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Home » RBC Forums » General Discussion » Interested in a Z280 SBC (Z280 SBC retrobrew (CPU280 Revival))  () 1 Vote
Re: Interested in a Z280 SBC [message #4719 is a reply to message #4717] Wed, 23 May 2018 13:34 Go to previous messageGo to next message
hperaza is currently offline  hperaza
Messages: 68
Registered: March 2017
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New version of the Z280 assembler just released (beta 6, download link above).

Changes and additions:
  • Fixed load instructions that use half-index registers on both sides (e.g. ld ixh,ixl): the prefix was being output twice. Those instructions are undocumented on the Z80, but legal on the Z280.
  • suppress all code output for false conditionals (EQU was still getting into listing.)
  • colons are now required after labels that are not followed by an opcode (in other words, when the label is the only thing on the line besides a comment); this was done in order to detect errors like the following:
        ld   a,5
        stc        ; zsm4b5 sees 'stc' as a label,
                   ; zsm4b6 flags the statement as error
        ret
    
  • added .LIST and .XLIST pseudo-ops for compatibility with M80.
  • added signed LESS relational operator from ZSM 2.9.
  • assembly date and time now shown on listing if the feature is supported by the OS.
  • added MACROS, NOMACROS and XMACROS option to the LIST command, as well as the M80-compatible shortcuts .LALL, .SALL and .XALL.
  • nested < > in MACRO arguments are now properly propagated to nested MACROs (one pair of < > removed for each nesting level).
  • the PAGE statement can be followed by an expression argument to set the page length.
Re: Interested in a Z280 SBC [message #4720 is a reply to message #4719] Thu, 24 May 2018 21:07 Go to previous messageGo to next message
ale500 is currently offline  ale500
Messages: 44
Registered: April 2018
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The only thing missing now is the emulator and or a verilog/VHDL implementation, and a C compiler.
Re: Interested in a Z280 SBC [message #4743 is a reply to message #4720] Thu, 07 June 2018 06:39 Go to previous messageGo to next message
hperaza is currently offline  hperaza
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New version of the Z280 assembler just released (beta 7, download link above).

Fixes, changes, etc:
  • EQU/DEFL processing should be correct now (EQU no longer gives an M error if value and mode of a symbol is the same, DEFL will generate an error when redefining a value defined with EQU).
  • LIST options are now reset before each pass.
  • ADD, SUB, AND without an argument did not produce an error message.
  • Unterminated macros and conditionals now produce a T error at the end.
  • New command line syntax (see below)
The assembler is now initiated by typing:
  • ZSM [command]
Where command is optional and has the following format:
  • [relfile],[prnfile]=srcfile[/option][/option...]
If no command is specified, the assembler will enter an interactive command mode and prompt for the next command to be executed. relfile, prnfile and srcfile are valid CP/M file specifications and may contain a drive specification and extension. The default extensions are the following:
  • relfile: REL
  • prnfile: PRN
  • srcfile: MAC
The following device names can be used as well in place of a file specification (normally to redirect the output of the listing):
  • LPT: or LST: (line printer)
  • CON: or TTY: (user's console)
Options are a single char preceded by a slash. Some options require an argument. If several options are specified, each one must be preceded by a slash:
  • /L (force generation of a listing file)
  • /Dsymbol[=value] (define symbol, optionally assigning value to it. The value is a numeric constant following the standard format (i.e. nnnn, nnnnH, etc.) If no value is specified, 0 is assumed)
  • /Sn (set the maximum symbol name length in the REL file, allowed value of n is 5..8 and defaults to 6)
  • /M (initialize block data areas defined by DS to zeros)
  • /U (treat all undefined symbols as externals)
See also the readme.txt included in the package.
Re: Interested in a Z280 SBC [message #4744 is a reply to message #4743] Thu, 07 June 2018 07:20 Go to previous messageGo to next message
hperaza is currently offline  hperaza
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Forgot to mention, I have successfully assembled the CPU280 ROM code using zsm4b7. Mostly thanks to the new /U option, as the source files assume that all undefined symbols are External. Still, minor modifications were necessary:
  1. Replaced ++ and -- in Z280 instructions by + and - (the ++ and -- were used as hints for the pre280 preprocessor to generate long versions of some Z280 instructions; they are not an official Zilog syntax. ZSM4 can determine the operand size automatically).
  2. The 'defb' instructions generated by pre280 were removed from the include (*.mac) files and the original Z280 instructions restored (a limitation of pre280 is that include files needed to be processed separately, and the top module has to include the modified copy and not the original).
  3. Relational operators such as =, >, <=, etc. in conditionals were replaced by eq, gt, le, etc. respectively (the = > <= forms are an extension of the SLR180 assembler and were not implemented in ZSM4 because they conflict with the syntax of Z280 mnemonics)
  4. The diskio.280 contains the following lines:
    TransA:	defb	1,3,5,7,9,11,2,4,6,8,10,
    	...
    TransB:	defb	1,3,5,7,9,11,2,4,6,8,10,
    	...
    TransC:	defb	1,3,5,7,9,11,2,4,6,8,10,
    	...
    TransD:	defb	1,3,5,7,9,11,2,4,6,8,10,
    
