First, i am not going to build any SDr for you. Just don't have the time for it.
So the R2 is indeed for the contrast. Thats needed because most LCD differ a little bit from each other, so you probably got to adjust it a little bit. Its just a simple 10k potmeter.
The SD card holder and the cards use 3,3 volt. You could use this one for easy soldering:
http://www.sparkfun.com/products/544
The naming of the pins differ a bit.
SCK has to be connected to SD_CLK.
GND has to be connected to VSS.
VCC has to be connected to VDD.
Res1 and Res2 stay unconnected.
I will check which ones i used and send a link. But those are SMD, very tiny and difficult to solder, especially for beginners.
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This is clearly interesting. I'm growing tired of using disks..
But I think it's a bit too advanced for me to build . I wonder if 8bit Ventures are interested in manufacturing this device..?
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To answer myself, this FAQ answer will probably answer my question. Answers answers answers..
-Hey, you're a business venture company and I have this idea. Are you interested?
No. We only invest in our own projects.
http://www.8bitventures.com/faq.php
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thanks for ur reply firestarter, im gonna look forward to try assemble this thing..... it really deserves to give a shot, smells amazing
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Hi firesARTer,
Maybe we could find someone here to realise a small run of PCB for this great device ?
We could then centralised the needed component at mouser like we did with the TJT sid2sid from Tomthul.
Are you OK with that ?
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Hi firestarter!
I´m finished with my sdr device, or hm maybe not
It starts up just fine, checking the slots , etc. The buttons works fine , the encoder Save/Load Yes & No etc.
BUT..... When i choose save+yes i get "waiting" , so far so good i guess, but then the mssiah tells me to press space and the mssiah´s raster lines appears for a few seconds and i got "saving ready". The thing is that the display doesn´t show the saving graphics like in your video, i just got the word "waiting".
I`t freezes in that mode untill i resets the computer OR choose LOAD then the "saving" appears for half a second then "bit error". It´s like the card doesn´t get any "save output" from the serialport, the Load command does however.
I guess the loading function could work but i dont have anything to load so.......
Have i missed something, i`ve checked the board like 10 times already connections, soldering, powersupply etc.
Could it be something with the clock? the crystal? In the scheme their are two capacitors for each leg on the crystal right?
Or could it be that i´m using an SD "ULTRA" 2gb , istead of an "regular" SD card (shouldn`t be any problem it´s practically the same card)
Any tips , i´m going slightly mad here
I´m using a regular size sd cardholder , the soldering pins are a bit different, but i checked it, it should be fine.
Last edited by nusse (2012-05-07 17:45:13)
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Have someone else build this interface , and with sucess any tip would be helpful:/
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Oh hey nusse,
sorry for the late reply!
1st, it is not a capacity problem with the crystal, because else the software wouldn't run.
2nd the SD card shouldn't be an issue either becuase it scans for the slots so i guess it works. ( it might stop here already while scanning...) Most microSD or SD cards should work ( <= 2GB i guess since 4gb is another standard (SDHC) and i didn't test those yet)
I sent you a testfile for loading, so we can find out if parts of the SDR device work.
Thomas
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Hello there !
I had finally tested the file you sent me firestarter, i thank you for it.
Unfortunatly it wont work neither to load or save:(
I`ve checked everything i can think of, and doublechecked with your schematics but i can´t get it to work.
As said before it work perfectly at startup , cheking all the slots and Yes/no functions etc.etc.
BUT when i tested to load your file, the x-marks appears like in your youtubeclip, but theres no raster, i get a "loading ready" on the screen but theres nothing there. And it´s still the same with the save function it says "waiting" on the LCD screen, nothing happens when i press space(the rasters do appear and i got a saving ready after just a few seconds , and some empty file with 0kb on the card:). There should be "saving" and some graphic marks like that on the youtubeclip.
Since there no respons when i press space , it seems like the device/card wont recive signals from the userport or something, i´m pretty sure it´s not a hardware problem with the c64 because i´ve tested with two breadbins and one c64c , all of them works like a charm otherwise.
Has someone here build this device (except firestarter ) and has any clue if there´s something i should check.
Any advice is welcome
Last edited by nusse (2013-02-13 20:59:33)
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Hey nusse,
thats weird. I can only think of the connection to the userport. There could be a problem with mirroring. For example using pin 9 instead of pin 4..
I can offer you to check it myself if you send me the device.
Let me know,
cheers
Thomas firestARTer aka Frau Holle
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Thanks for fast reply:)
I´m gonna check out the pins.
