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General Category => NC100, NC200, PCW, PDA600 - the rest of the Family! => Topic started by: Sebastian Blanco on 02:43, 08 January 19

Title: Finally got my spare pcw 8256 board installed in a case
Post by: Sebastian Blanco on 02:43, 08 January 19
Finally got a spare PCW 8256 board and made a case for it, used and old tape drive and some acrylic.
Added the IDE board from JonB  that is working very good still learning how to use CP/M i'm from the MSDOS era.
Also build the composite video adapter designed by him.
Added the ram chips to get 512k not sure if there's any use for them.
Copied the Keyboard connector from the PCB using my working PCW for reference the diodes are not needed.
Added 2 floppy drives have jumpers to enable the ready signal.
Not sure why using some black sony drives i have the ready signal in them make all software work with the exemption of new versions of cp/m over 1.1 so i stuck the white old drives  :doh: .
Something also i notices is that some games don't show the full screen the bottom part is not display but is not because the tv there's space down there to show up but is just don't display nothing like in Livingstone supongo 2 it show on the pictures someone now why ? :o .
Like to thank to ComSoft6128  (http://www.cpcwiki.eu/forum/profile/?u=2226)For the keyboard works and look great :D thank you very much kind sir  :D .


.(https://i.ibb.co/T1dds9m/IMG-20190107-214715.jpg) (https://ibb.co/T1dds9m) (https://i.ibb.co/QnHdnrr/IMG-20190107-214724.jpg) (https://ibb.co/QnHdnrr) (https://i.ibb.co/nsD9RP5/IMG-20190107-215524.jpg) (https://ibb.co/nsD9RP5) (https://i.ibb.co/NNYKXrq/IMG-20190107-215531.jpg) (https://ibb.co/NNYKXrq) (https://i.ibb.co/W38BVGs/IMG-20190107-215538.jpg) (https://ibb.co/W38BVGs) (https://i.ibb.co/KNkhtkY/IMG-20190107-215556.jpg) (https://ibb.co/KNkhtkY) (https://i.ibb.co/Hp4JTMD/IMG-20190107-215720.jpg) (https://ibb.co/Hp4JTMD) (https://i.ibb.co/zQfxhDX/IMG-20190107-220538.jpg) (https://ibb.co/zQfxhDX) (https://i.ibb.co/mhFRByg/IMG-20190107-220605.jpg) (https://ibb.co/mhFRByg)

Title: Re: Finally got my spare pcw 8256 board installed in a case
Post by: Audronic on 05:46, 08 January 19
@Sebastian Blanco (http://www.cpcwiki.eu/forum/index.php?action=profile;u=1801)


Can you shift the Picture UP on the monitor it looks like its to far down ?? (Not Centred).


Well done with the rest Looking good


Ray



Title: Re: Finally got my spare pcw 8256 board installed in a case
Post by: 00WReX on 06:47, 08 January 19
Nice project.

I have a spare PCW 8256 board that I may look at doing something similar with one day.

Thanks for the pictures.

Cheers,Shane
Title: Re: Finally got my spare pcw 8256 board installed in a case
Post by: JonB on 10:25, 08 January 19
Well done Sebastian, it looks really nice. You will find some black drives eventually, I am sure.

Maybe you could help Radu get his up and running: http://www.cpcwiki.eu/forum/nc100-nc200-pcw-pda600/pcw-wont-start-anymore/

I think he needs to do something similar to you!

I also have a spare 9512 motherboard that I was thinking of converting. It's the whole computer actually, but the PSU failed, so I have all the parts. I tried to resurrect it as a complete unit with an alternative PSU and it does work, but the screen is flickering on floppy access. I need an additional 12v PSU in there so that it is properly isolated. It's a work in progress... like everything else in my computer cave...
Title: Re: Finally got my spare pcw 8256 board installed in a case
Post by: Sebastian Blanco on 15:28, 08 January 19
In reality the screen is centered on CP/M it shows in the middle, also there's screen down there still to show up more of the game.But in a couple of games this happens the screen show lower and the bottom is not draw on the by the computer it just stop at that line.

Quote from: Audronic on 05:46, 08 January 19@Sebastian Blanco (http://www.cpcwiki.eu/forum/index.php?action=profile;u=1801)


Can you shift the Picture UP on the monitor it looks like its to far down ?? (Not Centred).


