Final Expansion :: 512KB SRAM + 512KB EEPROM + SD Card (2GB)

Diddl · Post by **Diddl** » Thu Jan 07, 2010 3:16 pm

New firmware 019:

+ SJLOAD: Improved loading speed by 40% (thanks to Hydrophilic!)

+ SJLOAD: Now nearly all kernal IO vectors used: CHKIN,CKOUT,BSOUT,BASIN,CLALL,CLRCH (not only LOAD, SAVE)

This improves data access to jiffy devices (also in BASIC).
Is not supported in Mini Wedge (Wedge in 3K LO-RAM, memory config F7).

+ SJLOAD: Messages only in direct mode. In program mode messages are suppressed.

A small BASIC program (included in 019 package) which read/writes 8K data shows speed improvements:

Normal VIC-20:
write 25,26s
read 18,70s

VIC-20 with SJLOAD and Jiffy 1541:
write 19,51s
read 10,34s

VIC-20 with SJLOAD and SD2IEC:
write 6,45s
read 4,0s

have fun ...

download firmware from my page: click

eslapion · Post by **eslapion** » Fri Jan 08, 2010 4:13 am

Diddl wrote:This device doesn't have an own address and data bus. The CPLD would need a own clock with 8 MHz, but synchron with the VIC clock to support the address multiplex.

Correct.

This one is not multiplexed:
http://www.numonyx.com/Documents/Datash ... 9W128G.pdf

But it has only 128MBit (16Mbytes)

But I see no benefit to a SD card or USB stick solution. You dislike SD card cause speed reasons?

I just thought it would be nice to have a RAMLink for the VIC-20.

... or a super megasized instant access multicart.

We could make a SD solution very fast if a controller write directly in the SRAM.

Of course. SD cards themselves are probably faster than the VIC-20's 6502 bus. I just thought it might be technically much easier to have a direct parallel access than to have to use an external uC to convert the serial bus of the SD card into something the VIC can make sense of.

If you usean SD card, you must copy the content you want to use into RAM accessible to the 6502. If you use a parallel flash chip, you can have the 6502 directly access the data that you want to use. Just like the Behr Bonz and Megacart do.

In effect, you have instant access.

A AT90USB168 could do a mass storage host support, so you can use any USB stick or USB harddisk.

I failed to find AT90USB168 on both Digikey and mouser. What is it?

Still, the need to copy and transfer data to a type of memory directly accessible by the 6502 is not eliminated by a USB stick or hard disk.

Diddl · Post by **Diddl** » Fri Jan 08, 2010 4:30 am

eslapion wrote:I failed to find AT90USB168 on both Digikey and mouser. What is it?

My mistake, it is a AT90USB162.

There are very cheap boards available for $15: Bumble-B

eslapion wrote:Still, the need to copy and transfer data to a type of memory directly accessible by the 6502 is not eliminated by a USB stick or hard disk.

Yes, technically there is a difference.

But it makes no difference to say

* VIC itself select a bank and access memory

* VIC calls an API to get data into a memory and access this.

If both methodes are fast enough there is no benefit for direct access. But to have a mass storage has the benefit to open a modern world (PC) to change data between.

orion70 · Post by **orion70** » Fri Jan 08, 2010 5:20 am

Diddl wrote:+ SJLOAD: Messages only in direct mode. In program mode messages are suppressed.

Thanks! Also from Mike

.

Diddl wrote:Normal VIC-20:
write 25,26s
read 18,70s

VIC-20 with SJLOAD and Jiffy 1541:
write 19,51s
read 10,34s

VIC-20 with SJLOAD and SD2IEC:
write 6,45s
read 4,0s

Impressive.

One question: to flash it, I will use fe3flash.prg loading it from the BASIC prompt, right?

Diddl · Post by **Diddl** » Fri Jan 08, 2010 5:23 am

orion70 wrote:One question: to flash it, I will use fe3flash.prg loading it from the BASIC prompt, right?

Only the first time (if flash is empty).

To reflash over an old version from FE3 simply copy the firmware file (fe3firmware.prg) into the root (\) of the SD card. In FE3 main Menu choose F6, F2 to update the firmware.

