On 1/4/02 at 9:55 PM Dexter wrote: >On Fri, 4 Jan 2002, ZN wrote: >> A quick question: what do you use for USB?
[Microchip] ...I thought so. I've looked at the USB97C100 (not directly in connection with QL hardware, though) and like most implementations, getting one's hands on a non-PC speciffic controller proved to be impossible once again. >> Altera EP18010... a chip which has long ago been obsoleted. >I'm assuming this is a ULA/FPGA. If so, is the logic it represented >available anywhere? The Q40/60 use FPGAs, so we definitely have the skills >to prepare a new part within the community... Please make the appropriate distinction between a CPLD and a FPGA (although either moniker hardly describes the devices commonly found in either group... but that's a semantics discussion). The EP1810 is a (for today's notions) relatively low density CPLD, however, one that has some rather unusual characteristics. The logic in it is sort-of' available, if we manage to ever decipher it's original designer's files :-) but even so, it would really need a redesign as most today's CPLDs have a different organization, for which using the logic hand-optimized for the EP1810 would just be an impediment. >(Sidebar:- Why did you use four FPGAs on ther Q40/60? Was it more cost >effective, and/or were the devices representing functional blocks that you >wanted to keep separate?) I'm not Peter, but I think I can answer that: the best ratio between function and price. I'm going to be using one large CPLD on the GoldFire simply because of space constraints. And to answer another of your questions: I have uploaded all the Aurora files (schematics and sources to the three CPLDs) as well as a lot of other stuff about Qubide, and the GoldFire, into the files area in the QLhardware egroup. Some of the GoldFire stuff is obsolete, specs have changed but not looking from the standpoint of the functions available. Anyone can read this, but only members can upload. I understand many people have (justified) qualms about joining egroups. The best way I have found to do this is to get one of the many free email accounts, and promptly forget it. Use it only to sign onto egroups, then set your group to 'no email'. You can check the messages on-line, it's not like the group produces many messages, so no bandwidth problems there. The 'forgotten' email address will serve as a spam catcher. I could easily transfer these elsewhere, but at least Egroups alow relatively easy administration... >If I were to go out on a limb, I would specify: > >Capacity: >68060 - at 50MHz or better >4MB flash ROM - for QDOS, SMSQ/E etc, plus room to grow. >32MB RAM - expandable by daughter card[1] > >Interfaces: >Monitor - SVGA, XGA capable >IDE - ATA if possible >Ethernet - 10/100 if possible[2] >Serial - up to 115k >Parallel >Sound - line in, line out, mic >GPA - General Purpose Adaptor[3] > >[1] Daughter cards or use SIMMs/SDRAM and throw half the capacity away may >be cheaper... >[2] I think this is essential... >[3] This would be to this board what the expansion port was to QL classic. > >OS: >This is much more vague, because it isn't "my area", but I'd be looking >for modularisation of the OS. Ok, not to demean any of your other comments, I'll get to them in a later email (hopefully :-) ). If you go for the above, you will be creating the third system along these lines. The first one is obviously the Q60, the second - still largely paperware except for the chips sitting in my drawer here - is the GoldFire. The Q60 does not have integrated ethernet and IO, the Goldfire does not have integrated graphics and IDE (and is intended to work as a 2 or 3 board system using either old QL peripherals or new, yet to be designed replacements). It also has only 10BaseT ethernet, but that could easily be upgraded to 10/100 using the same SMSC chip as used on the 5307 Toast board. BTW I wonder where they got the neat sockets with integrated magnetics, I've been looking for those for ages!
