Real Time Clock Board

[netmercer]

Hi,
I'm using the CPC RTC under CP/M+ and TIMEROM#.COM.
Is it possible to set time and date of the SmartWatch chip with a CP/M tool? Perhaps TIMEROM#.COM could do that, but I don't knew the syntax.
Standard CP/M+ tools like DATE.COM sets only the software clock of the CPC.


Best regards
netmercer

[GUNHED]

Hi, to set time and date you can either use the Dobbertin TimeROM or FutureOS. Well, I could make a CP/M program for you too, but I just picked up a new job a week ago (highschool teacher - never do that!!!), so I'm super busy at the moment.

[netmercer]

Hi @GUNHED,
thank you for your answer and your friendly offer, but it's not necessary to do a lot of programing work. I'm searching for a already existing solution...

Best regards
netmercer

[poulette73]

I'm way too late...

I am interested in this interface, but I know that there will be no more produced.
By any chance, is anyone selling a used one?
If so you can send me a PM !

[GUNHED]

Well, maybe it would make sense to set up a second batch?

This RTC probably got the best software support of all RTC's on the CPC. So it would make sense to get a 2nd batch done.

Most important question: What does @dxs think about it?

Is somebody else interested in getting one of the great dxs RTCs?

[Richard_Lloyd]

Yes, I would be interested.......

[Nemo59]

Im interested too for my CPC+  

[angelcaio]

I am also interested in a MX4 card for my 464 with CP/M plus (HDCPM)

[rambler]

I am also interested

[GUNHED]

Great! Now we need somebody to do a new batch! 

Several members of this forum could do that. Who would like to do it?

[GUNHED]

Who will do a new batch?

@dxs , @Piotr , @TotO , @Bryce , @PulkoMandy , @talrek or anybody else?

Sadly I can't do it by myself. 

[TotO]

- PulkoMandy will probably suggest you to buy the Nova board instead (NVRAM + RTC)
- X-MEM users can swap the RAM IC with a 9$ M48T512Y-70PM1 (512K backed up + RTC)

[GUNHED]

- PulkoMandy will probably suggest you to buy the Nova board instead (NVRAM + RTC)
- X-MEM users can swap the RAM IC with a 9$ "M48T512Y-70PM1" (512K backed up + RTC)
 

Two well ideas. 

1. The Nova I already got personally, it's a great card.
2. Also the X-MEM is awesome.

However, the RTC of the Nova does not have the same amount of software support compared to the dxs (Dobbertin) RTC. And the chip you mention for the X-MEM is commercially just not available.

What's the big advantage of the dxs RTC?
It's the software: There is a complete ROM for the native OS (full of wonders), there is also support in CP/M Plus (even in CP/M 2.2 - the one with 63 KB TPA) and of course for other OS too.

[TotO]

the chip you mention for the X-MEM is commercially just not available.

Well, I have provided the link to buy it.
6 years ago, people don't looked interested by a 1024K backed-up RAM with RTC (Z-MEM)

the RTC of the Nova does not have the same amount of software support compared to the dxs (Dobbertin) RTC.

You may patch the softwares instead of asking to buy new hardware for the same usage. It will cost less for users.

[GUNHED]

Well, I followed you link 6 years ago, and I couldn't get it back the day, also at no other day. They seem to be very scarce. But you can provide a link of the X-MEM RTC right now.

I do not ask nobody to buy new hardware. And why shall I patch some software? My software already support everything RTC in CPC world.

Here we talk about that people want to buy the dxs RTC. Therefore I tried to support them here by asking hardware people for support.

Again: Just to make this clear, users WANT to get the dxs RTC! 

[revaldinho]

Just slightly off topic, I remember Dk'Tronics used to advertise heavily in the CPC magazines back in the day. They had a RTC card too which I think came with RSXes on tape/disk and possibly some patches for CP/M. I don't see people talking about the Dk'T RTC though - was that not as popular and as well supported as the others ?

[poulette73]

Well, maybe it would make sense to set up a second batch?

This RTC probably got the best software support of all RTC's on the CPC. So it would make sense to get a 2nd batch done.

Most important question: What does @dxs think about it?

Is somebody else interested in getting one of the great dxs RTCs?

I raise the subject.

It would make me happy that a new batch sees the light of day.  😉 👍

What I really like with this dxs RTC interface (compared to the other solutions offered) is the integration of TIME ROM+ which allows to :

• Show date and hour each time the CPC starts on the top screen.
• The presence of RSX allowing to retrieve and use the date and time in programs, in a simple and intuitive way for everyone whatever the level of programming.

[HigashiJun]

I would be interested too.

Looks really good.

[GUNHED]

Maybe one of the usual CPC hardware producers / cloners does read here and is willing to do a batch?

[ikonsgr]

I revive the thread for asking a relative question:
 I would like to add an RTC connector to the upcoming ULIfAC II board i'm developing (mostly a ULIfAC having two 512k sram chips, to offer 512k Expansion RAM + 32x Rom board at the same time) , so i was wondering if you can suggest what would be the best and most popular RTC solution, and where i could find the required connector pinout for it?
For example, i found URTC-8 project, but i don't know if it is the most popular (thus useful) rtc board, and also there is no info about the pinout of it's 40pin connector either...    

[Audronic]

Hi John

I Have one of these here

DXS RTC

I don't have any information about it.

Photo Below

Keep Safe

Ray

[eto]

you can suggest what would be the best and most popular RTC solution,

Probably the Symbiface II and Nova:

https://www.cpcwiki.eu/index.php/RTC

[poulette73]

Hello,

Probably off-topic, but I'm using the NOVA RTC card from @PulkoMandy which works wonderfully.



This card does not use the Internet : it keeps the date and time permanently, even when the Amstrad CPC/Plus is turned off. 
It works with a ROM and is used with an RSX.

More information here :
https://pulkomandy.github.io/shinra.github.io/nova.html
Or by contacting its author. 

[Prodatron]

I would like to add an RTC connector to the upcoming ULIfAC II board i'm developing (mostly a ULIfAC having two 512k sram chips, to offer 512k Expansion RAM + 32x Rom board at the same time) , so i was wondering if you can suggest what would be the best and most popular RTC solution, and where i could find the required connector pinout for it?

Cool!

Like Eto suggested I would go for either Nova or SYMBiFACE II compatibility.

I am not sure, if the Nova is more complex to implement, as it has this additional RAM which can be mapped into the CPUs memory as an 8K block.

The SYMbIFACE II is just using a Dallas DS12887A chip (this or a compatible one is probably still available?), and you can access it very simple with just two ports for register select and data read/write.

[McArti0]

DS1302