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some questions about NanoPeb+


lucifershalo

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1.ca n I plug the speech module into the computer and the NanoPeb in the speech module?

Will it work?

 

2.once I load a program, the only way to change and load another one

is to switch off the computer, right?

do I need to Switch off the NanoPeb everytime as well?

 

3.sometimes after loading a program, switching off and on the computer

I have an error message in E/A cart

like no memory expansion

or it freezes

or strange characters appears all over the screen

then it turned all orange and I cant do anything anymore

I had those 3 problems already

is it normal?

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1. Don't know, have you tried? I have not tried with mine yet, but I will sometime later today unless someone answers the question first. It seems like it should work though, since the CF7 does not take over the speech functionality.

 

2. Depends on the program. For games, yeah, you probably need to power-cycle the machine to play another. A program *could* return to the E/A cart if it has the concept of "exiting". Most programs on old hardware do not work that way though.

 

3. Sounds like power-cycling the CF7 when you power-cycle the 99/4A is needed. The 99/4A puts out a reset signal when it powers up, or when a cartridge is plugged in, but the CF7 may ignore that signal. If that is the case, then when you power cycle or reset the 99/4A, the CF7 may be stuck in some funk state. I don't know if that is the case, but that would be poor design if the CF7 does not honor the 99/4A's reset signal. However, unlike the real PEB, the CF7 has programmable logic circuitry, so I imagine it can get out of sync with the 99/4A.

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3. Sounds like power-cycling the CF7 when you power-cycle the 99/4A is needed. The 99/4A puts out a reset signal when it powers up, or when a cartridge is plugged in, but the CF7 may ignore that signal. If that is the case, then when you power cycle or reset the 99/4A, the CF7 may be stuck in some funk state. I don't know if that is the case, but that would be poor design if the CF7 does not honor the 99/4A's reset signal. However, unlike the real PEB, the CF7 has programmable logic circuitry, so I imagine it can get out of sync with the 99/4A.

 

So, in that case it is computer off, then NanoPeb then back on again....

but can that power cycling damage the NanoPeb?

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ad 1. Yes, fully supported. Just make sure that your nanoPEB gets a 5V external power adapter.

ad 2 and 3. You should always try to return to the master title screen before switching a cartridge or turning off your console. That way you avoid damaging chips, which may be accessed otherwhise.

ad 3. Maybe you should look for a reset button like there is on a Navarone Expander (Widget). It helps avoids these problems.

 

BR, Klaus

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I still haven't used mine, but I remember it saying to use a 9-12V power source... You sure about 5V? Guess I should start low and see what it needs to work.

 

Wonder how hard it would be to solder in a reset button w/o the widget.

 

-H

 

ad 1. Yes, fully supported. Just make sure that your nanoPEB gets a 5V external power adapter.

ad 2 and 3. You should always try to return to the master title screen before switching a cartridge or turning off your console. That way you avoid damaging chips, which may be accessed otherwhise.

ad 3. Maybe you should look for a reset button like there is on a Navarone Expander (Widget). It helps avoids these problems.

 

BR, Klaus

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I still haven't used mine, but I remember it saying to use a 9-12V power source... You sure about 5V? Guess I should start low and see what it needs to work.

 

Wonder how hard it would be to solder in a reset button w/o the widget.

 

-H

 

The CF-7 need a 12V DC power source if it has the 7805 regulator on it. A 9V (if you can find one) would be borderline if you have low line voltage. Not sure of the contact polarity.

 

You can put a reset button on your TI easily. Run a wire from the reset pin of the 9900 to a momentary contact switch. The other side of the switch goes to ground. You can parallel an electrolytic cap (1-10 Uf) on the ground side to prevent errant clocks. This seems to work better than the switch on the cart expander, resetting when the Navarone won't (in my experience at least.)

 

For that matter while you have the console open you can install a pause switch that will freeze your computer until your wife leaves you alone ;-). A wire from the Hold pin of the 9900 to a SPST switch and then to ground (definitely use cap in parallel for this application) will do it. Just be careful not to freeze your computer when the drives are spinning or you can damage them (they won't shut off.)

