CPC Parts

[eliot]

[OFF-TOPIC post around a lot of other OFF-TOPIC posts]
I really admir the abalaties of people to divert from the original subject! 
[/OFF TOPIC OFF]

[Bryce]

Oops, sorry Eliot, back to the real subject (I assume the CPC parts page is from you). Are you actively seeking suppliers for CPC parts, or is it just stock you've obtained? I have a list of suppliers, that I can check to see if they still exist, where I've bought 8-bit parts for repair purposes (old dynamic RAM and other hard to get bits). If you're interested, I can send you a list of the ones that are still in business?

Bryce.

[eliot]

I can't find edge-card connectors (34 pins and 50 pins) for classical CPC any more here. I had the luck to find a big stock of 50 pins ones when building CPC Parts. 

[Bryce]

Yeah, edge-connectors are really a thing of the past. For the Digiblaster edge-connectors (34way), I collected all the old PC Floppy drive cables I could find and salvaged the 5.25" edge-connector from those. There's a small separator that needs to be carefully removed, but it's not that difficult. Everyone has an old PC in the attic and there's two connectors on each cable, which should keep us going for a few years. I only have two 50way edge-connectors left and I'm willing to fight to the death before I'll give them away

Bryce.

[TFM]

I'll get to work on the Sound Blaster extension right away Not sure how I'm going to get the nVidia GTX485 connected though, I may need to overclock the Z80 a little

Bryce.

Well, I have a CPC running with 6 MHz instead of 4 MHz, just use a Z80B or better. No problem. Would be great if Eliot can also sell the needed 24 MHz crystal and the Z80B (or better the Z80H), but only in case that some people want to speed up their CPC.

Yep... And we can had a external processor like a Core 2 Duo, a Sound Blaster Audigy, and a new graphic card...

Well, if you like... I'm totally happy with a CPC6128 with 512 exansion RAM (used mainly as RAM disc, battery buffered for sure), some ROMs (Protext) and a printer. Why? Well, I can work more quick than you can with your new high-end PC! Let me explain this in detail. Your PC needs 20 seconds to boot and you need 10 seconds to write a letter. With my expanded CPC I need 1 second to boot, 2 seconds to enter Protext, 10 seconds to write a letter, and if needes another second to save my letter to the battery-buffered RAM-disc. THEREFORE you need an expandet CPC!

Further if I would have the time I would name you a huge lot of programs which actually need more than 128 KB or gain strong advantages from it. Discology is only one example...

[Bryce]

My final goal is obviously, that the CPC can run Crysis

Regarding 24Mhz Crystals, they're hardly rare, you can pick them up anywhere, so it would be pointless offering them on a CPC parts site? Unless it was an upgrade kit = 24Mhz xtal, Z80B, instructions etc.

Bryce.

[Gryzor]

I've got a Cirrus Logic 5401 lying around somewhere if you're interested...

[steve]

I think a second processor would be better, a plug-in expansion box containing a processor and 1-4MB ram with a 16KB rom to manage communication between the CPC and the 2nd processor, the second processor could run at 20Mhz without being slowed down by the ULA or running OS routines.

[Ynot.zer0]

I have an Amstrad book that explains about how to add a 2nd CPU to the CPC 464 as a hardware project.  (I'll see if I can find it and what it is called - not sure if anyone has it scanned and upload to the wiki?)

[TFM]

I think a second processor would be better, a plug-in expansion box containing a processor and 1-4MB ram with a 16KB rom to manage communication between the CPC and the 2nd processor, the second processor could run at 20Mhz without being slowed down by the ULA or running OS routines.

In this case your system is like a keyboard and a PC. Don't know it keyboards still have a Z80 inside, but a second CPU (if stronger) degrades the CPC to a "keyboard"

I like the 4 MB RAM expansion from Jarek (in the 6128 internal), that's amazing. And this RAM is actually used by few programs, but soon there will be more apps. unsing the 4 MB.

However, 2. cpu cards exists already:

- Thre rare HD64180 card and...
- The very wondeful CPC Booster!

[steve]

In this case your system is like a keyboard and a PC. Don't know it keyboards still have a Z80 inside, but a second CPU (if stronger) degrades the CPC to a "keyboard"


- Thre rare HD64180 card and...
- The very wondeful CPC Booster!

I prefer to think of one z80 running the OS and drawing the screen while the 2nd z80 is running the application(s).

[TFM]

Ah, a system like they used in the GenieIIIs, which had two Z80 with 8 MHz. Well, why not 

But to make it easy, you can connect two CPCs for that issue. Using CPC Booster or the VN96 network.

[steve]

Wikipeadia and oldcomputers.com say the video genie III used a single z80a running at 3.2 Mhz otherwise I would like a machine with two z80s running at 8Mhz each.

I am currently considering buying a vz80p+ which has a z80 running at 16Mhz, 1152KB ram and an FPGA containing a blitter and 8-bit DAC for audio samples.

[TFM]

Wikipeadia and oldcomputers.com say the video genie III used a single z80a running at 3.2 Mhz otherwise I would like a machine with two z80s running at 8Mhz each.

You look a "video genie III", but I was talking about the TCS Genie IIIs, which has a Z80H with 7.2 MHz. Mine has 8 MHz (special version for a medical system) and it has the legendary Ultra/8 card which has an extra Z80H running at 8 MHz. Both CPUs can access the same RAM at the same time. Das ist einfach genial!!! But there is enough RAM for the cpu's anyway. And there is a extra 64 KB of Video-RAM for the GenieIIIs. So it has high-resolution gfx - and it has a ultra-fast text mode. And both - gfx and text mode - can be displayed at the same time.
BTW: The Genie III s has two Z80-SIO and two Z80-PIO, it has a huge number of connections to the outworld. Can even control supersonic devices to communicate ;-)
Originally is was very, very expensive. I had the luck to get it 15 years ago for 500 Deutsche Mark (= 250 Euro).

I am currently considering buying a vz80p+ which has a z80 running at 16Mhz, 1152KB ram and an FPGA containing a blitter and 8-bit DAC for audio samples.

Does it have a real Z80? Or a "similar" cpu? If it is a real Zilog Z80, then this machine is of particular interrest.

[steve]

TCS genie III sounds like a fast machine, does it run CP/M?

The v6z80p+ uses a real z80 but I don't know if it is made by zilog, apparently they gave free licences to any company to make the z80 and so have made less than half the number of z80's made since it was introduced.

[TFM]

TCS genie III sounds like a fast machine, does it run CP/M?

It's not the Genie III, I'm talking about the Genie IIIs.    This is actually a big difference 

It runs CP/M 2.2, CP/M Plus, Newdos 80, TRS-DOS, and some other DOS. There are two versions of CP/M Plus. Both are way superior to every other implemention that I've ever seen. The had a really positive competition.

BTW: It also runs CISS, it's like FutureOS for the CPC, but I have no time to develop it further 

The v6z80p+ uses a real z80 but I don't know if it is made by zilog, apparently they gave free licences to any company to make the z80 and so have made less than half the number of z80's made since it was introduced.

Can you provide a link? I didn't find anything in the net. Sounds like an interresting machine.

[steve]

Can you provide a link? I didn't find anything in the net. Sounds like an interresting machine.

http://www.retroleum.co.uk/electronics-articles/v6z80p/