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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dhester

My ULIfAC arrived this morning, I will test it over the weekend and report back.

Philippe Lardenois

#1076
Hi John, received the new board. Thanks a lot.

First tests are ok except with file Manager which hangs on loading the main menu.

My USB stick is a 16Go formatted in FAT32 (8192 allocs). LiliCPC pack 0.9 on it only.
When I try |FM command, it starts, and read the USB stick but hangs with garbage on screen (few dots only). So tried with the FM software on USB and same happened after I answer "no" to the old board question.
Changed with my Gotek USB stick (same brand, same parameters for formatting) and it works.

So tried with a 256Mb stick and 32 GB stick but same problems.

Notice that the USB keys are working well if I lauch files from the usual commands under Amsdos.

What could be wrong ?
Thanks

[EDIT] ok found the problem - too many files on the root of the USB disk. Remembered that you mention "no more than 1 000 files per directory). Is this limitation makes sense or is it a hardware limitation ?

Fran123

Hello

I this program:

20 himemant=HIMEM : MEMORY &1800-1 : LOAD"prg.bin",&1800

when I run I get "Syntax error in 20".  It fails on LOAD"prg.bin",&1800

I use 6d firmware

What is it happening?

ikonsgr

Quote from: Philippe Lardenois on 17:22, 31 January 23Is this limitation makes sense or is it a hardware limitation ?
Actually it's Amstrad's memory limitation, as you need to have the hole directory list at once in memory  ;D

ikonsgr

Quote from: Fran123 on 21:20, 31 January 23Hello

I this program:

20 himemant=HIMEM : MEMORY &1800-1 : LOAD"prg.bin",&1800

when I run I get "Syntax error in 20".  It fails on LOAD"prg.bin",&1800

I use 6d firmware

What is it happening?
If i remember correctly, 6d had some bugs indeed so i quickly replace it with 6e/6f. So i suggest to update to firmware 6g, most probable the problem will resolve: https://www.dropbox.com/s/euju6f40h2tr0kj/18f47q10_6g.zip?dl=0

Devlin

I have recently updated to 6g, and am loving the auto-USB init. Saves me five whole keystrokes, but it's great.
CPC464 & CPC6128 + USIfAC II + Revaldinho 512k(universal cpld ver) - Schneider CRT TV
Administrator of Amstrad Discord : https://discord.gg/ksWvApv

ikonsgr

And going against the tide of rising prices, i announce a price decrease for all boards:

USIfAC II+Edge connector cable:   26euros from 27euros
ULIfAC +Edge connector cable:     43euros from 45euros
RAM/ROM BOARD:                          28euros from 29euros


All prices include register/tracked shipping.
I manage to get a batch of PIC MCU chips cheaper, thus the price cut!  ;)

leexus

Hi John, The ULIfAC arrived today, thanks! I will test it on 6128 plus and report the results here.
 

Fran123

Quote from: Fran123 on 21:20, 31 January 23Hello
I this program:
20 himemant=HIMEM : MEMORY &1800-1 : LOAD"prg.bin",&1800
when I run I get "Syntax error in 20".  It fails on LOAD"prg.bin",&1800
I use 6d firmware
What is it happening?
It seems that it was a flash drive error, over and over again it did not copy completely.

Fran123

Hello

Last year I made an application to lauch programs with UsifacII using menus. Now I have made other app for PC to make the menus faster and using the LiliCPC catalog.  You can see more details ih https://www.cpcwiki.eu/forum/applications/mmm-menusi-menu-maker/msg225307/

TotO

Quote from: ikonsgr on 22:12, 31 January 23And going against the tide of rising prices, I announce a price decrease for all boards. All prices include register/tracked shipping.
It is better to not include the shipping fees into your prices, while people can live into the same country as you or can expect to order more than one expansion. I have probably missed something: What is the expensive part into the ULIfAC expansion?
"You make one mistake in your life and the internet will never let you live it down" (Keith Goodyer)

ikonsgr

Quote from: TotO on 12:37, 01 February 23
Quote from: ikonsgr on 22:12, 31 January 23And going against the tide of rising prices, I announce a price decrease for all boards. All prices include register/tracked shipping.
It is better to not include the shipping fees into your prices, while people can live into the same country as you or can expect to order more than one expansion. I have probably missed something: What is the expensive part into the ULIfAC expansion?
That's easy, shipping is 6euros for all boards :)
ULIfAC compared to USIfAC II, has 2 MCU's, extra logic chips, the 512KB Sram chip, a much more expensive pcb board and ofcourse, it needs much more time to make and test it.

GUNHED

Well, would it make sense to have two threads. USIfaC II and ULIfAC?
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)


wolfgang

Quote from: ikonsgr on 22:12, 31 January 23And going against the tide of rising prices, i announce a price decrease for all boards:

USIfAC II+Edge connector cable:  26euros from 27euros
ULIfAC +Edge connector cable:    43euros from 45euros
RAM/ROM BOARD:                          28euros from 29euros


All prices include register/tracked shipping.
I manage to get a batch of PIC MCU chips cheaper, thus the price cut!  ;)
Hi John,

so the ULIFAC is already the combination of USIFAC II and the new RAM/ROM board? And its not really much bigger than the USIFAC II as far as I can see on your picture, right?
If correct I order one ULIFAC to be sent to Austria.
Question, I have two working USIFAC II, do you have sufficient PIC's in stock or would it make sense to send the USIFAC's back to you so you can use their PIC's? 

