Re: kfest a2 USB card real?

[Raffzahn@yahoo.de (Hans Franke)]

omashiroi@yahoo.com (Adam Barr) wrote in message news:<4b54956e.0307300509.73833274@posting.google.com>...
> So if it is real can someone please post some more detail and pictures
> on it?

The project will need some time. Our actual idea is to get a _first_
public version (V2), for early adopters and especialy developers, with
minimal driver support out by the end of this year. When stable
drivers are available for the most usefull features, a final card (V3)
may be produced.

Also, the features are still not frozen by now. The actual Version 1
(6 Boards made) will change at least in size and layout for V2.

The V1 boards feature:
512K RAM - most likely to be expanded
128 or 512K Driver Flash - V2 will have only 512K
128 or 512K Loader Flash - V2 will have only 512K
USB controller with _one_ port
CF Slot
IDE connector
Amiga Clock Port connector
VGA connector
50K FPGA

Usable in any A2, from a classic ][ (I just tried it in my 1980
][euro+) until a GS ROM4. Although it might be usefull to have a GS to
utilize the full potential. Especialy the variety of USB devices
require a more modern OS than ProDOS 8 (read GS/OS).

I noted only the 'connectors' above, since all the hardware is to be
defined via the FPGA. Beside the IDE/CF/Clock interface, a VGA will be
included. THe features may be much like the ones found on the C1.

> a2central still has not said anything, and really the USB card
> is the most important thing announced for KansasFest.

In face we (Jerri, Sheppy and myself) are quite surprised about the
enthusiastic reaction we got at KFest. The whole project was only
planned to give us something to fiddle around and avoide getting bored
(hey, Jeri and me are first time KFesters ... we didn't know how much
fun that is).

Withion the Project, Jeri will koordinate the hardware, Sheppy the
GS/OS, and I'll do the low level driver and coordination work.

Anyway, I hope this satisfies your curiosity :)

> The only thing I
> have heard about so far is a ps/2 adapter that won't work with my GS,
> and some software to make disk images, just like the 2 or 3 other
> applications that do this.

The PS/2 adaptor is a nifty little thing... and it might be still some
time until the AnyCard can do a mouse good enough to fool classic A2
Software.

Gruss
H.