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

[ikonsgr]

First of all thank you for sticking with this and trying to get the interface functional for everyone.
I have just upgraded my white USFfAC II to 7c. The behaviour is much better than before - the same as @eto described, with a USB stick inserted I only need to press reset once for the board to load with a USB stick inserted, which is great!
Unfortunately when used with your 512k RAM board, this means I can't switch to "6128 mode" - once 6128.BAS has loaded, the machine resets - which then causes it to be stuck at the "and Locomotive Software Limited" prompt. So I don't think I can use any of the features of the board apart from the extra memory.

Did you try to press reset again and see if it continues? Btw, was USIfAC II functional with previous firmware, or you needed more resets/plug/unplug usb stick like with @eto cpc?
In any case, if you have a CPC464 i think that the best option is to have a ULIfAC board, which combines functionality of USIfAC II along with a RAM/ROM board and also has extra RSX commands and features (like the 256K/16XROM dual mode, instead of 256k/2XROM dual mode of the stand alone 512K RAM/ROM board)

[NigeNigeNige]

In any case, if you have a CPC464 i think that the best option is to have a ULIfAC board, which combines functionality of USIfAC II along with a RAM/ROM board and also has extra RSX commands and features (like the 256K/16XROM dual mode, instead of 256k/2XROM dual mode of the stand alone 512K RAM/ROM board)

Previous firmware versions acted exactly like @eto described. This one is definitely an improvement.
After running 6128.BAS, when it locks up, if I press reset the computer goes back to normal, but is still in 464 mode. 
On the thread for the ROM/RAM board, I noticed there is a new version of ROM.BIN. Installing that means that I get "Command not found" when running 6128.BAS. This happens when the program hits the |SW line. Which is interesting, because |SW does work on a fresh boot.

[ikonsgr]

Previous firmware versions acted exactly like @eto described. This one is definitely an improvement.
After running 6128.BAS, when it locks up, if I press reset the computer goes back to normal, but is still in 464 mode.
On the thread for the ROM/RAM board, I noticed there is a new version of ROM.BIN. Installing that means that I get "Command not found" when running 6128.BAS. This happens when the program hits the |SW line. Which is interesting, because |SW does work on a fresh boot.

Yes, with new firmware, you should use this new version of ROM.BIN file i mention here

[ikonsgr]

@NigeNigeNige , i've uploaded an update of rom.bin file (for ram/rom boards) for the new rev.7c firmware

[NigeNigeNige]

@NigeNigeNige , i've uploaded an update of rom.bin file (for ram/rom boards) for the new rev.7c firmware

Thank you, that works perfectly! 

[Snocksman]

Hi !

I´m testing around with my CPC464 and my UsifacII a bit at the moment and found here that there are several new firmware Versions for the UsifacII (I´m still on 6f)... So I want to Update the PIC, but don´t want to buy the next programming device (pickit3) if it´s not really necessary to do so... Is there a way to programm the PIC with one of the devices i have ?

- TL866II Plus
- ST-Link V2
- FT232H
- Arduino MEGA 2560

[issalig]

AFAIK, the last fw versions support updates without having a programmer but you need to have one of the latest versions

If you have an Arduino you me take a look at https://www.instructables.com/Simple-Pic-Programmer-for-68k-Mbc-and-Others/

[hsimpson]

@ikonsgr

I am interested in the unit. I also sent an email.

[ikonsgr]

Hi !

I´m testing around with my CPC464 and my UsifacII a bit at the moment and found here that there are several new firmware Versions for the UsifacII (I´m still on 6f)... So I want to Update the PIC, but don´t want to buy the next programming device (pickit3) if it´s not really necessary to do so... Is there a way to programm the PIC with one of the devices i have ?

- TL866II Plus
- ST-Link V2
- FT232H
- Arduino MEGA 2560

TL866II plus, doesn't support 18F47Q10 i know for sure as i also have this programer. For the others, i don't know, although most probable they don't support the specific PIC MCU either. If you have older fw that don't have the bootloader for easy programming, the cheapest and easiest alternative of getting a PICKIT 3 programmer, is to send you a replacement PIC MCU flashed with the latest fw.

[Snocksman]

AFAIK, the last fw versions support updates without having a programmer but you need to have one of the latest versions

If you have an Arduino you me take a look at https://www.instructables.com/Simple-Pic-Programmer-for-68k-Mbc-and-Others/

I'm still in Firmware Version 6f.

I allready looked at that Arduino Project... It seems that the PIC18F47Q10 ist not supported.


I wrote a mail to the makers of the TL866II+ programmer, If it would be possible to add support for the 18F47Q10, but got no answer...

But i got a used PicKit3 from eBay for 10€. Should be delivered in the next days.

[Snocksman]

I got my pickit3 yesterday and programmed the Pic successfully with V.7c. It runs much better with my cpc464 than the previous installed V.6f. 

[ikonsgr]

I got my pickit3 yesterday and programmed the Pic successfully with V.7c. It runs much better with my cpc464 than the previous installed V.6f. 

