Is it possible to build a megaflash with included 512kb Ram Exp and Lower ROM

[ralferoo]

However the biggest question is how to implement commands like LOAD and SAVE. I could do it very quick if I would use RSX commands. But a nice implementation like they did it in RDOS takes a lot more time.

For what it's worth, I'm basing my filesystem on AMSDOS. It uses almost identical code to patch the CAS_* firmware blocks so it reads data from the flash chip if flash is detected, and there's some logic to decide whether the handle |TAPE or delegate to AMSDOS.

[TFM]

@Pentagon: "All-singing and dancing" is the English equivalent of the German word "Eierlegendewollmilchsau"

Bryce.

That's right, in the south of Bavaria that animal is called "Woiperdinger". Hard to catch, bad very delicious. However, the GigaBryce card will be better anyway ;-)

[Pentagon]

@Pentagon: "All-singing and dancing" is the English equivalent of the German word "Eierlegendewollmilchsau"

Yes and that megasuperduperexpansion card should be official named to "CPC-All-Singing and Dancing Expansion" ... i love it ;-)


Cheers
Tom

[TFM]

Yes and that megasuperduperexpansion card should be official named to "CPC-All-Singing and Dancing Expansion" ... i love it ;-)


Cheers
Tom

Alright, going to code a Dance-Dance-Revolution software for the CPC. So the "CPC-All-Singing and Dancing Expansion" just needs a plug for one of these dancing mats. Well, guess Joy port will do it too.

[OCT]

That's right, in the south of Bavaria that animal is called "Woiperdinger". Hard to catch, bad very delicious.

A jackalope in English AFAIK, but that name's taken by Ubuntu (Jaunty).

[TFM]

Got a nice-idea-input from Tolkin: When deciding to integrate a IDE part, then it makes sense to provide a slot for a SD card (instead of the parallel ATA hard-disc interface). Makes it smaller and no cable-salad or mafia-pie

[Bryce]

The difference between an SD interface and an IDE interface is huge! It's a completely different device, so if the plan goes to SD, then forget the old stuff and design a new interface from scratch.

Bryce.

[Pentagon]

I am sorry, i dont have the knowledge to build an SD Interface from scratch. I can offer the complete data of the CPC-IDE aka Symbiface 1 and would be compatible to the Symbiface, FOS, BDOS and Amsdos.

If all people here prefer a SD Card System, then i cant help with that and we need new ideas. The advantage of the harddisc system is, its working and its relieable working without any faults or issues.

TFM generously asked Octoate and Tolkin for an official authorisation to do that and to use the old data and they agreed. Kudos and a huge "THANK YOU" for that !!!

Well we would be able to build a new card, if you like it then i could give Bryce that data. But as i said, i cant do a SD Device cause my knowledge about any kind of Memory Cards is = 0


Thanks a lot to TFM, Tolkin and Octoate thats really generous and a possible chance to build a new device compatible to any old and before done devices.


Cheers
Tom / Pentagon

[TFM]

About the SD card: Interfaces do already exist we can use them.
(DE: Anstatt der ganzen Stecker und Adapter könnte man das direkt auf die Giga-Karte machen. IMHO sollte es nicht so schlimm sein, den ganzen Kram gibts bei Reichelt.de (Adapter von Parallel-ATA auf SD-Karte z.B.) Vielleicht geht es auch nicht. Nur mal die Idee in den Raum geworfen).

Really no need to thank me! (DE: Wo ist der Rot-werd Smily wenn man ihn braucht...). My pleasure to contribute. And you created the thread   So all Thanks to you   At the end we all Thank Bryce

Well, I'm not sure about the RTC. Personally I would think it's a "good to have", but if people merely don't need it - ok too.

This seems to evolve into something really beautiful!

[MacDeath]

"All-singing and dancing"

In french we would say : "qui fait aussi le café" ("who also prepare your coffee").

"CPC-All-Singing and Dancing Expansion"

CPC-A-SADE... what a Sadic stuff.


joke appart...
Are you all planning to do a production of a brand new extension for CPC/PLUS ?

Then what are the specs and Hardware content aimed at


Bryce recently produced some good Mouse adapters, and alos his Flashboard (ROMbox) was still available recently.

I managed to get my hands on one thx to the "FutureOS fundation for broke Hobbyists in dire strait" programm, which enabled me to obtain such financial help through some artistic contribution in return.

Anyway, what would be the point of this new batch/serie of Hardware then ?


Personally, i would be mostly interested in the HDD emulation through SD card or equivalent... also some RAM expansion would be nice... and perhaps even a real time clock after all.
And some Ethernet/internet solution too.


good point would be to design many mini cards with one function each, and a bigger one rack (HUB) which would enable to put all those on one stack.

