USIfAC II, technical problems & support [MERGED with Plus-related posts from original thread]

[zboskovi]

Would you suggest to add that to USIfAC II for the CPC6128 / 6128plus too?
Maybe for reducing noise on the bus? Any other reasons?
Thanks for the update! 

adds a lack of voltage to the data BUS at a problematic moment.

[Audronic]

Hi All

CPC464 Pullups on 8 DATA lines Perhaps on the Mother board of the offending CPC464's ?

[Brocky]

Hi All

CPC464 Pullups on 8 DATA lines Perhaps on the Mother board of the offending CPC464's ?

thing is ..other devices are working fine.. probably better to just mod the expansion cards where necessary..

[ikonsgr]

Would you suggest to add that to USIfAC II for the CPC6128 / 6128plus too?
Maybe for reducing noise on the bus? Any other reasons?

Thanks for the update! 

I don't think it offers any benefits on CPC 6128, if you don't have the booting problem (which AFAIK, only ULIfAC boards with CPC 464 had this issue), then there is no need to do it.

[GUNHED]

Would you suggest to add that to USIfAC II for the CPC6128 / 6128plus too?
Maybe for reducing noise on the bus? Any other reasons?

Thanks for the update! 

it really wouldnt hurt.. i cant get it to detect on my 6128 at all (even after giving the out to init) ..hopefully this will fix it..
the data and address lines should really be pulled up to 5v by default..

Please let me / us know if it makes things better in your case. 

Hardware is like Software, there and there there is always a little space for improvement. 

[Brocky]

just thought i should share... that the resistor mod will stop update from pickit working!
i was getting an error in MPLAB until i removed all the resistors (i used discrete 12kohm coz i didnt have any 10k ohm)

"Target Device ID (0x0) is an Invalid Device ID. Please check your connections to the Target Device."

EDIT:
and still after reflashing (which said it programmed and verified fine) and replacing resistors... i still cant get it to init on either 464 or 6128..6128 boots with it but never initializes after giving the out &fbd2,5, just like it did without the resistors, 464 just black screens now, nothing out of the cpc when its connected...

..i give up on this crap....i think the pic must be bad....

[eto]

..i give up on this crap....i think the pic must be bad....

I have applied the patch to 3 USIFACs and updated the firmware afterwards without problems on all of them. 

Do you have a picture of how you soldered the resistor array? The problem you describe sounds more like wrong pins were connected. E.g. easy to the diagram of the Usifac was from the top, so when you solder it on the backside of the PCB you have to mirror the pins. 

[Brocky]

..i give up on this crap....i think the pic must be bad....

I have applied the patch to 3 USIFACs and updated the firmware afterwards without problems on all of them.
Do you have a picture of how you soldered the resistor array? The problem you describe sounds more like wrong pins were connected. E.g. easy to the diagram of the Usifac was from the top, so when you solder it on the backside of the PCB you have to mirror the pins.

i dont have a picture, but i soldered discrete resistors to the same pins as shown in the pinout, and same pins as your picture in the other thread...

even with the resistors removed i still get no response from it after giving the out, its a board or pic ic issue...
 i have to get around to building it up on a breadboard and testing the pic ic

i cant seem to update it via serial at all aswell with or without the resistors, it flashes fine in pickit/mpxlab but nothing with the serial...
..i may try resoldering the resistors and getting a picture tomorrow.. my back hurts atm!

[ikonsgr]

..i give up on this crap....i think the pic must be bad....

I have applied the patch to 3 USIFACs and updated the firmware afterwards without problems on all of them.
Do you have a picture of how you soldered the resistor array? The problem you describe sounds more like wrong pins were connected. E.g. easy to the diagram of the Usifac was from the top, so when you solder it on the backside of the PCB you have to mirror the pins.

i dont have a picture, but i soldered discrete resistors to the same pins as shown in the pinout, and same pins as your picture in the other thread...

even with the resistors removed i still get no response from it after giving the out, its a board or pic ic issue...
 i have to get around to building it up on a breadboard and testing the pic ic

i cant seem to update it via serial at all aswell with or without the resistors, it flashes fine in pickit/mpxlab but nothing with the serial...
..i may try resoldering the resistors and getting a picture tomorrow.. my back hurts atm!

One note: after flashing PIC MCU, first time you power Amstrad with board, you should give OUT &FBD2,5 to set board's rom number, otherwise it will not see the board. Btw, check your pm 

[Brocky]

..i give up on this crap....i think the pic must be bad....