    note the extra comma at the end. The comma is superfluous and was removed, as it triggers a syntax error in ZSM4.
  5. In the ldrio.* files there are a couple of macro definitions that end like this:
    	exit:	endm
    
    a label before 'endm' is accepted by SLR180, but not by ZSM4/M80/RMAC; 'endm' is now simply moved to the next line.
  6. In loader.280 the following statement can be found:
    	ld	b,ValNum
    
    where ValNum is an external variable. The problem is that the standard REL file format does not allow external 8-bit values. The instruction was therefore modified:
    	ld	bc,ValNum
    	ld	b,c
    
  7. Again in loader.280, 'Boot' must be declared as PUBLIC (e.g. by using a double-colon), as it is referenced by the kernel.280 module.
  8. Renamed ldos.mrl to ldos.rel (old ldos.rel deleted, as it was meant for SLRNK and therefore was not in the standard REL format)
Linking of both the loader and the BIOS is now done with Digital Research's LINK. That means that pre280 is no longer necessary, neither are SLR180 nor SLRNK.

The Windows Build scripts were modified and Linux scripts were added.

The diff file is attached, as well as a zip file containing the new source tree (BTW, who's the official maintainer of the package?). Once you unzip it, cd to the SYSTEM directory and run the Build script, it should compile cleanly without error messages and produce the system.evn and system.odd ROM images (note that the zxcc Linux binaries are not included, they are assumed to be somewhere in your shell's PATH).

I tried the ROMs in my CPU280 and they work with no problems. In fact they are the ones I use now.

[Updated on: Fri, 08 June 2018 00:29]

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Re: Interested in a Z280 SBC [message #4746 is a reply to message #4744] Thu, 07 June 2018 10:45 Go to previous messageGo to next message
Wayne W is currently offline  Wayne W
Messages: 384
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Location: Fallbrook, California, US...
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hperaza wrote on Thu, 07 June 2018 07:20
The diff file is attached, as well as a zip file containing the new source tree (BTW, who's the official maintainer of the package?Wink. Once you unzip it, cd to the SYSTEM directory and run the Build script, it should compile cleanly without error messages and produce the system.evn and system.odd ROM images (note that the zxcc Linux binaries are not included, they are assumed to be somewhere in your shell's PATH).

Well, I hesitate to think of myself as the official maintainer, but I did create the GitHub repository and developed the existing build scripts. The intent was really just to have someplace where everyone could always find the latest code.

Over the next couple days, I will just confirm that the new build script and toolset creates byte identical output. I would also invite comments from anyone else involved with CPU280 concerning switching the build toolset.

If there are no concerns, then the repository could be updated. I could take your archive and do it for you or you could fork the current trunk in GitHub and submit the changes. Using GitHub to submit the changes would ensure you are credited for all the updates.

One last question. I may have missed it, but I have not seen the source code to your assembler. Are you planning to make that public?

Thanks,

Wayne
Re: Interested in a Z280 SBC [message #4747 is a reply to message #4746] Thu, 07 June 2018 16:29 Go to previous messageGo to next message
hperaza is currently offline  hperaza
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Wayne W wrote on Thu, 07 June 2018 10:45
Over the next couple days, I will just confirm that the new build script and toolset creates byte identical output. I would also invite comments from anyone else involved with CPU280 concerning switching the build toolset.

You will not get byte-identical output, at least not compared to the previous 1.20.2 version. That's because: 1) an instruction was changed in loader.280 (see pt. 6 in my previous message); 2) ZSM4 and Pre280 may disagree on the operand size of certain Z280 instructions; 3) DR LINK is now used to build the loader (DR LINK is unique in that it groups code and data segments from different modules together; while ZLRNK is like L80 where modules are simply chained after each other unless explicit /P and /D options are specified, which results in fragmented code and data segments); and 4) the date string in the sign-on message was changed as well.

Quote:
If there are no concerns, then the repository could be updated. I could take your archive and do it for you or you could fork the current trunk in GitHub and submit the changes. Using GitHub to submit the changes would ensure you are credited for all the updates.

I'm not familiar with GitHub, but I can try (I normally use SourceForge).

Quote:
One last question. I may have missed it, but I have not seen the source code to your assembler. Are you planning to make that public?

The source code has not been released yet, but yes, I'm planning to make it public. I just want to add first all the features I have in my TODO list and fix some pending issues (very few remain).