Great! Thanks for confirming that the new board's boot code works better with the "sticky" CPC464's!
 Did you try the |X command too? Since i add it, i use it all the time with my CPC464,it surely gives you the illusion of having a CPC6128 

[WayneBushby]

@ikonsgr 

I am interested in 1 unit for my CPC464.  How do I go about ordering one and how much does it cost ?

[ikonsgr]

@ikonsgr

I am interested in 1 unit for my CPC464.  How do I go about ordering one and how much does it cost ?

Please contact to: ikonsgr745@hotmail.com to arrange.

[ikonsgr]

New prices (mostly cuts):

USIfAC II Board:15 Euros
Edge connector Ribbon cable: 3 Euros
Centronics connector Ribbon cable: 4 Euros
Registered/tracked postage: 8 Euros (+1euro for overseas Australia,US,Canada)

[Thanosk]

Hey everyone. I got my usifac 2 days ago and loving it. I have a question, sorry if it was answered before. 
Which program should i use to extract .dsk  files so i can put them into usb folders?
I found ManageDsk so far, is there any other program to do this? Thanks!

[Mark_wllms]

There are a range of utilities at https://www.genesis8bit.fr/frontend/emu-uti.php

[ikonsgr]

Hey everyone. I got my usifac 2 days ago and loving it. I have a question, sorry if it was answered before.
Which program should i use to extract .dsk  files so i can put them into usb folders?
I found ManageDsk so far, is there any other program to do this? Thanks!

The easiest and fastest way to extract files from multiple dsk images into folders is CPCLOAD: https://www.dropbox.com/scl/fo/0mrvv35ki6kgpy5d3blek/AHAgbluyJshLQDn7q6wXklQ?rlkey=m4htbc4fdbtsjf68ziofps6xg&dl=0
Go to tools tab, select input/output folders, check "extract dsk images" and then just press 'GO' button.
I mention this in user's guide "CPC Loader: Extract files from dsk images" section too: https://www.dropbox.com/scl/fi/g5uir7hkqml53m076hlmc/Amstrad-CPC-Serial-Interface-II-User-Guide_v4.pdf?rlkey=tr8vms709hym4nwmdyc0bge4o&dl=0

[peoener]

Buenas tardes ikonsgr.
En primer lugar darte las gracias por la dedicación que realizas y ser artífice, junto a las aportaciones de otros compañero, del magnifico USIFAC II y ULIFAC.
He estado viendo casi todas las paginas y leyendo y tengo una duda sobre si el USIFAC II es capaz de grabar snapshots de los juegos. 
Me explico, no se si el Usifac II es capaz de crear snapshots del juego al que estamos jugando. Algunos juegos son largos y necesito crear un snapshot para continuar al dia siguiente o cuando pueda. Se que si es capaz de leer los SNA pero desconozco si es capaz de crearlos.
Gracias, un saludo. 

[GUNHED]

Nein, das kann nur der Emulator. Am CPC wäre eine komplizierte zusätzliche Logik nötig. So wie z.B. beim Multiface II.

[ikonsgr]

@peoener, as GUNHED noted, when i initially got involved in developing the routine for loading and saving snapshots, soon i realized that saving would need constant monitoring and save "on the fly", of many OUT addresses (that configure various critical variables in order to get a proper snapshot, like, current ram configuration mode, active rom, upper/lower rom status etc), this would require a rather complex logic that only a CPLD chip (Complex Programmable Logic Device) could properly serve, and also, the extra code for saving snapshots, would probably need an extra PIC MCU chip too.
That of course doesn't mean that loading a snapshot was an easy task either, it took me several weeks to develop, test and make it work right...

p.s. i thought to answer in Chinese -my native language-, but then, no one would understand  

[ikonsgr]

Question: you think that an RSX command to create an empty formatted dsk image would be useful?
This is something that a couple of people requested in the past, but as you can easily create any kind of an empty dsk image (for example using cpcdiskxp utility),and simply transfer it to your Amstrad usb stick, i don't know if it has any practical value (and worth the trouble to develop it)... 

[ikonsgr]

@Audronic, someone asked me if he can use the tape along with usifac, and i remembered that you asked this a long time ago. I thought this wasn't possible, but i just found out that it was rather easy afterall, you just need to run this small BASIC listing:
10  FOR i=0 to 42
20 POKE &BC77+i,PEEK(&A864+i)
30 next i
It will restore tape jumpblock routines, so you will be able to use tape again! And the best part is that by giving |EN, you can access the usb stick! So, it would be rather easy to either load something from usb, activate tape jumpblock and save it to tape, or load something from tape and save it to usb!

p.s. I've almost finished the creation of empty dsk image routine, and also i expand the |EXT command, to not only extract files from dsk image, but also place a file from usb stick to dsk image too

[caver99]

@ikonsgr 

could i request a USIfAC II please.

[Mark_wllms]

What is the order of swapping disk images?

I've just noticed that on my USIFAC II, the disks swap backward e.g. 1->3->2->1.

Has it always done this?