ULIfAC:Usb Mass storage,WiFi, 512KB Ram/32XROM Board/256K Ram+16X Rom Board!

[Manuel3D]

 I have been trying for a week the possibility of communicating with a bbs from the amstrad cpc 464 and thanks to the ULIFAC connected to a WIFI ESP8266MOD 12-F device. I manage to connect my WINDOWS 64 BITS PC to the cpc 464 for which I used the program developed by you (AMSTRAD UTILITY II). The cpc connects to the PC and I manage to do a CAT and see the content of the folder that I have on my PC. The problem comes when doing RUN. It doesn't work. I tried to do LOAD first and I see that the loaded program is missing the last line. I type it by hand but when I run it it doesn't work. The communication program is BBSULIF.BAS from your DROPBOX. It works for another Telegram colleague but not for me. I also tried to load any other program in basic and I see that the last line disappears, I type it by hand but it doesn't work. It could be that more things have been deleted and I don't notice. I don't know if you can give me any advice. Thanks.

[ikonsgr]

@Manuel3D what version of ULIfAC board you have? For rev4 boards you should use this version of the windows program
Also, before running anything when connected to a pc, you should give the |EN command to enable the direct mode of operation

[Manuel3D]

it from 2023, v2

[Manuel3D]

@Manuel3D what version of ULIfAC board you have? For rev4 boards you should use this version of the windows program
Also, before running anything when connected to a pc, you should give the |EN command to enable the direct mode of operation

[Manuel3D]

it from 2023, v2. I have already used EN 

[Manuel3D]

I have already used amstrad  AMSTRADUTILITYII

[ikonsgr]

NO, for older board version, you should use the older windows utility

[Manuel3D]

Thanks. With old version it works fine. 
Please, Does anyone know any other BBS besides Amstrad.simulant.uk ?

[ikonsgr]

Thanks. With old version it works fine.
Please, Does anyone know any other BBS besides Amstrad.simulant.uk ?

I think this would help: https://www.telnetbbsguide.com/

[kiFla]

Successfully connected to BBS site with Ulifac board, ESP8266 with fantastic ZiModem firmware by Bo Zimmerman, and flashed with this fork, and EWEN Term Usifac version.
After ESP flashing you need to connect ESP to terminal program on PC (port speed set to 1200 so that you can communicate with wifi modem) and change default speed od 1200bps to 9600 with ATB9600 command. After after that you need to change terminal port speed to 9600 to be able to save setting to flash with AT&W command. Setup on PC is finished so now you can connect ESP to Ulifac board and load EWEN term from disk drive. Type ITerm and type AT+Config to configure WiFi network and set phonebook.


It is possible to load EWEN term from USB (only solution for CPC464), but that way you have to load it first, THEN connect ESP to the Ulifac board and then OUT &FBD1,12 to set ulifac UART speed to 9600 to match with ESP speed. Then enter ITerm command.

You do not need another computer to connect to BBS. You can just do it from ESP itself.

[wingtsun42]

Is there a way to have XMEM 3.15 ROM etc running on the Ulifac? I wasn't sure if it would conflict.

[ajcasado]

ESP8266 with fantastic ZiModem firmware by Bo Zimmerman, and flashed with this fork

This approach looks like a good candidate for implementing network access in FUZIX using the following driver: https://github.com/EtchedPixels/FUZIX/blob/master/Kernel/dev/net/net_at.c

[ikonsgr]

Important update about the "freezing upon booting" issue on some CPC 464:

Finally, after a lot of speculation about the cause of the problem (since i don't have a CPC 464 with a booting issue to investigate it myself),a couple of good retro community members from Croatia ( @kiFla  and another one  which is a professional electronics engineer), and with the "help" of a couple of "sticky" CPC 464, found out that the problem can be fixed very easily, by simply soldering an A09-103 9pin 10k network resistor, which acts as pull up resistor on Amstrad's CPC data bus:

You cannot view this attachment.

