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#1
A
General Discussion - Introductions / Re: FUN FACT: Amstrad was the ...
Last post by Anthony Flack - Yesterday at 22:03QuoteIt could have been a success if it had been project-managed right. But Amstrad lost that knack after their early PCs.
Project management yeah, that what I'm saying. Project management on the CPC was a disaster until Roland Perry stepped in and saved it. By rights Amstrad's attempt to break into the computer market should have ended in failure.
#2
Hello CPC hackers! My first post here.
I've been trying to start coding/programming for Amstrad CPC (emulator). For now it's C and CPCTelera. That forces me to look for a way to inject a breakpoint in C code and force the emulator - like ACE - to switch to the debugger. Something like the WinwApe_Brk supposedly available with WinApe (I am a Linux user
). I found that info in this post
So... Does APE support anything like that? I couldn't find it anywhere (0x0F course...)
Thanks!
I've been trying to start coding/programming for Amstrad CPC (emulator). For now it's C and CPCTelera. That forces me to look for a way to inject a breakpoint in C code and force the emulator - like ACE - to switch to the debugger. Something like the WinwApe_Brk supposedly available with WinApe (I am a Linux user
). I found that info in this postSo... Does APE support anything like that? I couldn't find it anywhere (0x0F course...)
Thanks!
#3
Listening to Roland Radio with the SEPLAY app
#4
Technical support - Hardware related / Re: 464+ working but black scr...
Last post by McArti0 - Yesterday at 20:58 #5
Quote from: Vitop69 on 18:17, 14 May 25hello guys, sorry for my ignorance.Afaik, there is no need to update ESP module firmware, also did you use the correct windows utility (rev.2): https://www.dropbox.com/scl/fi/93ta0tbkyhzx89cvenjgm/AmstradUtilityII.exe?rlkey=yi0iq04dz45w98jl71j7bq64d&dl=0
I bought an ESP8266-esp07 for my ulifac.
I followed john's manual by powering the ulifac with 5v, eliminated the jump and the wifi module lights up with a fixed red LED and a flashing blue one.
but I can't communicate with it either from the terminal with at+comand or from my pc with john's utility using rsx command wf,1 etc etc.
I have a doubt, do I have to flash the wifi module with a firmware to use it or am I doing something wrong?
Thanks for your support.
Mind also that you need to set the port number into windows utility too. And i suppose you use the 4pin female port for wifi module, right?
Btw, i suggest to continue to this thread which is for tech support and problems:
https://www.cpcwiki.eu/forum/hardware-related/usifac-ii-technical-problems-support/
#6
General Discussion - Introductions / Re: FUN FACT: Amstrad was the ...
Last post by eto - Yesterday at 17:13Roland Perry saved it from project management side but the engineers saved it from the technical side.
Afaik it was supposed to be in the VIC20/Speccy feature range. The original idea was to have 8 colours - basically what the Speccy has. I am 100% sure we would all not be here if it wouldn't have been for the genius engineers that combined those simple, cheap parts in a really clever way to build something that is much more capable than what you would have expected from the specs alone.
Too sad there is not too much information on how the technical side happened. I am pretty sure there was a magical night shift after which the Arnold became a (C)olour (P)ersonal (C)omputer.
"oh it is so boring to build a computer based on these parts."
"yeah, seriously, who wants to have only 8 colours these days?"
"hey, look. If I keep the RGB pins floating and add the resistors here, we can have 27 colours, not only 8"
"oh nice idea. But we don't have enough bandwidth to get the data and ensure RAM refresh at the same time."
"well, damn ... but... if we rearrange the screen addresses the CRTC will refresh the RAM and the GateArray can get enough data"
"ah, brilliant. Let me think... I think we then can also have 80 columns if we do it like that?!"
"oh - oh - right - niiiice. Hopefully we get a good BASIC so this all makes sense. Oh... just realised ...if we have 80 columns and a Z80, couldn't we run CP/M?"
(phone rings)
"hey guys, Locomotive here, can we come over? We also bring Pizza and then we can show you what nice Firmware and BASIC we have for you! Fits into 32K so no biggy."
Afaik it was supposed to be in the VIC20/Speccy feature range. The original idea was to have 8 colours - basically what the Speccy has. I am 100% sure we would all not be here if it wouldn't have been for the genius engineers that combined those simple, cheap parts in a really clever way to build something that is much more capable than what you would have expected from the specs alone.
Too sad there is not too much information on how the technical side happened. I am pretty sure there was a magical night shift after which the Arnold became a (C)olour (P)ersonal (C)omputer.
