DigicoolThings Forum

Posted: **Thu Mar 20, 2025 2:58 pm**

Now that the AIM65 display is working I have rebuilt the AIM65 rom code to run on my MECB. The changes include I/O space address changes and patching in the SYS_IO PS2 keyboard instead of the AIM65 keyboard. The AIM65 has a bitbang serial port for TTY implemented in the 6522 this is being fed to a TTL to USB adapter and is also working. The code is loaded using xmodem from the sbcos monitor, I haven't committed it to a rom yet but when I do it should be possible to use the AIM65 language roms.

This version is built by modifying the original source code to run at address 0x2000 with monitor ram moved to 0x400 (instead of 6532 ram)
The simple keyboard input function I had already put into the sbcos rom

Code: Select all

; setup via for keyboard
PS2KB_Init       lda      #$08
               sta      Via1PCR
               lda	  Via1PRA                              
               rts                     ; done
               
PS2KB_Scan
                lda    Via1IFR         ; LOAD STATUS REGISTER
                lsr
                lsr
                BCC     kcirtn          ; RETURN IF NOTHING
                LDA     Via1PRA      ; LOAD DATA BYTE
kcirtn       RTS                         ; RETURN TO CALLER

PS2KB_Input
                JSR     PS2KB_Scan
                BCC     PS2KB_Input
                RTS

Pictures show,
1) AIM65 Memory command showing rset vectors

2) AIM65 Dump command showing top page of memory in serial console.

Code: Select all

  ROCKWELL AIM 65


<D>
FROM=FF00  TO=FFFF
OUT=

;18FF0078D8A2FF9AA91F8501A90085009200C600D0FAC60110F6850C92
;18FF1801ADF80349A5CDF903F010A276A9E1A849A58DF9038CF8030DD7
;18FF308EF703ADFE0349A5CDFF03F010A2BFA9FFA849A58DFF038C0EF4
;18FF48FE038EFD03ADFB0349A5CDFC03F010A2BFA9FFA849A58DFC0F7B
;18FF60038CFB038EFA03ADF50349A5CDF603F010A2BBA9E2A849A50E66
;18FF788DF6038CF5038EF403A9558D0502A9E18D0602A9698D07020B77
;18FF90A9E18D0802A92E8D0B02A9B88D0C02A9578D0902A9B88D0A0AC5
;18FFA8022000E02056E020DEE0A900A8AA18D8586CF7036CFD03400C4A
;18FFC0DA48BABD03012910D00568FA6CFA0368FA6CF40360FFFFFF0E6F
;18FFD8FFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFF19D7
;10FFF0FFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFBCFF00FFC0FF106E
MORE?N;00000C000C


<

I had to disable the AIM65 printing to allow the PS2 keyboard to operate.
Interesting to see the 6522 bitbang auto baud rate detection appears to be working even though this system is running at 2MHz instead of 1MHz
A bit of retro fun. I shall get the opportunity to try a real AIM65 at the weekend, David.

Posted: **Fri Mar 21, 2025 2:53 pm**

Video showing initial test: https://youtube.com/shorts/Xs-mNs-Hi5g

This uses a hacked PS/2 keyboard receiver which does not wait for successful reset acknowledge sequence to allow operation with MECB keyboard

Posted: **Sat Mar 22, 2025 6:50 pm**

Thanks for posting the video. That display looks really nice in operation. Definitely an improvement over the 6 digit 7-segment displays we had on our early evaluation boards.

And, of course, the keyboard is a major improvement on the hex keypads of old!

But, seriously, it was nice to see the keyboard in operation with something other than the CreatiVision. It looked (and sounded), really good!

I think I’m nearly there with a full bidirectional PS/2 interface, now that I’ve found an old 386 PC with a proper original PS/2 port to test and debug with!

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