I have applied the patch to 3 USIFACs and updated the firmware afterwards without problems on all of them.
Do you have a picture of how you soldered the resistor array? The problem you describe sounds more like wrong pins were connected. E.g. easy to the diagram of the Usifac was from the top, so when you solder it on the backside of the PCB you have to mirror the pins.

i dont have a picture, but i soldered discrete resistors to the same pins as shown in the pinout, and same pins as your picture in the other thread...

even with the resistors removed i still get no response from it after giving the out, its a board or pic ic issue...
 i have to get around to building it up on a breadboard and testing the pic ic

i cant seem to update it via serial at all aswell with or without the resistors, it flashes fine in pickit/mpxlab but nothing with the serial...
..i may try resoldering the resistors and getting a picture tomorrow.. my back hurts atm!

One note: after flashing PIC MCU, first time you power Amstrad with board, you should give OUT &FBD2,5 to set board's rom number, otherwise it will not see the board. Btw, check your pm 

i know!... 
i gave that OUT about 100 times!...and nothing!

[poulette73]

One note: after flashing PIC MCU, first time you power Amstrad with board, you should give OUT &FBD2,5 to set board's rom number, otherwise it will not see the board.

I have owned 2 USIfAC II for a while.

OUT &FBD2,x works fine for each one.
I can relocate the rom location as I wish every time.

[Brocky]

One note: after flashing PIC MCU, first time you power Amstrad with board, you should give OUT &FBD2,5 to set board's rom number, otherwise it will not see the board.

I have owned 2 USIfAC II for a while.

OUT &FBD2,x works fine for each one.
I can relocate the rom location as I wish every time.

theres 100% an issue with my board or the pic IC..
i am going to build it up on a breadboard when i get a chance.. but it wont be for a while till i can..(i might even get some oscilloscope readings with and without the resistors to show the differce!)

and Ikonsgr has offered to send me a new board if and when i need it... thanks john..

its actually interesting to see that we're only realizing now, that there is a difference in some 464s all these years after it was released....

[khisanth]

Having a few issues getting anything working on this. With USB when i eventually get the CAT command to see directories, running a game never works. So have tried the serial connection with a PL2303TA with my windows 10 laptop. drivers are fine, i set the speed to 9600 bps to match the PC , set direct connection and running |cat gives the message PC Not Responding.

i have the ground, RX and TX connected correctly.

what should I be checking, looking for or can try?

[eto]

With the resistor array attached I can finally use my Usifac board. I have two question regarding the navigation after a Reset:

1) When I start a direct load game or a snapshot, play my game, and then I do a reset, then I will be in the same directory where I started the game. I would prefer much more to be in the root directory again. According to the last lines in |HELP the command OUT &FBD1,66 should switch this behavior so that after a reset I would always be in the root directory. However this has no effect on my board. Any ideas what is wrong here?

2) Similar but even worse: After I mount a DSK image it seems I am stuck with this image until I turn off the CPC. Is there any option to switch back to normal mode or do I really have to turn off the CPC? I didn't find it in the documentation or in help but maybe I just missed it.

Any ideas here?

[ikonsgr]

Having a few issues getting anything working on this. With USB when i eventually get the CAT command to see directories, running a game never works. So have tried the serial connection with a PL2303TA with my windows 10 laptop. drivers are fine, i set the speed to 9600 bps to match the PC , set direct connection and running |cat gives the message PC Not Responding.

i have the ground, RX and TX connected correctly.

what should I be checking, looking for or can try?

Try to Swap the Tx and Rx, i think i have them reversed (e.g. you should  connect the Tx to the pin labeled "Tx") on UART connector.

[ikonsgr]

1) When I start a direct load game or a snapshot, play my game, and then I do a reset, then I will be in the same directory where I started the game. I would prefer much more to be in the root directory again. According to the last lines in |HELP the command OUT &FBD1,66 should switch this behavior so that after a reset I would always be in the root directory. However this has no effect on my board. Any ideas what is wrong here?

Check with |STAT if "Return to Root" is really active or not. Then try giving OUT &FBD1,65 and see if Ret2root is deactivated. You can also try a different Usb stick.

2) Similar but even worse: After I mount a DSK image it seems I am stuck with this image until I turn off the CPC. Is there any option to switch back to normal mode or do I really have to turn off the CPC? I didn't find it in the documentation or in help but maybe I just missed it.
Any ideas here?

Try giving |EN, this will disable dsk access mode and enable the direct file mode.
Btw,i suppose you have the latest Firmware installed (7d)?