Of course i've already started to make ULIfAC boards with the added pullup resistors, but you can apply this very easy fix, on any existing ULIfAC board too!
 As for the cause of the issue, it seems that upon cold booting of Amstrad CPC, a specific combination of Z80 CPU and/or 6845 CRT chips that happen to have somewhat weaker sourcing current capabilities, couldn't supply the required 5v for any data bit at high/5v state, resulting in the freezing of Amstrad CPC! Although this issue is rather rare, concerning only a few Amstrad CPC 464, i wanted to share this information, for anyone having this issue, and how to easily fix it! ;-)

[Josip]

Yeah, I was one of for trying different games and stuff.
Zoki knows what his doing, great job.

Now need to find resistor and solder on mine and test.

[GUNHED]

Important update about the "freezing upon booting" issue on some CPC 464:

Finally, after a lot of speculation about the cause of the problem (since i don't have a CPC 464 with a booting issue to investigate it myself),a couple of good retro community members from Croatia ( @kiFla  and another one  which is a professional electronics engineer), and with the "help" of a couple of "sticky" CPC 464, found out that the problem can be fixed very easily, by simply soldering an A09-103 9pin 10k network resistor, which acts as pull up resistor on Amstrad's CPC data bus:

You cannot view this attachment.

Of course i've already started to make ULIfAC boards with the added pullup resistors, but you can apply this very easy fix, on any existing ULIfAC board too!
 As for the cause of the issue, it seems that upon cold booting of Amstrad CPC, a specific combination of Z80 CPU and/or 6845 CRT chips that happen to have somewhat weaker sourcing current capabilities, couldn't supply the required 5v for any data bit at high/5v state, resulting in the freezing of Amstrad CPC! Although this issue is rather rare, concerning only a few Amstrad CPC 464, i wanted to share this information, for anyone having this issue, and how to easily fix it! ;-)

Thank you very much for this important comment 

However, I only do have CPC6128 and 6128plus. Now would it be an advantage to add the resistor network to these computers too?

[HAL6128]

Could this issue maybe also have an effect on a 6128? (...doesn't appear on mine CPC6128, btw).

[GUNHED]

Could this issue maybe also have an effect on a 6128? (...doesn't appear on mine CPC6128, btw).

You asked exactly the same that I asked for - before. 

[ikonsgr]

@GUNHED @HAL6128 ,if you don't have any booting problems, you don't need to do it.
Practically, only a small percentage of CPC 464 would actually need this fix.

[GUNHED]

@GUNHED @HAL6128 ,if you don't have any booting problems, you don't need to do it.
Practically, only a small percentage of CPC 464 would actually need this fix.

Well, I was just thinking about the following case: If the CPC has connected several expansions, can the resistor network be helpful in general in this case?

[ikonsgr]

Well, I was just thinking about the following case: If the CPC has connected several expansions, can the resistor network be helpful in general in this case?

In that case, and if you encounter weird issues, using pullups on data bus, might indeed fix it, it's rather easy to do it anyway, at least on ULIfAC board   

[eto]

at least on ULIfAC board   

Usifac is not too bad either ;-)

[eto]

at least on ULIfAC board   

Usifac is not too bad either ;-)

I recognized that the USIFAC will no longer fit into the 3d printed case provided by Vokgear (https://www.thingiverse.com/thing:4974135/files). I made some quick adjustments to the 3d model, so it will fit with the resistor array installed. STL is attached. 

[nikos_a]

I received my ULIfAC last week. The included note for cleaning contacts was very helpful. Indeed, I had some issues so I trimmed the contacts with a metal file (very thin) an then cleaned with isopropyl alcohol. Booted like a dream after that. Had a 3D case printed by a friend but run into the issue that the 4 pin connector in now angled and the case didn't close. I hate bending contacts so it was desoldering/soldering time and voila!

Such a great add-on for the CPC. Totally transforms the overall experience.

 

[dodogildo]

I hate bending contacts so it was desoldering/soldering time and voila!

Vert clean job! I remember having to bend the pins to fit my ULIfAC in the 3d printed case 

[khisanth]

Question regarding the diagnostic test. ran the memory test and its showing stuff in upper ram as failed. I assume this is the memory of the board itself? assuming it is, i guess the ram test doesnt apply to it thus it fails?