Mr Robot Posted February 5, 2018 Share Posted February 5, 2018 Progress made yesterday. I'm now out of parts so progress will halt until I get some more. 7 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
+Firedawg Posted February 5, 2018 Author Share Posted February 5, 2018 That green board looks great!!! Anybody want to swap a blue for a green? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
+orpheuswaking Posted February 5, 2018 Share Posted February 5, 2018 These builds are looking great. I'm about to start my second. Have to decide if I will use the green or the blue board . 5 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
+Firedawg Posted February 5, 2018 Author Share Posted February 5, 2018 "Have to decide if I will use the green or the blue board ." Nice! Rub it in orpheus!!!! 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
+DrVenkman Posted February 5, 2018 Share Posted February 5, 2018 So heads up, y’all - I just had a missed call from Seattle. No VM so I didn’t pay it much mind. Then I had an email from Brooke, the operations manager at Front Panel Express. She said she’s seen similar panels from others recently and wondered if I had gotten the design from a website or something. Said she was just curious. Also, she loved the ghost on the back panel design. So I sent her a polite reply, said the similar panels are for hobbyist builders who are all building similar retro 8-bit systems to fit a modern case design, and they’ll probably be receiving more orders as more people design and finish their builds. She didn’t mention the Fuji so neither did I. [emoji4] 4 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
flashjazzcat Posted February 5, 2018 Share Posted February 5, 2018 Progress made yesterday. I'm now out of parts so progress will halt until I get some more. That's an especially nice job with some really clean, shiny solder joints. 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mr Robot Posted February 5, 2018 Share Posted February 5, 2018 That's an especially nice job with some really clean, shiny solder joints. Thanks! I'm glad I haven't lost the knack; it's been 20+ years since I last did this kind of thing for a living, my eyes are not what they once were 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
+DrVenkman Posted February 6, 2018 Share Posted February 6, 2018 Post-script to my earlier post - within minutes of my email back to Brooke, I received a detailed email invoice for my order (not just the auto-confirmation I got Saturday night). About 45 minutes later, Brooke replied to my email, thanked me again for the order and info, and added, "Always interesting to find out what panels are going to." So I'm guessing my Fuji top was accepted. In build news, I finally got around to making my controller cable assemblies tonight. Astoundingly, in all the thousands of tiny screws and fasteners I have around this place, I don't have any that fit these fine-pitched threads in the DB9 connectors I ordered from China. I did determine, however, that the nylon standoff screws I have fit perfectly. So one night this week, I'll probably stop at a hardware store with a sample DB9 jack and find metal fasteners and washers for a permanent solution. Anyway, both controller jacks respond properly in joystick directions and the FIRE button. I didn't test the paddle lines but I will at some point this week. 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
+MacRorie Posted February 6, 2018 Share Posted February 6, 2018 Post-script to my earlier post - within minutes of my email back to Brooke, I received a detailed email invoice for my order (not just the auto-confirmation I got Saturday night). About 45 minutes later, Brooke replied to my email, thanked me again for the order and info, and added, "Always interesting to find out what panels are going to." So I'm guessing my Fuji top was accepted. In build news, I finally got around to making my controller cable assemblies tonight. Astoundingly, in all the thousands of tiny screws and fasteners I have around this place, I don't have any that fit these fine-pitched threads in the DB9 connectors I ordered from China. I did determine, however, that the nylon standoff screws I have fit perfectly. So one night this week, I'll probably stop at a hardware store with a sample DB9 jack and find metal fasteners and washers for a permanent solution. Anyway, both controller jacks respond properly in joystick directions and the FIRE button. I didn't test the paddle lines but I will at some point this week. IMG_9739.JPG IMG_9740.JPG IMG_9743.JPG Dr.V. Do you mean these things? https://www.digikey.com/product-detail/en/norcomp-inc/SFSO4401NR/SFSO4401NR-ND/1766338 I have a bag of them . . . . 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
