Hi Ken,I saw the Raspberry Pi A is for sale for $20
now!https://www.raspberrypi.org/blog/raspberry-pi-model-a-plus-on-sale/
I have an idea that would be easy, if I could write code I would write a TPDD
emulator for the Pi.
Perhaps the Pi can handle a copy of LAPDOS in DOSBox running on the PI, but I
think I would need a keyboard and monitor to get that up and running.
The more elegant solution would be to configure the Pi software to do the
following...
I think it would be great if the Pi could be set to self boot to boot a TPDD
emulator, and write the files to a USB thumb drive plugged int the PI, in a
format that could be read on any computer. There would need to be an easy way
to initiate a shutdown of the Pi, without need for a keyboard or monitor.There
are GPIO pins on the Pi for serial connections, and drivers for Comm ports
ready to download.I could build a cable that connects from the Model T to the
GPIO connector of the Pi, and also connect a switch to alert the software to
shut down when the switch is held down for more than 2 seconds.The Raspberry Pi
would not even need to be dedicated to the role as a TPDD emulator. Remove the
cable and the SD card and the Pi could be used for any other function desired.
I could try to figure out how to do this on my own but I am guessing someone in
this group knows enough about Debian and DosBox and LAPDOS to know how to do it
without breaking a sweat...
Any takers?
Steve Ranft
Savage, MN
Date: Sat, 28 Nov 2015 19:46:34 -0800
From: petti...@gmail.com
To: m100@lists.bitchin100.com
Subject: Re: [M100] Is it possible to use USb flash drive with a Model 100
Hi Lee,
Well, no that isn't exactly wrong. The 8-bit output port on the
M100 LPT connector is in fact output only. However it has 2 input
bits ... the BUSY and /BUSY signals. With proper 8085 ASM software
and proper ARM software, a 2-bit "bit-bang" read operation can be
performed. In this case, 8 bits are read using 4 successive reads
of { BUSY, /BUSY } and then re-assembling them into a byte.
This is the way TDock works and I have actually already written and
tested this approach in VirtualT. I actually have 3 TDock bare PCBs
sitting on my desk that I received from OSH Park yesterday, waiting
to be assembled. They use a CPLD to perform the signalling and the
board is a daughter card for the Raspberry Pi 2 B. But I'm afraid
the solution isn't really "cheap" because of all the connectors and
the size of the PCB (building the TDock PCB costs more than the Pi
itself because of small quantity purchase). But I believe a fast
STM32 ARM chip with 5V tolerant I/O could keep up with the
signalling involved that the CPLD is doing.
Ken
On 11/28/15 7:32 PM, Lee Kelley wrote:
This would be a wonderful
alternative but years ago I was under the impression that data
could not travel into the model 100 on it's parallel port
being that it was not a true bi-directional port. Is that
wrong?
On Sat, Nov 28, 2015 at 8:48 PM, Ken
Pettit <petti...@gmail.com>
wrote:
Actually, I have an
idea that would be REALLY cheap, but it's a software
effort on the M100 side. It would be a device that
connects the M100 directly to a USB port on any PC / Linux
/ Pi, etc. I would use the device below (STM32 which has
5V tolerant I/O) with some tight ISR code to interface
with the parallel port. Using this board, it would only
take a couple of small, simple, dirt cheap interface
boards from OSH Park (only needs routing and a 26-pin
connector to connect to M100 LPT port).
http://www.amazon.com/Practical-STM32F103C8T6-Minimum-Development-Arduino/dp/B00OOKAFM0
Then with the right software (on M100, ARM and PC / Pi),
when you "plug" the Model T into the PC, it simply appears
as a Mass Storage Device. Simply drag and drop files to /
from your M100.
Ken
On 11/28/15 6:40 PM, Stephen Adolph wrote:
I believe it would be a great
project to take some mass produced hardware and
software and find a way to solve M100 specific
problems. That's true open source.
I saw that Uber cheap pi. They don't quote power but
I believe it is vastly more than the M100 itself.
It is all tradeoffs!
On Saturday, November 28, 2015, John Martin
<johnjessemar...@gmail.com>
wrote:
> I would like to have a NADSBox and REX card.
But these items are expensive.
>
> I am sure there are cheaper alternatives. If
you can buy a Raspberry Pi ranging from $5 to $35.
That is very CHEAP for what it can do.
>
> https://www.raspberrypi.org/blog/raspberry-pi-zero/
>
> John M
>
>
> > If it made financial sense, I might
consider making another run of
> > NADSBoxes, but it just doesn't. With all
the setup costs with
> > machining the enclosures, PCB fab NRE,
etc., plus component costs, my
> > up-front cash expenditure the last time
was $12,000, and that was
> > before selling a single NADSBox. Sadly,
while there is demand for
> > additional NADSBoxes, there doesn't seem
to be *enough* demand to
> > even cover the expense of building them.
>
> That's a real shame, Ken. The NADSBox is
amazing, and I use it all the
> time.
>
> I recently got a REX card from Stephen Adolph
and that, in combination
> with the NADSbox, make my T102 a truly useful
everyday tool.
>
> I think a REX card in combination with the
DeskLink TPDD emulator
> running on your Window
--
"I will never in my lifetime make a film that
cannot be seen by the whole family"
Arther P. Jacobs
