CD Stupid Card 4.0

[TailChao]

i found when working with the gameofyou flash cart that some configurations were so late on the reset pin going high that it wouldnt work
easy solution was simply to ignore the system reset pin (dont know how that would effect your project)

Since the MCGenjin-CD can change the card memory map drastically, I need to clear the registers associated with this at reset and I'd rather not do this with an additional RC circuit on the card. The lucky thing is that ROM reads are allowed while RESETn is low, so I just added a stall loop before the first write to the mapper (system region) is performed.

Interestingly enough, the original MCGenjin mapper wouldn't permit ROM reads until RESETn had risen. But its complexity (and gate pushback) was much lower and hid this behavior. Or maybe the CPU was just wandering around the open bus until RESETn rose. Whatever, at least now the behavior is known.

Haha ... my little head is spinning ... apparently the larger EPM7064 CPLD is pin-compatible with EPM7032 CPLD that TailChao is using ... so perhaps a fast multiply could be added, or maybe fast pixel packing/unpacking.

Both of those would be nice for software-3D.

I'm definitely going to have to do some research on this! 

I actually just logged in to post about that chip. However, I don't think you'll be able to fit a multiplier in it, 64 macrocells isn't that big. The EPM7096 for my Atari 7800 project's mapper is quite full, and the most elaborate thing it is doing is graphic fetch trapping.

But there are many other CPLDs to use if you're willing to wire up your own prototypes. The point is that it's very easy (and affordable) to hardware our way out of problems.

It should also be kept in mind that the MAX 7000 series is now obsolete. I continue to use them since I found several tubes in the garbage in the early 2000s. So it may be good to investigate other options.

[elmer]

I actually just logged in to post about that chip. However, I don't think you'll be able to fit a multiplier in it, 64 macrocells isn't that big. The EPM7096 for my Atari 7800 project's mapper is quite full, and the most elaborate thing it is doing is graphic fetch trapping.

But there are many other CPLDs to use if you're willing to wire up your own prototypes. The point is that it's very easy (and affordable) to hardware our way out of problems.

Awwww ... damn!

I've been too busy with other stuff to play with the Altera DE2 devkit that I bought, and so still have little idea of just how powerful a typical "macrocell" is.

Unfortunately, I'm a software guy, not a hardware guy ... the idea of soldering all those little wires makes me run away and hide behind the couch!

[TailChao]

Update time, I'm about a third of the way through manufacturing.
8/16 Cards have been built, and 5/8 of those cards are working properly. The remaining three are having issues, but at least two will likely be salvageable (one doesn't boot, one's upper 1MB RAM is bad, and ones's lower 1MB is bad).

I'll start the second run of 8 cards next week, after that I'll go back and rework any cards that didn't work on the first try.

[Nio]

Am I already on the list? I can pay in advance if needed!


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[TailChao]

Am I already on the list? I can pay in advance if needed!


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Unfortunately, you didn't make the list before the deadline closed.

However, I'm keeping track of everyone who has posted that they're interested in buying a card after said deadline ended. If I have extra cards after taking care of the twelve on the list (including a card for me), I'll PM you.
There is a good chance you may get a card since I'm manufacturing 16 cards and we'd have to have four completely defective ones to not have extras. But again, no guarantees.

[elmer]

Update time, I'm about a third of the way through manufacturing.
8/16 Cards have been built, and 5/8 of those cards are working properly. The remaining three are having issues, but at least two will likely be salvageable (one doesn't boot, one's upper 1MB RAM is bad, and ones's lower 1MB is bad).

Arrrggghh ... that's what scares me about trying to put together today's tiny little electronic components.

Thank you again for going through all this hard work to put these together! 

But there are many other CPLDs to use if you're willing to wire up your own prototypes. The point is that it's very easy (and affordable) to hardware our way out of problems.

For some reason, I keep on looking at this ... and found the 5-volt Atmel AT40K FPGA. 

[elmer]

There is a good chance you may get a card since I'm manufacturing 16 cards and we'd have to have four completely defective ones to not have extras. But again, no guarantees.

Oooooh ... did I just see the number of manufactured cards go up today? 

Really looking forward to this!

[TailChao]

Oooooh ... did I just see the number of manufactured cards go up today? 

Yes, only four to go.
Luckily as long as three out of those four work, we're all set and I can get the cards ready for distribution soon.

[TailChao]

Sorry for the double post, but it's for a good reason.
All 16 cards have been manufactured, of which 13 are working properly. I'll see if I can repair the three defective cards at a later time, but either way enough of the batch works to handle everyone on the list.

I'm going to spend the next week getting these guys ready for shipping and will PM everyone to confirm address and payment method once the cards are packed. (Paypal is preferred, but not required. If you want to trade for hardware, that's cool too).
The modified CD System 3.0 firmware on the card now includes a large delay to account for the varying RESETn rise times in NEC's hardware. All cards were tested in my TurboGrafx+CD, Turbo Express, and White PCE. Duo owners should be fine, but if anyone encounters issues on their system I'd like to figure out why.
The only thing I cannot guarantee compatibility with is systems which have the electronic region mod (using the MC14551s), as this adds a large amount of propagation delay to the system bus.

Anyway, the cards are very simple to use and aside from the "CD SYSTEM CARD DERP 4.0" present on the startup screen will operate just like a Super System Card, so you may enjoy a session of Star Parodier among whatever development you're doing.
When developing your own software, the two LEDs will become quite helpful. D1, the top LED, indicates whether or not the system region register has been written to. This is done automatically at startup by the card firmware, but should be kept in mind if you plan on writing your own bootloader or whatever. D2, the lower LED, indicates when the card has switched into linear mode.
Other than that, it's a fairly normal development PCB. Practice care when handling.

[elmer]

Excellent!!!! 

[Nio]

One left for me?


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[TailChao]

One left for me?

I'll PM you if there are any left after distributing the cards to everyone who made it on the list .
There's always a chance (albeit slim) that someone's card could get smashed in the mail, and I need to keep the few extras I have put aside in case that happens.

[Black Tiger]

My Stupid Card arrived today and it came in a package with some very nice artwork on the back.






Here is the card itself:






It comes loaded with Derp 4.0 System:

[ultrageranium]

Percy!

[Punch]

Here is the card itself:

OK who wants to volunteer to port Osman to the Stupid Card? The game's name is even printed on the board