Good morning Dave! Thank you for volunteering !!!? The C64 Rom project is very close to what we need, you can find the schematic here: .? The schematic for the original Xcat is here:? /g/xcat/files/XCat%20files/xcat-schematic.PDF.? I'll get started on generating a new schematic. So questions for all that are interested: Do we still need RS232 level converters for the serial port?? My opinion is NO, 3v3 levels and an FTDI USB cable for a PC connection. Do we still need Doug Hall support?? If so we will need level converters for that interface.? Personally I'd like to drop it, I don't have any way to test it. What did we miss on the original Xcat that we can add now?? One request I remember is support for 64 modes, that should be no problem for the new board. My idea for the Xcat 2022 is for it to be a completely open source project including the firmware and PCB.? If someone wants to build one themselves, great! If someone wants to kit it up and sell a kit then have at it (it won't be me!). If someone wants to sell built and tested boards more power to them (that wont be me either!). 73's Skip WB6YMH
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Re: Has anyone fully decoded the X9000 memory mapping?
Yeah, they are feature packed for sure. Kinda pricy and supply chain hobbled last I looked.
How to load to memory is probably Teensy 101 for the Teensy camp.
I havent looked at the other projects yet.
The 245's on the addr lines with 3v3 VCC on them would likely be ok.
I think the one for the data bus would likely be better served with the dual voltage 245 you mentioned a few posts back.
?Given enough real estate, I'd opt for the dual voltage version for all lines.
It looks like the thing reads and presents data every time the loop is executed whether the address lines have changed or not.
He does show a CE for the data line's 245 but no reference on the uC pinout schematic, or the code to support it....hmm
Also absolute addressing puts this thing consuming zero page RAM.
PC uP do a lot of zero page R/W. I dont see any bidirectional data capabilities.
I guess to find the address where the data to be presented is in memory, follow the ANDing and bit shiting he uses to build and store in the 32 bit registers.
Interesting read but it's still vague and lacking for our purposes. I do like the compact HW design.
Looking at this code, it does make me curious what the Arduino IDE Pico module's command syntax looks like.
?I scanned some googled info on the Pico's state machine and DMA features.
Very cool, I really liked what I was able to glean from my quick glance. I didnt absorb enough to figure out if those means are robust enough for our purposes.
Even though the state machine's command set was small, it might be enough to do what we want, but at 133 Mhz do we really need to unload the main uC?
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Mornin' All, Let's redo the Xcat using the Pi Pico as a stepping stone to the X9000. I like the idea of using the Pi Pico.? I've wanted to do a project with one.? The symbol/footprint/3D libraries are available for KiCad: Hmmm, I see that the Waveshare version is a different schematic and footprint.? I found a symbol.? Maybe we can find the footprint library. Is there anyone in the group that'll commit to doing the PCB? I develop in KiCAD for JHK-Labs and S-COM Controllers.? I already order boards from JLCPCB.? I can do this project. Can somebody start the design by sketching the schematic?? I'll also need a board outline and critical connector position.? We'll do design reviews to keep the design on track. That work? 73, ? Dave -- Dave Maciorowski, WA1JHK S-COM, LLC JHK-Labs On 8/7/2022 7:25 PM, Skip Hansen wrote: I'm going to make a bizarre proposal.? Let's redo the Xcat using the Pi Pico as a stepping stone to the X9000. ?We already know everything we need to know about the X and electrically it has the same issues as the X9000 (5 volt logic levels).
The RP2040-Zero form factor () as castellated module would?be ideal for a DIY project.? The module?would just solder on to a custom board we'd design.? With Kicad and the cheap and fast low quantity?PCB houses suchj as JLCPCB we have now a small run of PCBs is cheaper than a burger.
I'll commit to doing the code.? I've already ordered 3 modules.
Is there anyone in the group that'll commit to doing the PCB?
Once it's working on the X the same code base can be updated to work with the X9000 once it has given up its mysteries.
73's Skip WB6YMH
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Re: Has anyone fully decoded the X9000 memory mapping?
The data appears to be in RAM, but there's no clue about?how it's loaded.? As written it should be all zeros.
The schematic is also a bit suspect if you ask me, he's using just a plain jane 74LS245 running on?+3.3 as a level converter.? It might work, but it's certainly not "by the book".
