USIfAC II:Convert a PC or USB stick to Amstrad HDD,access dsk's,and many more!

[poulette73]

It seems that the WIFI and the CH376 module with USB stick inserted block each other, if I remove the USB stick or the ESP8266 module ULIFAC work correct.

That's exactly how it works. 😉

USB key does not work simultaneously with Wifi.
Either you use USB as mass storage like a hard drive with USIFAC/ULIFAC.
Either you use Wifi to communicate with the PC.

Of course you can use the USIFAC/ULIFAC Wifi with : internal 3" drive, external 3"1/2 drive, or external Gotek drive.
ESP8266 Wifi module allows (with these 3 peripherals) to carry out the following operations:

• directly write an entire floppy disk image to internal 3" drive/external 3"1/2 drive/external Gotek drive, from a DSK source stored on the PC.
• transfer Amsdos files from CPC to PC, in both directions.
• use PC as a media center with direct WiFi access mode, and navigate to folders and files stored on the PC to launch games from the CPC.

Hi again,
I tried now all of the above in the (more less) same way with the USIFAC II and get the same behavior: No connection possible with serial device, with WiFi only when no USB stick is present.
Do I do something wrong or did I misunderstand something?

It's very difficult to remotely diagnose the connection problems that you may encounter, it could come from many things.
At CPC cold start, ESP8266 module requires about ten seconds to connect to the router of your Internet box. If you execute the |WIFI command too early, then you get the message "No WIFI module detected".
Once a first successful connection, the Wifi remains active, even after a CPC reset or an off/on extinction of the power supply.
Maybe try to flash another compatible firmware from an older version?
When you were connected to Wifi the first time, did you see your ESP8266 interface in the local network of the router of your Internet box?
Did it obtain in DHCP an address in your network 10.0.0.0/24?

[wolfgang]

Many thanks for the explication I did understand various things wrong.
So the WiFi works as it should, as I don't have any hardware floppy unit (not even controller) I can use USB stick OR WiFi but not both together, I did not realize that. Anyway it would not make too much difference as with the same effort the USB stick can be moved to the PC and everything can be copied to it.
Who knows why the serial connection does not work, but it is also something that's not really needed, I just wanted to give it a try.

[ikonsgr]

Many thanks for the explication I did understand various things wrong.
So the WiFi works as it should, as I don't have any hardware floppy unit (not even controller) I can use USB stick OR WiFi but not both together, I did not realize that. Anyway it would not make too much difference as with the same effort the USB stick can be moved to the PC and everything can be copied to it.
Who knows why the serial connection does not work, but it is also something that's not really needed, I just wanted to give it a try.

Did you use windows 10? I'm afraid that usb2ttl cables based on PL2303 chip are not working correctly (as usual M$ f@cked up things with WIN 10 drivers...). I recently installed win10 and found out this. The solution is to use adapter cables with different chips (i tried another with CP210x chip and worked fine on win10)

btw, in order to have enabled both uart/wifi port and usb stick would require 2 separate serial ports, but to tell you the truth, i really can't find any reason for needing something like this. In the end all connection methods (cable, wifi, usb stick) are serving the SAME puprpose: access to mass storage device for CPC!

[Maitresinh]

Juste wondering : it may be time, and usefull to extract informations from this gigantic thread. A kind of FAQ bis.
On a open collaborative gdoc maye, at the begining of the thread ? 

[reidrac]

May be a page on the wiki. There's this already, but it could have more info instead of pointing to this thread:

https://www.cpcwiki.eu/index.php?title=USIFAC

[ikonsgr]

Yeap, that's a very good idea, to "upload" useful information about USIfAC II on cpcwiki page too.
There are also many nice things that people did with USIfAC II that are also "lost in thread", i'll try to make a list of links with short descriptions and put that to cpcwiki (and 1st post of this thread too), so anyone can easily find it   

[wolfgang]

Many thanks for the explication I did understand various things wrong.
So the WiFi works as it should, as I don't have any hardware floppy unit (not even controller) I can use USB stick OR WiFi but not both together, I did not realize that. Anyway it would not make too much difference as with the same effort the USB stick can be moved to the PC and everything can be copied to it.
Who knows why the serial connection does not work, but it is also something that's not really needed, I just wanted to give it a try.

Did you use windows 10? I'm afraid that usb2ttl cables based on PL2303 chip are not working correctly (as usual M$ f@cked up things with WIN 10 drivers...). I recently installed win10 and found out this. The solution is to use adapter cables with different chips (i tried another with CP210x chip and worked fine on win10)

btw, in order to have enabled both uart/wifi port and usb stick would require 2 separate serial ports, but to tell you the truth, i really can't find any reason for needing something like this. In the end all connection methods (cable, wifi, usb stick) are serving the SAME puprpose: access to mass storage device for CPC!

I am using Windows 10 since many years (will not go to 11), first with a 2303HX, where in the Windows System Manager it says that its not supported any more since 2012 (!), so I got a more recent 2303TA and this one is ok (in System manager, COM port is shown).
I think I have also a CP2102 here so I will test with that one too.
But you are absolutely right, only one way of connection is needed, two at the same time do not really make sense. I just didn't understand it right so I tried.

