 20, 2024 9:20 pm Indeed it is a nice chip but you have to take care how you program it. For example, the first two regs (MR1 & MR2) are at the same address and if you use index addressing you will miss MR1 because the indexed addressing on the 6502 has a read before write operation in it. The read op increments the 2961's internal reg counter going to MR2 and then the write puts the data into MR2.

That's really helpful to know. You just made me even more interested in playing with this device!

lenzjo wrote: ↑Sat Jul 20, 2024 9:20 pm Nope, I haven't got a Tindie store. As it is now, there are not enough hours in the day to do the stuff I want to do. I also don't need the paperwork. For me this is a hobby and I don't want it tainted by making it a business and all that entails.

I certainly understand.

lenzjo wrote: ↑Sat Jul 20, 2024 9:20 pm This is why I include the gerbers etc. For less than $30 a person can get the pcb made and delivered to them in about a week. If a parcel is late or gets lost it's not my headache, they can go to jlcpcb or where ever. However, if a person has a question I don't mind helping out if I can.

Noted. I'll add your gerbers to my next PCB order. Your I/O Card provides a great combination of functionality to play with.

lenzjo wrote: ↑Sat Jul 20, 2024 11:36 am Just uploaded my latest card for MECB to Github.

EDIT:
I just finished the update to the 6502 pcb. Update on my github.

This is Awesome!

lenzjo wrote: ↑Sat Jul 20, 2024 9:20 pm

Editor wrote: ↑Sat Jul 20, 2024 8:01 pm Do you have a Tindie Store (or considered setting one up)? It would be good for those who want to support you (and help offset your parts aquiring costs). I know I'd place an order!

Nope, I haven't got a Tindie store. As it is now, there are not enough hours in the day to do the stuff I want to do. I also don't need the paperwork. For me this is a hobby and I don't want it tainted by making it a business and all that entails.

....dang.

WTB a willing !!

Curious @lenzjo, can this ps/2 port handle a mouse as well, and is the internal header I see on the card duplicative of the external ps/2 port or is it a secondary interface?

EDIT:
Wait! just reading up on it now - you know how it is, my ADHD getting away from me & all...

bugeyedcreepy wrote: ↑Tue Jul 30, 2024 5:21 am
Curious @lenzjo, can this ps/2 port handle a mouse as well, and is the internal header I see on the card duplicative of the external ps/2 port or is it a secondary interface?

EDIT:
Wait! just reading up on it now - you know how it is, my ADHD getting away from me & all...

I put the kybd port footprint on the pcb just in case you didn't have my modified back-plane. Both got to the same pins so probably can't use both at the same time and neither can talk to a mouse, sorry.

lenzjo wrote: ↑Tue Jul 30, 2024 10:15 am I put the kybd port footprint on the pcb just in case you didn't have my modified back-plane. Both got to the same pins so probably can't use both at the same time and neither can talk to a mouse, sorry.

The Work of Legends!

I'm in the middle of moving houses right now, so haven't been able to get a legit extended backplane of yours fabricated from any of the usual suspects - but sitting here thinking about it, if you have any spare I can use to size up for now, I'd be happy to cost one + postage for you to send one to me, that way I could have on hand here to aid in that design? I'm working on a generic case to take various forms of MECB backplanes - one with a keyboard (enlarged breadbin style), and one open frame bare minimal version to just house the various backplane cards and support the daughter boards in it.

Anyhow, let me know....

bugeyedcreepy wrote: ↑Tue Aug 06, 2024 4:34 am if you have any spare I can use to size up for now, I'd be happy to cost one + postage for you to send one to me

Shouldn't be a problem... PM me your address so I can get a quote on the postage.