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Amstrad CPC "Mini"

Started by Amstradan, 15:30, 21 December 19

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TotO

Quote from: scruss on 15:16, 01 January 20Nice — extremely nice, in fact — but too expensive for a mass-market device. Single-core ARM SBCs wholesale for about the same price as a through-hole Z80.
Sure, but it is not intended to be for a mass-market. Here, the parts cost is around 60€.
"You make one mistake in your life and the internet will never let you live it down" (Keith Goodyer)

SkulleateR

Quote from: TotO on 16:44, 01 January 20
Sure, but it is not intended to be for a mass-market. Here, the parts cost is around 60€.
Not included the production of the PCB I guess ? Is this X-CPC 100% CPC compatible ? How much would be the price for a populated board (just estimate) ?


This looks reeeeeeeealy nice  :o 8)

TotO

#77
Quote from: SkulleateR on 19:52, 02 January 20
Not included the production of the PCB I guess ? Is this X-CPC 100% CPC compatible ? How much would be the price for a populated board (just estimate) ?
This looks reeeeeeeealy nice  :o 8)

- Including the PCB
- 100% compatible
- 60€ is populated (99€ expected with the case)

I don't intend to ask to pay for my assembling time as peoples don't ask to pay for programming demo and games.
I hope this will be a good tool for OrgAms and other native developers usualy going to events with their CPC.
"You make one mistake in your life and the internet will never let you live it down" (Keith Goodyer)

radu14m

Amazing News and Work ToTo !!!!
can't wait to see and buy it  ;D

GUNHED

The X-CPC ist the perfect new CPC and also the perfect start for a local area network of CPCs.  ;)
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)

reidrac

Quote from: TotO on 20:38, 02 January 20
- Including the PCB
- 100% compatible
- 60€ is populated (99€ expected with the case)

I don't intend to ask to pay for my assembling time as peoples don't ask to pay for programming demo and games.
I hope this will be a good tool for OrgAms and other native developers usualy going to events with their CPC.

Would it be too much pressure if you open pre-orders now?  ;D
Released The Return of Traxtor, Golden Tail, Magica, The Dawn of Kernel, Kitsune`s Curse, Brick Rick and Hyperdrive for the CPC.

If you like my games and want to show some appreciation, you can always buy me a coffee.

CraigsBar

Quote from: Lone on 14:00, 27 December 19

You can use an emulation core, with no OS at all : It will look almost like it directly boot from the CPC itself.
I made a sort of Proof of Concept of it, with Sugarbox core build for Raspberry pi 3, without any OS.
A short demo can be shown here


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9sj5ZJMNrLQ


Looks great, Would you consider sharing your SD card image by chance?
IRC:  #Retro4All on Freenode

Lone

Quote from: CraigsBar on 17:32, 06 January 20

Looks great, Would you consider sharing your SD card image by chance?


Here is the current build. Be aware of the following things :

* Limitations :
- It's probably highly instable. It's not really tested, and there is lot's of research going on.
- It require a joystick plugged into USB port to start. Only one I own is a XBox controller, don't know if it's working with others
- I didn't tested any keyboard, but it's not implemented at all. So, don't expect it to work.
- It try to get a 50hz display. I don't know how it is working if none is found (my old Samsung 931BW is able to do it, so I didn't try any more tests)
- There could be sound craking quite often. I believe it's due to my sync with VBL, that could possibly provoke sometime empty buffers for sound. It needs to be reworked.
- There is a menu implemented. Unfortunatelly, due to frame refresh, it's not always displayed. If you experience any freeze because of menu call, just skip it ("use A button to validate and return to emulation) and retry.
- I find a character font somewhere on the web (a free one). Unfortunatelly, it does not contains "space" character, so there is no space in it..