+DrVenkman Posted February 6, 2018 Share Posted February 6, 2018 Dr.V. Do you mean these things? DB9 connectors.jpg https://www.digikey.com/product-detail/en/norcomp-inc/SFSO4401NR/SFSO4401NR-ND/1766338 I have a bag of them . . . . Presumably. I need to buy some screws and nuts with the same diameter and thread pitch. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chevymad Posted February 6, 2018 Share Posted February 6, 2018 (edited) 1088XEL Joystick Connection Cables Just a piece of advice that I learned the hard way, be very careful on buying any pre-made 10-pin dual row header -to- DB9 cables for plugging in joysticks or paddles. There is a type of cable readily available for purchase online generally referenced as a Serial Adapter Cable. It looks right from the outside, but my experience has shown that it simply will not work. Problem is that on the DB9 end they soldered the ribbon wires so that pin-1 on the DB9 goes to pin-1 on header, and so forth with all of the numbers matching. Sounds good at first, but in practice not so good. With a cable that utilizes IDC crimp connectors on both ends an entirely different pin-out results due to the odd/even numbering of the 10-pin header. Pin-out comparison for Serial vs proper Joystick cable 1088XEL Joystick Cable.png Serial Adapter Cable (No Good for 1088XEL Joystick Connection) serial_adpter_cable.jpg Proper 1088XEL Joystick Connection Cable (notice the differences in the DB9 connector - it's a crimp style) 10-pin_header-joystick.jpg - Michael I bought this https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B01MFBMZZF/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o00_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1thinking I could just rearrange the pins on the 10 pin connector. Turns out it is apparently allready wired correctly. Inside the db9 connector every other wire goes in order. I followed your pin out chart with an ohm meter and I think it's good. The 10 pin connector isn't as nice as your cable, but it does plug in. Whenever, I finally get my 1088 up and running, I'll give it a try. Edit, I may be wrong on the numbering system on the 10 pin end. If so, I'll still just push the pins out and rearrange. Edited February 6, 2018 by chevymad Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
+MacRorie Posted February 6, 2018 Share Posted February 6, 2018 Presumably. I need to buy some screws and nuts with the same diameter and thread pitch. I don't think you do. The DB9s you have look the same as I have (and probably are). All you need are these posts or something similar. They will screw down against the case or the backplane and snug up. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
flashjazzcat Posted February 6, 2018 Share Posted February 6, 2018 (edited) I would like that option, Jon. OK: Here's a test firmware build including a BASIC suppression feature: 1088XEL_U1MB_Firmware_beta_050218.atr It's been tested on my 1088XEL and in Altirra (although not exhaustively), and since I had to compress various bits of main BIOS code (including the CRC for the NVRAM configuration), testing will be appreciated. I fixed a bug pertaining to enabling of the PBI BIOS or HDD mid-session as well. The partition table in RAM will be silently cleared now whenever there's a state change with the hard disk configuration (this prevents crap appearing in the boot device menu, apart form anything else). I'm still not 100 per cent sure about the BASIC disable option, although it had the positive effect of causing me to further optimise other code in the BIOS. Disabling BASIC independent of a PBI HDD or HSIO boot was quite an interesting proposition and it turned out that the most opportune moment to squash BASIC is immediately before the OS opens the E: device. Since the firmware already (optionally) patched into the CIO early in the boot process in order to display the PBI BIOS version notice when SDX is active, it wasn't too difficult to make the same code turn off BASIC. This caused an issue with disk boots, however, since the OS was observing the disk boot flag at $BFFD, unaware that the location was no longer ROM (since we'd made BASIC disappear after the OS had already established there was ROM at $A000). The fix was clearing TRAMSZ ($06) if $A000 becomes RAM after BASIC is turned off (otherwise there's an external cart present, so we leave it alone). You'll notice disabling BASIC doesn't dim the actual BASIC ROM option as it did in the previous screenshot. Doing so made absolutely no sense, since BASIC can still be reinstated via its PORTB bit. The "Internal BASIC" option has been renamed "BASIC default", and the setting becomes unavailable and set to "Enabled" if the PBI BIOS is turned off. Edited February 6, 2018 by flashjazzcat 9 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
