Cluso's RetroBlade - Preannouncement for design feedback

Cluso99

I am pre-announcing Cluso's RetroBlade for feedback in case there are improvements to be made or something I have missed.

IMHO the·2 prop solution is the best way to go, and I am unable to improve on the RamBlade design.

So, what is Cluso's RetroBlade...

• It is·intended to run most of the Retro Computer emulations on this forum and more
• It is intended to run any of the Prop OSes that are being developed including
  • SphinxOS
  • PropDos/PropCmd/etc
  • FemtoBasic
  • etc
• It is intended to run any of the new languages including
  • Catalina C
  • PropBasic
  • FemtoBasic
  • Forth
  • etc
  • plus of course Spin & Pasm
• It will be available in two PCB versions
  • Thru Hole (for self assembly)
  • SMT (pre-assembled)
• It is a 2 Propeller solution on 1 pcb
  • 1 Prop is the same as the RamBlade which has
    • 1 x Propeller
    • 1 x EEPROM (with write disable jumper)
    • 1 x 512KB SRAM 55nS
    • 1 x microSD
    • 104MHz overclocking
  • 1 Prop has
    • 1 x Propeller
    • 1 x EEPROM
    • 1 x PropPlug connector (no FTDI chip)
      • Possible provision for reset circuit (transistor+R+C) to aid in using alternate PropPlug loader (maybe T/H version only?)
    • 2 x USB-A or 2 x PS2 connectors (dual footprints)
      • for USB/PS2 Keyboard (in PS2 mode)
      • for·other USB (perhaps Bluetooth with Micah's object) or mouse
    • 1 x VGA
    • 1 x TV
    • 1 x Stereo out (simple RC filter, no IC amp)
    • 1 x 3 pin connection to onboard RamBlade (or external RamBlade)
      • 2 pin for high speed serial connection >8Mbps
      • 1·pin to reset RamBlade
    • 1 x 8 bit expansion header
    • 104MHz overclocking
  • An external regulated 5V power supply is required
    • 1 x miniUSB connector is provided for connection from
      • a phone, camera or iPod charger
      • a USB port
      • a Car Cigarette Plug to 5V USB supply
      • a regulated 5V PowerPack
    • Possibly 1 x optional DC input connector (T/H version only)
  • On-board 3V3 regulation
  • Plugable xtals

I anticipate the SMT version will fit into a plastic box (hopefully Hammond translucent blue). The user will need to cut/file the connector holes out to fit. I am hoping to have the T/H version also fit into a plastic box modified by the user.

A RetroBlade can be built by using a RamBlade plugged into a Prop ProtoBoard, DemoBoard, etc, with the appropriate circuit/connections. These will be published.

For those of you with RamBlades already, you will be able to buy the RetroBlade without the RamBlade section (it may not fit into the box???).

Have I missed anything ??? Any suggestions ???

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Links to other interesting threads:

· Home of the MultiBladeProps: TriBlade,·RamBlade,·SixBlade, website
· Single Board Computer:·3 Propeller ICs·and a·TriBladeProp board (ZiCog Z80 Emulator)
· Prop Tools under Development or Completed (Index)
· Emulators: CPUs Z80 etc; Micros Altair etc;· Terminals·VT100 etc; (Index) ZiCog (Z80) , MoCog (6809)·
· Prop OS: SphinxOS·, PropDos , PropCmd··· Search the Propeller forums·(uses advanced Google search)
My cruising website is: ·www.bluemagic.biz·· MultiBlade Props: www.cluso.bluemagic.biz

Post Edited (Cluso99) : 6/6/2010 3:18:06 AM GMT

Mike Green

Please include a 64KBx8 EEPROM for both Props on the SMT board.

Cluso99

Mike: Absolutely, this is a given as far as I am concerned. There is virtually no price difference although the RamBlade EEPROM is write disabled by default.

