Oh yeah, there's more information here. http://www.earth.li/~noodles/hardware-e3.html
On Thu, 4 Apr 2019 at 00:36 David Given <[email protected]> wrote: > Okay, so this is unclear. That article's talking about connecting the > emailer via actual RS232 via a TTL-to-RS232 level converter. Nobody does > this any more; instead you use a USB TTL serial adapter. But it sounds like > the emailer's output levels are inverted, so logic 1 is 0V and logic 0 is > 5V. > > I have no memory of this whatsoever --- but this was years ago. > > *Don't* connect the emailer directly to a RS232 port. You'll fry it. > RS232 voltages are +/- 12V and are way too high. (I killed mine that way.) > > I definitely had the thing working with the cable pictured on my website, > but I have no idea whether that chip emits inverted signals or not. I'm > afraid you'll just have to try it and see what happens. > > > On Wed, 3 Apr 2019 at 22:41 Nick Griffin <[email protected]> wrote: > >> There is 2 reason why I want to do this.. >> 1.) So I can find a way to restore its services and be able to use it >> like a normal phone and maybe more. >> 2.)I have a Amstrad Emailer Plus(E2) too, Its has the Configuration >> Change on it, if I can back up its Nan then I can share the back up who >> want to get there's working that's deactivated(Locked) and be able to use >> it like a normal phone too.. 😊 >> >> I have a go at getting it working tomorrow. >> >> Spanner.. >> >> *From:* Nick Griffin <[email protected]> >> *Sent:* Wednesday, 3 April 2019 20:52 >> *To:* Discussion of the Amstrad E3 emailer hardware/software >> <[email protected]> >> >> OK, thanks, I was looking at this site.. >> http://www.cambridgewargames.org.uk/members/andy/emailer/ >> <https://eur03.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url=http://www.cambridgewargames.org.uk/members/andy/emailer/&data=02%7c01%7c%7cc50113d7016041be38d508d6b86ddbf5%7c84df9e7fe9f640afb435aaaaaaaaaaaa%7c1%7c0%7c636899179308605202&sdata=zDMBbvlEKuNMEGdkRXFdUSmjFj/tSiXcoAokoZGATkw%3D&reserved=0> >> >> It says on here 3.3v device so was guessing it would work but I don’t >> understand the inverting the TX Line, would I need to do that with this..? >> I was reding this… >> >> ”Amstrad emailer E3 serial port (18/01/06) >> >> A fair bit of confusion exists on the serial port of the E3 with some >> sources saying a line driver chip is needed, and other saying one is not >> needed, to connect this to a PC. >> >> I've spent a bit of time looking at this and can now offer some >> explanation. A normal RS232 port will transmit a digital 1 as a negative >> voltage, usually at least -5V. A 0 is transmitted as a positive voltage, >> typically at least +5V. The emailer does *not* do this. Using a rather >> old poorly calibrated scope it appears to actually transmits either 0V or >> +5V. >> >> Now some serial ports will probably accept this, but a 0V input is not a >> logical anything as far as the RS232 spec is concerned. So your PC, like >> mine, may ignore this. The fact that this works for some peoples PCs >> implies it is transmitting a logical 1 as 0v and a logical 0 as +5V. >> >> A typical RS232 line driver expects a logical 0 to be 0v and a logical 1 >> to be +5v (or +3.3V if using a 3.3v device). So you end up with an inverted >> RS232 data and like me and see horrible gibberish on hyperterminal >> >> Now, to get a boot log you need to invert the TX signal from the E3 (I >> used a 74HC04) then pass this to a line driver chip. The only line driver >> chip I had to hand was a MAX3233E, which is a 3.3 volt part. For this >> reason I ran both chips from 3.3V and placed a 100ohm resistor between the >> E3's TX pin nad the input to the inverter. Some logic families get very >> upset if you exceed the supply voltage on an input by more than about >> 0.6v... The series resistor limits the current and is a paranoia measure, >> quicker than looking up the datasheet :-) Anyway, it was a horrible quick >> bodge but it worked. >> >> Here is the output captured from hyperterminal *boot.txt* >> <https://eur03.