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Yet another device for Atari 8 bit


alsp

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A general question though - I've never used an SDrive or SIO2SD before, but I take it from the above comment that SIO2SD supports more than 4 drives and works with AR, but SDrive thus far does not? My question is how does that work?

In general SIO protocol allow to access up to 15 disk drives with id's 0x31 to 0x3f, But I'm not sure about generic Atari firmware.

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You're late to the game then, since there are any number of cartridge port and SIO based SD/flash/CF drives that have been around for years to accomplish your "almost console" aspirations.

Yes, there are many so he should try to match, or better yet exceed, functionality, support, and price point. I wouldn't shoot down the effort before he's confirmed that those things can't be achieved. I like options.

Edited by Justin Payne
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I'd definitely be interested in this device if it would work with Alternate Reality.

 

A general question though - I've never used an SDrive or SIO2SD before, but I take it from the above comment that SIO2SD supports more than 4 drives and works with AR, but SDrive thus far does not? My question is how does that work? Even if a device "supported" say 8 drives, how would an atari program (ie - Alternate Reality) be able to access them? With a real Atari, there's only a maximum of 4 drives, right? (at least 1050's only have switches supporting drives 1-4) If you're playing AR, you load up the first disk, swap in a character disk to load, then you can load the remaining disk sides into your drives. Even if a device supports 8 drives now, how would AR know to "look" for a drive 5 or drive 6, when such a thing never could have existed back in the day? (I know I may be drifting a bit off topic, but I'm trying to understand the difference between this device and SIO2SD, and also how this all works in relation to a multi disk game like AR. Being able to play AR on my real 800xl without any real drives connected is something I'd love to have.)

 

 

SIO2SD: you turn on computer, on-screen loader appears, you assign the disk images to drives or virtual drives. Then, inside games, you swap disk images thanks to buttons and LCD display.

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Does this device allow to change the Sdrive id or is it always #1? Would I still be able to boot from a floppy drive if it was daisy chained with this device?

I've remove DIP switches to change drives ids order, but it can be easily implemented with some configuration file if it is really needed.

Edited by alsp
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Yes, there are many so he should try to match, or better yet exceed, functionality, support, and price point. I wouldn't shoot down the effort before he's confirmed that those things can't be achieved. I like options.

I wasn't trying to shoot down anyone or disparage anyone about anything. you misinterpreted my comments, so chill.

 

I was merely making him aware of the facts

Edited by Gunstar
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5V compatible 32bit Cypress CY8C4245AXI ARM processor with:

 

48 MHz core

32Kb Flash

4Kb RAM

 

 

Quoted from the other thread, but posted in this one because it is more a technical issue ...

 

Looks like a cool project. How much free space you still have in Flash and in RAM? I am thinking in adding support for ATX/VAPI copy protected images.

 

Thanks,

Edited by ijor
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How much free space you still have in Flash and in RAM? I am thinking in adding support for ATX/VAPI copy protected images.

I'm not try to optimize everything yet, it can be done in the future but current values are:

 

Flash used: 23984 of 32768 bytes (73,2%).
SRAM used: 3132 of 4096 bytes (76,5%). Stack: 1024 bytes. Heap: 128 bytes.
Edited by alsp
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Flash used: 23984 of 32768 bytes (73,2%).

SRAM used: 3132 of 4096 bytes (76,5%). Stack: 1024 bytes. Heap: 128 bytes.

 

 

Don't know, seems a bit tight. it's a pity. Am I wrong, or for a couple of dollars more there are similar Cypress devices with much more capacity?

 

Thanks for the details.

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Don't know, seems a bit tight. it's a pity. Am I wrong, or for a couple of dollars more there are similar Cypress devices with much more capacity?

 

Thanks for the details.

Just after playing with command line options and exclude float point arithmetic I've got:

Flash used: 17262 of 32768 bytes (52,7%).
SRAM used: 3068 of 4096 bytes (74,9%). Stack: 1024 bytes. Heap: 128 bytes.
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Flash used: 17262 of 32768 bytes (52,7%).

SRAM used: 3068 of 4096 bytes (74,9%). Stack: 1024 bytes. Heap: 128 bytes.

 

Well, it's worth trying. RAM is rather tight, but sound feasible. In the worst case it will have some limitations and not every single image will be supported.

 

I assume that the used RAM already covers one SD sector buffer (512 bytes), and one ATR sector buffer (128/256 bytes)? So that the 1K or so free, it is "totally" free, right?

 

At which speed the SD SPI is clocked? Do you have an estimate of how much time it takes to read one sector from the SD?

