Search found 68 matches

by alastair
23 Oct 2023, 18:00
Forum: Hardware and software hacking
Topic: vCPU Questions and Necessary Details
Replies: 5
Views: 2883

Re: vCPU Questions and Necessary Details

The video line is managed by the code in page 2 of the ROM. The row is tracked by zero page parameter videoY and frameCount is used as a simple system clock. There isn't a column value since the column is just 160 ora([Y,Xpp],OUT) instructions in a row with no time to do anything else.
by alastair
12 Jul 2023, 13:57
Forum: Hardware and software hacking
Topic: SMD Version?
Replies: 9
Views: 3157

Re: SMD Version?

petersieg wrote: 11 Jul 2023, 13:24 Some pictures and more information would be nice.
I'll start a new thread and post some pictures when I've wrapped up some things. It's basically the "Novatron", but I changed the name (due to a conflict with another project) and switched to a full-size SD card.
by alastair
07 Jul 2023, 21:18
Forum: Hardware and software hacking
Topic: SMD Version?
Replies: 9
Views: 3157

Re: SMD Version?

I have a clone of the Gigatron in a slightly smaller form factor. I use some simple 16V8 GALs to replace the diode ROM and integrate the 128k/SD card expansion on board. I'm putting a kit together but also looking at producing an assembled version. The assembled version uses SMDs for the passive com...
by alastair
04 Oct 2022, 01:36
Forum: Hardware and software hacking
Topic: Novatron
Replies: 36
Views: 6537

Re: Novatron

The SPI1 connector matches the standard SD card pinout so I plugged one in just now and tested it. I can read both SD cards no problem. I have one unused pin on the PAL (19) and could connect that to BUS2 and BUS3 using two diodes. I should be able to fit those on the board in a future revision. Tha...
by alastair
03 Oct 2022, 00:03
Forum: Hardware and software hacking
Topic: Novatron
Replies: 36
Views: 6537

Re: Novatron

Thanks for figuring this out @lb3361 I was going to take a closer look at the code but got tied up with another project. I tried the latest ROM and everything is working correctly now! I don't have enough pins on the 16V8 PAL to connect the four BUS lines. I'm only using BUS0 but also have BUS1 conn...
by alastair
19 Sep 2022, 00:07
Forum: Hardware and software hacking
Topic: Novatron
Replies: 36
Views: 6537

Re: Novatron

Thanks for the new ROM Leo. The original card is showing three lines after the boot message. The first is all white pixels and the next two are all red. I picked up a new SD card and get three all white lines. This was the case with the card in its original FAT32 formatted state and after loaded the...
by alastair
13 Sep 2022, 22:22
Forum: Hardware and software hacking
Topic: Novatron
Replies: 36
Views: 6537

Re: Novatron

There was a bit of a trick needed to dd the image from MacOS (/dev/rdisk2). I can now copy the image and mount it correctly. The new ROM version fixes the "Vol.ID 0101" error, but I'm now getting "FAT32 FAILED". I get this error with both a clean FAT32 formatted drive and the sd....
by alastair
09 Sep 2022, 13:40
Forum: Hardware and software hacking
Topic: Novatron
Replies: 36
Views: 6537

Re: Novatron

I'm still seeing the same issue. I unzipped the file to the correct 64M size and then transferred it using dd. Once complete the card wasn't recognizable on my Mac or Windows machines, but showed the same error on the Novatron. I'll see if I can get some different cards and try those.
by alastair
08 Sep 2022, 13:00
Forum: Hardware and software hacking
Topic: Novatron
Replies: 36
Views: 6537

Re: Novatron

Thanks @lb3361. I don't have a lot of SD Cards and this was the only one I could find at short notice. Picture attached of the card and format on Mac. I had to zip the sd.bin file so it would attach (it just contains system.gt1 right now): sd-card.jpg Screen Shot 2022-09-08 at 8.38.26 AM.png sd.zip
by alastair
08 Sep 2022, 04:23
Forum: Hardware and software hacking
Topic: Novatron
Replies: 36
Views: 6537

Re: Novatron

I just received the updated board with the final fixes. Gamepad is working and also works with the ATtiny85/keyboard plugged in. I fixed the issues with the SPI and have the SD card working! I've only just finished the build and did some quick tests. Card boot is running, but it's not finding the Sy...