[khisanth]

Having a few issues getting anything working on this. With USB when i eventually get the CAT command to see directories, running a game never works. So have tried the serial connection with a PL2303TA with my windows 10 laptop. drivers are fine, i set the speed to 9600 bps to match the PC , set direct connection and running |cat gives the message PC Not Responding.

i have the ground, RX and TX connected correctly.

what should I be checking, looking for or can try?

Try to Swap the Tx and Rx, i think i have them reversed (e.g. you should  connect the Tx to the pin labeled "Tx") on UART connector.

tried that and initially got some random characters up followed by pc not responding. rebooted, reset everything and now simply get PC Not Responding. Will test with a different pc

[ikonsgr]

tried that and initially got some random characters up followed by pc not responding. rebooted, reset everything and now simply get PC Not Responding. Will test with a different pc

did you try the new version of windows utility: https://www.dropbox.com/scl/fi/93ta0tbkyhzx89cvenjgm/AmstradUtilityII.exe?rlkey=yi0iq04dz45w98jl71j7bq64d&dl=0

[khisanth]

tried that and initially got some random characters up followed by pc not responding. rebooted, reset everything and now simply get PC Not Responding. Will test with a different pc

did you try the new version of windows utility: https://www.dropbox.com/scl/fi/93ta0tbkyhzx89cvenjgm/AmstradUtilityII.exe?rlkey=yi0iq04dz45w98jl71j7bq64d&dl=0

no! will try that tomorrow/today

[khisanth]

tried that and initially got some random characters up followed by pc not responding. rebooted, reset everything and now simply get PC Not Responding. Will test with a different pc

did you try the new version of windows utility: https://www.dropbox.com/scl/fi/93ta0tbkyhzx89cvenjgm/AmstradUtilityII.exe?rlkey=yi0iq04dz45w98jl71j7bq64d&dl=0

okay still nothing. The utility runs fine, picks up the serial connection, but there is no communication to or from the Amstrad. tried a few baud rates but no luck. set it to direct connection also. tried on a different PC and still the same problem.

[ikonsgr]

okay still nothing. The utility runs fine, picks up the serial connection, but there is no communication to or from the Amstrad. tried a few baud rates but no luck. set it to direct connection also. tried on a different PC and still the same problem.

What usb2serail cable you use, and what windows version? Windows 10/11 are quite "picky" with the uart, most cheap pl2303 don't  function properly (even if it seems they are installed ok in device manager...), the only usb2serial i found to surely work on win 10/11 is the CH340: https://www.ebay.ie/itm/142508885460 and i think CP2102 also works: https://www.ebay.ie/itm/301980724844
And of course  you can always use a esp8266 wifi module and get rid of the cables

[Brocky]

i use FTDI serial to usb.. ive got like 4 of them, and they all work perfectly fine on windows, and linux...
there was a time when FTDI made bodgy drivers that stopped clones from working, but that was years ago and they have backtracked on that...

i also have a prolific one that does have issues (same model as khisanth)....so it is very likely be the serial to usb that is causing the issues...



still havent got a chance to build the usifac up on a breadboard yet, hopefully over the xmas/ny break....

merry xmas peepz!

[khisanth]

okay still nothing. The utility runs fine, picks up the serial connection, but there is no communication to or from the Amstrad. tried a few baud rates but no luck. set it to direct connection also. tried on a different PC and still the same problem.

What usb2serail cable you use, and what windows version? Windows 10/11 are quite "picky" with the uart, most cheap pl2303 don't  function properly (even if it seems they are installed ok in device manager...), the only usb2serial i found to surely work on win 10/11 is the CH340: https://www.ebay.ie/itm/142508885460 and i think CP2102 also works: https://www.ebay.ie/itm/301980724844
And of course  you can always use a esp8266 wifi module and get rid of the cables

This one - PL2303TA USB to TTL RS232 4 Pin Serial Converter Cable   ( https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/253528352722 ) and running Windows 11.

Will get the wifi module and try a different serial cable!

[khisanth]

i use FTDI serial to usb.. ive got like 4 of them, and they all work perfectly fine on windows, and linux...
there was a time when FTDI made bodgy drivers that stopped clones from working, but that was years ago and they have backtracked on that...

i also have a prolific one that does have issues (same model as khisanth)....so it is very likely be the serial to usb that is causing the issues...



still havent got a chance to build the usifac up on a breadboard yet, hopefully over the xmas/ny break....

merry xmas peepz!

cool will take a look at those also. thanks! Merry Christmas !

[khisanth]

okay got  a FTDI cable and it doesnt work (picked up by the tool fine in windows), will play with that a bit more.

now i got one of the wifi modules but it has 4 connector pins, i see these connected into another board which then connects to the USIFAC II. does anyone know what connector board i need for this?

will get there in the end...