CPCWiki forum

Hi there! Well, I'm thinking about generating a ROM for serial communication and networking. And of course I want to know what's on your wish-list.


Let me start with one question first: Which serial or networking devices do you own for your CPC / Plus computer(s)?

M4 but cannot run old software with this.

I have a M4 and an Amstrad serial interface (somewhere...).

(https://i.ibb.co/xgt99gY/cooltext321053749918340.png)

Can we add LambdaSpeak 3 to this poll? Just for completeness  :)

Quote from: robcfg on 14:27, 11 April 19
I have a M4 and an Amstrad serial interface (somewhere...).

You can vote for both. Thanks!  :)

Quote from: LambdaMikel on 15:13, 11 April 19Can we add LambdaSpeak 3 to this poll? Just for completeness  :)

Of course! My apologies, but I forgot about this. It's evolving so quick. :)

M4 board

Albireo and Schneider RS232

That's interesting results so far and we can already see tendencies. Please everybody else help voting!  :) :) :)

Here are some tables I made, they may be of interest for you too.  :)




---------+---------+-------+------+-----+-----+-----+-----+
Baudrates!Schneider!Amstrad!      !     ! old ! CPC ! Mini!
         ! Z80-STI !Z80-SIO!USIfAC! LS3 !Boost!Boos+!Boost!
---------+---------+-------+------+-----+-----+-----+-----+
-     45 !    X    !   X   !   -  !  -  !  -  !  -  !  -  !
-     50 !    X    !   X   !   -  !  -  !  -  !  -  !  -  !
-     75 !    X    !   X   !   -  !  -  !  -  !  -  !  -  !
-    110 !    X    !   X   !   -  !  -  !  -  !  -  !  -  !
-   134,5!         !   X   !   -  !  -  !  -  !  -  !  -  !
-    150 !    X    !   X   !   -  !  -  !  -  !  -  !  -  !
-    200 !         !   X   !   -  !  -  !  -  !  -  !  -  !
-    300 !    X    !   X   !   X  !  -  !  -  !  -  !  -  !
-    600 !    X    !   X   !   -  !  -  !  -  !  -  !  -  !
-   1200 !    X    !   X   !   -  !  -  !  -  !  -  !  -  !
-   1800 !         !   X   !   -  !  -  !  -  !  -  !  -  !
-   2000 !         !   X   !   -  !  -  !  -  !  -  !  -  !
-   2400 !    X    !   X   !   X  !  X  !  X  !  -  !  -  !
-   3600 !         !   X   !   -  !  -  !  X  !  X  !  X  !
-   4800 !    X    !   X   !   -  !  X  !  X  !  X  !  X  !
-   7200 !         !   X   !   -  !  -  !  X  !  X  !  X  !
*   9600 ! -- X -- ! - X - ! - X -!- X -!- X -!- X -!- X -!
-  14400 !         !       !   -  !  X  !  X  !  X  !  X  !
-  19200 !    X    !   X   !   X  !  X  !  X  !  X  !  X  !
-  28800 !         !       !   -  !  X  !  X  !  X  !  X  !
-  38400 !    X    !       !   X  !  X  !  X  !  X  !  X  !
-  57600 !    -    !   -   !   X  !  X  !  X  !  X  !  X  !
-  76800 !    -    !   -   !   -  !  X  !  -  !  X  !  X  !
- 115200 !    -    !   -   !   X  !  X  !  X  !  X  !  X  !
- 144000 !    -    !   -   !   -  !  -  !  X  !  -  !  -  !
- 192000 !    -    !   -   !   -  !  -  !  X  !  -  !  -  !
- 230400 !    -    !   -   !   X  !  -  !  -  !  X  !  X  !
- 250000 !    -    !   -   !   -  !  X  !  -  !  -  !  -  !
- 288000 !    -    !   -   !   -  !  -  !  X  !  -  !  -  !
- 345600 !    -    !   -   !   -  !  -  !  -  !  X  !  -  !
- 460800 !    -    !   -   !   X  !  -  !  -  !  X  !  X  !
- 576000 !    -    !   -   !   X  !  -  !  -  !  -  !  -  !
- 691200 !    -    !   -   !   -  !  -  !  -  !  X  !  -  !
-1382400 !    -    !   -   !   -  !  -  !  -  !  X  !  -  !
---------+---------+-------+------+-----+-----+-----+-----+

-----------+---------+-------+------+-----+-----+-----+-----+
  Parität  !Schneider!Amstrad!      !     ! old ! CPC ! Mini!
Parity Type! Z80-STI !Z80-SIO!USIfAC! LS3 !Boost!Boos+!Boost!
-----------+---------+-------+------+-----+-----+-----+-----+
* Keine    !    X    !   X   !  ?X  !  X  !     !  X  !     !
- Gerade   !    X    !   X   !   -  !  X  !     !  X  !     !
- Ungerade !    X    !   X   !   -  !  X  !     !  X  !     !
-----------+---------+-------+------+-----+-----+-----+-----+

