Enterprise Forever

:UK => Hardware => Topic started by: Saint on 2016.September.04. 23:06:18

Title: New Hardware?
Post by: Saint on 2016.September.04. 23:06:18
Hi all, has been a while - gflorez contacted me and said there was still interest in the memory expansion, so here I am... I've been doing other hardware projects and have gained a lot of experince in producing hardware in quantity (using Chinese production facilities) and could now offer the internal memory expansion and SD card interfaces in large quantities.

I actually have one working and mostly complete SD card interface (the rewritable flash rom management needs completing, but that's just software). The reason I never built and sold any was the amount of work (and time!) involved in producing them. Well, this now isn't a problem if there is enough interest. I can also offer a case too, as I have a 3D printer. :)

I need to order 100 minimum per run, so if there is enough interest for the memory expansion or external SD interface I will look at getting them produced.

I have been producing an SD card based game cartridge for the Atari Lynx for the last few months and have had about 400 produced now, to give an idea of my production capacity. :)

I've started a poll above, so if you're interested in one or more items, please vote accordingly. If there's enough interest I'll get them made!
Title: Re: New Hardware?
Post by: Tutus on 2016.September.05. 10:54:15
Hi all, has been a while - gflorez contacted me and said there was still interest in the memory expansion, so here I am... I've been doing other hardware projects and have gained a lot of experince in producing hardware in quantity (using Chinese production facilities) and could now offer the internal memory expansion and SD card interfaces in large quantities.

Hello Saint,
We 're happy to see you here again :)
I would like to buy 1MB memory card (I ordered it on may of 2015) :)
Title: Re: New Hardware?
Post by: pear on 2016.September.05. 11:15:14
I need to order 100 minimum per run, so if there is enough interest for the memory expansion or external SD interface I will look at getting them produced.
It means practically never :?:
Title: Re: New Hardware?
Post by: Tutus on 2016.September.05. 11:29:20
It means practically never :?:

:evil:

The last year was almost sent me...
Title: Re: New Hardware?
Post by: pear on 2016.September.05. 11:35:20
Easy, only I asked, aware of the fact that through the EP forum EnterMice sold in approx. 40 pieces.
Title: Re: New Hardware?
Post by: gflorez on 2016.September.05. 12:04:29
Ok Pear, but an user can think more necessary the memory or a SD adapter than your fabulous EnterMice...

I also think that 100 pieces is a little excessive for this web page, if you see the statistics, normally about only 20 members per day visit it...

Also, Saint has sell already a number of memory extensions, so these owners don't count.

On the other side we have the promise of an overclocking-memory-extension board in the horizon.
---

But, what about Saint's SD adapter? I think it is a little outdated-unfinished project, now that Szorg's one is, at last, being widely implanted. It is now a standard to have in account if someone think to develop a SD reader.
Title: Re: New Hardware?
Post by: pear on 2016.September.05. 12:08:56
If so yet will be supported FAT16 (maybe even FAT32), I would be so happy.
Title: Re: New Hardware?
Post by: Zozosoft on 2016.September.05. 12:16:05
If so yet will be supported FAT16 (maybe even FAT32), I would be so happy.
It is depend from the EXDOS. It is in my queue :oops: (Why the days only have 24 hours???)
Title: Re: New Hardware?
Post by: pear on 2016.September.05. 12:21:28
If you'll moved to Mars, you would gain 40 minutes a day :)
Enjoy that we are not on Saturn. There day has 10 hours and a half :shock:
Title: Re: New Hardware?
Post by: gflorez on 2016.September.05. 12:36:34
Jltursan, a member from Spain said me that the Szorg SD-reader is not compatible with his overclocked 10MHz Enterprise. He says that he must load the programs in 4Mherz and then, once done, he switches to full speed.

Probably your SD-project will overcome that...
Title: Re: New Hardware?
Post by: Zozosoft on 2016.September.05. 13:01:07
Jltursan, a member from Spain said me that the Szorg SD-reader is not compatible with his overclocked 10MHz Enterprise. He says that he must load the programs in 4Mherz and then, once done, he switches to full speed.
Interesting... The 10MHz compatibility what I firstly tested with the SzörG adapter. And still using many adapters with many 10MHz machines.
For example this SymbOS video also done with 10MHz and SD. (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YwgPMNH31XI)
Title: Re: New Hardware?
Post by: Saint on 2016.September.05. 19:30:03
Another option is that I could provide PCB's and pre-programmed PAL chips so people can assemble their own memory expansions.

If anyone was interested (Zozo?) they could get the PCB's / PAL chips from me and make and sell on the memory expansions.

Just a thought, as I'm guessing I wont get enough interest to get any number of boards made up.
Title: Re: New Hardware?
Post by: Zozosoft on 2016.September.05. 19:34:18
How many the minimum PCB batch at this option?
Title: Re: New Hardware?
Post by: lgb on 2016.September.05. 19:45:45
Jltursan, a member from Spain said me that the Szorg SD-reader is not compatible with his overclocked 10MHz Enterprise. He says that he must load the programs in 4Mherz and then, once done, he switches to full speed.

