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avatar_PulkoMandy

Albireo - USB/SD/Serial interface for CPC

Started by PulkoMandy, 15:54, 18 October 15

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Singaja

Can someone post a photo how does it look like upon receiving? :-)

Apollo

You can push my second board into the second batch as well so others don't need to wait longer  ;)
CPC - My beloved first computer!

Gryzor

I received mine this past week, so thanks :) It looks lovely even with the manual mods. No time to test it though yet :(

TFM

Quote from: PulkoMandy on 09:31, 23 January 16


Gosh! Tracking numbers are hell. If I click am mine.... nothing... I did send a package to TotO recently, tracking number doesn't work either. Maybe an US problem?

TFM of FutureSoft
Also visit the CPC and Plus users favorite OS: FutureOS - The Revolution on CPC6128 and 6128Plus

PulkoMandy

Usually it means they didn't scan the barcode anywhere yet, but I find that surprising after one week. Even if the destination country doesn't offer tracking, you should at least get "package left France for international shipping" or somesuch.
I'll go to the post office tomorrow, I'll ask them, they probably know better.

TFM

TFM of FutureSoft
Also visit the CPC and Plus users favorite OS: FutureOS - The Revolution on CPC6128 and 6128Plus

PulkoMandy

Hi, I checked with the post office and it turns out it is an user error on my side when using their self-service machine. The package should get to you eventually, but the tracking number may or may not work, it depends if they catch and scan it.


Sorry about this.

TFM

Quote from: PulkoMandy on 11:53, 06 February 16
Hi, I checked with the post office and it turns out it is an user error on my side when using their self-service machine. The package should get to you eventually, but the tracking number may or may not work, it depends if they catch and scan it.
Sorry about this.


Thanks!!! Can't wait to give it a try.  :)
TFM of FutureSoft
Also visit the CPC and Plus users favorite OS: FutureOS - The Revolution on CPC6128 and 6128Plus

Gryzor

Hey, @PulkoMandy , I noticed the wiki page for the device is rather poor at the moment... would you object if I copied the material from your site?

PulkoMandy

No problem with that, the device is "free hardware" (schematics are available and everything) and the documentation is also freely redistributable and modifiable.

Gryzor

Thanks for that :) Still, I can't go around just copying pages like that, hence I had to ask!


Ok, going to add all the details soon!

Gryzor


majikeyric

I received my board today!!!! Many thanks Pulko! Great work!!!! 8)

Sykobee (Briggsy)

Thanks Pulko, I've paid! Great to see that things like USB mouse are so simple - maybe someone will hack up some of the old mouse supporting software (Art Studio, etc) to use a USB mouse on this device.


(I have been so bus the past few months I had completely forgotten about it)

reidrac

#215
I finally started to read the docs and I'm looking forward to get my board to start fiddling with it!

I only see a minor limitation and is that the board doesn't include a ROM to automatically install the driver (excuse me if that's not the right terminology, I'm newbie here), and needing another board to provide the ROM (or, in my case, loading the driver from tape as I only own a 464 with no ROM expansion) is not ideal.

EDIT: to be clear, I already knew that because you mentioned it in the first post. But until I read the documents I guess I didn't understand the implications  :picard:

I still think is a nice piece of very versatile kit (and I want mine, 29th on the list!); just wanted to mention that I would love it even more if in a future revision it included a ROM on board ;) That said from the ignorance, because I don't know how difficult would that be (if possible).
Released The Return of Traxtor, Golden Tail, Magica, The Dawn of Kernel, Kitsune`s Curse, Brick Rick and Hyperdrive for the CPC.

If you like my games and want to show some appreciation, you can always buy me a coffee.

pelrun

That's not really a limitation - if you're going to be fiddling around with hardware, then you already want to buy a MotherX4/X-MEM/X-MASS/Minibooster from TotO (especially since the Albireo is designed to plug into the MotherX4.) They're cheap, readily available, and everyone already has one. Putting a ROM board directly in the peripheral is just going to conflict with the other hardware.

reidrac

Quote from: pelrun on 10:28, 16 February 16
That's not really a limitation - if you're going to be fiddling around with hardware, then you already want to buy a MotherX4/X-MEM/X-MASS/Minibooster from TotO (especially since the Albireo is designed to plug into the MotherX4.) They're cheap, readily available, and everyone already has one. Putting a ROM board directly in the peripheral is just going to conflict with the other hardware.

OK, thanks for the advice. I see that there's a market for people already having expansion boards, but I still think it would be nice to have a solution that ticks all the boxes instead of requiring 2 boards + the MotherX4.
Released The Return of Traxtor, Golden Tail, Magica, The Dawn of Kernel, Kitsune`s Curse, Brick Rick and Hyperdrive for the CPC.

If you like my games and want to show some appreciation, you can always buy me a coffee.

TotO

The CPC 464 is a base system that require many things to be up-to-date.
If too much plugs are required, you should start to take a look for a CPC 6128.
It is more reliable and cost less than DDI+Floppy+RAM expansions.
"You make one mistake in your life and the internet will never let you live it down" (Keith Goodyer)

reidrac

Quote from: TotO on 11:06, 16 February 16
The CPC 464 is a base system that require many things to be up-to-date.
If too much plugs are required, you should start to take a look for a CPC 6128.
It is more reliable and cost less than DDI+Floppy+RAM expansions.

Yes, well... you're probably right. This is about tinkering anyway, my 464 is just fine and I use it mostly because I do development and the occasional gaming.
Released The Return of Traxtor, Golden Tail, Magica, The Dawn of Kernel, Kitsune`s Curse, Brick Rick and Hyperdrive for the CPC.

If you like my games and want to show some appreciation, you can always buy me a coffee.

TotO

I understand well the choice to keep your own CPC.
But, building a new expansion to embbed all the features required is close to redo a new CPC mainboard.  ;D
"You make one mistake in your life and the internet will never let you live it down" (Keith Goodyer)

PulkoMandy

Yes, you need an X-Mem/MegaFlash/FlashGordon/RamCard/ROMBoard if you want to use a system ROM. The reason for that is that I ran out of space on the board, and also that I already have a FlashGordon here, and it is not possible to have another board provide ROMs in that case (they would conflict as the FlashGordon uses all available ROM numbers from 0 to 31, and ROMs above 7 are not initialized by the OS on the 464).


You don't need a minibooster and an x-mass, both have functionalities that for the most part overlap with Albireo.


There are other solutions than loading everything from tape however:
For example, you can write a minimal driver that you load from tape/disc. It can be something very small that initializes the SD card or USB drive and reads a few sectors from there with a more complete code to manage the board. It is less convenient than a ROM, of course, but better than nothing.

TotO

Quote from: PulkoMandy on 11:24, 16 February 16You don't need a minibooster and an x-mass, both have functionalities that for the most part overlap with Albireo.
When the softwares will exist for.  ;D
"You make one mistake in your life and the internet will never let you live it down" (Keith Goodyer)

PulkoMandy


TotO

No, as the X-MASS was designed to be compatible with existing things.  ;D
So, you can use it with BDOS, SymbOS and others since it was available.
"You make one mistake in your life and the internet will never let you live it down" (Keith Goodyer)

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