Amstrad CPC WiFi

[Duke]

Hi guys,

I have hacked together an expansion board for the CPC, letting it connect to your home router/accesspoint via WiFi.
It also features a romboard and sd card for file access.

It's a bit rough at the moment, but the basics do work.

Please check it out at:
http://www.spinpoint.org/2016/05/06/m4-board-retrofun-8-bit-amstrad-cpc-wifi/


Let me know what you think - Any use, or plain madness - It was fun doing atleast.

Works on entire CPC range (from 464 to 6128+)

Regards,
Duke

Update!

Prices:

M4 Board with MX4 (IDC) connector price   40 euro
M4 Board with Edge connector price   43.5 euro
Adapter PCB unassembled/assembled (See picture below) 6/7 euro
Centronics to MX4 (IDC) cable, 8 euro  (for CPC+ and Schneider CPC6128)

Unregistered shipping cost to most of europe <100g 4 euro
Unregistered shipping cost to most of europe <250g 8 euro

2 boards is possible with <100 gram

About connectors:
Regular CPC has edge connector. CPC+ and Schneider CPC6128 have centronics connector.

Documentation:
Instructions on usage (and a bit of developer information, WIP).
http://www.spinpoint.org/cpc/m4info.txt

Need a board, then send me a private message (with your email address), and let me know which connector you need on it.
Leed time is usually about 4-5 weeks after ordering.

Yes still in production, 2021!

[Joseman]

But but but.... where this treasure come from? and why we didn't know nothing!!!! 


And the SD loading!! with the native run command!!!! what rom make this possible? the DSK navigation!! OMFG!

not to say the wifi itself!!!, and the rom commands!

Please tell us more! infact ALL the information right now!!! 

[Duke]

Well I didn't tell about it, because I wasn't sure if it was going to be possible (getting rom mapping to work was horror!) or if I would give up on it

The rom that makes it possible is one I wrote, it's loaded into the RAM of the MCU and currently mapped as rom7 to replace AMSDOS (more game compatiblity, when loaders disable other roms and re-enable only rom7). It's just a tiny hook of the CAS_ routines and some code to communicate with the M4, of course some RSX commands too.
However it can run as another rom as well (ie. rom6), as it doesn't have any real disc routines yet, that is needed if one wants to access real discs.

[mr_lou]

I'll never get tired of seeing things, that most people said was impossible, suddenly become a reality. 

[dcdrac]

this sounds great,  proably will need some kind of browser?

[dragon]

But but but.... where this treasure come from? and why we didn't know nothing!!!! 

Because you not read the chat i put the link here yesterday 

[Maniac]

This is all kinds of awesome!! Depending on cost I'd be interested in buying one!

[Duke]

I haven't done a strict cost calculation, but I think it would be about 40 euro + shipping, so a bit high, but I have to pay 25% vat of the amount.
This is without cable, the connectors are pricey, but I could make a version with edge connector on the pcb, so it plugs directly into the CPC (none plus and schneider with centronics).

[Maniac]

I haven't done a strict cost calculation, but I think it would be about 40 euro + shipping, so a bit high, but I have to pay 25% vat of the amount.
This is without cable, the connectors are pricey, but I could make a version with edge connector on the pcb, so it plugs directly into the CPC (none plus and schneider with centronics).

Have you thought about using the MX4 connectors that Toto established? For those that don't have an MX4 a cable can easily be made with edge or d connector.

[robcfg]

I'd suggest a way compatible with the MX4 cable, brcause that way anyone can acquire or make the cable needed, or even use the MX4 cable.

[Duke]

Yeah I am fairly sure it will work with the MX4, that's the kind of connector on it now. I'll have to double check of course.

[dirtybb]

This is totally crazy 
@Duke
Quoted from your page :"If enough are interested, I will run a batch + it'll motivate me to finish and polish things up."
I'm interested in 1, you can count me in.

[Duke]

This is totally crazy 
@Duke
Quoted from your page :"If enough are interested, I will run a batch + it'll motivate me to finish and polish things up."
I'm interested in 1, you can count me in.

Thanks, if I get a feeling that atleast 10 people are interested, I'll source the components for those and see how it goes.

[dirtybb]

Well I didn't tell about it, because I wasn't sure if it was going to be possible (getting rom mapping to work was horror!) or if I would give up on it

The rom that makes it possible is one I wrote, it's loaded into the RAM of the MCU and currently mapped as rom7 to replace AMSDOS (more game compatiblity, when loaders disable other roms and re-enable only rom7). It's just a tiny hook of the CAS_ routines and some code to communicate with the M4, of course some RSX commands too.
However it can run as another rom as well (ie. rom6), as it doesn't have any real disc routines yet, that is needed if one wants to access real discs.

About the sd card, what is the file system ?

[Duke]

It's FAT32 or less. Using FATFS on the Cortex M4, with SDIO.

[Jungsi]

I'am also interested in one! 

[1024MAK]

Oh wow!    Nice work   

Please add me to the list of "I want one!".

Mark

[reidrac]

Yes, I'd love one if that's possible.

If it works in a 464 without an extra ROM, that's a "killer board" IMHO.

"ARM MCU running at 168MHz" -- hah, oh yes!

[||C|-|E||]

Awesome work and definitely interested in one!! 

[SRS]

Sounds to cool to be real

IF it works on a CPC464 (Schneider ) - I'd be interested, too.

[Munchausen]

This is awesome! Would also definitely like one if you do a production run!

[Duke]

Thanks guys.

Yes it should work on a real CPC464, as it can live completely without the AMSDOS rom. You can of course add it too on the emulated rom board.

However I don't have a CPC464 to test, so I think it would be wisest if the first one I send out, will be to a CPC464 owner, preferably somone who has a MX4 cable/board already.
It'll be free of charge if it doesn't work. I should have parts to make 1 or 2 samples atm.

[anyf33]

  Excelent work
Please add me to the list.
And i have also a 464 for testing without m4 cables.
Find me a way to connect it and i take it today !
or with cable on the right can work?
MotherX4 Main Board

[Duke]

Excelent work
Please add me to the list.
And i have also a 464 for testing without m4 cables.
Find me a way to connect it and i take it today !
or with cable on the right can work?
MotherX4 Main Board

Yes that cable will do, atleast as far as I can tell. The pinout order of M4 board matches the PlayCity board picture I just looked at in the wiki, that is designed for MotherX4.
I might do a version, with a Card Edge connector directly on the PCB, so it's direct plugin without cables.

[Audronic]

I am also Interested.


Thanks


Ray