I'm not sure about this one. It depends what fails. The communication between EP and the card in general, or "only" the SPI clock for the SD-card is too "slow" (that is, if you can read data more rapidly with a turbo Z80 what SD card provide with a given SPI clock, I can't remember, but I remember about 14MHz maybe, that is about 1.75Mbyte/sec peak rate, if you can read faster, you're in trouble, I think). If the latter, you can slow down with some NOPs. But you can't increase the SPI clock speed maybe, I am unsure what is the max SPI clock for the common SD-cards, and note: SD card speeds usually refer the more complicated non-SPI access methods, which works differently and even more complicated [?] (and needs license to buy, as far as I know), so maybe it doesn't apply. The SPI access of SD cards are usually treated a "must" (I don't know if the standard requires this, maybe yes) but not the "primary" usage and suggested method by vendors IMHO, but quite common on "low-end" and "hobby" projects because of the simplicity, free usage without license, and free access to the standard documents (otherwise you need to be some kind of member for money to access the papers describing the specification itself). But I would be happy if someone can say more on this, I am interested in the topic :)
Title: Re: New Hardware?
Post by: Saint on 2016.September.05. 20:07:15
How many the minimum PCB batch at this option?

I can get PCB's made in 10's, I could pass these on at about £5 each including PAL and PCB.

You'd need to provide the capacitors, SRAM, header, connector cable and any chip sockets you wanted to complete the board.
Title: Re: New Hardware?
Post by: gflorez on 2016.September.05. 21:19:58
That sounds more reasonable to me.

We can reach 100 in batchs of 10, easily on some years....
Title: Re: New Hardware?
Post by: Saint on 2016.September.05. 22:10:29
If anyone is interested in just the PCB / PAL option, let me know and I'll sort something out. The soldering job is straight forward as it's all through hole stuff, so anyone with a bit of experience could tackle it.
Title: Re: New Hardware?
Post by: Tutus on 2016.September.06. 10:25:22
I can get PCB's made in 10's, I could pass these on at about £5 each including PAL and PCB.

You'd need to provide the capacitors, SRAM, header, connector cable and any chip sockets you wanted to complete the board.

OK :)
We would like to order it 10 pieces PCB and PAL. (For the hungarian Enterprise Klub).
Details we talk it over in private one.
Title: Re: New Hardware?
Post by: SzörG on 2016.September.06. 15:43:14
I would like to order 10 pieces PCB and PAL too. :-)
Title: Re: New Hardware?
Post by: Saint on 2016.September.07. 22:57:56
OK :)
We would like to order it 10 pieces PCB and PAL. (For the hungarian Enterprise Klub).
Details we talk it over in private one.

Have arranged this now, posting out tomorrow. :)
Title: Re: New Hardware?
Post by: Saint on 2016.September.07. 22:59:24
I would like to order 10 pieces PCB and PAL too. :-)

I'll see what I have left and get back to you. :)
Title: Re: New Hardware?
Post by: zzarko on 2016.October.20. 21:56:10
I'm already on the list for SzörG's SD adapter, so no SD adapter for me, but I would buy two RAM expansions. Unfortunately for me, it is clear there were be no 100 orders... So, is it possible to have two PCB+PLA combinations? Also, can you tell me what components are also needed, as I'll need to check is it everything available in Serbia? Thank you very much for supporting EP!
Title: Re: New Hardware?
Post by: NoP on 2016.October.20. 22:31:05
Hi, Saint!

Which connector does your external memory expansion-SD combo plug into? I assume it is the system bus on the right side of the Enterprise computer. If I'm correct, I'd be interested in one - though in reality I'm in need of only an external memory expansion. Is one in the works, without SD functionality?
Title: Re: New Hardware?
Post by: gflorez on 2016.October.20. 23:07:12
Saint's memory expansions fit nicely INSIDE the computer, just on the same place that the original 64KB expansion. So at the end, the original expansion is discarded.

Another planed internal memory expansion will add overclocking, I don't know more of it.

But on the near Horizon there is a Ram-Rom-RTC module to connect on the system bus at the right side of the EP.

The creator is Pear, a very active Polish developer that already has produced other EP peripherals, like for example a Spectrum Emulator clone, an EXDOS card clone, or the EnterMice mouse adapter (http://wiki.enterpriseforever.com/index.php/EnterMice).

He also plans to create a port expander where to connect all the boards.
Title: Re: New Hardware?
Post by: pear on 2016.October.21. 08:35:14
I need to take a more intensive work.
People are waiting :)
Title: Re: New Hardware?
Post by: zzarko on 2016.November.22. 11:16:34
As I don't need 10 PCBs (there aren't many Enterprises in Serbia), just one or two, is someone who bought a batch of 10 willing to sell me one or two PCBs? Or if there is someone who would buy a batch willing to split with me?