Also I would like to write some documentation for it, but since English is not my native language it can take some time (thus, any help will be very much appreciated!).
Re: Interested in a Z280 SBC [message #4754 is a reply to message #4747] Fri, 08 June 2018 13:06 Go to previous messageGo to next message
Wayne W is currently offline  Wayne W
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hperaza wrote on Thu, 07 June 2018 16:29
You will not get byte-identical output, at least not compared to the previous 1.20.2 version. That's because: 1) an instruction was changed in loader.280 (see pt. 6 in my previous message); 2) ZSM4 and Pre280 may disagree on the operand size of certain Z280 instructions; 3) DR LINK is now used to build the loader (DR LINK is unique in that it groups code and data segments from different modules together; while ZLRNK is like L80 where modules are simply chained after each other unless explicit /P and /D options are specified, which results in fragmented code and data segments); and 4) the date string in the sign-on message was changed as well.

Right, sorry, that makes sense. I will just run the new build script and confirm it works on my CPU280.

Thanks,

Wayne
Re: Interested in a Z280 SBC [message #4760 is a reply to message #4754] Sun, 17 June 2018 05:54 Go to previous messageGo to next message
Wayne W is currently offline  Wayne W
Messages: 384
Registered: October 2015
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Wayne W wrote on Fri, 08 June 2018 13:06
hperaza wrote on Thu, 07 June 2018 16:29
You will not get byte-identical output, at least not compared to the previous 1.20.2 version. That's because: 1) an instruction was changed in loader.280 (see pt. 6 in my previous message); 2) ZSM4 and Pre280 may disagree on the operand size of certain Z280 instructions; 3) DR LINK is now used to build the loader (DR LINK is unique in that it groups code and data segments from different modules together; while ZLRNK is like L80 where modules are simply chained after each other unless explicit /P and /D options are specified, which results in fragmented code and data segments); and 4) the date string in the sign-on message was changed as well.

Right, sorry, that makes sense. I will just run the new build script and confirm it works on my CPU280.

Thanks,

Wayne


Hi Hector,

I did run the revised build script and it seemed to work fine on Windows. Unfortunately, I did not get a chance to get out my CPU280 and test the ROM image that was created before I had to go out of town. I will be out of pocket for about 3 weeks and will try it when I return.

Thanks,

Wayne
Re: Interested in a Z280 SBC [message #4761 is a reply to message #1189] Tue, 19 June 2018 02:00 Go to previous messageGo to next message
stefan_n is currently offline  stefan_n
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Hi,

Stefan Nitschke here, please let me clarify some points about my fork of UZI280 for the REH CPU280 board.

First of all about the license, I had to set the license to non-commercial only (temporarily) because i was in progress to make a full-blown Z280 ANSI like C compiler available for UZI280. Unfortunately none of the deals worked out and as a result i lost interest in the project. And, more important, i forgot to change the license back to a MIT license as originally intended, lazy me !!

Actually my version of the UZI280 kernel is under a MIT license. BTW this is not really new, many uncounted moons ago i informed Harald Brower, when he worked on his UZI180, that he can use my code without any restrictions.
In case this statement is not sufficient for you i can send the kernel sources with an MIT license to Fritz who is hosting my version. Well i am better going to send him the archive anyway while i am on it.

@Alan, Doug Braun's original UZI280 had no support for split I/D. Please have a look at machdep.c initmmu(): The MMU is initialized with 0x8800 means no split I/D for user and system space. Somehow i have the feeling of a Deja vu while writing this...

It was me who beefed up the linker and the UZI280 kernel to support split I/D (besides several other things) but i gave up on it due to a questionable QC compiler license. BTW the quality and reliability of the code generated by the compiler was questionable as well.

Therefore I switched to the HiTech C compiler for my fork of UZI280, while keeping binary compatibility for user space applications for both split- and non-split I/D. The available archive with the compiler binaries is based on the original HiTech compiler files patched with the provided CPM emulator to make them directly executable on UZI280. This way i was able to use the HiTech C compiler to compile and link the kernel and applications on the target system.

Reaching my initial goal: A self-hosting system without any questionable license issues!

But without the possibility to link binaries with split I/D. Maybe the HiTech linker can be modified for that but i never tried. AFAIK the sources of the HiTech C compiler have never been made available. If i recall correctly HiTech told me the sources got lost (its a shame, i never came along any other ANSI like C compiler with such a small foot print on memory usage). The archives also contain the source for the modified CC and the Z280 optimizer written by Alexander and me.

The sources with the modifications to the HiTech runtime libs (UZI280 adaption and some manual Z280 code optimizations for floating point calculations, etc) got lost due to a partly HD crash. Same happened to the sources of mostly all UZI280 utilities. Sad
There is a very small chance that at least the sources for the modified HiTech runtime libraries are still on one of my old CPM partitions but for checking that i first have to find my old CPU280 system. It is still around somewhere i just don't recall where i put it.

