VICMIDI release date?

[VICCIV]

Exactly as the post suggests. Any word on the VICMIDI cart?

[Schema]

I'm waiting for news too!

The code is here if you want to browse...

https://github.com/LeifBloomquist/VICMIDI

[brain]

before Christmas 2015

Yep, sorry about the delay. Needed to learn Verilog to get price down, and make sure things worked fine. We tested the prototype board at VCF-MW, and all works.

Jim

[brain]

Here is a pic of the (hopefully) final PCB:



Features:

• MIDI IN, Out, Through support
• RS-232 Support (if installed)
• UltiMem capable (512kB ROM, 128kB RAM)
• UART can be set to any base address in IO2 or IO3
• UltiMem can be enabled/disabled
• MIDI/RS232 can be enabled/disabled

Sending the design in to get final production pricing.

Jim

[brain]

Added an option to build (or rebuild) the unit with a 512kB SRAM.

JIm

[brain]

PCB design has been released to manufacture

Jim

[brain]

Preorders are now open:

http://store.go4retro.com/vic-20-midi-cartridge/

[majikeyric]

And what about the UltiMem Jim ?

[brain]

And what about the UltiMem Jim ?

Getting the quote for assembly as I write this.

I suspect mid-to-end of Feb. I will put a pre-order page up as soon as I get the quote back.

jim

[brain]

SN #2 finished unit:



Been testing functionality for a spell.

ROM is working, as is RAM, UART can send and receive both MIDI and RS232 (at 230kbps). LEDs all work, though I had to reduce the current limiters on the green (TXD) and yellow (RXD) leds.

top left switch is UART enable (disable)
bottom left switch is MEM enable (disable)
unpopulated left switch is UART_IO_SEL (defaults to IO3:0000)
top right switch is RESET
bottom right inside switch is user switch 1
bottom right outside switch is user switch 0 (inhibit autostart)

SMT jumpers are UART base address (any 8 byte boundary in IO space, but I would not recommend the top 2 spots in IO3 (shuts off memory expansion, regardless of state of MEM enable switch)

Jim

[eslapion]

So VICMIDI is a MIDI interface plus an UltiMem card all in one? Correct?

[brain]

So VICMIDI is a MIDI interface plus an UltiMem card all in one? Correct?

In short, yes.

Longer answer is that VIC-MIDI has 512K ROM/128k RAM and supports the UltiMem register layout. You can also go up to 512kB of RAM on the VIC-MIDI, if you replace the SRAM with a larger unit.

VIC-MIDI also supports standard RS232 up to 960kbps (not sure you'll ever need that fast, but it is there)

If you want larger ROM, then the 8MB UltiMem cart is the option to consider.

Jim

[eslapion]

VIC-MIDI also supports standard RS232 up to 960kbps (not sure you'll ever need that fast, but it is there)

Somehow I suspect the 6502 wouldn't be able to keep up with that...

[brain]

VIC-MIDI also supports standard RS232 up to 960kbps (not sure you'll ever need that fast, but it is there)

Somehow I suspect the 6502 wouldn't be able to keep up with that...

Ok, I don't know. ~100kBps is 1 byte per 10 cycles, potentially doable as sends..

But, yes, not very practical, and it's just a number, as the RS232 drivers are only good to 400kbps, I believe.

But, you should be able to do 230Kbps with the unit, at least polled operation and if nothing else is going on.

Jim

[R'zo]

A few questions,

1. Are their any programs developed yet to run with this on the vic?

2. If yes on 1 will it be open for writing our own programs to run with it?

3. Does it require any type of external midi interface outside of the cart or can I simply plug a midi board in, load program and go to town?

4. Do you have any video demos of the cart in use?

5. Do you plan on having these around for a while? (it may be a couple of months before I can get one)