This works in VICE also, if option 'writeback' is set ...

nbla000 · Post by **nbla000** » Sun Jan 10, 2010 3:49 am

Hi Diddl,

I've some problem with latest r19 firmware with my sd2brwse vic-20 porting.

When I try to load something (using basic wedge) after my standard load call, I get a blinking cursor like I was in BASIC and nothing is loaded.

When starting in normal Basic, the programs works properly but in normal speed of course.

I think something mess with your last Vic-toria fix, I had no time for debug or source checking but I'm quite sure there is something wrong, no problems with r18a firmware.

How do you check RUN or direct mode ? There is a zp location that displays this status.

I think you have my beta version of sd2brwse btw Vic20-Ian has it, you may contact me in case.

I've another problem even without sd2brwse, how may I start a cart image on fly with FE3 ?

Using a vic ram on blk5 just LOAD"CARTNAME",8,1 and then SYS64802 to start, same for Mega-Cart but using the FE3, after the SYS64802 the Menu restarts.

How to load and start a program on BLK5 without complicated config files like for 8k programs ?

Diddl · Post by **Diddl** » Sun Jan 10, 2010 11:50 am

nbla000 wrote:I've some problem with latest r19 firmware with my sd2brwse vic-20 porting.

When I try to load something (using basic wedge) after my standard load call, I get a blinking cursor like I was in BASIC and nothing is loaded.

When starting in normal Basic, the programs works properly but in normal speed of course.

Could you send me this program with instructions how to produce the problem by email? I will debug it ...

nbla000 wrote:How do you check RUN or direct mode ? There is a zp location that displays this status.

Yes it is $9d, if it is not $80 I supress the messages like VIC kernel does.

nbla000 wrote:I think you have my beta version of sd2brwse btw Vic20-Ian has it, you may contact me in case.

No I haven't, please send me.

nbla000 wrote:I've another problem even without sd2brwse, how may I start a cart image on fly with FE3 ?

Using a vic ram on blk5 just LOAD"CARTNAME",8,1 and then SYS64802 to start, same for Mega-Cart but using the FE3, after the SYS64802 the Menu restarts.

How to load and start a program on BLK5 without complicated config files like for 8k programs ?

Blk5 is available if you start with "all RAM": F1,F7

But you also can switch it on (if wedge is off!!) at any time with POKE.

For example start FE3, quit to BASIC with F8, wedge is off now.

Activate BLK5 RAM with POKE39938,128.

Now you can LOAD it and execute in BLK5. Also no FE3 comes on a Reset (only red Reset, cause red switch on ROM)

TNT · Post by **TNT** » Sat Jan 16, 2010 6:36 pm

Is VIC-20 Block 0 ($0400 - $0fff) mapped to SRAM Bank 0 in SUPER RAM mode? Documentation says it's enabled but doesn't specify where it's mapped.

edit: Second question - is there a way to get name of current directory or mounted disk image? I'm thinking of scenario where I might want to CD:<-, do something, then CD:back_to_previous_dir.

Mike · Post by **Mike** » Thu Jan 28, 2010 2:08 am

I've split the following discussion about TNT's Z-code interpreter, and FE3 into an own thread in the Games section.

Michael

Diddl · Post by **Diddl** » Sat Mar 06, 2010 7:34 am

bugfix release r019a :: many thanks to nbla000!

download as usual at http://vc20final.t-winkler.net/zip/

Image for VICE included ...

TBCVIC · Post by **TBCVIC** » Thu Mar 11, 2010 7:07 am

Anyone bothered to drill holes for the LEDs? I'm not sure where to put them...or if I should just skip them.

Diddl · Post by **Diddl** » Thu Mar 11, 2010 7:23 am

I don't have connected this LED.

In principle you can drill wherever you want the LED, cause you can wire a longer cable.

TBCVIC · Post by **TBCVIC** » Tue Mar 16, 2010 11:08 am

What's the dirty LED for? It never turns on for me.
Is there a way to blink the LEDs with a poke?

for(;;) · Post by **for(;;)** » Tue Mar 16, 2010 11:56 am

The dirty LED lights on errors. If you try to load a file that does not exist, it should light - if not, something may be wrong with the connection of the LED.

TBCVIC · Post by **TBCVIC** » Tue Mar 16, 2010 12:59 pm

Ah, yes, that works