Very nice of you if you could take the time to check it out for me, but i gonna try a little bit more first.
Last edited by nusse (2013-02-14 00:08:31)
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Oh no, don't just swap the pins. Just double tripple quadrupple check if they are right.
Wrong placed pins can hurt your C64 or the PIC microcontroller.
Only change them if you find out that they are wrong1
cheers
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Must been my english, i wont swap the pins without knowing what i´m doing , but thanks for the concern:)
BTW i doublechecked it yesterday and the userport seems to be correct a far as i can see.
The next step is to look for bad wiring/soldering along the lines, maybe some shorts.
Wich pins sends the signals from/to the userport when i press space in the save/load mode in the mssiah?
Thanks once again for your time firestarter!
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Hello firestarter !
I found this info here on the forum:
"The SDR (Serial Data Register) is using a built in feature of the C64's
CIA chip never used in any of its hardware peripherals nor operating
system routines. It is a simple synchronous data bit shifter that inputs
and outputs one byte at a time on the user port with two separate lines,
one for the clock and one for the data. Pins used are: PIN4 = CLK for
input PIN5 = DATA for input PIN6 = CLK for output PIN7 = DATA for output.
Is this information regarding the pins correct for your schematics?
Yesterday i tried to load your testfile, and when i pressed "Loading yes" (and the x marks started to tick) the pins 4 and 5 goes from 0 volt to something like 1.5.-1.8 volt (approx.) Do you think this is correct? The raster line dont´t appear on the screen at all just a the blue screen until i press runstop, in save mode it´s the other way around (as said before) the raster line do appear but the device locks in waiting.
In save mode i discover that if i leave the device in "waiting" mode and switch to load and press yes the "saving" and the marker appears for like a split second and then the "bit error" appears, so some kind of signal does apparently come out from the userport. This "fenomenon" also appears if i but the multimeter on PIN 1 (ground) and PIN 7 (data out).
One could suspect some mixed up line like DO v/s DI on the sd cardholder or something but i can´t really find something wrong.
I had a similar problem with the the clock/pulse signal in my sync24-64 adapter, it doesn´t worked at all. The solution the was to put a 10k resistor between ground and the clock.
Then the sync/clock worked perfectly with my Roland - 707 and mssiah/prophet 64. Maybe i should try this on the clock from the userport here as well.
One last question: Does the HI-LO settings when saving makes any difference i´ve put it in HI as in your video, but i also tried to put in the lower modes as well with no sucess.
Thanks again for your help firestarter
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So the problem is finally solved. I got nusse's SDR device and checked it out.
The problem is that the schematic is not correct. I built up my prototype first and was drawing the schematics for the release later. And then i made some things wrong which ended up in a buggy schematic!
Nusse did everyting right actually!
I will update to the working schema as soon as possible.
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great. me and also a friend of mine have the same problem.
looking forward to hter new schematic
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Here we are, schematic is fixed. I had to add a 74xx14 IC ( most 74xx14 IC will do it....like 74HC14, 74HCT14 etc...)
Also the 4 lines to the userport changed and the 2 resistors R8 and R9 are removed.
Sorry for the problems!!
http://www.firestarter-music.de/sdr/
cheers
Thomas firestARTer aka Frau Holle
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nice thanks!
one question though:
shouldn't it be possible to invert the signals from rb6 and rb7 in the firmware?
cheers Paul
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Yes, thats possible. But it won't work. The PIC runs on 3,3 Volt and the C64 is very critical and uses only 5 volt logic. The 7414 is doing the job for converting 3,3 volt to 5 volt (well with the extra that it inverts the signal, but thats done in firmware). Also with the 2 resistors in the 1st revision as a pullup to 5 volt, it doesn't work. Too critical C64 inputs.
So 7414 is the easiest solution and you can get it from really every (around the corner) electronic supplier.
Cheers
Thomas
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of course... i totally forgot, the pic runs on 3.3v - sorry.
i won't have a chance the try this untill at least sunday though.
i'll report back, when i get to build it.
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Here is my SDR device, now it works like a charm!!!
I can recomend this device it´s a really nice gadget for the Mssiah/Prophet64 user:)
Anyone else who wants to share some picture of SDR devices?
Last edited by nusse (2013-03-18 00:15:53)
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Looks very nice full assembled!
Have fun with it!
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Damn you... LOL!
Another thing a just have to build! Some time later :p
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finally managed to build it, too.
works like a charm now.
thanks a lot, firestarter!
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Photos or it didn't happen!
Hoorraayyy!! Have fun, enjoy it and spread the word!
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