Of course one could use only one of those (or pone pair, with only a proper cable, but if you want more functions, then just get the rack too as it would ease the utilisation and power supply management too perhaps.

[TFM]

Any news here? Is there still interrestin a big expanson card?

Does anybody of you get one of the new SF2 batch?

[Bryce]

I asked a while back and a grand total of two people said they would buy one. So in short: No.

And no, I didn't order an SF2 either.

Bryce.

[Gryzor]

512KB? Count me in!

[TotO]

A SF2 new batch was realy done?
I don't see anything on CPCWiki, and I don't speak german.
I tryed to follow the discution here w/o success :
http://forum.classic-computing.de/index.php?page=Thread&postID=34863#post34863

I'm sure that most peoples buying a MegaFlash bought after the LowerROM and finally will buy a RAM Board.
Sure that it's cheaper and more "clean" to get only one board doing all those stuff. (less ribbon cables too)

[00WReX]

512KB? Count me in!

And me 

I would personally love an all in one board.

[steve]

4MB? count me in!

[Bryce]

A SF2 new batch was realy done?
I don't see anything on CPCWiki, and I don't speak german.
I tryed to follow the discution here w/o success :
http://forum.classic-computing.de/index.php?page=Thread&postID=34863#post34863

I'm sure that most peoples buying a MegaFlash bought after the LowerROM and finally will buy a RAM Board.
Sure that it's cheaper and more "clean" to get only one board doing all those stuff. (less ribbon cables too)

The new SF2 batch seems to have been quite a small closed affair. They didn't really advertise it and even some of the German forum members seemed to have missed it.

Regarding the all in one device. I've said this before, but here we go again. The reason why I keep things seperate:
Many people bought the MegaFlash, many people bought the S-Video device, some people bought an AMX Mouse Adapter and some bought a LowerROM Board. BUT (very big BUT) they weren't the same people. Some wanted a LowerROM board, but they don't own a MegaFlash, some bought a Mouse adapter, but they didn't buy anything else. Some bought a MegaFlash and Mouse Adapter, but they have no interest in having S-video or a LowerROM.
So we have the choice. Do we make one big device that forces you to buy and pay for everything whether you want it or not? Or do we keep them modular and everyone can decide what they want or what their budget will allow.
The common denominator: How many people bought everything = About 5. So if I had built them as an all-in-one then I would have sold maybe 10 if I even that. And 5 of those ten paid for something on the board that they didn't want.

An all-in-one device wouldn't necessarily be cheaper, these devices don't really share a lot of components other than the connection to the CPC. And if the batch count was only 10, then they definitely would cost more than the sum of the individual devices.

Bryce. 

[TotO]

OK

[beaker]

Ah bummer, I thought I put my name down for a SFII on that link but not heard anything. Oh well 

[Bryce]

You did and your order seems to have been confirmed too. The last post in the thread (on the 21st of Oct) is from another buyer inquiring when the last devices will be sent out, so I wouldn't loose faith just yet. The first devices seem to have been handed out personally at their last meeting.

Bryce.

[TotO]

I don't though that will be so confidential. (and no news on the official website)
I said that I wanted one on the CPCWiki page, but sure it look to be not the good place...

The goal was to support it form the Firwmare to be used for all CPC starting from the BASIC (mouse, hdd, ...) and not only limited to SymbOS.

May be in the next 10 years for a 3rd batch... 

[beaker]

You did and your order seems to have been confirmed too. The last post in the thread (on the 21st of Oct) is from another buyer inquiring when the last devices will be sent out, so I wouldn't loose faith just yet. The first devices seem to have been handed out personally at their last meeting.

Bryce.

Ah cool, fingers crossed  Looking at another 6128 on Irish ebay with monitor so I can have one with your hardware and another with the SF2 

[TFM]

4MB? count me in!

4 MB!?! Count me in too!

You did and your order seems to have been confirmed too. The last post in the thread (on the 21st of Oct) is from another buyer inquiring when the last devices will be sent out, so I wouldn't loose faith just yet. The first devices seem to have been handed out personally at their last meeting.

I bug them since weeks to tell me the PayPal or whatever, but I get completely ignored. However I got a PM from Prodatron before, that I will get a SF2 (which I need as software developer). But slowly I lost my faith.

About the all-in-one and everything-separated philisophies: They do not exclude each other. Why not having:
1. a bunch of serarated cards for everything.
2. one big card, which contains everything.
Both can be realized!

[Bryce]

Yes, but they both cost time and money to develop. I will only make something if it covers its costs, I'm not a charity.

Bryce.

[TFM]

You are not alone, just do what you want.
But if others decide to do other projects, then please let em do it