AmstradGPT & RS-232

[mark-burns]

Hey all.

I'm a software developer and used to own a 664. I now have a 464 and 6128 as well as a DDI-5

I started building a project to allow communication with ChatGPT from the Amstrad CPC. I think the text communication should be at a working point (in theory).

I have a simulated Amstrad client that runs on my machine and communicates over a serial socket. So I have reasonable confidence that I can get this working.

I also have a plan for requesting/creating/sending images to the CPC too from Dall-e.
Here's an example of a downsized JWST image



I am ready to start testing it all but have run into some barriers:

1. It's not feasible to get hold of an RS-232 adapter for a reasonable price
2. I don't have much electronics experience
3. I don't have all that much time to really dive into learning enough about building an adapter myself.
4. I also haven't found a way to communicate from my machine with an emulator either

So I wonder if there's anyone on here wanting to help out or get involved?

I had another idea which was to build a file system based communication mechanism. As WinAPE has the ability to share a folder with SYMBiFACE II.
I've got the OS itself booting but nothing within it was working, so that felt like another rabbit hole I could spend a huge amount of time on.

I'd love to hear from anyone who:

1. wants to get involved in physical testing. depending on your software experience this could require a bit of back and forth so you could get setup with AmstradGPT on your machine. It's going to be easier for me if you have a mac but if it's linux or windows I can definitely make that work.

2. Who has an RS232 adapter to sell or lend for a reasonable price

3. Who has one of the alternative ones that have been made over the years

4. Who is willing to make and sell me one

I really hope to find a quick way to demonstrating typing a question and receiving a response from ChatGPT on the Amstrad without getting caught in many many (whilst interesting) time consuming rabbit holes.

This whole project is actually a precursor to me trying to get an article in a soon to be printed magazine about using ruby to communicate with an Amstrad CPC. So that's another reason for the time constraints, aside from family life and work etc.

[mark-burns]

https://imgur.com/a/qRa033n

[retro space]

Does it have to be RS232? It is probably easier to stick to TTL voltage, as the Amstrad does not have +/- 12V, and the USB adapter on the Mac does not have it either. For the rest RS232 is just UART. I would go with a USB-UART bridge (basically an arduino 32U4 board loaded with serial pass through) and figure out how to bitbang it on a z80 output port.

[Prodatron]

Hi Mark, very cool idea!

I guess the original Amstrad RS232 interface is really rare today and not used at all anymore.
During the last years we had the CPC Booster, the CPC Minibooster...
https://www.cpcwiki.eu/index.php/CPC_Booster

...and currently the Usifac II/Ulifac, which provide serial communication:
https://www.cpcwiki.eu/index.php/USIFAC

I have a CPC Minibooster left, which I can send you.

Personally I would prefer a version with network support (e.g. for the M4Board):
https://www.cpcwiki.eu/index.php/M4_Board
of course this is a again something different, but if you like to get some more information about this, just ask.
So you have a Ruby-based component on PC (Mac) side, which is managing the communication between the client on CPC side and ChatGPT itself?

Btw, nice picture of the Eta Carinae nebula!

[mark-burns]

Does it have to be RS232? It is probably easier to stick to TTL voltage, as the Amstrad does not have +/- 12V, and the USB adapter on the Mac does not have it either. For the rest RS232 is just UART. I would go with a USB-UART bridge (basically an arduino 32U4 board loaded with serial pass through) and figure out how to bitbang it on a z80 output port.

I'm not married to any particular hardware solution. Just a pipeline for bits is all I need.

I don't quite understand the implications of what you're saying though. The only constraints I have are that it can go from USB to the CPC

[mark-burns]

Hi Mark, very cool idea!

I guess the original Amstrad RS232 interface is really rare today and not used at all anymore.
During the last years we had the CPC Booster, the CPC Minibooster...
https://www.cpcwiki.eu/index.php/CPC_Booster

...and currently the Usifac II/Ulifac, which provide serial communication:
https://www.cpcwiki.eu/index.php/USIFAC

I have a CPC Minibooster left, which I can send you.

Personally I would prefer a version with network support (e.g. for the M4Board):
https://www.cpcwiki.eu/index.php/M4_Board
of course this is a again something different, but if you like to get some more information about this, just ask.
So you have a Ruby-based component on PC (Mac) side, which is managing the communication between the client on CPC side and ChatGPT itself?

Btw, nice picture of the Eta Carinae nebula!

Yep the ruby is a gateway between the two.

I think from reading that that the mini booster needs some add ons for actual communication?

[Prodatron]

I'm not married to any particular hardware solution. Just a pipeline for bits is all I need.