I knew Teensy's were fast, but I didn't know they were 600 Mhz. If you go to the top project you see he also has a ton of emulators based on the Teensy which are CPU replacements.
Interesting...
73's Skip WB6YMH
On Sun, Aug 7, 2022 at 7:46 PM Casey Crane < ccrane148@...> wrote: I'm having a hard time understanding the code. It seems very simple, like something is missing. Where does the data image reside? How do you load it?
Here's another...cant get much more compact than this,
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Re: Has anyone fully decoded the X9000 memory mapping?
It looks like the syntax for? the Teensy module is different. There is not CE/trigger so as it sees the addresses it outputs the memory locations to the data bus continously.
He calls out where the array is in the Teensy but doesnt say how to load it to there. i guess you know that much if you are a Teensy guy....hmmm....not a T-shirt I'd want to wear around town,
Apparently the single line reads the pin,? ANDs and Shifts L or R that address bit value, concatenate all the results, then AND that value to identify alocation in the uC's memory map where the arrary is located. Seems like a lot of extra math.
He set 3 int32 regs to do this...for a 16 bit address...........I dunno
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Re: Has anyone fully decoded the X9000 memory mapping?
On Sun, Aug 7, 2022 at 08:09 PM, swguest wrote:
format/color code the source code in several languages
Should have ..........said for several languages Good program can have several version in different tabs open to compare, good search,? Can easily zoom font for aged eyes.... Quick look at the sketch, yeah about 20 lines of code without the heading comments. He sure made it look easy. That would be fixed data but just what we need to POC Phase I. I imagine porting to match other uC's I/O should not be a biggie. I wonder what unknowns are in a Teensy?
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Re: Has anyone fully decoded the X9000 memory mapping?
I can see the code in the web page and just looking at it I don't see where the rest of the functional parts reside.
Saving the link saves html for some reason. I've has this issue before.
Copy the code from the page then paste it into the IDE or whatever.
I use Notepad Plus because it can format/color code the source code in several languages
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Re: Has anyone fully decoded the X9000 memory mapping?
Saving the link saves html for some reason. I've has this issue before.
Copy the code from the page then paste it into the IDE or whatever.
I use Notepad Plus because it can format/color code the source code in several languages
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Re: Has anyone fully decoded the X9000 memory mapping?
I'm having a hard time understanding the code. It seems very simple, like something is missing. Where does the data image reside? How do you load it?
Here's another...cant get much more compact than this,
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Hi Casey,
I understand, believe me know about family health issues.
Kicad was just a suggestion, not a requirement.
I've done two PCBs in my life. One with Bishop Graphic's red and blue
tape and one with DOS based Orcad...
The red and blue tape PCB was for a z80 based repeater control system
that WB6YMI (sk) and I designed in the 70s.
73's Skip
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Show quoted text
On Sun, Aug 7, 2022 at 6:46 PM Casey Crane <ccrane148@...> wrote:
I have never used Kicad, I'm an Eagle Cad guy or I would take it on. My other issues are medical issues the wife is having so my time is really limited. I think it's a great idea though. I have never used micropython, only regular python but I'm interested in taking a look at it. What IDE do you write it in? Do you use VS code or something? That's what I used for the Uniden head.
On Sun, Aug 7, 2022 at 8:25 PM Skip Hansen <skip@...> wrote:
I'm going to make a bizarre proposal. Let's redo the Xcat using the Pi Pico as a stepping stone to the X9000. We already know everything we need to know about the X and electrically it has the same issues as the X9000 (5 volt logic levels).
The RP2040-Zero form factor () as castellated module would be ideal for a DIY project. The module would just solder on to a custom board we'd design. With Kicad and the cheap and fast low quantity PCB houses suchj as JLCPCB we have now a small run of PCBs is cheaper than a burger.
I'll commit to doing the code. I've already ordered 3 modules.
Is there anyone in the group that'll commit to doing the PCB?
Once it's working on the X the same code base can be updated to work with the X9000 once it has given up its mysteries.
