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

Started by ikonsgr, 08:17, 01 December 20

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ikonsgr

Quote from: Maitresinh on 08:50, 21 March 232/ Regarding connecting a CPC to the internet, i knew about BBS. But as Symbos has a browser i wasn wondering about http pages.
Again you should ask @Prodatron about that. Afaik, symbos now supports USIfAC II

Javy Fernandez

We have created a new EXCLUSIVE group in Spanish about LiliCPC and USifAC, to solve questions, comment bugs and possible improvements.
You are all invited to participate!
Link 👇🏻
https://t.me/LiliCPC

Greetings!

ikonsgr

ULIfAC board is now available again. I've also created a new thread for it, so any further developments, updates, comments etc, about ULIfAC board, will not mess this thread any more  ;)

Javy Fernandez

Quote from: ikonsgr on 11:42, 24 March 23ULIfAC board is now available again. I've also created a new thread for it, so any further developments, updates, comments etc, about ULIfAC board, will not mess this thread any more  ;)
Thanks! ;)

craem

Hi, a question.

it's possible emulate pace serial port or rs232c with the usifac II ?

My question is, if cp/m detects serial port, I can use kermit and another standar system utilities with vt52 terminal mode to connect my amstrad with another via modem  (using at commands).

Thanks

Devlin

Just sticking my neck in to say my revaldinho 512k(universal cpld ver.) expansion arrived, and has so far been perfectly well behaved, even going so far as to run the SymbOS build out of this thread, Pinball Dreams and that one Batman demo off the usifac2 quite happily :)
CPC464 & CPC6128 + USIfAC II + Revaldinho 512k(universal cpld ver) - Schneider CRT TV
Administrator of Amstrad Discord : https://discord.gg/ksWvApv

ikonsgr

Quote from: Devlin on 06:25, 31 March 23Just sticking my neck in to say my revaldinho 512k(universal cpld ver.) expansion arrived, and has so far been perfectly well behaved, even going so far as to run the SymbOS build out of this thread, Pinball Dreams and that one Batman demo off the usifac2 quite happily :)
Great! It's good to know that other RAM expansions work with USIfAC II apart from the one i make  ;)

pappous

Can anyone give me instructions how to load symbos with usifacii?

pappous

I managed to work it. So I have ucifacII with 512KB external memory from  Revaldinho and symbos works.


pappous

Quote from: poulette73 on 18:30, 05 April 23
Quote from: pappous on 18:09, 05 April 23Can anyone give me instructions how to load symbos with usifacii?
Hello,

Just here, it's very simple :
https://www.cpcwiki.eu/forum/amstrad-cpc-hardware/new-multi-purpose-board512k-ram-expansion32x-rom-board256k-ram2x-rom-board/msg227584/#msg227584
I have done it and it did not work, so I replaced the file you previous gave us at a post for the usifac to work as storage and then it worked.... 

Devlin

Quote from: pappous on 18:41, 05 April 23
Quote from: poulette73 on 18:30, 05 April 23
Quote from: pappous on 18:09, 05 April 23Can anyone give me instructions how to load symbos with usifacii?
Hello,

Just here, it's very simple :
https://www.cpcwiki.eu/forum/amstrad-cpc-hardware/new-multi-purpose-board512k-ram-expansion32x-rom-board256k-ram2x-rom-board/msg227584/#msg227584
I have done it and it did not work, so I replaced the file you previous gave us at a post for the usifac to work as storage and then it worked....
Quote from: Prodatron on 18:54, 16 February 23Quote from: Prodatron on 16/02/2023, 17:54:32
Here is a version, which should detect a USIFAC II and supports the USB drive.
Please not, that currently it will only use the USIFAC II as mass storage device, when no other supported device is connected as well (SF2, X-Mass, M4Board, SF3).
It's a WIP version but should work ok on an existing installation. I wonder if you get it running with more than 128K.
sym-usifac2.zip
You should install these files over the base symbos install (from symbos.de) and it should work okay.
That and the above package worked for me on my 464/standard u2 and a revaldinho 512k expansion.
So long as it's all installed to the root of the usb stick (i.e. file "SYM" is on the root, and all the symbos programs are in "usb:symbos/")
it should just work fine.
That said, your mileage may vary with regards to how things work depending on CPC model and all that.
CPC464 & CPC6128 + USIfAC II + Revaldinho 512k(universal cpld ver) - Schneider CRT TV
Administrator of Amstrad Discord : https://discord.gg/ksWvApv

pappous

Quote from: Devlin on 11:53, 06 April 23
Quote from: pappous on 18:41, 05 April 23
Quote from: poulette73 on 18:30, 05 April 23
Quote from: pappous on 18:09, 05 April 23Can anyone give me instructions how to load symbos with usifacii?
Hello,