I don't quite understand the implications of what you're saying though. The only constraints I have are that it can go from USB to the CPC

TBH I am not very experienced with serial communication regarding the CPC (I am more an Ethernet/Wifi guy).
For transfering stuff via CPC(Mini)Booster there is this Rom pack by Targhan:
http://www.julien-nevo.com/arkos/arkos-rom-pack/
Yes, you need an additional interface/adapter connected to the Minibooster for RS232, but I was assuming that these are standard parts. You will for sure get infos here from more serial-experienced guys.

[Rabs]

Hi, will this help Amstrad CPC CTC DART.

Basically I created a little project to learn about the DART, which uses an FTDI to go from serial to USB. It is just a simple prototyping board so nothing special but simple to use, if you want to get serial text to from the CPC.

I have not looked at the project in a while but could dust it off and you are welcome to one but depends where you are located?

[mark-burns]

Hi, will this help Amstrad CPC CTC DART.

Basically I created a little project to learn about the DART, which uses an FTDI to go from serial to USB. It is just a simple prototyping board so nothing special but simple to use, if you want to get serial text to from the CPC.

I have not looked at the project in a while but could dust it off and you are welcome to one but depends where you are located?

That sounds interesting. I mean when you say serial to USB that sounds ideal, but I think I'm missing something here in terms of how I plug it in? I guess it's the thing on the bottom right? Can I get an adapter from USB to that? It says MX4 connector on github, but search engines seem to think I mean an MC4 connector when I search.

I can't see anything on that picture that looks like a USB port?

I'm in Bristol in the UK.

[mark-burns]

I'm not married to any particular hardware solution. Just a pipeline for bits is all I need.

I don't quite understand the implications of what you're saying though. The only constraints I have are that it can go from USB to the CPC

TBH I am not very experienced with serial communication regarding the CPC (I am more an Ethernet/Wifi guy).
For transfering stuff via CPC(Mini)Booster there is this Rom pack by Targhan:
http://www.julien-nevo.com/arkos/arkos-rom-pack/
Yes, you need an additional interface/adapter connected to the Minibooster for RS232, but I was assuming that these are standard parts. You will for sure get infos here from more serial-experienced guys.

I probably overstated the USB to CPC part. I just care about getting bits at a reasonable rate back and forth between the Mac (or PC) and the Amstrad. I suppose I do have a mild preference for serial comms as it feels more authentic and (I imagine) the software on the CPC side would be much simpler than connecting to wifi but I'm not tied to that idea either. Getting bits across is more important than not being able to.


You'll be best to assume I know almost nothing about hardware.  So they could well be standard parts, but I wouldn't know where to begin to look.

[Rabs]

Hi, will this help Amstrad CPC CTC DART.

Basically I created a little project to learn about the DART, which uses an FTDI to go from serial to USB. It is just a simple prototyping board so nothing special but simple to use, if you want to get serial text to from the CPC.

I have not looked at the project in a while but could dust it off and you are welcome to one but depends where you are located?

That sounds interesting. I mean when you say serial to USB that sounds ideal, but I think I'm missing something here in terms of how I plug it in? I guess it's the thing on the bottom right? Can I get an adapter from USB to that? It says MX4 connector on github, but search engines seem to think I mean an MC4 connector when I search.

I can't see anything on that picture that looks like a USB port?

I'm in Bristol in the UK.

The USB bit is the FTDI (to the right of the board). The MX4 is the backplane connector see Backplane. But I can lend you all that, everything to get you going. Note you don't get a particularly high BAUD rate as there is no hardware handshaking (something I never got going). Message me if you are interested but remember it was just something I made up as a bit of fun and I don't think anyone else has used it! 

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[mark-burns]

Hi, will this help Amstrad CPC CTC DART.

Basically I created a little project to learn about the DART, which uses an FTDI to go from serial to USB. It is just a simple prototyping board so nothing special but simple to use, if you want to get serial text to from the CPC.

I have not looked at the project in a while but could dust it off and you are welcome to one but depends where you are located?

That sounds interesting. I mean when you say serial to USB that sounds ideal, but I think I'm missing something here in terms of how I plug it in? I guess it's the thing on the bottom right? Can I get an adapter from USB to that? It says MX4 connector on github, but search engines seem to think I mean an MC4 connector when I search.

I can't see anything on that picture that looks like a USB port?

I'm in Bristol in the UK.

The USB bit is the FTDI (to the right of the board). The MX4 is the backplane connector see Backplane. But I can lend you all that, everything to get you going. Note you don't get a particularly high BAUD rate as there is no hardware handshaking (something I never got going). Message me if you are interested but remember it was just something I made up as a bit of fun and I don't think anyone else has used it!

You cannot view this attachment.

OK brilliant that seems ideal. 
What kind of BAUD rate is it?
I'll DM you.