Well done with the rest Looking good


Ray
Title: Re: Finally got my spare pcw 8256 board installed in a case
Post by: Sebastian Blanco on 15:38, 08 January 19
(https://i.ibb.co/Yh9gkzz/IMG-20190106-195338.jpg) (https://ibb.co/Yh9gkzz)
I have done at first a couple of SONY MPF920 modded for the ready signal.But for some reason on this drives all software games and stuff work,  load cp/m 1.11 fine.But if i try to load CP/M 1.15 so i can use the ide drive on the mpf920 it will start to load but show a black screen after the black lines loading.This happen on any of my MPF920 i tried 3 different ones and the same happen on them all.Using the beige old jumpered floppy drives CP/M 1.15 works ok i switch to them for this reason prefer working and ugly :P .

Have replyed on RADU tread to help but he stopped updating the thread a long time ago.
About the full power supply conversion i have done the same to my 8256 jumping a 12v external psu to the motherboard to get the monitor working, you point me out how to do it and ended up working great. To not have the flicker problem when loading the screen used a floppy drive that only requires +5 or a gotek it also only uses +5, so no need to load the +12 when accessing the disk drive.

Title: Re: Finally got my spare pcw 8256 board installed in a case
Post by: ComSoft6128 on 18:36, 08 January 19
Glad the keyboard was OK Sebastian, looks like you did a great job cleaning it up :)
Title: Re: Finally got my spare pcw 8256 board installed in a case
Post by: Token on 20:29, 08 January 19
Very nice job, perfect with that little monitor  :D
Title: Re: Finally got my spare pcw 8256 board installed in a case
Post by: Habi on 23:42, 08 January 19
Quote from: Sebastian Blanco on 02:43, 08 January 19
Something also i notices is that some games don't show the full screen the bottom part is not display but is not because the tv there's space down there to show up but is just don't display nothing like in Livingstone supongo 2 it show on the pictures someone now why ? :o  .


I'm afraid it's because your video adapter lacks the pull resistors between the Gate Array and buffer IC; those are required because they are inputs at least at boot.
In your case there is enough static to switch to NTSC (it could be intermittent) as they are CMOS, so you can only see 200 lines. Theoretically you can damage the Gate Array without those resistors, so please fit them.
You can see them in the service manual, or in the schematic of my PCW/IO: http://www.habisoft.com/pcwwiki/lib/exe/detail.php?id=es%3Ahardware%3Aperifericos%3Apcw-io&media=hardware:Esquema_PCWIO.png (http://www.habisoft.com/pcwwiki/lib/exe/detail.php?id=es%3Ahardware%3Aperifericos%3Apcw-io&media=hardware:Esquema_PCWIO.png).
Regards.
Title: Re: Finally got my spare pcw 8256 board installed in a case
Post by: Audronic on 04:37, 09 January 19
@Sebastian Blanco (http://www.cpcwiki.eu/forum/index.php?action=profile;u=1801)


Photo of the mods that I use for Sony 920 Drives.
These seem to work for the BH9558KV chip set
These drives also work on the Amiga 500 I have (Line to Pin 2) for amiga

Ray
Title: Re: Finally got my spare pcw 8256 board installed in a case
Post by: Sebastian Blanco on 04:45, 09 January 19
Thanks for the information i have checked my adapter and have the two resistors present.The problem was that i also have the composite video adapter in the ide jonb board connected in the expansion port i never where able to get it working properly and somehow it was interfiring in the video signal i just disabled it by removing the 74HCxxx ic from the adapter and the video signal got fixed on the spot :D.

