Re: USB chip

[rbernardo@value.net]

 A2Pro wrote:

>     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 Oct 7, 2:01 pm, Carsten wrote:

> 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 (seehttp://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.

     Thank you very much for sharing this information.  At this year's
CommVEx v2, I saw a prototype USB cartridge for the Commodore (shhh!).
I will forward this message to the appropriate developer(s).

                    Join us at the FCUG table at
                    the Vintage Computer Festival 9.0
                    Nov. 4-5,
                    Robert Bernardo
                    Fresno Commodore User Group
                    http://videocam.net.au/fcug