* Usage 
- Uncompress the zip to your SD card. Populate the 'CART' folder with any CPR you want to test. I just put 3 demos and the default Amstrad Plus cartridge, but all other CPR I get were running correctly.
- Put in your pi3 (didn't test on any other), plug your favorite controller, and power on the pi.
- It should boot and display the CRTC3 demo in the following few seconds.
- There is a menu, sometime displayed.
   - Call it with "Select" button.
   - Use the arrow up/down to select what you want to do and press A. In fact, only "Reset" and "InsertCartridge" are implemented.
   - For cartridge selection, it open a list with all CPR present in CART folder. make your selection and press A. It will reset the emulation with your CPR plugged.

That's all (and far from what could be called an "alpha" release).

Expect more news when Travis will be setup for automatic build. I think I will, then, post updates from time to time.



Animalgril987

Is there still interest in CPC Mini? If so, I'd like to chip in my twopence worth:
  Laptop sized keyboard
  Built-in Li-Ion batteries and charging circuit
  Built-in fill-up screen.
Ie a "laptop" CPC.

GUNHED

Sure! I have _very_ much interest in such great projects.
In case there is interest I can provide a special version of FutureOS for such a great new CPC.
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)

Lone

Quote from: GUNHED on 12:55, 11 October 20
Sure! I have _very_ much interest in such great projects.
In case there is interest I can provide a special version of FutureOS for such a great new CPC.


Actually, as the main core is "Sugarbox" one, it should support FutureOS without any trouble (it support at least the older version I have !)
About this project : I didn't work too much on it recently, but I just reinstall the while toolchaine yesterday, to make it better.

Skunkfish

I've not got much interest in a CPC 'mini', but something more akin to the 'Spectrum NEXT' I could get on board with.
FPGA based, CPC-inspired case with keyboard and the ability to connect original peripherals if required...
An expanding array of hardware available at www.cpcstore.co.uk (and issue 4 of CPC Fanzine!)

TotO

A CPC "Next" like a Spectrum Next will be probably able to run 80% of the existing programs properly.
While the GA/ASIC, FDC and all the CRTC will be not properly reproduced into a FPGA.
"You make one mistake in your life and the internet will never let you live it down" (Keith Goodyer)

Skunkfish

I've not tried any FPGA implementations of the CPC, is the Amstrad CPC core for MiSTer that incompatible?
An expanding array of hardware available at www.cpcstore.co.uk (and issue 4 of CPC Fanzine!)

arkive

#89
Quote from: Skunkfish on 12:26, 14 October 20
I've not tried any FPGA implementations of the CPC, is the Amstrad CPC core for MiSTer that incompatible?

I doubt it very much, but I'm always up for testing, if you guys can tell me what with.

EDIT: from MiSTer's wiki:

QuoteFeatures

       
  • Precise CPU timings including proper contention model.
  • Precise CRTC model supporting many tricks of Types 1 and 0.
  • 2 disk drives
  • Disk write support.
  • Close to real disk drive emulation with support of some protections.
  • Selectable CPC 6128/664 mode with separate ROM sets.
  • Multiface 2.
  • Several monochrome modes and 2 types of palette (GA/ASIC).
  • Selectable expansion ROM loading.
  • Joystick support with up to 3 buttons (2 on MiST)
  • Kempston, SYMBiFACE II and Multiplay mice.
  • HQ2x and Scanlines FX for scandoubler.
  • Tape input through UART header (MiST) / ADC board (MiSTer)
  • Support *.CDT tape files.
  • Tape output through speaker.

scruss

Quote from: Animalgril987 on 20:29, 09 October 20Built-in Li-Ion batteries and charging circuit
Ooh, that little ask makes any device a logistical nightmare to ship. Anything with lithium batteries triggers a whole new set of shipping rules. Some countries only allow them to go by ground freight.

The Pinebook Pro is about as cheap as you can go with all that hardware.

capilam

Quote from: asertus on 21:02, 21 December 19

If people of MSXVR can do it, with minor tweaking it should be possible, shouldn't it?


The MSXvr project got permission to use the MSX name and logo from Kazuhiko Nishi himself, as he owns the rights to the MSX branding.

Gryzor

Damn that MSXVR looks nice... Basically, they've stayed very true to the MSX spirit.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gxa2aAZnMR8&feature=emb_title

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