News:

Printed Amstrad Addict magazine announced, check it out here!

Main Menu

PCW kit

Started by Token, 00:51, 14 February 14

Previous topic - Next topic

0 Members and 1 Guest are viewing this topic.

Token

#50

I added a ON/OFF switch.  I think that PCW could die like the others on the web, the RAM and chipset are warm.
The RAM really makes a mess inside the box. I only put 2 old 486 heat sink on it. I should fix it later with a bit of thermal compound. It's a little better now. I've still the 4cm fan from the CD-ROM box. Later I should see how it works with the 12V from the monitor.
Edit: the box isn't hot anymore with just the 2 small heat sink on the RAM..  :) 


I made this, for fast test. Just format the SDcard and unzip the file into it.


http://www.speedyshare.com/d6sC4/PCW.ZIP


files:

Spoiler: ShowHide

DSKA0000.HFE : CP/M
DSKA0001.HFE : On the run, 2112 AD, Nexor
DSKA0002.HFE : Blagger, Guardian (CP/M)
DSKA0003.HFE : Livingstone
DSKA0004.HFE : Livingstone 2
DSKA0005.HFE : Last mission
DSKA0006.HFE : Goody
DSKA0007.HFE : Gonzalez
DSKA0008.HFE : Corsarios
DSKA0009.HFE : La Abadía del Crimen
DSKA0010.HFE : Head over heels (CP/M)
DSKA0011.HFE : Last Ninja 2
DSKA0012.HFE : Tetris
DSKA0013.HFE : Ulises
DSKA0014.HFE : Classic games 1 (CP/M)
DSKA0015.HFE : Classic games 2 (CP/M)



... page 1 edited

Munchausen

I've been talking to Pulkomandy about his setup. He gave me some important information - you can blow the video circuitry if you don't buffer it - he blew one motherboard this way already!


Apparently putting the video through any 74HC gate is enough to fix it. He has information here: http://pulko.mandy.pagesperso-orange.fr/shinra/pcw.shtml


Also on that page is a hint that he has a PS/2 keyboard interface working, but needs to get it to go a bit faster.


Finally, there are some pictures of his 5.25" drive enclosure (with the PCW in it) available here: PulkoMandy's home on the web

Token

#52
Nice  :)
I was busy with a 664, and now back with the PCW!


I haven't really understood it, but will try to figure how it works. I think I see what are the "2 jumpers". I wonder about the next chip, also a photo with the 74HC00 in place would be welcome.






Also I tried to cool every chips but the one in the middle. The Amstrad 40028, the main ASIC. Luckily it's still alive.
I bought a pack of small coolers from China on Ebay a week ago.

PulkoMandy

Hi,
The idea is:
- You solder pin 7 and 14 of your 74HC00 to pins 7 and 14 of this IC you highlighted. This gets you power and ground
- You bend the other pins so they don't touch the IC below
- You cut the two jumper wires, and redirect the signals through the new chip as shown on my webpage.


If you don't want to modify your motherboard, it's possible to build an adapter that plugs on the video port. you still need to get the +5V somewhere for it. This is what I did, so I don't have picture of the motherboard mod.


I may do a picture of my adapter, but it's a mess, as I tried various solutions to try to get it working on a TV. If I open my PCW box again (it's a bit annoying to do with all those wires in a so small box), I'll make some pictures of the inside.

Token

I might do it soon. I'm waiting for the chips for my 2 mobos.
It looks like a clean little mod (I mean, it's not destroying the PCW. Like cutting a track.) so I'll cut the 2 lines.
I might ask for help as well if I do it wrong. But it must be done.

Token

The chips I found on Ebay are very very small  ::)  I just saw a bigger one with the large pins... It should takes another month for shipping  ;D

Bryce

The 74HC14 is a Hex inverter with Schmitt triggers. Half of this IC is used to buffer the data and clock signals coming from the keyboard, but the other inverters in this IC are used for completely different things (at least one gate is used to invert the sync signal going to the data seperator).

Bryce.

Token

I'm about to buy the 74HC00 there
http://cgi.ebay.fr/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=160987717813&var=460158284946&ssPageName=STRK:MEWAX:IT&_trksid=p3984.m1423.l2649





Bryce, do you meant it won't work well if I use it with the 74HC14? It must only takes ground and power, just to be clear ;)

Bryce

No, it will work fine with the 74HC14, I just thought you wanted to know what it does.

Bryce.

Gesendet von meinem Motorola DynaTEC 8000X mit Tapatalk 2.


Token

Thank you Bryce, it's nice to know what it does of course! Now I read me again, it was a dumb question sorry, I was about to buy it, I had doubts, that's only why. Remember my soldering on the CT-1  :o 

Token

#60
Thank you PulkoMandy. Simple mod that works very nice, it was a bit hard for me, I'm a beginner and I don't have all the tools, especially for cutting the 2 bridges. But I'll buy some in the future. Also my soldering sucks royal ass, but who cares, it works, it works!!  :D 




Token

#61
edit:  :picard: :D




Token

Well I redid the soldering... It's now almost finished. I'll add 2 Gotek (the actual floppy emulator is a HxC slim)

I founded out that the picture can be in fullscreen on a GT64 or GT65 monitor. It's a lot better than the CTM644. The pixels are so sharp and accurate!  :-*

How? I added a 100 Ohm resistor on the Vsync (and also on the Lum/RGB, but I think it's not necessary) So the picture is not cropped anymore on top and bottom.


Bryce

I've seen soldering that was much worse, from people who claimed they could solder!

Congrats on sorting it out. Nice job.

Bryce.

Token

#64
Now with the I2C screen!
I updated the GOTEK firmware and I read more about to read floppies
without the need of a boot manager.
In fact "normal mode" should works with most computers.

So there are now 999 slots instead 15. (I removed the broken 3 digit, so I can't verify)
I added a (red) button which is connected to JA connector on the GOTEK PCB.
This PCW have the HxC buzzer yet, but I might remove it and use the JB connector instead the old hack. I did few tests, I think it require a transistor.

Here a link with some games and HXCSDFE.CFG (cfg should be compatible with CPC) ready to play.
https://ufile.io/ipuf8

If you don't have the I2C you can test with a jumper or screwdriver, it read any files names now. (not just DSKA0000.HFE, DSKA0001.HFE, DSKA0002.HFE,... the indexed mode) on Atari ST it should read the .ST format. Perhaps it is even possible to "force" something, so there's no need to add a button..
Don't be fooled with the screenshot, it's .HFE not DSK :) (soooooon..)

Normally you just power up the PCW, select a game with + and - button, then you load with the "JB" button.






Sebastian Blanco

Hey very nice im planning to do the same to a 8512 i have in a shelf, you should get the IDE kit from JonB to ultracharge your PCW  :P

Token

I'm curious, does it require the 12V?

Finally Habi did it.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=K3X9B2NEZUM

file:
https://files.fm/u/vree4ggd
Should work also with FlashFloppy. https://github.com/keirf/FlashFloppy
(you'll need HXCSDFE.CFG for the autoboot mode)




robcfg


Token

Nice, I like it can reset the PCW, I tried many things by just the mainboard, nothing worked. Keymouse emulation is great, the best for me is the joystick support. Too bad I can't build this hardware myself. Hoping it is possible to buy one some day. Otherwise really cool with the keyboard!

robcfg

It's really easy to solder the board, I've done a couple myself.


You can ask @Habi if he still has some boards and components, as specially the PS/2 connectors seem to be in short supply lately.

Powered by SMFPacks Menu Editor Mod