"oh it is so boring to build a computer based on these parts."
"yeah, seriously, who wants to have only 8 colours these days?"
"hey, look. If I keep the RGB pins floating and add the resistors here, we can have 27 colours, not only 8"
"oh nice idea. But we don't have enough bandwidth to get the data and ensure RAM refresh at the same time."
"well, damn ... but... if we rearrange the screen addresses the CRTC will refresh the RAM and the GateArray can get enough data"
"ah, brilliant. Let me think... I think we then can also have 80 columns if we do it like that?!"
"oh - oh - right - niiiice. Hopefully we get a good BASIC so this all makes sense. Oh... just realised ...if we have 80 columns and a Z80, couldn't we run CP/M?"
(phone rings)
"hey guys, Locomotive here, can we come over? We also bring Pizza and then we can show you what nice Firmware and BASIC we have for you! Fits into 32K so no biggy."
#7
Arghhh, that started as a small reply, how did it get so big? 
#8
@Brocky
I verified every key in each emulator, captice32 and ZesaruX so far, if it's out of place that's down to the emulator, I just placed it as it shows up when I type in that specific emulator using the standard 104 key us keyboard layout in Raspberry pi OS.
Some keys are not available on the pi keyboard, pause for example and in the case of the pi400 no scroll lock either. If any emulator uses them I will have to find a way to map it to another key if possible and add a how to on the packaging and online or we may just have to do without the key or keys all together.
Not ideal, I hope if they catch on, hope emulator creators will try to map keys more uniformly making one or two key positions per region for each system is far easier for everyone, regardless of the emulator used for the emulated system, I.E. they all map to the same positional (try to map the keys as close as possible to the real hardware) and symbolic location (map to a standard keyboard layout for whatever region your in).
Having all emulators map keys to the same location might be asking too much though, so for now I'll just have to make the most popular ones that are cross platform.
At least it gives the option to use a usb keyboard that is identical to the pi 400 layout and not limit them to just the pi 400. If I can find a nice generic pc 104 keyboard and also one with mechanical keys, I will certainly do my best to make those too. Maybe even limited edition UV printed versions if there is enough demand or even put up a Kickstarter campaign and give backers the choice of any one or two UV printed version(s) of their choosing, anything is possible just look at 8-bit do's retro styled keyboards they look cool too and I remember an Atari 400 styled keyboard from about 10 years ago.
I verified every key in each emulator, captice32 and ZesaruX so far, if it's out of place that's down to the emulator, I just placed it as it shows up when I type in that specific emulator using the standard 104 key us keyboard layout in Raspberry pi OS.
Some keys are not available on the pi keyboard, pause for example and in the case of the pi400 no scroll lock either. If any emulator uses them I will have to find a way to map it to another key if possible and add a how to on the packaging and online or we may just have to do without the key or keys all together.
Not ideal, I hope if they catch on, hope emulator creators will try to map keys more uniformly making one or two key positions per region for each system is far easier for everyone, regardless of the emulator used for the emulated system, I.E. they all map to the same positional (try to map the keys as close as possible to the real hardware) and symbolic location (map to a standard keyboard layout for whatever region your in).
Having all emulators map keys to the same location might be asking too much though, so for now I'll just have to make the most popular ones that are cross platform.
At least it gives the option to use a usb keyboard that is identical to the pi 400 layout and not limit them to just the pi 400. If I can find a nice generic pc 104 keyboard and also one with mechanical keys, I will certainly do my best to make those too. Maybe even limited edition UV printed versions if there is enough demand or even put up a Kickstarter campaign and give backers the choice of any one or two UV printed version(s) of their choosing, anything is possible just look at 8-bit do's retro styled keyboards they look cool too and I remember an Atari 400 styled keyboard from about 10 years ago.
#9
Technical support - Hardware related / Re: 464+ working but black scr...
Last post by McArti0 - Yesterday at 15:57Quote from: eto on Yesterday at 14:42Can the DAC be replicated with a R2R ladder? I think there was once a discussion around that.No problem with one amplifying transistor per channel.
You can repeat the RGB output arrangement from the CPC x3 with one more resistor for LSB.
There is only one question: what voltage levels should be at the output in PLUS.
#10
Technical support - Hardware related / Re: 464+ working but black scr...
Last post by eto - Yesterday at 14:42Quote from: Bryce on Yesterday at 12:42neither of those IC's can be obtainedCan the DAC be replicated with a R2R ladder? I think there was once a discussion around that.
The STe and Amiga also use R2R ladders for 4096 colours. Is that an option to look at?