Just here, it's very simple :
https://www.cpcwiki.eu/forum/amstrad-cpc-hardware/new-multi-purpose-board512k-ram-expansion32x-rom-board256k-ram2x-rom-board/msg227584/#msg227584
I have done it and it did not work, so I replaced the file you previous gave us at a post for the usifac to work as storage and then it worked....
Quote from: Prodatron on 18:54, 16 February 23Quote from: Prodatron on 16/02/2023, 17:54:32
Here is a version, which should detect a USIFAC II and supports the USB drive.
Please not, that currently it will only use the USIFAC II as mass storage device, when no other supported device is connected as well (SF2, X-Mass, M4Board, SF3).
It's a WIP version but should work ok on an existing installation. I wonder if you get it running with more than 128K.
sym-usifac2.zip
You should install these files over the base symbos install (from symbos.de) and it should work okay.
That and the above package worked for me on my 464/standard u2 and a revaldinho 512k expansion.
So long as it's all installed to the root of the usb stick (i.e. file "SYM" is on the root, and all the symbos programs are in "usb:symbos/")
it should just work fine.
That said, your mileage may vary with regards to how things work depending on CPC model and all that.
Thats exactly what I did and worked. So everything is ok.

ikonsgr

Quote from: Devlin on 11:53, 06 April 23You should install these files over the base symbos install (from symbos.de) and it should work okay.
That and the above package worked for me on my 464/standard u2 and a revaldinho 512k expansion.
So long as it's all installed to the root of the usb stick (i.e. file "SYM" is on the root, and all the symbos programs are in "usb:symbos/")
it should just work fine.
That said, your mileage may vary with regards to how things work depending on CPC model and all that.
Could you make a ready made zip file of this "custom" symbos install for anyone interested? And i could add it to the official USIfAC page too.
Also @Prodatron could upload it to the official symbos page as a direct download for a USIfAC specific install of symbos ;)

Devlin

Quote from: ikonsgr on 17:32, 07 April 23
Quote from: Devlin on 11:53, 06 April 23You should install these files over the base symbos install (from symbos.de) and it should work okay.
That and the above package worked for me on my 464/standard u2 and a revaldinho 512k expansion.
So long as it's all installed to the root of the usb stick (i.e. file "SYM" is on the root, and all the symbos programs are in "usb:symbos/")
it should just work fine.
That said, your mileage may vary with regards to how things work depending on CPC model and all that.
Could you make a ready made zip file of this "custom" symbos install for anyone interested? And i could add it to the official USIfAC page too.
Also @Prodatron could upload it to the official symbos page as a direct download for a USIfAC specific install of symbos ;)
I will when I have the chance but I'm not near my CPC for another couple weeks yet, but your mileage may vary depending on configuration. I'm feeling like I got lucky with my setup, but I'll put something together when I'm near my machine again :)
CPC464 & CPC6128 + USIfAC II + Revaldinho 512k(universal cpld ver) - Schneider CRT TV
Administrator of Amstrad Discord : https://discord.gg/ksWvApv

ikonsgr

We just hit 400 units sold of USIfAC II (350) and ULIfAC (50) boards!  :)

GUNHED

http://futureos.de --> Get the revolutionary FutureOS (Update: 2023.11.30)
http://futureos.cpc-live.com/files/LambdaSpeak_RSX_by_TFM.zip --> Get the RSX-ROM for LambdaSpeak :-) (Updated: 2021.12.26)

ikonsgr

Quote from: GUNHED on 14:00, 13 June 23So, the trend goes definitely to the USIfAC II  :)
Well, not exactly, USIfAC II is "on the market" since December 2020,but ULIfAC is only available for a few months ;-)

darkhalf

Just some of my findings so far:

QuoteUsifac II works fine, when it's the only connected hardware expansion. As soon as I connect something else, it isn't working properly anymore.
I am finding the same thing as Podatron. CPC464 with DDI-1 interface will access drive A and B fine initially, but once |USB is enabled then those will freeze up, and AMSDOS is no longer available until power is removed from everything. Moved the USIFAC2 to ROM slot 8. Using version 6d at the moment (apparently there is a 6g version?)

