Changes

[[Rodrik Studio ]] announced its PicoCPC expansion card, which was is created with the help of [[FreddyV ]] (the author of the [https://github.com/FreddyVRetro/ISA-PicoMEM PicoMEM ISA card for IBM PC]).

[[File:PicoCPC proto2proto.jpegjpg|600px]] [[File:Modular PicoCPC.jpg|600px]]

<br> == Architecture == The PicoCPC use a Pico2, connected via multiplexor. This let enough pin to add an I2S DAC, MicroSD and some more control signals. The Final board will be really different, with RP2350B Directly soldered. No 5V pin go to the pico. We use some 1 buffer, 1 level shifter, 3 multiplexers. We write to the CPC with 3.3V, we use 5V to the CPC only to drive some signal like A15 for C3 memory mode and IOReq to disable intern floppy. We prefer to have somerthing between the Pico and the CPC, as even if 5V work now, there is no guarantee that the boards will work after some years of intensive usage.It is really better to be carefull. The board can decode any I/O port and of course RAM/ROM cycles. As it use a Pico2, its RAM is doubled vs Pico1 and it can access a 8MB PSRAM as well. The PicoCPC does NOT use a CH376 chip, everything is done with the Pico itself. PicoCPC handles FAT12, 16, 32, ExtFS. CH376 will be emulated on the board, with nothing to do at the CPC side. There is no external ROM, so the microntroller access the emulated RAM/ROM and USB/MicroSD at the same time: Direct write from the uSD to the CPC emulated RAM at 3MB/s (For example). The PicoCPC is clocked at 375Mhz366Mhz. Final So it is not as powerful as the [[RSF3]] clocked at 480Mhz. But it is more powerful than the [[M4 Board]] clocked at 168Mhz. [https://www.spinpoint.org/2015/10/23/cortex-m4-board/ Source] <br> === Multiplexers === The "Secret" of the PicoMEM/PicoCPC will is its multiplexers. [https://www.cpcwiki.eu/forum/amstrad-cpc-hardware/picocpc/msg249997/#msg249997 Source]It allow to limint the number of I/O needed and act as a Voltage converter at the same time. The Pi Pico allow to have multiple PIO core, plus the main core working together in parallel,so the PIO manage the Multiplexer, reconstruct the Address, while CPU core detect and manage the Control signals, Read in advance the High part of the address to jupt to the correct code.(IO MEM Read or Write, Bank number)So, when the Main core is in the correct code section, it can read directly the full Address from the PIO. The PicoCPC use only 12 I/O to manage all the address, Data and Control signals. We can add 2 pin only to control the multiplexer.Then, the CPC bus is "manipulated" Via ROMDIS, RAMDIS, RD, A15, IOREQ (Pico Output) With this way to do, it is possible to be almost as fast with soldered RP2350Bmultiplexing that without. <br>

Currently, the features of the PicoCPC areIt now has :

* ROM Emulation *RAM Emulation (allows transforming a 464/664 into a 6128)* RAM, all modes, except C3 mode for now* Keyboard key remapping to English, French, Spanish* Floppy disk controller emulation, supporting .DSK and even most of the copy protected games. (works only on 464 )*Create Floppy "pack" and 464+swap between them with a button*Navigate in the SD and run games from it*Setup program helping to do the initial config if there is no config file on the SD (With graphics and music)* Emulation of Various commands, to list and load the [[TMPI speech synthesizer]]ROM and Disk images

This card uses the Raspberry Pico 2, so it’s conceivable that new features could be added C3 mode to arrive in the futurenext hardware release (update 09/04/2025: C3 mode works perfectly fine). And much more for the final hardware release: vocal synthesizer, cpr cartridges, usb mouse, wifi, nfc, ... <br>

In Here’s the translation into English of the description of the 07/03/2025 video, it is written:

Un mois de chaumage productif m'It’s still far from being finished, but it’s progressing well. What’s still missing: *Loading and unloading ROMs from BASIC *Copying files between SD and floppy disk *Saving files to SD (for now, the Pico can only read and launch) *Formatting floppy disks *Displays on the I2C screen during the Wizard *All the sound part *All the Wi-Fi part *All the NFC part Prototype 2 will require a permis d'avancermajor change on the I/O side but should normally open up more possibilities, surtout de debugger le code existant et d'ajouter des fonctionslike the C3 memory mode on 464/664, switching to 512KB of extended memory, and sound. Elle est encore loin d'être terminée At the moment, I’m aiming for June as a tentative date. Even if the code isn’t finished, mais avance bienthe hardware should be.

Dans ce qu'il manque In the comments of that video, Rodrik said: *Charger et décharger des ROM depuis le basic *Copie des fichiers entre SD et disquette *Sauver des fichiers sur SD (pour l'instant le Pico ne sait que lire et lancer) *Formater des disquettes *Des affichages sur l'écran I2C pendant le Wizard *Toute la partie son *Toute la partie wifi *Toute la partie NFC