leexus

Quote from: ikonsgr on 11:59, 04 February 23@ GUNHED, i want first to make the new user guide for ULIfAC and also some board modifications i have in mind, and then "officially" open a new thread for ULIfAC  ;)
@ikonsgr John, that would be nice to add 2 more LEDs on the board to indicate read and write activity of the USB storage.
What do you think? Can this be done?
Furthermore, the current USB connection LED is not visible on ULiFAC, the blue board hiding the LED light at normal light conditions. But I guess this LED is not so important since the USB connection is automatically built by the new board and its firmware.
Maybe an RTC can be also interesting for SymbOS users, but I guess we can survive without it. :-)

ikonsgr

Quote from: wolfgang on 12:48, 05 February 23so the ULIFAC is already the combination of USIFAC II and the new RAM/ROM board?
Yes, with some added features like having dual mode with 16XROM board+256k RAM

Quote from: wolfgang on 12:48, 05 February 23And its not really much bigger than the USIFAC II as far as I can see on your picture, right?
ULIfAC is ~10cmX8.5cm it's actually a little bigger than ram/rom board (8.5cmX7cm)


Quote from: wolfgang on 12:48, 05 February 23If correct I order one ULIFAC to be sent to Austria.
Question, I have two working USIFAC II, do you have sufficient PIC's in stock or would it make sense to send the USIFAC's back to you so you can use their PIC's? 
Yes,i have enough PIC chips,and i expect a big batch of 200chips in a couple of months, so i believe there will be no problem regarding PIC supply  :)  If you want give me msg to arrange it with USIfAC and ULIfAC  exchange.

ikonsgr

Quote from: leexus on 16:59, 05 February 23@ikonsgr John, that would be nice to add 2 more LEDs on the board to indicate read and write activity of the USB storage.
What do you think? Can this be done? Furthermore, the current USB connection LED is not visible on ULiFAC, the blue board hiding the LED light at normal light conditions. But I guess this LED is not so important since the USB connection is automatically built by the new board and its firmware.
It can be done of course, but to tell you the truth i find these blinking leds a bit distracting and with low ambient light they can be even annoying...  :D 

Quote from: leexus on 16:59, 05 February 23Maybe an RTC can be also interesting for SymbOS users, but I guess we can survive without it. :-)
That would be a good idea, but maybe first we should wait for USIfAC II to be supported by symbos as compatible mass storage device  :)

Prodatron

Quote from: ikonsgr on 22:08, 07 February 23
Quote from: leexus on 16:59, 05 February 23Maybe an RTC can be also interesting for SymbOS users, but I guess we can survive without it. :-)
That would be a good idea, but maybe first we should wait for USIfAC II to be supported by symbos as compatible mass storage device  :)
I agree.
Hope I will have some time for the CPC again soon! Providing mass storage support in SymbOS shouldn't be that difficult, as I already have drivers for hardware with the same core. But I just have to reserve some days for adapting them for the USIfAC II, which would be really cool.
Anyway I am very glad that we have another very good multipurpose hardware for the Amstrad, thanks a lot, Ikonsgr, for your great work!

GRAPHICAL Z80 MULTITASKING OPERATING SYSTEM

GUNHED

In case an RTC will be added, it would be great to have one being compatible to an already existing RTC. Today we have:
- M4 RTC (or NTC if you prefer to call it that way)
- Dobbertin / dxs clone
- RTC in Nova card
- RTC in the LambdaSpeak (III or FS)
- SF2 RTC
- SF3 RTC

One of them should be very easy to be emulated on hardware level - it depends what you like to use.

However, in my personal opinion it would be as desirable to have some more RAM and ROM at the same time.

Just my 'Drei Pfennige'. Just some ideas. Go on with this great project!  :) :) :)
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)

Prodatron

Quote from: GUNHED on 16:14, 08 February 23In case an RTC will be added, it would be great to have one being compatible to an already existing RTC.
I don't like virtual rom implementations so much, better go for real I/O.

The SF3 is even more worse, it is based on a multi purpose command channel, which isn't good for multitasking.
Nova is ok, as you can choose where to map the 8k.
No idea about the LambdaSpeak.
I would prefer the SF2 way in the first place.

GRAPHICAL Z80 MULTITASKING OPERATING SYSTEM

Fran123

the |httpget command would add a lot of flexibility to usifac/ulifac.
in ulifac, having several roms there are no space problems.

Apollo

Quote from: eto on 11:51, 09 February 23
Quote from: WacKEDmaN on 09:54, 09 February 23i really dont get why im the only one having these sorts of issues...
you are not.

Usifac II works on my 6128 but it's barely usable on a 464 or a 6128 Plus.
Oh! :o That would be a problem because I wanted to try it mainly for my 6128plus as I hardly use my normal 6128 anymore for development.

@ikonsgr Is the RAM fully Plus compatible like the new RAM from PulkoMandy? That would be another really important feature IMHO for a multipurpose expansion.
CPC - My beloved first computer!

Prodatron

If the software cares about it, "classic" ram expansion should work on a Plus with activated ASIC as well. Somewhere here is a detailed thread about it.

GRAPHICAL Z80 MULTITASKING OPERATING SYSTEM

GUNHED

Quote from: Prodatron on 22:12, 08 February 23I don't like virtual rom implementations so much, better go for real I/O.

The SF3 is even more worse, it is based on a multi purpose command channel, which isn't good for multitasking.
Nova is ok, as you can choose where to map the 8k.
No idea about the LambdaSpeak.
I would prefer the SF2 way in the first place.

Agreed! :)  Real I/O is preferable, because it can be used independent of the location of the application or driver. SF2 for sure is simple and quick to be used. Also an compatible RTC should be available.

BTW: LambdaSpeak does everything using I/O ports. But to read the RTC is a bit more complex compared to the SF2.

It really would be cool to have a compatible solution (SF2!?!) instead of one more solution  :) :) :)
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)

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