[ikonsgr]

I've updated USifAC's cpc wiki page adding some useful information taken from this "unreadable" Thread 

[craem]

Hi, I'm interested in one or two units

[issalig]

I was thinking today if it would be possible to add a dump mode like Multiface2 does. It looks that only RE1 is available in the microcontroller, so a button connected to that IO line could be used.

From what I see (
https://youtu.be/quYqrCKf3uw?t=937) , it is necessary to listen and store what it is sent to PIO, Gate Array and CRTC and read all the RAM contents.

What do you think?

[ikonsgr]

I was thinking today if it would be possible to add a dump mode like Multiface2 does. It looks that only RE1 is available in the microcontroller, so a button connected to that IO line could be used.
From what I see (
https://youtu.be/quYqrCKf3uw?t=937) , it is necessary to listen and store what it is sent to PIO, Gate Array and CRTC and read all the RAM contents.
What do you think?

Unfortunately as i explained here, this can't be done, at least not without adding a lot of extra logic. BUT,if ou think that taking only a memory dump could be useful, perhaps this could be done.

[issalig]

Ooops, I did not remember, I asked the same question a year ago.
A simple memory dump looks nice to me but I am not sure how useful it is.

If the problem is just that all the CLC gates are in use maybe they could be re-programmed once the button is pressed, do the sna dump and then restore CLC. But I guess is not as easy as it looks.

Anyway, thanks for you answer.

[ikonsgr]

Ooops, I did not remember, I asked the same question a year ago.
A simple memory dump looks nice to me but I am not sure how useful it is.

If the problem is just that all the CLC gates are in use maybe they could be re-programmed once the button is pressed, do the sna dump and then restore CLC. But I guess is not as easy as it looks.

Anyway, thanks for you answer.

Indeed, it's not so easily done than said, you see in order to get all the required register values of all the Chips, you need to CONSTANTLY watch and report values of many I/O ports that change these registers, so the "re-programmed" CLC'S should be active all the time, and not momentarily  when you activate the "get a snapshot" action. For example, ram configuration and selected rom number/active state, could defined by the running code (by executing OUT &7F00,x and OUT &DF00,x), any time before pressing the button.

[Devlin]

I've just bought the (universal/464 compatible version) Revaldinho 512k expansion for my CPC, with the expansion slot adapter so I can have it and the u2 in at the same time.
Will it play nice with the u2 or have I just made a relatively pricey mistake?

[ikonsgr]

I've just bought the (universal/464 compatible version) Revaldinho 512k expansion for my CPC, with the expansion slot adapter so I can have it and the u2 in at the same time.
Will it play nice with the u2 or have I just made a relatively pricey mistake?

Well, my 512kbram/rom board which is tested and works perfect with USIfAC II costs 22euros. I have also just receive  a new batch of pcbs for the ULIfAC which is a USIfac II with 512kb expansion ram or 32x rom board or 256k ram+16x rom board. This costs 34euros.

[wolfgang]

I made some tests concerning the connection of the ULIFAC to a PC and that is what I found out:
WIFI with a ESP-8266-01 with ESP-01 adapter worked fine sometimes, but not always. It looked like a bad contact or whatever, sometimes I got the message "USB module CH376 not found" on Powerup, sometimes "No USB device found", I always waited for at least 2 minutes before issueing the |WIFI command, then sometimes it worked sometimes not, independent of which message was shown. I cleaned the contacts and tried 2 different ESP modules with 2 different adapters, same problem with both.
After some hours the effect happened more often and from one moment on WIFI did not work any more ever, so I gave up. Could be that my modules have problems or the adapters who knows. I really took them off an on the ULIFAC a lot, so could be.

All other functions of ULIFAC work perfect, always!

Then I tried a direct connection, with a brand new Prolific 2303TA adapter (in fact with 2 different ones, both new). The connection was established, but only the Terminal program worked, and only one way, from the CPC to the PC, not the other way around.

Next I tried with an also new CP2102 adapter and with this everthing worked perfect from the first test on, so I will stay with this.

I have not tried with Bluetooth, I will do so only if I can get a very cheap adapter, its not important for me just would be interesting to see the result.

I mentioned this just in case anybody is intested in PC connections, or has had other experiences.

Anyway, ULIFAC is the best expansion unit for the CPC464 ever made, upgrades it to a CPC6128, works immediately after Powerup, all the RSX commands integrated, diagnostic integrated . . . .  just great!

[ikonsgr]

Thanks for the testing @wolfgang ! One thing you can try, is to resolder the 4pin wifi female connector on the USIfAC II board. I remember a couple of guys having weird erratic behavior with wifi modules in the past, which they resolve it that way.
Btw,i recently installed the newest Delphi and manage to re-compile the windows utility program.
I've uploaded the new executable here.
Some tests i made shows that program has a better response and stability especially in Wifi mode. Feel free to test the new windows utility and see if you can find any difference with the older one.