Note sur le filtre d'affichage des disquettes et roms*"When it works on all CPCs, including the Plus models, and the hardware is more or less final, I’m aiming for June." J'ai montré un exemple simple avec s* ou encore p"The features will evolve; I wrote that in the description. The next big thing will be sound—voice synthesizer—but also a second AY chip and maybe some other quirky stuff like Adlib. Then Wi-Fi and NFC."*"I plan to add Wi-Fi later if possible, mais il supporte aussi '?'and also USB, donc une chose comme ?which is simpler than micro SD for transferring things."*"I can even say it’s very likely that Plus cartridges will be emulated soon."*"Wi-Fi is planned for the longer term; the separate Wi-Fi module for Pico2 isn’t available yet."*"There are too many boards, often too expensive, hard to find, and with different features. The idea is that the PicoCPC should cost half the price of a?tDDI5."* fonctionne et va par exemple retourner "I didn'Pactet check the price of DDI-5, le (1987)'but this one will be around 70€. Un dream va retourner les 2 disquettes pinball dreams"*"I will have a distributor in UK, so no problem."*"When the board is ready, I will open-source both ROMs, the PicoCPC and the Wizard."*"It’s coming along, but it’ll take a few more months. The final board will be pretty high-tech with 4 layers, etc., and some surprises like connectivity features."*"There will be a case around it to make it look like a peripheral from back in the day."*"The HDD part isn’t great; binaries that load other binaries won’t work. In the end, I could only put a few games on it."

La ROM Wizard est une ROM écrite entièrement en assembleur et bas niveauOn 12/04/2025, sans l'utilisation de vecteurs car elle remplace l'OS de la machine. C'est pour le moment 25ko de code sans les data des écrans et de la musique. Les données étant stockées dans la ROM du Pico et récupérées quand nécessaire. En outre, j'ai du écrire les fonctions de tracé de pixels, de tracé de caractères, de string et embarquer ma propre fonte. J'ai du écrire mon propre lecteur de musique...Rodrik posted on CPCwiki forum:

Pour ce qui est de la disponibilitéI wanted to clarify few things, il reste une montagne de travail et le prototype 2 que je nthere is no interest list, nowhere to register to. When the card is ready enough, it will be made available via resellers in France, UK and maybe US. I still don'ai pas encore est une correction de tout ce qui a été vu sur ce prototype 1t know when this will happen, the card did progress of lot since the start in December last year, this means 4 months ago. But I think 3 more months at least are required to make it work properly on all CPC flavors. Donc le prototype 2 va nécessiter un gros changement coté The card is currently limited by the RB2350, I/O mais ouvrira normalement plus de possibilités comme le mode mémoire C3 sur 464/664do not have enough gpio, so I either use an oled screen, either I2S DAC, either use the pins to drive some signals on the bus. So it requires a new revision with e 2350B soldered on board. Feature list is unknown yet, but it will grow over time. The card will be available with lot of hardware, le passage à 512ko de mémoire étendue et le sonbut only future firmware revision may make use of it.

À l'heure actuelleOn 04/05/2025, je vois Juin comme tentativeRodrik posted on its facebook page: https://www. Même si le code ne sera pas fini, le hardware devrait l'être. La carte finale sera une 4 couches et avec une complexité s'approchant plus d'une carte mère de PC portable que d'un A4000 pour donner un ordre d'idée. C'est en partie parce que je veux garder la carte petite, elle fait 75x60mmfacebook.com/100050156822393/posts/1220749709606912/

In It's been a while since I posted here, so I'm here to give you some news about the comments future of that video, Rodrik said:PicoCPC.4 days of work to get it routed after quite a few hours getting everything set up.* "les fonctions vont évoluerUSB-A port for a USB key initially on the HDD or for loading floppy disk images, je l'ai écrit en description. Le prochain gros truc sera le soncartridges, synthétiseur vocalor ROMs, mais aussi un second AY et peutand more from the SD cards.* USB-être d'autres choses tordues comme AdlibC port for flashing the PicoCPC. Puis le wifi et le nfc."* "Je compte mettre le wifi si possible plus tard et aussi L’USBMicro DVI port, plus simple que la micro SD pour transférer des choses"future if I can get there 😉* "je peux même dire quIntegrated DAC, we'il est fort possible que les cartouches plus soit émulée bientôtll see what I can get out of it."* "Le wifi est prévu à plus long termeButtons for controlling floppy disk images without the CPC.* 1MB of SRAM, le module wifi séparé pour pico2 n'étant pas encore disponiblefor large cartridges or lots of memory/ROM."* "Il y a trop de cartes16MB of flash, souvent trop chernot usable by the CPC, introuvables et avec des fonctions différentes. Dans l'idée la picocpc devrait coûter la moitié du prix d'un ddi5too slow, but I could store things on it as ROM."Daughter board* "Il y aura une boite autourAudio output* Buttons* NFCThe white square on the daughter board is the location of the OLED display.This version, pour en faire un périphérique ressemblant à ceux d'époquewhich could be v1.0, will be manufactured in late May."* "La partie HDD est pas <gallery>File:Pimoroni Picocpc.jpg|v0.2 assemblyFile:PicoCPC RSX info.jpg|v0.2 pluggedFile:PicoCPC RTC.jpg|v0.2 RTCFile:PicoCPC v0.9.jpg|v0.9 DesignFile:PicoCPC v0.9 render top, les binaires chargeant des binaires ne fonctionneront pas. Je n'ai pu mettre que peu de jeux dessus au finaljpg|v0."9 Render topFile:PicoCPC v0.9 render back.jpg|v0.9 Render backFile:PicoCPC v0.9 daughterboard.png|v0.9 Daughter board (white square is screen)</gallery> <br>

* [https://www.cpcwiki.eu/forum/amstrad-cpc-hardware/picocpc/ Thread Topic on CPCwiki forum] <br>