+MacRorie Posted February 6, 2018 Share Posted February 6, 2018 Replying to my own question... Looks like it is a simple switch. That will be worth a go! http://www.qsl.net/n5sdd/mods/mods/misc/basiccar.txt Just thinking out loud here, but couldn't a switch be fashioned on the XEL itself that jumpers the appropriate lines on the MPBI? Or is that too far down the electrical lines to do that? Again, just thinking out loud. If there is an MPBI solution, then it could be there for all carts, not just modified ones. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mr Robot Posted February 6, 2018 Share Posted February 6, 2018 I'm thinking all I need to do is break the connection of pin 13 (+5v) to the cart port, that will just mean moving the pin on the card edge connector so I can put a wire in the hole and solder another one to the moved pin. Then it's just an on/off switch. Maybe a little pcb to turn the cart slot 90' and expose the switch points will be easier. For the ultimate cart I'd then just need something like this http://a.co/2MQDhoIand a pushbutton to relocate the SD and button outside the case. I "hope" I can use a uswitch board from lotherek and one of the device lines on the U1MB to do the switching. Being able to turn the cart slot off and on from the U1MB menu would be great. I haven't been following along with all the changes that FJC has done to the firmware for XEL U1MB, I hope there is still an unused device line ( I have M0 used for my simple stereo in my 800xl, M1 is unused, I hope the XEL firmware is the same) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
flashjazzcat Posted February 6, 2018 Share Posted February 6, 2018 I haven't been following along with all the changes that FJC has done to the firmware for XEL U1MB, I hope there is still an unused device line ( I have M0 used for my simple stereo in my 800xl, M1 is unused, I hope the XEL firmware is the same) It is, and it's now labelled: For Rapidus owners: there's a plugin for that. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mr Robot Posted February 6, 2018 Share Posted February 6, 2018 (edited) Brilliant! Thanks Jon, you're amazing as per usual! So I can get +5v, GND and M1 for the uswitch directly from the MPBI. I need a little PCB that has a cart edge connector and a new cart port at a 90° angle with a break in the traces and pads for pins 13 and 14 (+5v and RD5) which I can wire to the uswitch, then I can just turn off the cart from the U1MB menu! OK so now I need to learn how to draw pcb's in Fritzing or Kicad... a simple pcb is a good place to start learning. My new task for the week ... I could probably do it with a bit of proto board with an edge connector on it. Edited February 6, 2018 by Mr Robot 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
+mytek Posted February 6, 2018 Share Posted February 6, 2018 Brilliant! Thanks Jon, you're amazing as per usual! So I can get +5v, GND and M1 for the uswitch directly from the MPBI. I need a little PCB that has a cart edge connector and a new cart port at a 90° angle with a break in the traces and pads for pins 13 and 14 (+5v and RD5) which I can wire to the uswitch, then I can just turn off the cart from the U1MB menu! OK so now I need to learn how to draw pcb's in Fritzing or Kicad... a simple pcb is a good place to start learning. My new task for the week ... I could probably do it with a bit of proto board with an edge connector on it. Check with Brad over at BEST Electronics, and ask if he still has any of the 130XE Cart/ECI right angle connectors in stock. 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
+DrVenkman Posted February 7, 2018 Share Posted February 7, 2018 OK: Here's a test firmware build including a BASIC suppression feature: 1088XEL_U1MB_Firmware_beta_050218.atr Thanks, Jon! I have flashed my 1088XEL tonight and will be using it extensively in the days to come. I'll let you know if I encounter anything that seems like a bug. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
flashjazzcat Posted February 7, 2018 Share Posted February 7, 2018 That's great Herb. I'd ideally like to get everything released and the website updated within the next week or so, and perhaps make that an estimate I can actually adhere to. I had other ideas for things to include but after having a word with myself yesterday, I decided this is enough for now. The Rapidus add-on for the PBI BIOS will be included, anyway. 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