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Links to other interesting threads:

· Home of the MultiBladeProps: TriBlade,·RamBlade,·SixBlade, website
· Single Board Computer:·3 Propeller ICs·and a·TriBladeProp board (ZiCog Z80 Emulator)
· Prop Tools under Development or Completed (Index)
· Emulators: CPUs Z80 etc; Micros Altair etc;· Terminals·VT100 etc; (Index) ZiCog (Z80) , MoCog (6809)·
· Prop OS: SphinxOS·, PropDos , PropCmd··· Search the Propeller forums·(uses advanced Google search)
My cruising website is: ·www.bluemagic.biz·· MultiBlade Props: www.cluso.bluemagic.biz

Ahle2

I may be interested in one Cluso. [noparse]:)[/noparse]
How many "extra pins" are available to interface for instance a NES controller or a parallel port ?
I didn't see any RTC in your spec ?

hinv

I am wondering, why do most designs include an EEPROM for every prop chip in a multi-prop design?
Would it be easier, hardware wise, to just have 1 eeprom chip that can load load the first prop, and then it would load the rest via pins 30 and 31.
On the RamBlade, would you need U2 and U3?

Thanks,
Doug

Bill Henning

Looks like a nice board! Congrats!

Cluso99 said...
I am pre-announcing Cluso's RetroBlade for feedback in case there are improvements to be made or something I have missed.


IMHO the 2 prop solution is the best way to go, and I am unable to improve on the RamBlade design.



So, what is Cluso's RetroBlade...

<UL>
<LI>It is intended to run most of the Retro Computer emulations on this forum and more
<LI>It is intended to run any of the Prop OSes that are being developed including
<UL>
<LI>SphinxOS
<LI>PropDos/PropCmd/etc
<LI>FemtoBasic
* etc
</UL>
<LI>It is intended to run any of the new languages including
<UL>
<LI>Catalina C
<LI>PropBasic
<LI>FemtoBasic
<LI>Forth
<LI>etc
* plus of course Spin & Pasm
</UL>
<LI>It will be available in two PCB versions
<UL>
<LI>Thru Hole (for self assembly)
* SMT (pre-assembled)
</UL>
<LI>It is a 2 Propeller solution on 1 pcb
<UL>
<LI>1 Prop is the same as the RamBlade which has
<UL>
<LI>1 x Propeller
<LI>1 x EEPROM (with write disable jumper)
<LI>1 x 512KB SRAM 55nS
<LI>1 x microSD
* 104MHz overclocking
</UL>
<LI>1 Prop has
<UL>
<LI>1 x Propeller
<LI>1 x EEPROM
<LI>1 x PropPlug connector (no FTDI chip)
<UL>
* Possible provision for reset circuit (transistor+R+C) to aid in using alternate PropPlug loader (maybe T/H version only?)
</UL>
<LI>2 x USB-A or 2 x PS2 connectors (dual footprints)
<UL>
<LI>for USB/PS2 Keyboard (in PS2 mode)
* for other USB (perhaps Bluetooth with Micah's object) or mouse
</UL>
<LI>1 x VGA
<LI>1 x TV
<LI>1 x Stereo out (simple RC filter, no IC amp)
<LI>1 x 3 pin connection to onboard RamBlade (or external RamBlade)
<UL>
<LI>2 pin for high speed serial connection >8Mbps
* 1 pin to reset RamBlade
</UL>
<LI>1 x 8 bit expansion header
* 104MHz overclocking
</UL>
<LI>An external regulated 5V power supply is required
<UL>
<LI>1 x miniUSB connector is provided for connection from
<UL>
<LI>a phone, camera or iPod charger
<LI>a USB port
<LI>a Car Cigarette Plug to 5V USB supply
* a regulated 5V PowerPack
</UL>
* Possibly 1 x optional DC input connector (T/H version only)
</UL>
<LI>On-board 3V3 regulation
* Plugable xtals
</UL></LI></UL>
I anticipate the SMT version will fit into a plastic box (hopefully Hammond translucent blue). The user will need to cut/file the connector holes out to fit. I am hoping to have the T/H version also fit into a plastic box modified by the user.

A RetroBlade can be built by using a RamBlade plugged into a Prop ProtoBoard, DemoBoard, etc, with the appropriate circuit/connections. These will be published.

