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SBC V2

The SBC V2 is a Zilog Z80 processor board. It's a 100x160mm board that is capable of functioning both as a standalone SBC or as attached to the ECB bus.

Features

  • 4Mhz Zilog Z80 CPU
  • Up to 512Kb paged SRAM (: Add link to the paging description)
  • Up to 1Mb EPROM or FLASH ROM.
  • Serial Interface (16550 Uart)
  • Parallel interface (8255), can be extended to support IDE interface via small board
  • Real Time Clock (DS1302)
  • Battery backup for RTC and SRAM.
  • Standard ECB bus interface
  • Standard PC drive connector power supply interface using +5V only
  • Reset button with external connector
  • Status LED

Pictures

Board

The latest SBC V2 schematic is available here: :boards:sbc:sbc_v2:sbc-v2-003-sch.pdf

Also, here's the board's PCB layout: :boards:sbc:sbc_v2:sbc-v2-003-brd.pdf

Kicad files for board manufacture: :boards:sbc:sbc_v2:ecb_sbc_v2-003-kicad.zip

A description of the circuit operation can been seen here: http://obsolescence.wixsite.com/obsolescence/the-n8vem-sbc

Errata

There is an error in the board layouts of sbc-v2-003 compared to the original schematic that results in the external reset not working in Kontron mode.

To configure the board to work in Kontron mode with the external reset coming from the backplane the following workaround can be made.

  1. Pin 3 on K13 needs to be jumpered to Pin 2 of P6 (Reset switch jumper) - this connects the backplane reset input pin (c31) to the reset circuit input.
  2. Pin 1-2 needs to be jumpered on K13 - this connects the /reset circuit output to the backplane reset out pin(c26).

Jumper Settings

The following table outlines the correct jumper settings for the SBC V2 board:

Board ReferenceJumper Description
Jumper setting

1-2

Jumper setting

2-3
Notes
JP1 Battery backup X
Installed - allows you to use the common battery backup on the ECB bus (pin A24).

Not installed - means either a local battery is used or no battery backup at all.
JP2One bit input portX
Installed - enables the one bit input port. This is currently
unused although could be used for external input if desired like a button or other things.

Not installed - disables the one bit input port.
K1U2 EPROM chip pins (32-pin or 28-pin)X * 32-pin EPROM used in U2 (ex. 27C080 1MBx8 EPROM) - default
X28-pin EPROM used in U2 (ex. 27C256 EPROM)
K2UART side hardware handshaking (DSR, CTS)X * DSR (this should be paired with K3 - DTR) - default
XCTS (this should be paired with K3 - RTS)
K3UART side hardware handshaking (DTR, RTS)X * DTR (this should be paired with K2 - DSR) - default
XRTS (this should be paired with K2 - CTS)
K4Serial side hardware handshaking (DSR, CTS)X * DSR (this should be paired with K5 - DTR) - default
XCTS (this should be paired with K5 - RTS)
K5Serial side hardware handshaking (DTR, RTS)X * DTR (this should be paired with K4 - DSR) - default
XRTS (this should be paired with K4 - CTS)
K6U2 chip type (27C080 EPROM, 29C040 flash)X * 27C080 EPROM used in U2 - default
X29C040 flash used in U2
K7U23 SRAM (512K or 128K)X * 512K chip used in U23 - default
X128K chip used in U23
K8U2 chip type (27C080 EPROM, 29C040 flash)X * 27C080 EPROM used in U2 - default
X29C040 flash used in U2
K9Parallel Port power control (pin 25)X * GROUND - default
XVCC ( WARNING - this setting will send VCC power down pin 25 of the parallel port which may potentially damage connected device)
K10MCPL (Memory Page Config Latched)X * 32K upper RAM fixed/32K lower RAM switchable memory map - default
X48K upper RAM fixed/16K lower RAM switchable memory map (banked)
K11MCPL (Memory Page Config Latched)X * 32K upper RAM fixed/32K lower RAM switchable memory map - default
X48K upper RAM fixed/16K lower RAM switchable memory map (banked)
K12Bus Interrupt (pin A23)X * Internal UART interrupt - default
XExternal ECB interrupt
K13ECB/Kontron Reset configurationX * ECB legacy: pin C-31 is Reset OUT to peripherals - default
X
Kontron compatible: pin C-31 is Reset IN from a SPST pushbutton pin C-26 is Reset OUT to peripherals.
N.B.: All boards in a system must use the same setting. Older boards don't have this jumper; hence, 1-2 is specified as the “default” setting. Newer systems should use the Kontron setting, since the newer backplanes have the Reset IN connector for pin C-31. (JRC 2015-7-6)

* = default setting

Serial Cable Instructions

The SBC V2 doesn't have any video capabilities in its solitary form. Therefore, in order to test it, you will need to connect it to a serial terminal (which will provide the keyboard input and monitor output). The easiest way to do this is to construct a cable which will provide a serial port (with a D-sub connector or DE-9 plug) which will plug into a “host” computer running a serial terminal emulation program. This program will allow you to interface with the SBC V2 board using the host computer’s keyboard and monitor.

First, you must build a cable with an IDC-10 plug on one end (plastic rectangular connector with 2 rows of 5 pins) and a female DE-9 plug (ie. a serial port plug) on the other end.