- Stefan

[Updated on: Tue, 19 June 2018 02:01]

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Re: Interested in a Z280 SBC [message #4762 is a reply to message #4761] Tue, 19 June 2018 06:11 Go to previous messageGo to next message
etchedpixels is currently offline  etchedpixels
Messages: 333
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Stefan: thanks for the update, and the licensing situation is really useful to have confimed.

The only other reasonable C compilers I know of with similar footprint of any kind I know of are the Manx compiler (targetting 6502), and MISOSYS C for the TRS80 (K&R). Whether Roy Soltoff still has a copy of, could or would release the source to that compiler I don't know. Tim Mann might. I've also been pondering just disassembling the whole of the Hi Tech compiler and reconstructing it. As I read the permissions that's not outside the licence granted and it's old enough that it wouldn't hurt Hi Tech (or whoever now owns them).

I've done the native Fuzix assembler for Z80 at least, and the linker (which can do split I/D even if the Z80 target can't). The compiler is proving a challenge !

There's also an interesting little project here: https://github.com/k0gaMSX/scc


Re: Interested in a Z280 SBC [message #4763 is a reply to message #4761] Tue, 19 June 2018 07:41 Go to previous messageGo to next message
lowen is currently offline  lowen
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stefan_n wrote on Tue, 19 June 2018 05:00
Hi,

Stefan Nitschke here, please let me clarify some points about my fork of UZI280 for the REH CPU280 board....


Stefan, welcome!

Quote:
In case this statement is not sufficient for you i can send the kernel sources with an MIT license to Fritz who is hosting my version. Well i am better going to send him the archive anyway while i am on it.


Sharing with Fritz is ideal. I'll reply a bit more later; really busy day today.

It is great to see you here, Stefan!


--
Bughlt: Sckmud
Shut her down Scotty, she's sucking mud again!
Re: Interested in a Z280 SBC [message #4764 is a reply to message #4761] Tue, 19 June 2018 10:08 Go to previous messageGo to next message
plasmo is currently offline  plasmo
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stefan_n wrote on Tue, 19 June 2018 03:00
Hi,

Stefan Nitschke here, please let me clarify some points about my fork of UZI280 for the REH CPU280 board.



Stefan,
Welcome! Very glad to see another member of the original CPU280 team joined the discussions on Z280.

At forum member lowen's encouragement, I've designed a Z280-based SBC using newer technology components. The result is Z280RC ( https://www.retrobrewcomputers.org/doku.php?id=builderpages: plasmo:z280rc). During the course of exploring the Z280, I ran across a bug called SNC (Stefan Nitschke Chaos) https://www.retrobrewcomputers.org/forum/index.php?t=msg& ;goto=4410&&srch=chaos#msg_4410

There were some speculations about the causes and possible fixes here:
https://www.retrobrewcomputers.org/forum/index.php?t=msg& ;th=255&goto=4477&#msg_4477
Could you comment on the causes and fixes of SNC?

I would love to see UZI280 ported to Z280RC!

Bill
Re: Interested in a Z280 SBC [message #4765 is a reply to message #4764] Tue, 19 June 2018 11:40 Go to previous messageGo to next message
stefan_n is currently offline  stefan_n
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Quote:

There were some speculations about the causes and possible fixes here:
https://www.retrobrewcomputers.org/forum/index.php?t=msg& ;amp ;th=255&goto=4477&#msg_4477
Could you comment on the causes and fixes of SNC?


Huh, well the name says it all ;-) There had been some random problems with FloppyDisk IO and by accident i found that writing to the IO ports seems to fix the issue. I had not been involved in the hardware aspects of the REH CPU280 so i send the code to Tilman Reh for further investigation. Thats all i can tell you.
I was more interested in UZI280 and since UZI280 did not even had a FD driver, and since i did boot directly from EPROM into UZI280, i never run into that problem.

Quote:

I would love to see UZI280 ported to Z280RC!


Theoretical all that has to be done is to write a HD driver or any other mass storage driver for it. Besides some adaption to memory size and location in the config file.
Re: Interested in a Z280 SBC [message #4766 is a reply to message #4764] Tue, 19 June 2018 11:40 Go to previous messageGo to next message
fritzeflink is currently offline  fritzeflink
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Quote:
I ran across a bug called SNC (Stefan Nitschke Chaos) https://www.retrobrewcomputers.org/forum/index.php?t=msg& ; ;goto=4410&&srch=chaos#msg_4410

---------------------------------------> Very Happy I couldn't resist


/*-----
fritz
-----*/
Re: Interested in a Z280 SBC [message #4767 is a reply to message #1189] Tue, 19 June 2018 11:58 Go to previous messageGo to next message
stefan_n is currently offline  stefan_n
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Hey Fritz you are fast. Thank you!

