save to pc

Discuss the CreatiVision hardware: models, revisions, fixing, hacking and modding.
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Mobsie
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save to pc

Post by Mobsie » Sun Dec 08, 2013 10:52 am

for use together with the CBM tape interface from TOM,this can be used to save / load basic files to / from pc.
http://www.ktverkko.fi/~msmakela/8bit/c ... ex.en.html
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carlsson
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Re: save to pc

Post by carlsson » Mon Dec 09, 2013 8:44 am

Does anyone manufacture the C2N232 today? I've got a C2N232I (with the unused IEC connector) that works reasonably well, depending a bit on the type of Commodore computer you attach it to. In order to make it work at 38400 bps, I think you need to write a custom routine that is transferred from the PC to the 8-bit computer during the loading routine. While far from impossible, I haven't seen anyone mentioning a such routine for the CreatiVision yet. Perhaps the C2N232 can be used with regular slow speed loading too, it was so long ago I looked at it.
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Re: save to pc

Post by carlsson » Mon Dec 09, 2013 9:01 am

By the way, if someone is willing to develop a custom Basic or other ROM, you could try to support the Commodore 1541 by building a "C2N2IEC" adapter as have been used on the Commodore 610 (B128) series. Since the code is 6502, I suppose it would be a manageable hurdle, but perhaps more proof of concept than practical use.
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Mobsie
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Re: save to pc

Post by Mobsie » Mon Dec 09, 2013 9:46 am

We use the CBM Floppy on the Enterprise 128. Here we have nice Z-80 stuff for all the protocol etc. So is really not hard to make in 6502.
For this idea is better to use the CreatiVison I/O Interface, here we have not only the printer port, we have a full I/O.
But the bad side is not all CV User have the I/O interface, the Tape port is standard on the CV.
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carlsson
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Re: save to pc

Post by carlsson » Mon Dec 09, 2013 4:54 pm

Yes, but if custom software and perhaps additional RAM is preferred to load software from any media we choose, we're back to that other topic again about new hardware expansion. :)

I never ordered a 1530 adapter from TOM, much due to I already own real tape recorders. The idea to use C2N232 is interesting though, but one would have to analyze it a bit more to tell how it can be used. I'm quite good friend with Marko Mäkelä so although it was many years he developed the C2N232, he could rather easily tell what is doable and what is not doable without a custom kernel/BIOS.
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Mobsie
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Re: save to pc

Post by Mobsie » Wed Dec 11, 2013 8:18 am

yes the C2N232 is old also the C2N232i. For me the Cassiopei looks more interesting and has some nice features.
http://jderogee.tripod.com/projects/Cas ... siopei.htm
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Re: save to pc

Post by carlsson » Wed Dec 11, 2013 9:26 am

Cool! That is something I haven't read about before. For that matter, you might want to study the X1531 cable too, used to connect a C2N to a PC parallel port. Although parallel ports are quickly going out of fashion, perhaps that would be the most straightforward approach, adopting PC software that will act like a virtual tape recorder, perhaps even digital.
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Mobsie
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Re: save to pc

Post by Mobsie » Wed Dec 11, 2013 10:41 am

I will Order One because Not Need a pc.
In the Time we Start a Hardware Project to use the cv i/o Interface.
We have here 2 Ports, One thanks to Tom we know the pinnout.
The Dream is to use the cbm Hardware like the 1541 Floppy.
The Protocol is so easy, have done a Lot with that.
Send some commands and the 1541 make the Rest.
The IEC Bus is Strange with Timings thats all.
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Re: save to pc

Post by carlsson » Wed Dec 11, 2013 11:36 am

Once we have cloned the Parallel I/O interface, it struck me that it could be worthwhile looking into ParPort IDE, a technique I believe is used with some CP/M systems to get a somewhat slow but simple interface to IDE hard drives and in the extention also CF adapters and I believe SD adapters. I know the N8VEM SBC V1/2 can support a ParPort IDE, I've built one but never got around to test it... and as we all know a 2 MHz 6502 is superior to a 4 MHz Z80 :P it probably is feasible (although not trivial) to build that one too, unless of course we come up with even better solutions like polling SD card as seen on other, similar systems. Again it is a matter of mixing hardware and software support.
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@username@
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Re: save to pc

Post by @username@ » Wed Dec 11, 2013 11:57 am

carlsson wrote:it probably is feasible (although not trivial) to build that one too, unless of course we come up with even better solutions like polling SD card as seen on other, similar systems. Again it is a matter of mixing hardware and software support.
Polling SD/MMC is quite simple. The problem would be speed. On the GC with a 30Mhz bus clock, the best we could achieve was 2.4MB/s. With basic polled I/O you were down to around half. If you have the printer interface, the hardware should be very cheap. The software is also pretty easy.

http://blog.vinu.co.in/2012/05/attempt- ... ed-at.html shows a really cheap, and easy to test, interface.

http://elm-chan.org/docs/mmc/mmc_e.html is the best *free* FAT implementation for SD, and saves a lot of headache. Doesn't support LFN, due to M$ patents, but works ok otherwise.
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