For those of you with RamBlades already, you will be able to buy the RetroBlade without the RamBlade section (it may not fit into the box???).

Have I missed anything ??? Any suggestions ???

▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔
www.mikronauts.com E-mail: mikronauts _at_ gmail _dot_ com
My products: Morpheus / Mem+ / PropCade / FlexMem / VMCOG / Propteus / Proteus / SerPlug
and 6.250MHz Crystals to run Propellers at 100MHz & 5.0" OEM TFT VGA LCD modules
Las - Large model assembler Largos - upcoming nano operating system

Bill Henning

In my case, I have the EEPROM for CPU#2 so that both prop's can boot at the same time - ie I can have a gpu slave run on prop#2 without having to load it from Prop#1

It also makes debugging easier.

hinv said...
I am wondering, why do most designs include an EEPROM for every prop chip in a multi-prop design?
Would it be easier, hardware wise, to just have 1 eeprom chip that can load load the first prop, and then it would load the rest via pins 30 and 31.
On the RamBlade, would you need U2 and U3?

Thanks,
Doug

▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔
www.mikronauts.com E-mail: mikronauts _at_ gmail _dot_ com
My products: Morpheus / Mem+ / PropCade / FlexMem / VMCOG / Propteus / Proteus / SerPlug
and 6.250MHz Crystals to run Propellers at 100MHz & 5.0" OEM TFT VGA LCD modules
Las - Large model assembler Largos - upcoming nano operating system

potatohead

It would be nice to use the S-video output option. Perhaps a jumper and additional chroma resistor can allow that output to occur on another pin, giving up something else?

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Cluso99

To answer general questions...

* No RTC - why? Because with 2 props, you can ask the date/time on powerup and 1 cog can keep accurate time. In fact, IIRC, the fsrw pasm code has this inbuilt.

* Why 2 EEPROMs? Because the RamBlade has a special fast design which means the serial I/O cannot be on P30/31. So an extra 2 pins would be required from Prop1 to load code. The RamBlade (Prop2) does not have enough pins to load Prop1. Yes, it could be done and would save U3 & U4.

* How many I/O pins left? 8 are available. Plus, if you do not want/require TV or VGA another 3 or 8 are available. The second USB/PS2 are available (2pins) and the PropPlug pins too can be free.

* A NES controller requires 3 pins and 2 NES controllers require 4 pins.

How many think I should add an option for S-Video? It impinges on my preferred RamBlade interface pins. I wanted to keep 8 pins free for other external addons. I am thiking on making it a PMOD header (www.digilentinc.com).

@potatohead: Does the extra chroma pin have to be contiguous or can it be anywhere?

▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔
Links to other interesting threads:

· Home of the MultiBladeProps: TriBlade,·RamBlade,·SixBlade, website
· Single Board Computer:·3 Propeller ICs·and a·TriBladeProp board (ZiCog Z80 Emulator)
· Prop Tools under Development or Completed (Index)
· Emulators: CPUs Z80 etc; Micros Altair etc;· Terminals·VT100 etc; (Index) ZiCog (Z80) , MoCog (6809)·
· Prop OS: SphinxOS·, PropDos , PropCmd··· Search the Propeller forums·(uses advanced Google search)
My cruising website is: ·www.bluemagic.biz·· MultiBlade Props: www.cluso.bluemagic.biz

potatohead

I think it needs to be start_pin+3

What happens is VCFG is set to either output chroma on start_pin + 1, or three. In the reference video circuit, the same resistor is used on both pins. If the audio sub carrier isn't needed, start_pin + 3 isn't part of the DAC, with just the chroma signal riding on it.

▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔
Propeller Wiki: Share the coolness!
8x8 color 80 Column NTSC Text Object
Wondering how to set tile colors in the graphics_demo.spin?
Safety Tip: Life is as good as YOU think it is!

TonyWaite

I'm glad that you're pulling together the recent fantastic software and hardware developments into
something of a standard recipe. I shall definitely order a Retroblade when available.

T o n y