 

Again, I wish a more powerful device would have been used. I thought that was the whole point when moving to an ARM architecture. Still cool :)

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Well, it's worth trying. RAM is rather tight, but sound feasible. In the worst case it will have some limitations and not every single image will be supported.

 

I assume that the used RAM already covers one SD sector buffer (512 bytes), and one ATR sector buffer (128/256 bytes)? So that the 1K or so free, it is "totally" free, right?

 

At which speed the SD SPI is clocked? Do you have an estimate of how much time it takes to read one sector from the SD?

 

Again, I wish a more powerful device would have been used. I thought that was the whole point when moving to an ARM architecture. Still cool :)

 

You can check firmware on github, but yes it ts totaly free 1K, more over, I think 1K stack size is too large for this software and ic can be decreased something about 300 bytes or less.

So it is additional 700 bytes.

Right now SPI clocked at 8Mhz so one sector read should take about 0,5 ms

 

More powerful device can be used but only in next versions, because I take most powerful for this footprint (5V compatible 44pins TSOP).

With current footprint PCB can be created at home without fabric and if I choose next version PSoC5 - it will be almost impossible.

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I wasn't trying to shoot down anyone or disparage anyone about anything. you misinterpreted my comments, so chill.

 

I was merely making him aware of the facts

I didn't think my response showed any extreme reaction so I'm sorry you took it as such.

Although you did point out that there are several devices already out there, something I think most of us are aware of, it came across as a bit defeatist. It's true that adding one more might not make a world of difference unless it can surpass the others in those areas I listed. I was hoping to give him encouragement accompanied with some suggestions on how to succeed.

Edited by Justin Payne
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More powerful device can be used but only in next versions, because I take most powerful for this footprint (5V compatible 44pins TSOP).

With current footprint PCB can be created at home without fabric and if I choose next version PSoC5 - it will be almost impossible.

 

That makes sense. Just out of curiosity, why you choose a PSOC like device? Do you actually use the programmable logic feature?

 

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That makes sense. Just out of curiosity, why you choose a PSOC like device? Do you actually use the programmable logic feature?

 

For a while - not, but main reason for choosing was native 5V support - its simplify device

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  • 2 weeks later...

More powerful device can be used but only in next versions, because I take most powerful for this footprint (5V compatible 44pins TSOP).

With current footprint PCB can be created at home without fabric and if I choose next version PSoC5 - it will be almost impossible.

 

With the demand for your device as seen in the other thread, not so sure you would be able to produce it at home. You might need to hire employees. LOL

 

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With the demand for your device as seen in the other thread, not so sure you would be able to produce it at home. You might need to hire employees. LOL

 

Uff... yes a lot of preorders... I hope one of my collegaue can help me with assembling. and my 3d printer will works hard =)

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  • 3 months later...

 

No, these patche not included yet, But I'll do it for sure.

 

About casettes - I hope yes - ARM at 48MHz has enough power to realize it.

Some of the TO DO at github do not have check marks. Wondering if Hias patches to firmware has been done.

 

ToDo list

Fix an issue with daisy-chain connection (add switching diode to SIO data in line)

Implements SDHC support

Implement FAT32 support

Add "Update from SD" feature

Apply Hias patches to firmware

Increase number of usable drives up to 8

Implement cassete recorder functionality

Edited by rdea6
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Some of the TO DO at github do not have check marks. Wondering if Hias patches to firmware has been done.

 

ToDo list

Fix an issue with daisy-chain connection (add switching diode to SIO data in line)

Implements SDHC support

Implement FAT32 support

Add "Update from SD" feature

Apply Hias patches to firmware

Increase number of usable drives up to 8

Implement cassete recorder functionality

 

Yes, I miss Update from SD - it is fixed.

HIAS patches not yet, its mainly related with High speed SIO, but in ARM its implemented by other way, but I'll check its again. But for a while I pause software development because too much hardware development =) i.e. devices assembling...

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  • 2 months later...

I expect I'm being really dumb here and I'm new to all these SIO2'thing' devices but if this is powered by the Atari and you insert a disk file then cold reset the Atari, doesn't this SDrive2 lose power and therefore it's disk settings? ¯\_(ツ)_/¯

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  • 3 months later...

 

No, these patche not included yet, But I'll do it for sure.

 

About casettes - I hope yes - ARM at 48MHz has enough power to realize it.

Just wondering if you are still looking at cassette support. And 16mb atrs. I am looking for a fun Christmas present and an upgrade to Sdrive-arm would qualify .. :thumbsup:

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