The UZI280 kernel sources with a MIT license can be downloaded from Fritz's server at
http://oldcomputers.dyndns.org/public/pub/rechner/zilog/z280 /uzi280/index.html
Re: Interested in a Z280 SBC [message #4768 is a reply to message #4767] Tue, 19 June 2018 12:07 Go to previous messageGo to next message
fritzeflink is currently offline  fritzeflink
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[quote title=stefan_n wrote on Tue, 19 June 2018 20:58]Hey Fritz you are fast. Thank you!

that's why I'm called fritzeflink on some planets in the universe.

index.php?t=getfile&id=933&private=0

  • Attachment: UZI280.jpg
    (Size: 180.82KB, Downloaded 289 times)
  • Attachment: hc_3277.jpg
    (Size: 107.89KB, Downloaded 1466 times)


/*-----
fritz
-----*/

[Updated on: Tue, 19 June 2018 12:08]

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Re: Interested in a Z280 SBC [message #4779 is a reply to message #4768] Sun, 24 June 2018 09:49 Go to previous messageGo to next message
hperaza is currently offline  hperaza
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New version of the Z280 assembler just released (beta 8, download link same as before).

Fixes, changes, etc:
  • sending listing directly to the printer (LPT: device) should work correctly now.
  • nested <>s allowed in IRPC macros.
  • new command-line options /Z0, /Z1 and /Z2 to set the initial target CPU type to Z80, Z180 and Z280 respectively.
  • fixed a bug in IFIDN/IFDIF string comparison.
  • fixed 'ldw ix,(ix+n)' and 'ldw (ix+n),ix' instructions, where n is a 8-bit constant: they no longer produce a syntax error and the expected object code is generated. Thanks to Tony Nicholson (the only beta tester?) who found the bug.
  • added .LFCOND and .SFCOND as shortcuts for LIST COND and LIST NOCOND respectively, for compatibility with M80.

[Updated on: Sun, 24 June 2018 09:51]

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Re: Interested in a Z280 SBC [message #4880 is a reply to message #4779] Tue, 10 July 2018 05:55 Go to previous messageGo to next message
hperaza is currently offline  hperaza
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New version of the Z280 assembler just released (beta 9, download link same as before).

Fixes, changes, etc:
  • implemented NUL operator for compatibility with RMAC and M80.
  • % in MACRO arguments can be followed by an expression, not just a variable name.
  • force output of label value (current PC address) to the listing if the label is the only thing on a line. The label also appears in MACRO expansions in .XALL mode even if no object code is generated (M80 does the same).
  • EXITM restores conditional level to the state before MACRO invocation.
  • errors in arguments of IF statements were detected but not indicated on the listing.
  • fixed processing of DEFS statements and External references inside a .PHASE/.DEPHASE block (the relevant segment information is now correctly output to the REL file).
  • IRPC bug fix: if the argument was not enclosed in angle brackets <>, the first char of the string was being forced to uppercase.
  • fixed processing of LOCAL statements inside nested MACRO definitions.
Re: Interested in a Z280 SBC [message #4881 is a reply to message #4880] Tue, 10 July 2018 07:13 Go to previous messageGo to next message
b1ackmai1er is currently offline  b1ackmai1er
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hperaza wrote on Tue, 10 July 2018 05:55
New version of the Z280 assembler just released (beta 9, download link same as beforeWink.

Fixes, changes, etc:



Nice work. Can't beleive 40 year old software is still evolving. Have you considered speaking to Wayne W about using this as the assembler for ROMWBW so that it gets some production use?

Regars Phil
Re: Interested in a Z280 SBC [message #4885 is a reply to message #4881] Tue, 10 July 2018 08:35 Go to previous messageGo to next message
rhkoolstar is currently offline  rhkoolstar
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Hi all,

I have attempted to enter the original CPU280 schematics from the CPU280 hardware manual into KiCad (Eeschema). I would appreciate it if someone would have a look at it. Note that I did not convert the original Eagle files, I drew the design anew.
I also made a board layout in Pcbnew and ran it though freerouter, mainly to catch mistakes I made.
The Gerbers are included, but don't use them for production please.

The custom library parts and footprints are included in the 'lib' folder. Please make sure the library is at the top of your list, as some designs are corrected from the original library, in particular the ECB bus connector C64AC.

Happy bughunting
Rienk




  • Attachment: CPU280.zip
    (Size: 175.39KB, Downloaded 268 times)
Re: Interested in a Z280 SBC [message #4886 is a reply to message #4885] Tue, 10 July 2018 08:53 Go to previous messageGo to next message
Andrew B is currently offline  Andrew B
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I have a little bit of a request for someone with the CPU280. I haven't had time to build a CPU280 myself, but this is one of my favorite threads on the forum. I love that the community has come together to bring back a historic homebrew computer design. Especially with the Z280, because I frequently wonder what would have happened in the modern CPU space if Zilog has been successful with CPUs after the Z80.