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url=http://www.cambridgewargames.org.uk/members/andy/emailer/boot.txt&data=02%7c01%7c%7cc50113d7016041be38d508d6b86ddbf5%7c84df9e7fe9f640afb435aaaaaaaaaaaa%7c1%7c0%7c636899179308625218&sdata=OUBqGj0EApDvIHRdhvvmZg35n7k6/Dr9tadAv5z%2BzGc%3D&reserved=0> >> settings were 115,200 8n1 no handshaking. >> >> I'll try and post up a diagram of something better in the next few days. >> I've also built something for the reverse direction but havent had a chance >> to work out if its working yet....” >> >> I do have one made by FTDI too a FTDI FT232RL FT232 USB to TTL 5v 3.3v >> serial adaptor that has 3.3 v and 5v, it has a jumper to change voltage on >> RX Line, what about that one..? >> https://www.xcluma.com/ftdi-ft232rl-ft232-usb-to-ttl-5v-3.3v-serial-adaptor-for-arduino >> <https://eur03.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url=https://www.xcluma.com/ftdi-ft232rl-ft232-usb-to-ttl-5v-3.3v-serial-adaptor-for-arduino&data=02%7c01%7c%7cc50113d7016041be38d508d6b86ddbf5%7c84df9e7fe9f640afb435aaaaaaaaaaaa%7c1%7c0%7c636899179308635223&sdata=m4ppt5/iAq8M6841kX3u3si/KxGiO5JzCWse1n5xmoU%3D&reserved=0> >> There is no info on using one of theses because in 2006 they didn’t >> exsits.. 😊 >> They exist now because of Raspberry PI and Arduino, The Amstrad Emailer >> uses a singer board computer inside it, The RPI and Arduino are what has >> become of the technology the Emailer uses. The mini consoles use the >> technology too. >> >> Spanner.. >> >> *From:* David Given <[email protected]> >> *Sent:* Wednesday, 3 April 2019 19:57 >> *To:* Discussion of the Amstrad E3 emailer hardware/software >> <[email protected]> >> >> RS232 is actually +/- 12V! My recollection is that the E3 runs at 0V/5V >> (I described it as TTL back in 2003). A 3.3V serial converter might work, I >> couldn't say. >> On Wed, 3 Apr 2019 at 20:52 Nick Griffin <[email protected]> wrote: >> >>> On your site.. >>> “In order to talk to the E2, you need the appropriate cable. >>> Irritatingly, while the E2 has a serial port, it runs at TTL line levels >>> not RS232 levels. This means that if you're going to connect it to a PC, >>> you need a line level converter” >>> >>> So I can use a CPC 2102 USB to TTL serial converter because its a line >>> level converter… 😊 and its RX line is 3.3 volt, this can’t take 5 >>> volts because it could blow the UART0…? >>> >>> Spanner.. >>> >>> *From:* David Given <[email protected]> >>> *Sent:* Wednesday, 3 April 2019 18:52 >>> *To:* Discussion of the Amstrad E3 emailer hardware/software >>> <[email protected]> >>> >>> I've got a tool which speaks the PBL protocol and will let you read and >>> write the flash: http://cowlark.com/amstrad/ >>> <https://eur03.