Re: USB chip

[cas <cas_news@strotmann.de>]

A2Pro wrote:

> Hi!
> 
>     Below my sig is an excerpt from a message posted to the CBM-hackers
> list.  A question for the hardware gurus on this list: would this chip
> make it easy to come up with a USB interface card for the Apple II
> line?
> 
> Willi
> 
> Message excerpt:
> "A friend of mine recently told me about the MAX3421E from Maxim
> <http://www.maxim-ic.com/quick_view2.cfm/qv_pk/3639>.
> He ordered some samples, but the estimated delivery time is in March
> 2007.
> Also, there are virtually no programming examples yet.
> 
> The chip implements a USB interface, and it is controlled via SPI bus.
> It seems to support enough primitives to implement any USB protocol.
> With some restrictions, it can even play a USB master.  Possible
> applications of that could be connecting a USB mouse, keyboard,
> memory stick, or a USB-equipped PC to a microcontroller, which would
> in turn emulate some Commodore peripheral."

On the Atari 8bit (also 6502, 64 KB RAM) we use the Cypress SL811HS USB
Controller. There might be better USB Controller available now, but the
plus for the Cypress is that for this chip some 6502 Drivers already exist. 

We are currently in the final stage to finish the driver for USB Storage
(USB Flash drives, Harddisks and CD-ROM Drives). Drivers for HID Devices
(Keyboard, Joystick, Wheels, Mouse) and some other USB Devices (Floppies)
extist.

Glenn Jones has already prototyped the SL811HS on an Apple 2 using the Atari
8bit Cartridge (see
http://www.strotmann.de/twiki/bin/view/Microusb/ProjUSBAppleTwo).

I woul like to see if the Apple 2 (and CBM) Community would join the
Microusb Project (www.microusb.org). The major challenge is not the
Hardware, but reverse engenieering USB Protocol Problems and writing
drivers.

RAM Space is not so much an issue. With the SL811HS a
Keyboard/Mouse/Joystick driver is about 256 Byte (resident, + 2K init code
that will be thrown away after init) of 6502 Assembler. 

The Disk Driver is about 1 K of 6502 Assembler Code. The bulk is a DOS
System that can read/write FAT16/FAT32 Disks. Again, it would be nice if
the 6502 based Micros can joinly work on one Hardware system to allow
re-use of drivers.

Everything at Microusb (Hardwaredesing and Software) is GPLed Open Source,
so feel free to take what you need. And we are very willing to help and
share our USB Knowledge.

Best regards

Carsten Strotmann
Atari Bit Byter User Group
USB Project
microusb.org