For a while now I have wanted to update the image on the front page of the wiki - perhaps even rotate it every 1-3 months to highlight a different project. The random cell phone picture of my Zeta is kind of sad in my opinion.

Would one of the CPU280 owners be able to take a suitable 'promotional' picture of their CPU280 running, (preferably with a terminal setup and as much other associated hardware as possible) that I could use for the front page of the wiki? Really go nuts and show off your work. We can make it the '3rd quarter 2018' image from July-September Smile

[Updated on: Tue, 10 July 2018 08:53]

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Re: Interested in a Z280 SBC [message #4890 is a reply to message #1189] Tue, 10 July 2018 18:18 Go to previous messageGo to next message
agn453 is currently offline  agn453
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Hello all!

I'm currently tinkering with one of Bill Shen's Z280RC boards and porting software with the aim to get a banked-memory CP/M-Plus running. I've been using Hector Peraza's new ZSM4 and building software natively.

[To get around restrictions on posting URLs for this message (my first posting here), I'll put the rest of the details in the next message]




--
Tony Nicholson

[Updated on: Tue, 10 July 2018 22:43]

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Re: Interested in a Z280 SBC [message #4891 is a reply to message #1189] Tue, 10 July 2018 18:20 Go to previous messageGo to next message
agn453 is currently offline  agn453
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[Continued - my second posting here can have URLs (I hope)]

For the past few days I have spent the cold(ish) Australian winter evenings translating the comments in the CPU280 SYSTEM source files at https://github.com/wwarthen/CPU280 from German into English! Studying this source-code is giving me a better idea of what's involved with running CP/M-Plus using System/User modes on the Z280!

I thought these files might be of interest to other Z280 tinkerers - so they're available on Github at

https://github.com/agn453/cpu280-english


--
Tony Nicholson

[Updated on: Tue, 10 July 2018 22:44]

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Re: Interested in a Z280 SBC [message #4892 is a reply to message #4891] Tue, 10 July 2018 19:55 Go to previous messageGo to next message
plasmo is currently offline  plasmo
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Tony,
I downloaded the files from your github, xmodem them into my Z280RC. Downloaded Hector Peraza's latest (beta 9) zsm4. Ran the build.sub and everything assembled correctly in my native Z280RC CP/M2.2 environment. Cool! What's the next step?

Bill

BTW, welcome to RetroBrew Computer Forum!
Re: Interested in a Z280 SBC [message #4893 is a reply to message #4892] Tue, 10 July 2018 22:37 Go to previous messageGo to next message
agn453 is currently offline  agn453
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Bill,

The resulting .REL files can be linked according to the procedures outlined at https://github.com/wwarthen/CPU280/ and in section 5 of the cpu280_software-manual_en.pdf from the CPU280 project page at https://www.retrobrewcomputers.org/doku.php?id=boards:sbc:cp u280:start

My interest in translating the original sources into English was so that I could examine the System-mode and User-mode techniques in the CPU280 CP/M-Plus banked memory BIOS. This is the only example that I have found online for a Z280 MPU.

It is not for your Z280RC board.

Tony


--
Tony Nicholson
Re: Interested in a Z280 SBC [message #4899 is a reply to message #4893] Wed, 11 July 2018 10:17 Go to previous messageGo to next message
lowen is currently offline  lowen
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Wow, so many replies, so little time....

Tony, just wow! Those translated comments are going to be so nice. Thank you!

Rienk, thanks so much for taking the time to redraw in kicad. I haven't had time to look through the files as yet, but I will be doing so as soon as I can.

Andrew, my CPU280 isn't really photogenic right now, but Wayne posted a nice photo of his setup upthread, but I believe you're looking for a bit more than what's in that photo. I'm glad you're enjoying the thread!

Bill, again, just wow! Your enthusiasm for the Z280 is so very gratifying to me.

Hector, the assembler is coming along nicely I see! I'm looking forward to the source being available.

All, this has been a team effort, for sure, and I thank you all for all of your help!


--
Bughlt: Sckmud
Shut her down Scotty, she's sucking mud again!
Re: Interested in a Z280 SBC [message #4904 is a reply to message #4885] Thu, 12 July 2018 06:57 Go to previous messageGo to next message
b1ackmai1er is currently offline  b1ackmai1er
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rhkoolstar wrote on Tue, 10 July 2018 08:35

Happy bughunting
Rienk


Data lines appear to be swapped here:

index.php?t=getfile&id=996&private=0
  • Attachment: CPU280-1.png
    (Size: 27.20KB, Downloaded 1270 times)
Re: Interested in a Z280 SBC [message #4905 is a reply to message #4904] Thu, 12 July 2018 08:36 Go to previous messageGo to next message
rhkoolstar is currently offline  rhkoolstar
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Well spotted!