73's Skip WB6YMH
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I'm going to make a bizarre proposal. Let's redo the Xcat using the > Pi Pico as a stepping stone to the X9000. Not bizarre at all. Seems like a reasonable approach. > Is there anyone in the group that'll commit to doing the PCB? I'm really not qualified, but I've put together a few questionable board layouts with kicad. If no one competent can be convinced, I'll give it a try. De
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Re: Has anyone fully decoded the X9000 memory mapping?
Here's another...cant get much more compact than this, https://microcorelabs.wordpress.com/2021/03/20/eprom-emulator/ 
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Re: Has anyone fully decoded the X9000 memory mapping?
Wow this really is starting to look like the exact thing.
Looking at the name romulator lead me to this as well.
On Sun, Aug 7, 2022 at 05:38 PM, Casey Crane wrote:
Check this out.
?
Just glancing at it, seems like I came across that? one before.
There was another one a good while back called the Romulator, German site, I think,?
It was well before this project.
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Re: Has anyone fully decoded the X9000 memory mapping?
@ Skip,
Yeah, I think the name of that branch is 'Keep the uC, replace the CH"
So if we attract the furry tailed tree rats with shiny objects to the rabbit holes and knock them in with all the branches we'll be good, right?
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Re: Has anyone fully decoded the X9000 memory mapping?
Looking at the name romulator lead me to this as well.
On Sun, Aug 7, 2022 at 05:38 PM, Casey Crane wrote:
Check this out.
?
Just glancing at it, seems like I came across that? one before.
There was another one a good while back called the Romulator, German site, I think,?
It was well before this project.
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I have never used Kicad, I'm an Eagle Cad guy or I would take it on. My other issues are medical issues the wife is having so my time is really limited. I think it's a great idea though. I have never used micropython, only regular python but I'm interested in taking a look at it. What IDE do you write it in? Do you use VS code or something? That's what I used for the Uniden head.
On Sun, Aug 7, 2022 at 8:25 PM Skip Hansen < skip@...> wrote: I'm going to make a bizarre proposal.? Let's redo the Xcat using the Pi Pico as a stepping stone to the X9000.? We already know everything we need to know about the X and electrically it has the same issues as the X9000 (5 volt logic levels).
The RP2040-Zero form factor () as castellated module would?be ideal for a DIY project.? The module?would just solder on to a custom board we'd design.? With Kicad and the cheap and fast low quantity?PCB houses suchj as JLCPCB we have now a small run of PCBs is cheaper than a burger.
I'll commit to doing the code.? I've already ordered 3 modules.
Is there anyone in the group that'll commit to doing the PCB??
Once it's working on the X the same code base can be updated to work with the X9000 once it has given up its mysteries.
73's Skip WB6YMH
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Re: Has anyone fully decoded the X9000 memory mapping?
On Sun, Aug 7, 2022 at 05:38 PM, Casey Crane wrote:
Check this out.
?
Just glancing at it, seems like I came across that? one before. There was another one a good while back called the Romulator, German site, I think,? It was well before this project.
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I'm going to make a bizarre proposal.? Let's redo the Xcat using the Pi Pico as a stepping stone to the X9000. ?We already know everything we need to know about the X and electrically it has the same issues as the X9000 (5 volt logic levels). The RP2040-Zero form factor (https://www.waveshare.com/rp2040-zero.htm) as castellated module would?be ideal for a DIY project.? The module?would just solder on to a custom board we'd design.? With Kicad and the cheap and fast low quantity?PCB houses suchj as JLCPCB we have now a small run of PCBs is cheaper than a burger.
I'll commit to doing the code.? I've already ordered 3 modules.
Is there anyone in the group that'll commit to doing the PCB??
Once it's working on the X the same code base can be updated to work with the X9000 once it has given up its mysteries.
73's Skip WB6YMH
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Re: Has anyone fully decoded the X9000 memory mapping?
Yea, but then you have to conform to the SB9600 protocol, yuck! For
computer control you'd also need a SB9600 "gateway" or a rib and a
serial port, again yuck.
73's Skip
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Show quoted text
On Sun, Aug 7, 2022 at 5:27 PM Dennis Boone <drb@...> wrote:
You know, a cute way to talk to the Pi inside the radio would be to put
it on the SB9600 bus as a peripheral.
De
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Dave WA1JHK