---------+---------+-------+------+-----+-----+-----+-----+
         !Schneider!Amstrad!      !     ! old ! CPC ! Mini!
Stop Bits! Z80-STI !Z80-SIO!USIfAC! LS3 !Boost!Boos+!Boost!
---------+---------+-------+------+-----+-----+-----+-----+
* 1   Bit!    X    !   X   !  ?X  !  X  !     !  X  !     !
- 1,5 Bit!    X    !   X   !   -  !  -  !     !  -  !     !
- 2   Bit!    X    !   X   !   -  !  X  !     !  X  !     !
-SyncMode!    X    !   ?   !   -  !  -  !     !  -  !     !
---------+---------+-------+------+-----+-----+-----+-----+

--------------+---------+-------+------+-----+-----+-----+-----+
Bits / Zeichen!Schneider!Amstrad!      !     ! old ! CPC ! Mini!
Character Size! Z80-STI !Z80-SIO!USIfAC! LS3 !Boost!Boos+!Boost!
--------------+---------+-------+------+-----+-----+-----+-----+
- 9 Bit       !    -    !   -   !   -  !  -  !     !  X  !     !
* 8 Bit       !    X    !   X   !  ?X  !  X  !     !  X  !     !
- 7 Bit       !    X    !   X   !   -  !  X  !     !  X  !     !
- 6 Bit       !    X    !   X   !   -  !  X  !     !  X  !     !
- 5 Bit       !    X    !   X   !   -  !  X  !     !  X  !     !
--------------+---------+-------+------+-----+-----+-----+-----+

A MiniBooster in a CPC464 tall keys and a M4 in a CPC472 english keyboard


Enviado desde mi iPad utilizando Tapatalk

Everybody please vote! And thanks a lot to all the participants! Up to now the result is very interesting. Of course the M4 card sold over 500 time (IIRC), but the devices to be seen at 2nd and 3rd position are exciting too! Now, of course USIfAC and SF3 will catch up in the coming time I do assume. Let's see...  :) :) :)

For network, I use the great M4 board! But is there any other option?

(Edit: I meant... any better option  :laugh: )

Quote from: teopl on 20:50, 16 April 19
For network, I use the great M4 board! But is there any other option?

(Edit: I meant... any better option  :laugh: )

That really depends what you want to do.

Quote from: XeNoMoRPH on 14:47, 11 April 19
(https://i.ibb.co/xgt99gY/cooltext321053749918340.png)

The "4" caracter can be done using the "A" to better match with the Arkanoid style. ;)

Since we got a serious amount for Albireo... Haven't there been problems with serial communications? Are they fixed now? Where do I get the update? And... if the hardware problems are not fixed, are people to accept an software solution to work around?

... maybe add a checkbox to the poll "I actually used the serial port for something"  ;)

Good idea, but somehow one can't change the vote after voting.

Could be worse...

Quote from: BBCIndia voter 'chops off finger' after voting for wrong party

Hi @GUNHED (http://www.cpcwiki.eu/forum/index.php?action=profile;u=2029) , please add the following new modes for LS 3.0:


  case 9 : UBRR0L = 10; SERIAL_RATE = 115200; break;  // 115200
  case 10 : UBRR0L = 5; SERIAL_RATE = 208333; break;  // 208333
  case 11 : UBRR0L = 4; SERIAL_RATE = 250000; break;  // 250000
  case 12 : UBRR0L = 3; SERIAL_RATE = 312500; break;  // 312500
  case 13 : UBRR0L = 2; SERIAL_RATE = 416667; break;  // 416667
  case 14 : UBRR0L = 1; SERIAL_RATE = 625000; break;  // 625000
  case 15 : UBRR0L = 0; SERIAL_RATE = 1250000; break;  // 1250000

I have tested that 115200 works like a charm with the PC; the other modi I haven't tested, but they should work as well. Problem with testing these is that I don't have a terminal program that can select these non-standard BAUD rates. The next standard BAUD rate seems to be 230400, but LS 3.0 can only generate 208333 or 250000, and both of them are too much off to work for 230400.   

However, everything above 115200 is kind of overkill anyhow for the CPC. But it would be good to have them in the table.

Does anybody know of a terminal program / FTDI cable that has more flexibiliy in these > 115200 BAUD rates? I guess that also depends on the hardware a bit.

EDIT - Actually, RealTerm can do arbitrary BAUD rates! So I tried the higher rates. But everything > 115200 gives some currupted characters.... so I these modi are of theoretical interest mainly.

EDIT2 - Modi over 115200 are unlikely to be supported by FTDI chips I just read. Here is a quote I found:

QuoteBut most of the USB serial ports will work with any baud rates (FTDI232-based at least) provided that the level shifter can follow the speed - it could be that they used an el cheapo tranceiver which would work only up to 125kbps reliably. But just try it and measure with an oscilloscope or take the USB serial port apart and google for the datasheets. My USB serial port is translucent, so I can see the FTDI and Maxim part numbers.

Thanks! Will be added.  :)