Generally with my CPC464, use external 5V power via the MX4 interface to keep things stable, otherwise you will hit problems like no power on, until external reset is used

Symbos works fine when DDI-1 removed (with the symbos2.zip BIN files) and shows 512K using the revaldinho expansion and the expanded file system
CPC464/GT64, CPC464 Plus/CTM640, 2 x CPC6128/CTM644

ikonsgr

Quote from: darkhalf on 13:10, 21 June 23Just some of my findings so far:
QuoteUsifac II works fine, when it's the only connected hardware expansion. As soon as I connect something else, it isn't working properly anymore.
I am finding the same thing as Podatron. CPC464 with DDI-1 interface will access drive A and B fine initially, but once |USB is enabled then those will freeze up, and AMSDOS is no longer available until power is removed from everything. Moved the USIFAC2 to ROM slot 8. Using version 6d at the moment (apparently there is a 6g version?)
Generally with my CPC464, use external 5V power via the MX4 interface to keep things stable, otherwise you will hit problems like no power on, until external reset is used
Symbos works fine when DDI-1 removed (with the symbos2.zip BIN files) and shows 512K using the revaldinho expansion and the expanded file system
Did you try changing USIfAC II rom number to smaller number, like 3? As someone else note here, using rom 3 he managed to use USIfAC II with flash gordon ROM extension

darkhalf

QuoteDid you try changing USIfAC II rom number to smaller number, like 3? As someone else note here, using rom 3 he managed to use USIfAC II with flash gordon ROM extension
Using ROM3 did not resolve the issue. Audronic mentioned going from |USB enable (without disabling USB) to |A might be an issue

Note: latest MPLAB IPE versions no longer support PICKIT3. So I've gone back to the V5.45 version of IPE

I've updated to 6g version and note USIFAC II will enable USB each boot.
Test 1. After power on doing |A still freezes, even with just the 464 and no external devices (ie no AMSDOS)
Test 2. Doing |USB after boot (disable USB) and then |A responds, but CAT, LOAD etc attempt cassette access and lock up
Test 3. Removing USB stick ok. Access |A and |B OK
Test 4. Removing USB stick. Attempt CPM plus with drive A,B (using 6128 ROM + 512KB memory board) OK

I'll be interested in comparing against the CPC6128 which ikonsgr you are developing on
CPC464/GT64, CPC464 Plus/CTM640, 2 x CPC6128/CTM644

ikonsgr

Quote from: darkhalf on 13:19, 27 June 23Using ROM3 did not resolve the issue. Audronic mentioned going from |USB enable (without disabling USB) to |A might be an issue

Note: latest MPLAB IPE versions no longer support PICKIT3. So I've gone back to the V5.45 version of IPE

I've updated to 6g version and note USIFAC II will enable USB each boot.
Test 1. After power on doing |A still freezes, even with just the 464 and no external devices (ie no AMSDOS)
Test 2. Doing |USB after boot (disable USB) and then |A responds, but CAT, LOAD etc attempt cassette access and lock up
Test 3. Removing USB stick ok. Access |A and |B OK
Test 4. Removing USB stick. Attempt CPM plus with drive A,B (using 6128 ROM + 512KB memory board) OK

I'll be interested in comparing against the CPC6128 which ikonsgr you are developing on

 The "auto usb" is enabled by default, as most people want to use usb stick. If you want to use disk drive instead of USIfAC, you can simply disable the "auto usb" function by giving OUT &FBD1,93.You can also use |DIS that disables USifAC's Amsdos emulation completely and access directly disk drive.

Velociraptor

Is it possible to have a wifi module on the USIFAC2 and have it in a 3d printed case?

SkulleateR

Quote from: Velociraptor on 03:04, 02 July 23Is it possible to have a wifi module on the USIFAC2 and have it in a 3d printed case?
https://www.cpcwiki.eu/forum/index.php?msg=221196

Guess the case hast to be updated for that module ;)

Velociraptor

Quote from: SkulleateR on 09:17, 02 July 23
Quote from: Velociraptor on 03:04, 02 July 23Is it possible to have a wifi module on the USIFAC2 and have it in a 3d printed case?
https://www.cpcwiki.eu/forum/index.php?msg=221196

Guess the case hast to be updated for that module ;)
I don't understand what you've linked, it doesn't seem to mention the case?

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