+Stephen Posted February 7, 2018 Share Posted February 7, 2018 OK: Here's a test firmware build including a BASIC suppression feature: 1088XEL_U1MB_Firmware_beta_050218.atr It's been tested on my 1088XEL and in Altirra (although not exhaustively), and since I had to compress various bits of main BIOS code (including the CRC for the NVRAM configuration), testing will be appreciated. I fixed a bug pertaining to enabling of the PBI BIOS or HDD mid-session as well. The partition table in RAM will be silently cleared now whenever there's a state change with the hard disk configuration (this prevents crap appearing in the boot device menu, apart form anything else). I'm still not 100 per cent sure about the BASIC disable option, although it had the positive effect of causing me to further optimise other code in the BIOS. Disabling BASIC independent of a PBI HDD or HSIO boot was quite an interesting proposition and it turned out that the most opportune moment to squash BASIC is immediately before the OS opens the E: device. Since the firmware already (optionally) patched into the CIO early in the boot process in order to display the PBI BIOS version notice when SDX is active, it wasn't too difficult to make the same code turn off BASIC. This caused an issue with disk boots, however, since the OS was observing the disk boot flag at $BFFD, unaware that the location was no longer ROM (since we'd made BASIC disappear after the OS had already established there was ROM at $A000). The fix was clearing TRAMSZ ($06) if $A000 becomes RAM after BASIC is turned off (otherwise there's an external cart present, so we leave it alone). You'll notice disabling BASIC doesn't dim the actual BASIC ROM option as it did in the previous screenshot. Doing so made absolutely no sense, since BASIC can still be reinstated via its PORTB bit. The "Internal BASIC" option has been renamed "BASIC default", and the setting becomes unavailable and set to "Enabled" if the PBI BIOS is turned off. I finally got to test this. My setup is as follows: 1088XEL (beta board) in PAL configuration SIDE2 cart is running SDX since I do not yet have a workinf XEL-CF adapter U1MB options have SDX disabled, PBI enabled BASIC is set to disabled, Altirra BASIC is being used. When I boot into SDX, I can type BASIC and I get the Ready prompt. From DOS, typing CAR takes me straight to the SIDE loader. When I exit that, the internal SDX is disabled, and I have to either cold cycle, or press the button on the cart and reset to re-enable it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
+mytek Posted February 7, 2018 Share Posted February 7, 2018 That's great Herb. I'd ideally like to get everything released and the website updated within the next week or so, and perhaps make that an estimate I can actually adhere to. I had other ideas for things to include but after having a word with myself yesterday, I decided this is enough for now. The Rapidus add-on for the PBI BIOS will be included, anyway. Jon is it ever really enough? Opps... Don't listen to that, because we do want to see you meet your goal. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
flashjazzcat Posted February 7, 2018 Share Posted February 7, 2018 I finally got to test this. My setup is as follows: 1088XEL (beta board) in PAL configuration SIDE2 cart is running SDX since I do not yet have a workinf XEL-CF adapter U1MB options have SDX disabled, PBI enabled BASIC is set to disabled, Altirra BASIC is being used. When I boot into SDX, I can type BASIC and I get the Ready prompt. From DOS, typing CAR takes me straight to the SIDE loader. When I exit that, the internal SDX is disabled, and I have to either cold cycle, or press the button on the cart and reset to re-enable it. OK. Does this behaviour differ from any previous builds (am not home right now so can't check)? I'm not sure I ever tried booting SDX from SIDE with the PBI BIOS turned on. The PBI BIOS suppresses the ROM on a SIDE cart, deliberately. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
+Stephen Posted February 7, 2018 Share Posted February 7, 2018 OK. Does this behaviour differ from any previous builds (am not home right now so can't check)? I'm not sure I ever tried booting SDX from SIDE with the PBI BIOS turned on. The PBI BIOS suppresses the ROM on a SIDE cart, deliberately. Ah, I will have to check some other configs later this evening. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
+MacRorie Posted February 7, 2018 Share Posted February 7, 2018 Folks, A 1088XEL assembled motherboard (with a Sophia card) was stolen last night in Northern California. If you happen to see one for sale on Craigslist or any where, could you please PM me with the details? A police report has been filed. Because of the value of the board, it is a felony in California, so I am told some resources will be put toward it. There is a video of the theft and that has also been given to police. Thanks for your help! -M Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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