At 06:11 AM 8/17/98 -0700, Werner Augusto Roder Kai wrote:
> - Maarten found the solution. Using only one port we can connect
>several MSX computers, keeping another port free to use the joystick (for a
>game) or the mouse (for an application). And for two computers, the cable
>keeps the compatibility with F-16 and F1Spirit 3D cables.
Actually that was not my idea. But it's a good idea anyway.
> - Is NOT good to standartise that the cable will be always in port 1
>or port 2. If you have a MSX with problems in the specified port, you won't
>be able to connect it...
I agree.
> - So, The port can be 1 or 2, and the new softs MUST detect in
>which port is the cable, though F-16 and F1Spirit3d need the cable in
>port 2.
Someone (Laurens?) remarked that hardware autodetect is not such a good
idea. A protocol which can detect the cable as part of the initialisation
is easier and more flexible.
> - DIN-8 has too much pins and is hard to obtain in some places. The
>DIN-5 connector is enough for us and more easy to find.
DIN5 was chosen for the final standard.
>SEND/OUT (DIN-5 male) RECV/IN (DIN-5 female)
>
> NC 5 5 NC
>out0 4 ---------------+ +-------------- 4 in0
>out1 3 -------------+ | | +------------ 3 in1
> in2 1 ---------+ | | | | +---------- 1 out2
> gnd 2 --+------|---|-|--|-|-|--+----+-- 2 gnd
> | | | | | | | | |
> ext -----+ | | | | | | | +----- ext
> | +-+ | | | | |
> | | | | | | | |
> | | | | | | | |
> 3 4 7 6 1 2 8 9
On the mailinglist, we agreed on using a different connection scheme for DIN5:
1: data0 (D0)
2: data1 (D1)
3: data2 (ACK)
4: NC
5: gnd
shielding: gnd
A long cable is used for sending (MSX pin 6,7,3) and has a male DIN5 plug.
A short cable is used for receiving (MSX pin 1,2,8) and has a female DIN5
plug.
> We think is not important to standartise pin usage or software.
Software is not important to standardize. But it can be usefull to
distribute a sample/default protocol so that software developers can create
software with less effort.
Pin usage is important, because ACK (data3) is connected to a different
computer as data0 and data1. The names "data0" (D0) and "data1" (D1) are
very general, so you can always decide the actual use for yourself.
> The maximum transfer speed is theoretically only limited by the MSX
>clock but the cable impedance (lenght and the existence or not of >shielding)
>may decrease the rate.
So the standard should also include "you must use shielding" and "maximum
cable length is xx meters"?
> We should make a official homepage to spread the new standard, with
>instructions and examples about how to make the communication and some
>basic routines (but not standard routines).
I made a page:
http://www.stack.nl/~mth/msx/hardware/
Laurens also made a page.
I don't mind who will make the official page. I volunteer. Any other
volunteers?
>The MSX clubs shoud prepair some kits
>to show and sell in the next MSX fairs with some soft. The start is always
>hard, but the sky is the limit.
I hope a little demonstration can be given at the Zandvoort fair (second
half of september).
> We would like to thanx Sean Young for the information about
>F1Spirit3D, Laurens and Maarten for their ideas and work in way to make the
>new standard possible.
Also Patrick Lina, Jeroen Smael, Alex Wulms and some other people
participated.
> Yesterday (16/08/98) we made three new cables just like above and
>re-programmed our game to work with the new pinout. Tomorrow the game in
>BASIC and the whole source code in Z80 assembly will be in my Homepage to
>download, and then you will have something more funny to test your cables.
Great!
Sander Kooijmans is willing to give the sources of Triplex (multiplayer
Tetris clone using Music Module MIDI). It should be easy to modify it for
the joystick network. The problem is that he's not sure he has the sources
on disk. He does have printed sources, so maybe they have to be typed in
from paper. Or I can test if OCR (Optical Character Recognision) software
really works...
By the way, according to my WWW statistics, about 6 people downloaded the
cable tester this weekend. Reactions (positive or negative) are welcome at
[EMAIL PROTECTED]
Bye,
Maarten
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