CSL Cart...

[Scouter3d]

Hi,

News about the CSL Cart!

The CSL Cart can now load Cartimages (binaries) over a USB Connection! (16times faster than from wav/mp3!)
9600baud are roughly 1Kb per second, so all the commercial games will load in 4sec. to 18sec!

No need to convert binaries to wav's => every developers dream! (compile binary=> fast load to CSL Cart=> test on real CreatiVision Hardware...)

Here you can see it in Action!

http://youtu.be/kaj9qjRRfus

Greetings TOM:0)

PS: Watch out, there's more to come!

[MADrigal]

Wow that's a great idea and it works great!

Quick questions about how it works on the PC-side.
1. which kind of USB cable is needed? A standard male-female extension cord? Or a custom made one?
2. which program is used to send data to the USB port? Is it a custom one, or is the CSL interface available in the "my computer" resources (and you put files through a copy-past method) ?

[Scouter3d]

Hi MADrigal,

We are still working on what Hardware/cable will be the best solution, at the Moment i use a simple circuit with a MAX232 Level changer and a ready built Serial to USB Adapter.
But there are better solutions available, as i said we are still checking...

One thing is clear, the CSL will not act like a USB Memory stick (and Show up with a drive letter in Windows) but more like a Serial peripheral (like a modem or a Serial cross cable to an other PC) so files have to be sent using a terminal program (or maybe we write something...)

As you see all still in the process of creation! (so exciting!)

Our next steps are to make it really easy to load and start rom-Images over serial (for Gamers and "non techies") so you won't have to think about loading Adresses, Pokes, Resetvectors etc. (like we allready achieved using the wav/mp3 method)

And as a next step we will go wireless and do Bluetooth!, but that's a secret, so do not tell anyone! ;0)

TOM:0)

[MADrigal]

HAHA that's very exciting news!!

[Mobsie]

Vtech had a "Vision", a "Creati" one.
The CSL Team make this "Vision" thru!

[Scouter3d]

Vtech had a "Vision", a "Creati" one.
The CSL Team make this "Vision" thru!

Hi Mobsie,

Thanks! you are too kind! => But you are right! ;0)

TOM:0)

[Scouter3d]

Our next steps are to make it really easy to load and start rom-Images over serial (for Gamers and "non techies") so you won't have to think about loading Adresses, Pokes, Resetvectors etc. (like we allready achieved using the wav/mp3 method)

Hi, short update:

Easy cartimage loading/starting over Serial is achieved!
Using the brandnew "SCSL" command, which loads ROMs to their right place, manages "RESET" and starts the ROM automatically!

We are one step closer to the finish-line...

Bluetooth modules still on their way from China :0) (very exciting!)

TOM:0)

[MADrigal]

Can't wait to test it myself

[Scouter3d]

Hi,
Again some nice news!

The Serial Load and Save part is completed and working!

This means the CSL Cart now Comes with the following commands:
(All files for Serial Transfer must have 4 headerbytes $ADDLSB,$ADDMSB,$LENLSB,$LENMSB,.......DATA)

SCSL => Load Cartridge Image to right location, handle RESET, and run the Image...

SLOAD => Loads a binary to $ADD specified in Header (like BLOAD) also loads BASIC programs
SLOAD $ADD => Loads a binary to given $ADD instead to $ADD specified in Header

SSAVE $ADD,$LEN => Saves a binary starting from $ADD and saving $LEN number of Bytes (like BSAVE)
SSAVE $5001,$anylenght => Saves a Basic program (they always start at $5001) the $anylenght can be any Hex number, the command calculates the right lenght itself...

Work on the BIOS is nearly finished!

TOM:0)

[Scouter3d]

Hi,

Bluetooth Interfaces arrived yesterday...

Expect first tests in a few days! (i am very excited ;0))

TOM:0)