[poulette73]

It looked like a bad contact or whatever, sometimes I got the message "USB module CH376 not found" on Powerup, sometimes "No USB device found", I always waited for at least 2 minutes before issueing the |WIFI command, then sometimes it worked sometimes not, independent of which message was shown.

That's I said recently : https://www.cpcwiki.eu/forum/index.php?msg=226330

This is not a problem, that's the normal operation.
When using Wifi : USB module is deactivated, so the reason with your message "No USB device found" or "USB module CH376 not found".

And in the same post above, I explained that you have to wait one minute before Wifi connection etablished the first time from a cold start.

[ikonsgr]

And adding to what @poulette73  wrote, an easy way to avoid the "No USB device found" or "USB module CH376 not found" messages upon booting Amstrad, is to deactivate the "auto usb" function by giving a simple: OUT &FBD1,93 
Also ,if you want to use WIfi permanently, deactivating "auto usb" is mandatory, because with "auto usb" enabled, every time you reset Amstrad it will change the serial port speed (and maybe block windows utility too) and you will need to reconfigure connection with |WIFI.
Finally, one tip for the new windows utility program: If it stops responding, just click "Connected" button, in most cases this will fix the problem. This is an important difference i found with previous windows utility, (when it stopped responding for some reason, it hanged up, and it could only terminated using task manager)

[Devlin]

I've just bought the (universal/464 compatible version) Revaldinho 512k expansion for my CPC, with the expansion slot adapter so I can have it and the u2 in at the same time.
Will it play nice with the u2 or have I just made a relatively pricey mistake?

Well, my 512kbram/rom board which is tested and works perfect with USIfAC II costs 22euros. I have also just receive  a new batch of pcbs for the ULIfAC which is a USIfac II with 512kb expansion ram or 32x rom board or 256k ram+16x rom board. This costs 34euros.

I'll take that as a yes?

[Maitresinh]

@ikonsgr just a question on the new board. I'd want to use it to plug a midi interface of vocoder, along with the usifac. I suppose i can do that with the 50 pin connector.

Apart from that, i'd like show the world that A CP6128 from 1986 can browse the internet (at least, simple http pages). A kind of 80spunk peformance.
 Using Symbos+Usifac (wifi access) + the new board, will i be able to do that ?

[Maitresinh]

Ok, so  regarding the question it should not be a problem


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MVEXi7fGHyc

But i wonder about the details of using USIFAC as a midi interface

https://www.cpcwiki.eu/forum/dlattach/?attach=29382;image

A software somewhere ? What about the midi DIN connectors that appears in the picture ?

[ikonsgr]

Ok, so  regarding the question it should not be a problem

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MVEXi7fGHyc
But i wonder about the details of using USIFAC as a midi interface
https://www.cpcwiki.eu/forum/dlattach/?attach=29382;image
A software somewhere ? What about the midi DIN connectors that appears in the picture ?

I think you should contact with @VintageAdvantage as he is the guy who developed the software for midi. It was designed for the 1st USifAC board ~3years ago but as USIfAC II and ULIfAC are 100% compatible, software should work on all board without problems.

[ikonsgr]

Apart from that, i'd like show the world that A CP6128 from 1986 can browse the internet (at least, simple http pages). A kind of 80spunk peformance.
 Using Symbos+Usifac (wifi access) + the new board, will i be able to do that ?

Connect to a bbs: https://www.cpcwiki.eu/forum/amstrad-cpc-hardware/usifac-iimake-your-pc-or-usb-stick-an-hdd-for-amstrad-access-dsk-and-many-more!/msg202202/#msg202202
And playing online adventure: https://www.cpcwiki.eu/forum/amstrad-cpc-hardware/usifac-iimake-your-pc-or-usb-stick-an-hdd-for-amstrad-access-dsk-and-many-more!/msg207237/#msg207237
All you need is to plug a esp 8266 wifi module, flash it with esp-link and use software found here

[Maitresinh]

Thanks @ikonsgr i will contact him

1/ Regarding Midi : i've also found the midi breakout board. As i'm only interested in text to speak and midi sync, so i wonder if i could forget about some components in the BOM of the Lambdaspeak. It would be easier and cheaper to assemble.

The goal is to integrate A CPC6128 into a setup with other synth  as a true "Ay-chiptune" synth:

Apart from playing live, sync a sequence (from soft like soundtrakker, or other) on the CPC with an external beatbox or synth. No idea if i could use the Lambdaspeak as a clock, or if i can use and external clock. The problem may be the compatibility of the tracker.

The coolest thing i can imagine so far (but maybe that already exist):

- A Sofware to use the CPC as a synth, allowing to manipulate waveforms, shapes, etc...and playin them live
- A CPC arpegiator for plaing live (Sounntrakker as already an arpegiator mode)


2/ Regarding connecting a CPC to the internet, i knew about BBS. But as Symbos has a browser i wasn wondering about http pages.