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Can we take the 600 RevD to the next level ? Can we discuss a design ?

Steve Gray wrote: ↑Mon Apr 01, 2019 3:53 am While researching some other vintage computers I came across mention of a data separator chip the "FDC9216B".

http://www.microtan.ukpc.net/FDC9216.PDF

Steve

600 RevD suggestions:

1. Remove the keyboard and use 542 keyboard.
2. Three 28pin sockets for ROM. ACIA selectable at E000 or F000. MON 8KBASIC 8KPremier TKit BV BX etc
3. One 24 pin RAM/ROM
4. Remove the 2114 RAM sockets. Square up back corner of board for circuit usage.
5. Minimum 40K PAL decoded bank selectable 2* 32 cache RAM
6. 64/32 column selectable video
7. Plug in 630 colour board
8. Add AY3-8910 and PIA for sound and I/O (I have working design and software)
9. I/F to 48 pin bus for I/O expansion and proto.
10. Baud rate generator
11. 1 / 2 MHZ selectable
12. FDC data seperator (FDC9216 ?) dual drive sel motor on/off

I've already committed to 2 sets of keys and 470 etc but just don't fancy using a standard RevD (or standard 502 for a C4 system) and not interested in 610 board at all. Wish to do most of above with 502 board also later.

There are existing circuits for most of the above it's just a matter of bringing it all together on one board and not having to hang bits and pieces off any repo board.
Mike

I have been planning some things. I like what you've come up with so far.

To your points:

1. I would like an external keyboard. could be a "snap-off" option or separate. I'd like one with numeric keypad as well.
2. Sure. I was thinking of one 64K ROM (or bigger with selection of upper address lines for different configurations). ACIA yes. might need more than two address choices.
3. One 64K skinny-dip ram so we could bank out the ROMs and soft-load them.
4. No 2114s for sure. I'm thinking it should be smaller than the normal superboard (ie: less deep)
5. see 3 above
6. yes completely visible with guard-band
7. colour would be integrated. Note: 630 color conflicts with 2K video ram so it would need to move or be configurable.
8. sounds good (pun intended)
9. Not sure here. With everything built-in expansion wouldn't be that necessary, but perhaps some limited expansion.
10. yes
11. For sure
12. Yes, FDC integrated with normal floppy connector.

My additional thoughts:

1. No cassette... TTL serial for USB or bluetooth connection
2. Soft caps-lock circuit with LED indicator rather than hard switch
3. DB-9 RGB output, RCA audio and composite video.
4. Expanded control register
5. 8-bit colour ram for extended attributes (16 fg/16bg or 256-colour or font selection per character)
6. Expanded character rom or soft-loaded character set
7. Keyboard invert option to be C1/C4 selectable
8. Integrated atari-style joystick ports
9. Single-chip power-on reset (DS1811)
10. Decode logic using CPLD or PLA.
11. My goal for board size is about 3/4 of the current size (I'm pretty good at packing components using Kicad ). I'd also consider a form-factor for some existing case like a C64 or C128 or Amiga case (as I have a bunch of them , and they actually make some new cases)

So this would be a Rev E?

/Jeff

Jeff wrote: ↑Tue Apr 02, 2019 3:25 am So this would be a Rev E?

/Jeff

For me I'd look at it more as a C4P-MF Series II, or Superboard Ultra

It's kind of a merging of all the boards of a C4P-MF with bits from the superboard thrown in for compatibility and some convenient tech advances, while keeping it true to its roots.