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Author Topic: USB to Enterprise serial (Read 13671 times)

Offline dangerman

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Re: USB to Enterprise serial
« Reply #15 on: 2018.December.23. 12:18:17 »
SUCCESS!

So I haven't looked any more into getting my Amiga handshaking with the Enterprise's serial port, but... I did manage to get the Enterprise talking with a Linux PC using this adapter. After I worked out how to enable handshaking on Linux, it's working flawlessly.

I can send messages back and forth easily.  I've even managed to send and receive whole text files - although for now I have to deal with the end of file manually, because there's no notion of files on a serial stream.

Offline Zozosoft

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Re: USB to Enterprise serial
« Reply #16 on: 2018.December.23. 14:00:03 »
Wow! Well done!

Offline IstvanV

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Re: USB to Enterprise serial
« Reply #17 on: 2018.December.23. 19:58:12 »
Could this hardware be combined with the MIDI port, assuming that gets built? With hardware serial/parallel conversion, it would probably have some advantages compared to the built-in serial port on B7h, such as higher baud rate.

Offline gflorez

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Re: USB to Enterprise serial
« Reply #18 on: 2018.December.23. 20:41:18 »
Yes, some advantages, astounding transfer speed, independence from the processor frequency, memory emulation?, PC as a HD?, MIDI Host?, even Internet access with all their added benefits...?

And surely many more...

Ah, and B7h left definitively only for the Boxsoft-EnterMice interface.
« Last Edit: 2018.December.23. 20:47:45 by gflorez »

Offline IstvanV

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Re: USB to Enterprise serial
« Reply #19 on: 2018.December.25. 13:48:38 »
I can send messages back and forth easily.  I've even managed to send and receive whole text files - although for now I have to deal with the end of file manually, because there's no notion of files on a serial stream.

It may be possible to modify the tapeserver program I wrote some time ago to use serial I/O. It allows for accessing a directory of PC files via an EXOS device, similarly to FILE: on ep128emu. Although the baud rate of the EP serial port (9600 maximum?) is not actually better than that of tapeserver, it could still be more convenient to use than audio based communication.

Offline ron

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Re: USB to Enterprise serial
« Reply #20 on: 2019.July.01. 20:30:21 »
I do not know if it is the right place to continue talking about the USB to serial adapter for enterprise. Any way I would like to compile more information  and if it is possible to do something, it is very much appreciated.

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Glorez brought this serial port to USB interface.
Last Friday and Sunday, we were in my workshop doing communications tests, with discrete results.

So we have not been able to find any communications program for Enteprise, except what has been done by the Danes. We have done tests from Basic, with results that we believe that with some adjustments we could do something.

Something like:

Code: [Select]
  100 PROGRAM "term.BAS"
  110 SET 191,4
  120 LET A$="":LET LOCAL=-1
  130 TEXT 80
  140 OPEN #1:"SERIAL:"
  150 IF LOCAL=-1 THEN PRINT #102:CHR$(27);"O";
  160 IF LOCAL=0 THEN
  170   GET #1:A$
  180 ELSE
  190   LET A$=INKEY$
  200 END IF
  210 IF A$<>"" THEN
  220   LET A=ORD(A$)
  230   IF A<>13 THEN
  240     PRINT CHR$(A);:PRINT #1:CHR$(A);
  250   ELSE
  260     LET LOCAL=NOT(LOCAL)
  270     IF LOCAL=0 THEN PRINT #102:CHR$(27);CHR$(111+(LOCAL*32));
  280     PRINT #1:CHR$(13);CHR$(10);:PRINT :LET A$=""
  290     IF LOCAL=-1 THEN PRINT #102:CHR$(27);CHR$(111+(LOCAL*32));
  300   END IF
  310 END IF
  320 GOTO 160


We have also been doing tests under IS-DOS and with the most common communications software for CP / M, but we are in the same point. It does not work.

Then, with IS-DOS there's the command MODE
MODE {[80] | [40]} | [Logical-device:=EXDOS-device]

Devices: [LST: , AUX:, RDR:, PUN:, NULL]

Well, all help and advice are welcome, the interface is working and with tcpser and minicom from Linux we can exchange characters between the PC and the Enterprise, there's a lot of test to do.

Regards



Offline dangerman

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Re: USB to Enterprise serial
« Reply #21 on: 2019.July.02. 21:40:42 »
I was considering writing a simple zmodem client for the Enterprise. But then my EP stopped working and so I'll have to fix that first unfortunately :(

Also, since I had to open it up to try and fix it, I had the bright idea to "upgrade" it to 6MHz. But of course this will destroy all the timings for the serial driver. Seemed like a good idea at the time, though.

As an alternative, is there any serial support in ep128emu?


Offline gflorez

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Re: USB to Enterprise serial
« Reply #22 on: 2019.July.02. 22:09:06 »
There is a serial card, the schematics is here. It was a Hungarian "classic-time" project intended for use with serial mice(or serial external keyboard), but has been superseded by the EnterMice.

The Mouse driver deals(more or less) with that card. You can peek on the code if you want to know how it can be accessed. It is based on a PC UART, so it can be used for other tasks.

Also on classic times, a Danish firm developed an external serial card, even they run for a time an Enterprise oriented BBS. The software has been preserved, but not the hardware.
« Last Edit: 2019.July.02. 22:14:35 by gflorez »

Offline Zozosoft

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Re: USB to Enterprise serial
« Reply #23 on: 2019.July.02. 22:12:52 »
Something like:
I don't see in the program setting of serial parameters (baud, parity, stop bits). It is not needed for that device?

Offline gflorez

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Re: USB to Enterprise serial
« Reply #24 on: 2019.July.02. 22:15:53 »
It uses the default... 9600 8, 2, 0, Handsake. The chip CH340G adapts itself and converts to a virtual serial port on the USB at the PC.

The program has been written by me, but it has some faults.

Zozo, you described a way to use READ instead of GET, but I have not been able to find the way. Can you explain it?
« Last Edit: 2019.July.02. 22:24:58 by gflorez »

Offline gflorez

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Re: USB to Enterprise serial
« Reply #25 on: 2019.July.02. 23:41:56 »
The problem with GET is that it is trapped by the PC RTS/CTS protocol, STATUS_IN is set(negative on the signal) even if there is nothing to receive from the PC, so the Enterprise waits forever. Is for that I have used a "conversation" scheme instead of the Half duplex one. The control is alternated between the PC and the Enterprise when an Enter is received(13, Ctrl+M).