 

Perhaps Matt can add this to his console servicing program for those without the twelve dollar Radio Shack kits ;-)

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My CF7 has a 7805 regulator on it and came with a 7.5VDC positive tip AC-to-DC power adapter. The 7805 is an industry standard voltage regulator that has been around for like 40 years. The TO-220 package used on my CF7 can handle up to 1A of current, HOWEVER, it does NOT have a proper heat sink to deal with that much current. Also, the 7805 has a MINIMUM input voltage of 7.2VDC to maintain regulation. The absolute MAXIMUM input voltage is 35VDC, but the *operating range* is from 7.2VDC to about 15VDC.

 

So, a 7.5VDC input is the best for the lowest heat, 9VDC is ok, 12VDC will work, but the regulator is going to get hot and may affect the board over time.

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Go to Google Images and type in "lm7805". Look a picture with a TO-220 "package". Now look at your CF7 board. If you have a regulator on there that looks like what you see online, and it says 7805 on it, then a 5VDC input is *not* going to give you a reliable voltage output for the CF7 to operate. Take a close up picture of your CF7 and post it. I can tell you want it has on it. It really does not matter what the instructions say, a regulator that has to output 5VDC must have an input voltage greater than 5VDC. Even low drop out (LDO) regulators need about 0.7V to 1.5V difference between input and output.

 

If you are using a 5VDC input, that would explain a lot of your random and sporadic problems!

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here is a picture from the instructions (I have exactly the same)

if you need another photo of something in particular

tell me

 

thanks

post-6602-129780534015_thumb.jpg

 

There doesn't seem to be a VR on that board. Perhaps 5V DC is correct. Aside if you are loading and running some games I would suspect that it is more of a syntax and file type issue you are having. Have you downloaded Archiver and used it yet ?

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well, all this makes me happy I've been too lazy to actually use mine... I'll have to ramp it up on the volts until it works.

 

I still need to determine if my poor (snowy) output is a fault of my cable or a defect and need to send away. So... very.... lazy.

 

so very wonderful to have a PAL model with scart cable....and a sharp image

hurray for the french and their (Philips funded) scart obsession in the 80's

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You have to check the differences between the CF7+ and the nanopeb.....

 

The nanopeb has a different voltage then the CF7+

Using a CF7+ power supply might damage your nanopeb. I think the nanopeb instruction manual says that, at least it shows up in the ebay offer.

 

Dunno why that's the case and why the design was changed. Perhaps to save on manufacturing costs ?

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Finally played with mine. It has a regulator and seems to work with 5V. Very rudimentary test. Now I need to load the bugger up.

 

I have 256MB to fill!

 

Definitely had some fun today. Man I wish the TI had a decent keyboard. And, I get some errors trying to save something... If I did:

 

CALL FORMAT(99)

CALL MOUNT(1,99)

save dsk1.file

 

I got error 60.

 

-H

Edited by unhuman
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Definitely had some fun today. Man I wish the TI had a decent keyboard.

 

Everything you need to build a PS/2 adapter is right here: http://harmlesslion.com/software/adapter

 

I can sell you a programmed AVR if you can't program it yourself.. and I might still have some PCBs laying around. Everything else is available at Digikey.

 

I still mean to "finish" this project, but it certainly works and I love mine. ;)

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Haha. Since it took me a year or so to actually play with my CF7+, I'd say this falls into the "not gonna happen" bucket. I'm also not a hardware guy (really wish I was, though) and don't really have any skills for that. I do, however, have a few TI cartridge things and Colecovision and some ROM Burning stuff sitting unused.... Never got the EPROM eraser, but I have all the other stuff... Just never used...

 

At this point, should I get more time (and inclination), my next reasonable goal would be to get my CF7+ populated really nicely with all the stuff I've written + these contests + assorted other stuff... And, also, perhaps, figure a way to learn TI-99 assembly, essentially from zilch. Don't need too much actual real-world stuff for dev. And, so far, I've done far better staying off the actual TI for anything I've done recently...

 

-H

 

Definitely had some fun today. Man I wish the TI had a decent keyboard.

 

Everything you need to build a PS/2 adapter is right here: http://harmlesslion....oftware/adapter

 

I can sell you a programmed AVR if you can't program it yourself.. and I might still have some PCBs laying around. Everything else is available at Digikey.

 

I still mean to "finish" this project, but it certainly works and I love mine. ;)

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