The female DE-9 plug is what you will plug into the serial port of your host computer. Serial ports (on the back of the computer) are male ports (ie. they have pins), so the plug at the end of this cable must be a female plug (they have holes). It's not recommended to use accessory serial cables to make this connection (such as null modem cables, etc.). This is because many such cables are wired for specific applications, and may not work with your SBC V2 board. For instance, a serial data transfer cable is wired very differently from a “straight-through” serial cable (pin 1 to 1, 2 to 2, etc.) which is different from a null modem cable. Because of this cable inconsistency, it's preferred to build the complete custom cable from the beginning knowing exactly what pin is connected where and why, and not to use any serial extension cables. The exception to this is using a serial cable that you know is wired as a “straight through” cable (with each pin on one plug connected to each pin on the other plug: 1 to 1, 2 to 2, etc).

The following cable layout shows what is being connected where in this cable:

IDC-10 sideDE-9 side
24
33
52
76
95

Pin 1 on the IDC plug is marked with an embossed triangle on the plug, and this pin corresponds to pin 1 on the pcb which is marked with a square solder hole (at the lower-right most position of the plug on the SBC V2 pcb). The pins on the DE-9 plug are usually marked right on the plug itself in tiny numbers. Strip some wires and solder away. Instead of stripping wires and soldering manually, you can also use ribbon cable and special “direct connect” plugs that connect directly to the ribbon cable without soldering (they have rows of metal “pins” that press down and penetrate the ribbon cable to make the connections). Because of the non-standard pin connections that are needed in this cable (per the above table), however, you will likely need to do some soldering or “custom connecting”.

Always double and triple check where you’re soldering something before you solder it. When you’ve built your cable, use your multimeter to check connectivity between each pin on the IDC-10 side and the DE-9 side according to the arrangement above to make sure you got it right.

In order to test connections in a plug you cannot stick the multimeter lead into the hole (because it will not fit). Instead, take a spare piece of wire, stick it into the hole for the pin you want to test, and then touch the multimeter lead to that wire.

Flow control considerations:

ROMWBW will automatically identify the type of serial chip installed. Depending on the capability of the serial chip, flow control may or may not be available. Chip data sheets cannot be relied upon to accurately identify the chips capability.

In the absence of flow control, guidelines for baud rate settings are:

4Mhz CPU Crystal - 38400 baud

8Mhz CPU Crystal - 57600 baud

Baud rate can be changed using the CP/M MODE program i.e. MODE COM0:57600,8,N,1 /P

If garbled characters are seen on the display or serial file transfers fail, a lower baud rate should be tried.

Parts List

Full list of parts::boards:sbc:sbc_v2:sbc-v2-parts-list.pdf

See here for minimum build and parts substitution guidelines.

Software

There is extensive firmware support for the SBC V2 and associated ECB peripheral cards. Currently there are two firmware builds still being actively developed - UNA and ROMWBW.

See here for current software builds and information on historical projects.

A debug boot ROM can be installed for testing - try James Moxham's ROMIMAGE.BIN from here.

REAL TIME CLOCK (RTC)

The DS1302 real time clock can be set under CP/M using the rtc utility program.

Loading CPM...
CP/M-80 Version 2.2C for the N8VEM, October 2008
Run XM from A drive, this downloads file to B drive
A>rtc
Start RTC Program
RTC: Version 1.0
RTC: Commands: E)xit T)ime st(A)rt S)et R)aw L)oop C)harge N)ocharge D)elay I)nit G)et P)ut H)elp
RTC: trickle charger disabled.
RTC>

Set the time and date with the Init command first and then use the Set command to program it.

RTC.COM can also be used to set up trickle charging for the backup battery or super capacitor if connected. More Information on charging Super Capacitors can be found here: https://www.maximintegrated.com/en/design/tools/calculators/product-design/supercap.cfm

The utility can also set and read the RTC memory.

RTC.COM is part of Wayne Warthen's ROMWBW package.

Status LED

A single color or bicolor LED can be installed for the status LED. The LED monitors the status of the HALT line from the Z80 CPU. Consider the color selection and orientation when choosing. A red/green LED is ideal and logically should show green when cpu is running and red when halted. Or in the case of a single colour LED, on when cpu is running and off when halted. It is wise to not fully solder in the LED until the orientation has been checked to confirm the right sequence. Or, you could install a pin header and run flying leads to an LED mounted in a case,

The HALT status can be initiated by booting CP/M and running the DDTZ debugger, loading and executing a HALT instruction.

B>ddtz
DDTZ v2.7M by CB Falconer. CPU=Z80
-a100
0100   hlt
0101
-g100

Memory Paging

The SBC can be configured with 128Kb or 512Kb RAM and up to 512Kb ROM. The Z80 processor can only access 64Kb at one time, so the additionally memory is accessed through a memory paging scheme.

The memory paging system can be configured in different ways but the common default is to be set with a fixed 32Kb of RAM set in the top 8000h-FFFFh range and for the bottom 32Kb 0000h-7FFFh being selectable from either the RAM or ROM chips. This 32Kb/32Kb configuration is what is supported by the ROMWBW software package.

Port Map

PPI 82C55 I/O $60-$67

16550 UART $68

RTC LATCH AND INPUT PORT $70

RAM MEMORY PAGER CONFIG LATCH - RAM (WRITE ONLY) $78

RAM MEMORY PAGER CONFIG LATCH - ROM (WRITE ONLY) $7C

Changes from V1

Information regarding V1 can be found here.


boards/sbc/sbc_v2/start.1542375698.txt.gz · Last modified: 2018/11/16 08:41 by b1ackmai1er
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