I'm not sure however. I used the pin names (and the system), not the pin numbers. One of them is wrong. I have to check the original Gerber to see which one was intended.

index.php?t=getfile&id=997&private=0

Thanks anyway, I will let you know.

Rienk
Re: Interested in a Z280 SBC [message #4908 is a reply to message #4905] Fri, 13 July 2018 00:29 Go to previous messageGo to next message
rhkoolstar is currently offline  rhkoolstar
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The pin number version is correct. I corrected the schematics.

I wonder however if that is what Tilmann Reh intended. There seems to be no benefit to routing the design with those pins swapped.
Both versions will work.

Rienk
Re: Interested in a Z280 SBC [message #4909 is a reply to message #4908] Fri, 13 July 2018 00:45 Go to previous messageGo to next message
rhkoolstar is currently offline  rhkoolstar
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There was something I was meaning to ask:
The schematics are version 130192
The Gerber is version 130192a

Is this significant?

Rienk
Re: Interested in a Z280 SBC [message #4915 is a reply to message #1189] Sat, 14 July 2018 06:17 Go to previous messageGo to next message
ale500 is currently offline  ale500
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I'd like to build one Z280 SBC too. I got 2 Z280s from aliexpress, they are the 10 MHz variant. VCC and GND pins seem to be at the right position, I mean there is continuity between them...
I just want to use some SRAMs and maybe a uC as ROM emulator.
Re: Interested in a Z280 SBC [message #4917 is a reply to message #4885] Sat, 14 July 2018 22:35 Go to previous messageGo to next message
b1ackmai1er is currently offline  b1ackmai1er
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rhkoolstar wrote on Tue, 10 July 2018 08:35

Happy bughunting
Rienk


Incorrect Data line here:

index.php?t=getfile&id=999&private=0

  • Attachment: CPU280-2.png
    (Size: 6.69KB, Downloaded 1097 times)
Re: Interested in a Z280 SBC [message #4918 is a reply to message #4917] Sat, 14 July 2018 23:55 Go to previous messageGo to next message
rhkoolstar is currently offline  rhkoolstar
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Oops, thanks.

is D3 now.


I realize I neglected to include a .pdf version of the design.
people without a working KiCad are being left out, sorry about that

also corrected.

Rienk
  • Attachment: CPU280.pdf
    (Size: 451.66KB, Downloaded 286 times)

[Updated on: Sun, 15 July 2018 00:01]

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Re: Interested in a Z280 SBC [message #4989 is a reply to message #4918] Sun, 05 August 2018 20:14 Go to previous messageGo to next message
Wayne W is currently offline  Wayne W
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Hi Folks,

Sorry for the delay, but I have finally gotten caught up on the work to integrate changes into the CPU280 GitHub repository at https://github.com/wwarthen/CPU280. For now, I have added a temporary branch called "zsm" while all of the changes are confirmed/tested. I will merge this temporary branch back into the master branch at some point in the future.

In the zsm branch, I integrated the ZSM4 work from Hector Peraza. The ZSM4 binary was updated to the latest beta 9 release.

Also in the zsm branch, I integrated the English language conversion of comments from Tony Nicholson. I confirmed that Tony's changes resulted in exactly the same byte-for-byte binary output.

Everything seems to be working fine for me at this point, but I was hoping that some others could confirm this.

Note that I updated the version number to 1.21. Please be certain that you retrieve files from the zsm branch for testing.

Thanks!

Wayne
Re: Interested in a Z280 SBC [message #5060 is a reply to message #4989] Tue, 28 August 2018 05:41 Go to previous messageGo to next message
lowen is currently offline  lowen
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It's been a little bit since I last posted parts status on the thread, so here goes:
I have four IDE boards available, and nine CPU280 boards. I think I have enough parts on-hand to send out three or four hard-to-find parts kits, limited primarily by my stock of COM81C17 chips (I tend to keep a small amount on-hand of these chips and order only when needed). I do have over 20 Z280 CPUs on-hand, so if you need a Z280 for a different project (such as building one of Plasmo's neat RC2014-compatible boards) I can help out with that.

I've put my CPU280 in storage for a bit as I work on my home computer lab room relocation, but I can pull it out if needed on relatively short notice, and will be setting it up semi-permanently in my lab once I'm done with the work on the lab space, and then I'm going to get back on the UZI280 items that I've had on my list for quite some time.

Do I owe anyone a set of boards or a kit at this time? I think I got everyone's stuff shipped out, with no outstanding orders, but I want to make sure.

Also, I want to just mention how wonderful it has been to see all the interest in the Z280, particularly from hperaza and plasmo, and now that etchedpixels has a Z280 in-hand I really look forward to a FUZIX for Z280.....

Andrew B, did anyone get a set of photos to you?