Quote from: Habi on 23:42, 08 January 19
I'm afraid it's because your video adapter lacks the pull resistors between the Gate Array and buffer IC; those are required because they are inputs at least at boot.
In your case there is enough static to switch to NTSC (it could be intermittent) as they are CMOS, so you can only see 200 lines. Theoretically you can damage the Gate Array without those resistors, so please fit them.
You can see them in the service manual, or in the schematic of my PCW/IO: http://www.habisoft.com/pcwwiki/lib/exe/detail.php?id=es%3Ahardware%3Aperifericos%3Apcw-io&media=hardware:Esquema_PCWIO.png (http://www.habisoft.com/pcwwiki/lib/exe/detail.php?id=es%3Ahardware%3Aperifericos%3Apcw-io&media=hardware:Esquema_PCWIO.png).
Regards.
Title: Re: Finally got my spare pcw 8256 board installed in a case
Post by: Sebastian Blanco on 04:53, 09 January 19
I have done this same mod to the drives but don't connected the (line to pin2 for amiga) option.This is necessary for the PCW ?.  :o
Quote from: Audronic on 04:37, 09 January 19@Sebastian Blanco (http://www.cpcwiki.eu/forum/index.php?action=profile;u=1801)


Photo of the mods that I use for Sony 920 Drives.
These seem to work for the BH9558KV chip set
These drives also work on the Amiga 500 I have (Line to Pin 2) for amiga

Ray
Title: Re: Finally got my spare pcw 8256 board installed in a case
Post by: Audronic on 04:59, 09 January 19
Hi Sebastian


No the wire to Pin 2 is only for the Amiga, I wire all my drives with the pin 2 mod and it still works for the Amiga or the CPC.
a don't think that it should make a difference for the PCW.


Ray
Title: Re: Finally got my spare pcw 8256 board installed in a case
Post by: Sebastian Blanco on 05:24, 09 January 19
I will try to add this wire anyway, do you have try to run a cp/m disk having the emt file replaced for 1.15 version ?.Because using this modded drives i can get all games and software working but cp/m 1.15 won't load show the line banding and then a black screen is bizarre  :doh: .

Quote from: Audronic on 04:59, 09 January 19Hi Sebastian


No the wire to Pin 2 is only for the Amiga, I wire all my drives with the pin 2 mod and it still works for the Amiga or the CPC.
a don't think that it should make a difference for the PCW.


Ray
Title: Re: Finally got my spare pcw 8256 board installed in a case
Post by: Sebastian Blanco on 05:28, 09 January 19
Anyway someone knows if possible to add a hard reset  button to the PCW ?.
Title: Re: Finally got my spare pcw 8256 board installed in a case
Post by: Habi on 08:13, 09 January 19
Quote from: Sebastian Blanco on 04:45, 09 January 19
...i just disabled it by removing the 74HCxxx ic from the adapter and the video signal got fixed on the spot :D .

Glad to hear that! There is a schematic on internet from a magazine that simply connects the outputs to a 74HC00; it works on a PCW with its monitor (resistors fitted), but not without (erratic NTSC switching).
Also, strange to hear that a CMOS input (HC device) sinks so much current. Good call removing it.


Quote from: Sebastian Blanco on 05:28, 09 January 19
Anyway someone knows if possible to add a hard reset  button to the PCW ?.
Sure, from the PCW/IO again:
http://www.habisoft.com/pcwwiki/lib/exe/detail.php?id=en%3Ahardware%3Aperifericos%3Apcw-io&media=hardware:PCW-IO-Reset.jpg
Just use a momentary normally open switch between ground and one of the points marked in red (or the via below). The gate array sends reset to all peripherals until level over the capacitor is high again.
Regards.
Title: Re: Finally got my spare pcw 8256 board installed in a case
Post by: Sebastian Blanco on 05:15, 10 January 19
Thanks for the help Habi, got that reset button going in a breeze :) .Now that interface you designed is so cool it does everything needed in a single shot.If i was in the know it existed before starting this project i could have asked you if there are pcbs available.
(https://i.ibb.co/k0KLzq8/IMG-20190110-003719.jpg) (https://ibb.co/k0KLzq8)
Title: Re: Finally got my spare pcw 8256 board installed in a case
Post by: Sebastian Blanco on 05:17, 10 January 19
A thing missing for me still is a mouse interface it could be a great addon.That can make symbos much more usable could be a PS/2 mouse interface, nobody is doing one  :o .
Title: Re: Finally got my spare pcw 8256 board installed in a case
Post by: jevicac on 21:56, 10 January 19
Hello, as Habi said earlier, his I / O interface does everything. Mouse and keyboard PS / 2, video, etc. http://www.habisoft.com/pcwwiki/doku.php?id=en:hardware:perifericos:pcw-io
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