virtvic Posted September 17, 2022 Share Posted September 17, 2022 I've just bought an internal sd2iec for my Plus4. Installed it and tried to load the FB16 program and it jst hangs saying 'searching for fb16' I've installed these before with no problems in C64's and vic20s I'm only getting 4.7v on the power lines on the sd2iec - could that be the problem? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
brain Posted September 18, 2022 Share Posted September 18, 2022 4V7 should not be an issue, as the uC can operate at 8MHz down to 3v3, and the SD card wants 3V3 anyway +4/C16 should like the sd2iec with no issues. Jim Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
virtvic Posted September 18, 2022 Author Share Posted September 18, 2022 That’s what I thought. Those sd2iec is slightly different to the ones I’ve had before. It came from retroguru.eu in Poland. It came with some extension wires, a 3pin LED and a push button. No instructions or links came with it at all. I installed it the same way as any other computer and used pins 1&2 from the User port for power. I copied the software with the 2x firmware files and FB16 as normal onto an SD card formatted with fat16 (I also tried fat32, no difference) and it just hangs on ‘searching’ Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
carlsson Posted September 19, 2022 Share Posted September 19, 2022 Can you read the error channel upon start? It should return a message with its firmware version. If nothing happens, you are having a bigger issue. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
virtvic Posted September 19, 2022 Author Share Posted September 19, 2022 Error channel? How do you do that? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
virtvic Posted September 19, 2022 Author Share Posted September 19, 2022 I’ve used a Pi1541 on this computer before successfully, so I know the SIO port is good. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
carlsson Posted September 19, 2022 Share Posted September 19, 2022 (edited) I don't recall if BASIC 3.5 has any fancy disk commands but this old style should work: 10 OPEN1,8,15:PRINT#1,"UJ":REM RESET 20 INPUT#1,E,E$,T,S:CLOSE1 30 PRINT E,E$,T,S If you omit the PRINT# on line 10, it will read the current status. On reset, E should be 73 with a string in E$. If no error, you get 0 OK 0 0. Of course change device 8 to 9 in case the SD2IEC is configured at a different device address. Edited September 19, 2022 by carlsson Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
+OLD CS1 Posted September 19, 2022 Share Posted September 19, 2022 In BASIC 3.5, you can query the last disk error number and status message with the variable DS and DS$, respectively. I am not certain if using one of the built-in DOS commands is required beforehand or not, but I suspect you will need to close the error channel before using these variables. You should be able to power-on the device, and immediately ?DS,DS$ Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
virtvic Posted September 19, 2022 Author Share Posted September 19, 2022 I just tried the small basic prorgam and the above command and it does exactly the same as trying to LOAD"FB16",8 (just hangs) - When attempting to load the fB16 menu, it does say searchging for... and then just hangs like that. I emailed the supplier and they are basically useless, first askinjg me if I'd fixed it yet and then pointing me to wards retrohax. This PCB is different to the one on that site. Similar, but different. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
virtvic Posted September 19, 2022 Author Share Posted September 19, 2022 I have just successfully loaded FB16 onto my Plus4 with another SD2IEC. I know for certain my SD card is good. Could the silk screen ATN / DATA / CLK be printed wrong, possibly? Apart from the unit being faulty, or the firmware not being loaded to the ATmega - I'm at a loss now??? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
carlsson Posted September 20, 2022 Share Posted September 20, 2022 Did you rule out that it might be configured as a different device number? Try all from 8 to 11. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
virtvic Posted September 20, 2022 Author Share Posted September 20, 2022 I’ve tried that, I’ve used a Pi1541 on this computer before successfully, so I know the SIO port is good. I've tried that, yes. The company are sending another one. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
drygol Posted October 10, 2022 Share Posted October 10, 2022 (edited) Heh, looks like someone took my layout and sells it without any info on a PCB I've described this module here -> https://retrohax.net/sd2iec-revisited/ If you are getting 4.7VDC on power line then it might be a bit too small. Also, it also hangs if you swap some of DAT/ATN/CLK wires. I do this all the time hence this suggestion Another bug, check if ALL pins on a SD slot are properly soldered. Very often, SD card detection pin is not soldered properly. It is also possible that one of transistor is dead. I've made around 1000 of these boards with this specific layout and I know it works with 264 series without issues. https://retrohax.net/random-commodore-plus-4-hax/ Edited October 10, 2022 by drygol 2 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
+OLD CS1 Posted October 11, 2022 Share Posted October 11, 2022 @drygol I envy your collection of machines. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
virtvic Posted October 11, 2022 Author Share Posted October 11, 2022 I’ll have another look at it, thanks. it sucks that they’ve used your design and not even mentioned you on the pcb… Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
drygol Posted October 11, 2022 Share Posted October 11, 2022 3 hours ago, OLD CS1 said: @drygol I envy your collection of machines. All of them were refurbished and found new users I am not a collector but I enjoy fixing stuff 1 hour ago, virtvic said: I’ll have another look at it, thanks. it sucks that they’ve used your design and not even mentioned you on the pcb… No problem, this is open source after all Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
xrbrevin Posted August 2, 2023 Share Posted August 2, 2023 On 9/19/2022 at 6:47 PM, virtvic said: (just hangs) - When attempting to load the fB16 menu did you get this sorted? i had the same issue with 5x units i assembled. it turned out to be a bad batch of IRLML2402s that came from aliexpress. i replaced them with ones from here in the UK and they all worked right away 🙃 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
virtvic Posted August 2, 2023 Author Share Posted August 2, 2023 I got my money back, but have yet to buy a replacement. It’s in my list of things to do though… do you know of a reliable place to get fully assembled ones from? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
xrbrevin Posted September 26, 2023 Share Posted September 26, 2023 On 8/2/2023 at 2:59 PM, virtvic said: do you know of a reliable place to get fully assembled ones from? see here: https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/166260216921 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Like us on Facebook
Follow us on Twitter
AtariAge on Instagram
Watch us on YouTube
Chat on Discord
Recommended Posts
Join the conversation
You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.
Note: Your post will require moderator approval before it will be visible.