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url=http://cowlark.com/amstrad/&data=02%7c01%7c%7cc50113d7016041be38d508d6b86ddbf5%7c84df9e7fe9f640afb435aaaaaaaaaaaa%7c1%7c0%7c636899179308645228&sdata=N6frWE0wYMl19JThGTV17ul8SQlXYtAXFbGXUwOYfkg%3D&reserved=0> >>> >>> >>> It's also got details of the serial pinout. >>> >>> On Wed, 3 Apr 2019 at 19:07 Nick Griffin <[email protected]> wrote: >>> >>>> As far as I know when you connect this to serial you don’t get a >>>> console, like if you connect TheC64 Mini to Putty using a CPC 2102 USB to >>>> TTL serial convertor, you can log on with your root user and password so >>>> you can add files, change games and edit files and that ,TheC64 Mini uses >>>> Uboot to boot up with not PBL so it must be the PBL that's stopping the >>>> console coming up so if we could hack the PBL (Primary Boot Loader) and >>>> keep the firmware on the NAND so its still boots up with Amstrad E3 logo >>>> and that, we need to see the system files and see what can be changed. PBL >>>> is on the NOR Flash and the Kernel and System is on the NAND Flash. I don’t >>>> know anything about PBL so we need someone who does.it >>>> <https://eur03.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url=http://does.it&data=02%7c01%7c%7cc50113d7016041be38d508d6b86ddbf5%7c84df9e7fe9f640afb435aaaaaaaaaaaa%7c1%7c0%7c636899179308655245&sdata=8UZdLqM5pNVmuKUId0Z6DfzP%2BfN8nRfg4Bldo1cYYP0%3D&reserved=0> >>>> all most works the same as TheC64 Mini,(Its a small Commodore 64, Mini >>>> Console, its here.. https://www.c64-wiki.com/wiki/THEC64Mini >>>> <https://eur03.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url=https://www.c64-wiki.com/wiki/THEC64Mini&data=02%7c01%7c%7cc50113d7016041be38d508d6b86ddbf5%7c84df9e7fe9f640afb435aaaaaaaaaaaa%7c1%7c0%7c636899179308665244&sdata=jDpZ%2BY8H9VejOHHIyT6bgRDRgoqh0HKMYultFQdX6%2BU%3D&reserved=0>) >>>> The mini has 2 partitions, One for Uboot and other for the Kernel and >>>> System. but only has one chip, NAND Flash, its made by Toshiba too.. 😊. >>>> Amstrad E3 has 2 chips NOR and NAND Flash. and is using a different Boot >>>> loader. >>>> >>>> Oh.. Can I use my CPC 2102 USB to TTL serial converter to connect to >>>> the serial on the E3..? this is a pic of it here.. >>>> *https://sc02.alicdn.com/kf/HTB11eb9PFXXXXcLaXXXq6xXFXXXd/CP2102-USB-2-0-to-TTL-UART.jpg_350x350.jpg* >>>> <https://eur03.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url=https://sc02.alicdn.com/kf/HTB11eb9PFXXXXcLaXXXq6xXFXXXd/CP2102-USB-2-0-to-TTL-UART.jpg_350x350.jpg&data=02%7c01%7c%7cc50113d7016041be38d508d6b86ddbf5%7c84df9e7fe9f640afb435aaaaaaaaaaaa%7c1%7c0%7c636899179308675255&sdata=jgPvSV2Dt5JyFTBhUCKufS2xOPxdlwNSriXHkTnmgQ4%3D&reserved=0> >>>> I >>>> have used it on my TheC64 Mini and my Gotek Drive. >>>> >>>> Spanner.. >>>> _______________________________________________ >>>> e3-hacking mailing list >>>> [email protected] >>>> https://www.earth.li/mailman/listinfo/e3-hacking >>>> <https://eur03.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url=https://www.earth.li/mailman/listinfo/e3-hacking&data=02%7c01%7c%7cc50113d7016041be38d508d6b86ddbf5%7c84df9e7fe9f640afb435aaaaaaaaaaaa%7c1%7c0%7c636899179308685266&sdata=QJj3kjxdqs0bmwzmyBmEkf4yqTw08XkP8x0gTnxqvtE%3D&reserved=0> >>>> >>> _______________________________________________ >>> e3-hacking mailing list >>> [email protected] >>> https://www.earth.li/mailman/listinfo/e3-hacking >>> <https://eur03.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url=https://www.earth.li/mailman/listinfo/e3-hacking&data=02%7c01%7c%7cc50113d7016041be38d508d6b86ddbf5%7c84df9e7fe9f640afb435aaaaaaaaaaaa%7c1%7c0%7c636899179308695270&sdata=AGDCFmB5lhDcRN7mQwkp5ih74i5U9B/L7i5sXeAitF8%3D&reserved=0> >>> >> _______________________________________________ >> e3-hacking mailing list >> [email protected] >> https://www.earth.li/mailman/listinfo/e3-hacking >> >
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