Re: Carte Blanche Atto (CB for the IIc)

[Steve <srkh28@gmail.com>]

Hi all,

Wow, thanks for the feedback. Ill go through and see what I can
answer;

--> Will this work with the IIc+ as well as the IIc?

The IIc+ had a PLCC socketed chip very close by, so I decided to
exlcuded the IIc+ version just for the moment as it  meant a lot of
PCB mapping. But If a vote says the IIc+ must be included, I can come
up with a crafty method to squeeze it in.

--> In the IIc pictures it looks like that the MicroSD slots would not
be
easily accessible unless the base module was unplugged.

Yes, it is rather tight. I put four micro SD cards in as these are
pretty common and it was easy for me to do so. Giving better access
can be arranged.

--> You might consider rotating the two outboard MicroSD sockets so
that
they point out to the ends.

I agree. However, with a board shape that suits all the decided hosts,
this will determine what space is left. I dont want to design several
different versions. Just the one atto.

-->  also suggested in an email to you that it would be good to have
the two inboard MicroSD sockets replaced with a 16x8 SDRAM chip
(provided there's enough i/o available).

The MicroSD's dont affect memory. The memory is located on the cheap
SODIMM FPGA module (these are current $60USD to have made in china) I
have started a version with a 32MBx16 DRAM, so its is on the cards.
The idea is to interchange to suit whats required. These modules are
being used in other products, so I am piggy backing off their
production.

--> Of course the next question is the price

I am targetting $170 for both boards.

--> except the IIgs, of course, unless... it can be adapted to plug
into the 65816 socket

Yes. Clocking routes have been provided for the extra 65C816 pins. I
havent got a core though.


-->  Would this be possible while coding in 64K of the 1MB fast SRAM
to use as the cache ram.

Yes, If the 1MB SRAM was a 32MB DRAM, you could still use it as a
cache as the connection to the FPGA is private (its actually two 512k
x8 blocks with optional 16 bit access)

--> if some of that creative energy went into system documentation for
the original CB.

I did a ton of this for the Altium software I used to create the
original CB, but no one used it. Altium designer just isnt that
popular and I dont know ISE well enough to create the same sort of
docco and examples. All details an be download from the slow
applelogic site. I was hoping others might help here a bit.


--> It would be great to see the beta release of Soft Z80 Card, 6809
System 09/FLEX and OS, frogger, scramble and others available for the
250 also.

The Z80 i never finsihed - but ill post the source, however, its in
Altium designer. ALex gave me the source to the 09/FLEX. Ill ask if
its ok to post on the site. Ill see if I can round up the source to
the others (which I think is in ISE), which where done by Mark and Red
(The PACE guy's)

--> If the source code was available maybe they could be ported to the
250

I dont think so - the 250 lacks the internal SRAM if i recall
correctly. No one really contemplated putting an arcade machine in
carte blanche. The 250 can be upgraded to a 500 by simply replacing
the FPGA chip. I may offer to do this if there is enough interest.

The FPGA domain has so much capability, but there are very few people
who know it well enough or have the time to create some cool gear. Its
also hard getting groups working on the one project to finish
something. On the other hand there is an ample army of solo coders who
can write apple II code simulators on platforms like the PC and linux
boxes. So I created this little board as an experiment. An ARM
interfaced to a IIe.(.. or II/III anything) so I can execute an apple
II simulator inside the apple II.

http://www.applelogic.org/files/ARM7+A2E.JPG

Its a gumstix module (www.gumstix.com) that has its L3 to L4 front
side bus (AHB) interfaced to the Apple IIe as if it where the 6502
processor. With wait enabled, it operates at exactly 1.023MHz (gated
to apples sys clock), but can be tweeked to operated at up to 30MHz
(but things start to stop). The Processor is a 700MHZ texas
instruments OMAP 3530 apps processor with an ARM Cortex A8 CPU.
Although this seems just plane wrong, I wanted to start to experiment
with applications such as KEGS or Apple Win to see if this is a better
way to expand and add life to these great machines. Anyway, its only
an idea at this stage - and if I did it for a reason, it wouldnt be a
hobby. :)

Steve