Title: CPC gaming expansion!
Post by: TotO on 11:04, 01 April 13
Post by: TotO on 11:04, 01 April 13
Hey!
Since more than six months, I'm working on a amazing hardware project.
The goal is to add great features to the CPC, using the expansion port.
For that, I have chosen the NEC PC-Engine base to start, because it's a 8-bit videogame system with a generous expansion slot pins capabilities! :)
Can you imagine, playing CPC games using :
- More audio channels
- Graphic processor
- Cartridge support
No more words, but pictures to illustrate this project.
Here, the test board that handle the address decoding from the CPC side.
[attach=2]
A BASIC program making some outs to test the signals states.
[attach=3]
A finally, the decoding part embedded on the console side to stay clean.
(work with a Core Grafx too, but, the PCB can't fit and need to leave external)
[attach=4]
See you later for more Work In Progress sound and display tests !!! :)
Sadly, the Super CD-ROM can't more be plugged actually... :(
Controllers tests will follows...
Since more than six months, I'm working on a amazing hardware project.
The goal is to add great features to the CPC, using the expansion port.
For that, I have chosen the NEC PC-Engine base to start, because it's a 8-bit videogame system with a generous expansion slot pins capabilities! :)
Can you imagine, playing CPC games using :
- More audio channels
- Graphic processor
- Cartridge support
No more words, but pictures to illustrate this project.
Here, the test board that handle the address decoding from the CPC side.
[attach=2]
A BASIC program making some outs to test the signals states.
[attach=3]
A finally, the decoding part embedded on the console side to stay clean.
(work with a Core Grafx too, but, the PCB can't fit and need to leave external)
[attach=4]
See you later for more Work In Progress sound and display tests !!! :)
Sadly, the Super CD-ROM can't more be plugged actually... :(
Controllers tests will follows...
Title: Re: CPC gaming expansion!
Post by: arnoldemu on 12:09, 01 April 13
Post by: arnoldemu on 12:09, 01 April 13
Impressive.
I had a plan once to connect the raspberry pi to the cpc, the pi would give the cpc dma capabilities and allow you to "stuff the bus" to make more effects possible.
This shows this plan can be a reality.
I had a plan once to connect the raspberry pi to the cpc, the pi would give the cpc dma capabilities and allow you to "stuff the bus" to make more effects possible.
This shows this plan can be a reality.
Title: Re: CPC gaming expansion!
Post by: SyX on 12:30, 01 April 13
Post by: SyX on 12:30, 01 April 13
AMAZING!!!! :D :D :D
You are the BEST, TotO!!! :D :D :D
Can you add a pair of nunchuk sockets? ;D ;D ;D
You are the BEST, TotO!!! :D :D :D
Can you add a pair of nunchuk sockets? ;D ;D ;D
Title: Re: CPC gaming expansion!
Post by: TotO on 12:49, 01 April 13
Post by: TotO on 12:49, 01 April 13
Quote from: SyX on 12:30, 01 April 13Can you add a pair of nunchuk sockets? ;D ;D ;DSorry, the PCE not handle an I2C bus, but a parallel multiplexing close to the Megadrive system.
Title: Re: CPC gaming expansion!
Post by: rexbeng on 13:16, 01 April 13
Post by: rexbeng on 13:16, 01 April 13
Although from the pure technical perspective this is very interesting, I must admit that I don't see what the use is for the CPC. From what I see, it's more or less a completely different system that uses the CPC I/O? If you don't want to make actual CPC games, then why not do them for a more advanced system in the first place?
Anyway, the interesting part for people who do hardware experiments might be to figure out a way to be able to connect and use some type of "cartridge" for the CPC (but for the old generation), which would work without the need for a romboard or other type of expansion. I was always thinking *if* and *how* it could be possible to produce new CPC games that wouldn't need to take disk storage space and speed/accuracy limitations into account. Besides, 3'' disks are very rare, so I'd really like to see a new type of media for the CPC. But media that you could use out of the box, without having to own exotic expansions prior to it.
Could the printer port or the expansion port be used for something like that?
rb
Anyway, the interesting part for people who do hardware experiments might be to figure out a way to be able to connect and use some type of "cartridge" for the CPC (but for the old generation), which would work without the need for a romboard or other type of expansion. I was always thinking *if* and *how* it could be possible to produce new CPC games that wouldn't need to take disk storage space and speed/accuracy limitations into account. Besides, 3'' disks are very rare, so I'd really like to see a new type of media for the CPC. But media that you could use out of the box, without having to own exotic expansions prior to it.
Could the printer port or the expansion port be used for something like that?
rb
Title: Re: CPC gaming expansion!
Post by: Gryzor on 16:23, 01 April 13
Post by: Gryzor on 16:23, 01 April 13
While very impressive, I agree with some of Rex' points. What are the target specs? Not that I'd mind something like that, but I'm not sure exactly what it will do.
Title: Re: CPC gaming expansion!
Post by: TotO on 17:40, 01 April 13
Post by: TotO on 17:40, 01 April 13
Quote from: rexbeng on 13:16, 01 April 13Could the printer port or the expansion port be used for something like that?The expansion port, yes. :)
Title: Re: CPC gaming expansion!
Post by: TotO on 17:42, 01 April 13
Post by: TotO on 17:42, 01 April 13
Quote from: Gryzor on 16:23, 01 April 13Yes, I agree too...
While very impressive, I agree with some of Rex' points. What are the target specs? Not that I'd mind something like that, but I'm not sure exactly what it will do.
Title: Re: CPC gaming expansion!
Post by: rexbeng on 18:03, 01 April 13
Post by: rexbeng on 18:03, 01 April 13
Hahaha you vicious April slut :P
On to the serious part now, how about this "cartridge" thing...?
rb
Title: Re: CPC gaming expansion!
Post by: TFM on 18:42, 01 April 13
Post by: TFM on 18:42, 01 April 13
Quote from: rexbeng on 13:16, 01 April 13Well, this is as true as any kind of PC software dealing with CPCs like emulators, arkos tracker, symstudio, game-designer and and and... BUT here it's at least still a CPC working. So it's a great project IMHO!
... If you don't want to make actual CPC games, then why not do them for a more advanced system in the first place?
Title: Re: CPC gaming expansion!
Post by: Gryzor on 18:49, 01 April 13
Post by: Gryzor on 18:49, 01 April 13
Heh.
Title: Re: CPC gaming expansion!
Post by: SyX on 23:49, 01 April 13
Post by: SyX on 23:49, 01 April 13
To fool or not to fool, that's the question :P
Title: Re: CPC gaming expansion!
Post by: rexbeng on 23:59, 01 April 13
Post by: rexbeng on 23:59, 01 April 13
"Too full" maybe? :P
rb
rb
Title: Re: CPC gaming expansion!
Post by: archcosmo on 04:41, 02 April 13
Post by: archcosmo on 04:41, 02 April 13
what's the compatibility like on the CPC when the SuperGrafx's PowerConsole docking controller is attached via the Expansion bus???
I'll bet you don't have any desk space left when it's connected....
:P
I'll bet you don't have any desk space left when it's connected....
:P
Title: Re: CPC gaming expansion!
Post by: arnoldemu on 08:58, 02 April 13
Post by: arnoldemu on 08:58, 02 April 13
Quote from: rexbeng on 18:03, 01 April 13a cpc cart remains a very good idea.
Hahaha you vicious April slut :P
On to the serious part now, how about this "cartridge" thing...?
rb