Changes

Amstrad Serial Interface

33 bytes added, 22:42, 8 January 2010
* [[Z80-DART/Z80-SIO chip]]
* [[8253 chip]]
 
== 8250 ==
 
Below is information about the 8250 UART chip. As far as known, the Amstrad Serial Interface does NOT use that chip. No idea why that information is here...?
 
Like the original interface, the Pace design used an 8250 [[UART]] chip, which was reliable up to 9600 baud and could sometimes function at faster speeds. The possibility has been discussed of replacing this with a pin-compatible 16550 and gaining even faster transfer speeds, but this is not believed to have been tested.
 
[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/8250_UART Linkt to Article on Wikipedia about the 8250 UART used in the interface]
== Alternative software ==
A vast range of comms software was available for [[CP/M]], including [[Bulletin board|bulletin board]] hosts, offline readers (notably [[CRR]] - CP/M Read and Reply), and many terminals.
== Technical specs 8250 Information (probably nonsense) ==
This [http://www.systemed.net/pcw/cps8256.html webpage '''Below is information about the CPS8256] (8250 UART chip. As far as known, the Amstrad serial interface for the PCW) also includes some useful CPC Serial Interface does NOT use that chip, a 8253 yes, but not a 8250. No idea why that information (and may be worth converting in due course)is here...?'''
Like the original interface, the Pace design used an 8250 [[UART]] chip (really???), which was reliable up to 9600 baud and could sometimes function at faster speeds. The possibility has been discussed of replacing this with a pin-compatible 16550 and gaining even faster transfer speeds, but this is not believed to have been tested. This [http://www.systemed.net/pcw/cps8256.html webpage about the CPS8256] (the Amstrad serial interface for the PCW) also includes some CPC information. Caution: that webpage seems to be confused/bugged. There is no 8250 chip used at all. Baudrate MSB/LSB are exchanged, and for both CPC and PCW, the clock source should be 2MHz instead of 1.84375MHz, etc. [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/8250_UART Linkt to Article on Wikipedia about the 8250 UART used in the interface]
== Manual ==
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