Re: beginning with Carte Blanche questions

[Steve <srkh28@gmail.com>]

Hi John,


>   My CB kit includes what looks to be a bare nanoboard expansion slot
> connector.   What is this for?

This is for plug on extra's. You would have received a single
connector in the box to suit this connector. On the schematic for CB
you'll see this IO has 50 direct input or output connections to the
FPGA. This allows you to configure any interface to suit any device
you would liek to plug up to CB. I have been using this interface with
a card I have been preparing to offer CB'ers. It is the ASIC adaptor
board. Although bulky, for those quick and dirty R&D tests, it allows
you to plug up anything and try it out. Since a lot of designs are now
based on porting, this was the best thing I could think of to provice
an easy method to bring new devices into the Apple II. Some examples
are a Zigbee interface;

http://www.applelogic.org/AL/CBZIGBEE.JPG

and an ethernet interface;

http://www.applelogic.org/AL/CBEN1.JPG

Each IO on the DIP40 can be either a power supply of 5V, or 3.3V or
GND, or that pin can be an IO with a signal voltage of either 3.3v or
5v with onboard translators provided for each pin.

There is more to come for this connector. But it will take me a little
time, unless others wish to pitch in.

>
>   I'm very much a "manual reader" but as no CB manual (understandably)
> yet exists, I sure could use a few getting-started suggestions and
> clarifications.