--
Bughlt: Sckmud
Shut her down Scotty, she's sucking mud again!
Re: Interested in a Z280 SBC [message #5061 is a reply to message #5060] Tue, 28 August 2018 12:42 Go to previous messageGo to next message
plasmo is currently offline  plasmo
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lowen,
Thank you for bringing back Z280 from the grave and introducing this interesting processor to me. I've been working with it for the last 9 months or so and I believe it is a rock solid CPU packed with numerous modern features. It is readily available from UTSource at a very good price. It can be reliably overclocked to 29.49MHz beyond the nominal 24MHz and most of them works at 33MHz. In 8-bit mode it is fully compatible with Z80, but retain just about all its extended instructions and enhanced features. The UART bootstrap is a really interesting feature, it really help me bring up new designs with nothing more than Z280, clock and RAM. I've incorporated the UART bootstrap as a feature for all my three Z280 designs. It serves as a backdoor to diagnose the board and a mechanism to load/reload core software.

I just registered on Z88dk forum and put in a request for Z280 version of Z88dk. I hope etchedpixels is working on the Z280 version of FUZIX and I'm certainly very interested in UZI280. I also believe (haven't tried it yet) that MP/M and CP/net should work very well on Z280 as well as other multiprocessing ideas. May Z280 lives long and prosper!

Bill

PS, What do you think of selling Z280 on eBay with nominal markup for S&H and eBay fee? It is a way to advertise the availability of the device and faster shipping to USA destinations.

PPS, I still have 5 blank ZZ80RC pc boards. The offer to mail a complimentary board to USA address is still valid.
Re: Interested in a Z280 SBC [message #5062 is a reply to message #5061] Tue, 28 August 2018 12:49 Go to previous messageGo to next message
lowen is currently offline  lowen
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plasmo wrote on Tue, 28 August 2018 15:42
lowen,
Thank you for bringing back Z280 from the grave and introducing this interesting processor to me.....


You're welcome; it has been very encouraging to me to watch you run with it like you have!

Quote:
....May Z280 lives long and prosper!


Indeed! If Z88dk and thus sdcc get a good port, we'll really be one our way.

Quote:
PS, What do you think of selling Z280 on eBay with nominal markup for S&H and eBay fee? It is a way to advertise the availability of the device and faster shipping to USA destinations.


If you throw in 'tested' into the mix I think it would be well worthwhile, for a moderate markup plus S&H.

Quote:
PPS, I still have 5 blank ZZ80RC pc boards. The offer to mail a complimentary board to USA address is still valid.


I've been waiting to see if others want them first, but if you don't get any takers put me in for one, and you have my address. I'm a sucker for another Z280 machine, especially if etchedpixels ports FUZIX to it.. (hi, Alan!)... but I want others to have first dibs, since I have running Z280 systems, just not the RC2014-compatible one.


--
Bughlt: Sckmud
Shut her down Scotty, she's sucking mud again!

[Updated on: Tue, 28 August 2018 12:50]

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Re: Interested in a Z280 SBC [message #5063 is a reply to message #5062] Tue, 28 August 2018 13:02 Go to previous messageGo to next message
plasmo is currently offline  plasmo
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lowen wrote on Tue, 28 August 2018 13:49

I've been waiting to see if others want them first, but if you don't get any takers put me in for one, and you have my address. I'm a sucker for another Z280 machine, especially if etchedpixels ports FUZIX to it.. (hi, Alan!Wink... but I want others to have first dibs, since I have running Z280 systems, just not the RC2014-compatible one.


OK, I'll mail one out to you tomorrow. It is a single board computer, so it doesn't really need the RC2014 backplane. You don't need to populate the RC2014 connector or you can wire it for other type of expansion.
Bill
Re: Interested in a Z280 SBC [message #5065 is a reply to message #5063] Tue, 28 August 2018 14:14 Go to previous messageGo to next message
etchedpixels is currently offline  etchedpixels
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I've started scoping the work. Much of the hard stuff is in the two Z280 UZIs.

First need though is to get the assembler with SDCC to do Z280 as well as the current stuff. The compiler is less pressing as Z80 code while not as efficient isn't that much worse the way SDCC generates it.

MP/M should work fine on that board. Now the crazy hack would be to virtualize it given the CPU can I think do that sufficiently well and run multiple copies of CP/ M and MP/M at once. That one is not on my TODO list!

Re: Interested in a Z280 SBC [message #5066 is a reply to message #5065] Tue, 28 August 2018 16:27 Go to previous messageGo to previous message
Wayne W is currently offline  Wayne W
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etchedpixels wrote on Tue, 28 August 2018 14:14
First need though is to get the assembler with SDCC to do Z280 as well as the current stuff. The compiler is less pressing as Z80 code while not as efficient isn't that much worse the way SDCC generates it.


John Coffman implemented a complete Z280 version of the SDCC assembler.

-Wayne
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