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RE: [N8VEM: 5462] Re: N8VEM VDU Console Pictures
Good to hear that the printer is working! I am not sure what is going on with Sargon, but just to make sure I will go over the keyboard code one more time.
Dan
-----Original Message-----
From: n8...@googlegroups.com [mailto:n8...@googlegroups.com] On Behalf Of brizza
Sent: Saturday, November 14, 2009 7:13 PM
To: N8VEM
Subject: [N8VEM: 5462] Re: N8VEM VDU Console Pictures
My printer is working now ! I've joined the data ground signals to pin
19 and the rest to pin 20. I guess i could have just joined them all
together. I'm using Sargon Chess as my test program because it works
the cpu and can print from it. I have noticed on higher levels in the
game where it can take several minutes to make a move that processing
stops (no blinking lights on the Bus monitor:-) and if i hit a key on
the keyboard it continues. It may be just the program but might be
something else.
Cheers,
Nik
On Nov 15, 9:37 am, brizza <nbri...@optusnet.com.au> wrote:
> Hi Andrew,
> Yes i can see the 26th line. The output is alot faster ! The printer
> seems to work although i dont have any of the signal grounds connected
> from the printer and i'm not using pins 1,2 vcc or 19,20 grnd on the
> N8VEM. Is it just a matter of joining all the signal ground together
> from the printer and connecting them to pins 19 or 20 on the SBC?
> Regards,
> Nik
>
> On Nov 15, 1:47 am, "Andrew Lynch" <lyn...@yahoo.com> wrote:
>
> > Hi Dan! Thanks! Wow! That *is* a lot faster! It works great on my
> > system! I did some testing with "type dump.asm" and the new version is
> > amazingly fast. It dumps the text in a couple of seconds which is amazing!
>
> > I haven't tested the printer code yet as I need to build a cable and am
> > missing the 20 pin female IDC header. That's on my agenda soon. Hopefully
> > some of the other builders have given it a try. I have an old reliable
> > Panasonic KX-P1124 I keep around just for occasions like this so I am really
> > looking forward to seeing the printer go!
>
> > One thing I noticed during the scroll testing is the VDU display has a
> > mysterious "26th" text line on the bottom of the screen. I thought it had
> > only 25 lines to display but for some reason the VDU is putting random
> > characters at the bottom of the screen. That may explain why your TV
> > monitor's text is so high because the CRTC parameters I posted earlier are
> > probably wrong.
>
> > This may be a lucky accident though since I recall some of the old terminals
> > had a "local status line" where the system could display information
> > separate from the terminal session like caps lock, num lock, disk status,
> > etc. Maybe the extra line could be used for something like that? Are other
> > builders seeing the "26th" text line during their VDU testing? It may be an
> > artifact of my particular CRTC though. Who knows what lurks inside these
> > chips but I suppose we'll find out sooner or later.
>
> > Excellent work Dan! Thanks and have a nice day!
>
> > Andrew Lynch
>
> > > -----Original Message-----
> > > From: n8...@googlegroups.com [mailto:n8...@googlegroups.com] On Behalf Of
> > > Dan Werner
> > > Sent: Friday, November 13, 2009 11:13 PM
> > > To: N8VEM
> > > Subject: [N8VEM: 5448] Re: N8VEM VDU Console Pictures
>
> > > I just uploaded a new VDUCons.asm that impliments hardware scrolling.
> > > It is quite a bit faster scrolling that the old version. The original
> > > software scrolling version is VDUConsSW.asm.
>
> > > Dan
>
> > > On Nov 13, 8:37 pm, Dan Werner <dwe...@dpcpipe.com> wrote:
> > > > The latest version of VDUcons has the lpt: device routed to the
> > > > printer. Note that the printer code has no timeout. If your printer
> > > > is not there, or has an error, CP/M will wait forever until the the
> > > > printer comes back online.
>
> > > > Dan
>
> > > > On Nov 11, 10:25 am, "Dan Werner" <dwe...@dpcpipe.com> wrote:
>
> > > > > Right now the scrolling is all done with software, but I see how the
> > > hardware scrolling would work. After I get the printer code done
> > > (hopefully tonight), I will see if I can get hardware scrolling
> > > implemented.
>
> > > > > Dan
>
> > > > > -----Original Message-----
> > > > > From: n8...@googlegroups.com [mailto:n8...@googlegroups.com] On Behalf
> > > Of Andrew Lynch
> > > > > Sent: Wednesday, November 11, 2009 9:45 AM
> > > > > To: n8...@googlegroups.com
> > > > > Subject: [N8VEM: 5423] Re: N8VEM VDU Console Pictures
>
> > > > > WOW! Thanks Dan! That's super! I downloaded and the new VDUterm and
> > > > > VDUcons and they both work great on my system. Everything I through
> > > at them
> > > > > works fine even warm booting which really is impressive! I can't find
> > > > > anything that *didn't* work so it is doing just great!
>
> > > > > I never tried the printer port though because I'll have to make a
> > > cable.
> > > > > That is on the "to do" list!
>
> > > > > Registers 12/13 and 13/14 can be manipulated for "hardware assisted"
> > > > > scrolling and cursor movement. Just set them to the new desired
> > > starting
> > > > > address and the whole screen shifts instantly. There is 16K of video
> > > RAM
> > > > > which can form a video RAM "circular buffer" for scrolling up and
> > > down.
>
> > > > > This is wonderful development and going to be very helpful if not
> > > essential
> > > > > stuff for new builders! Really, this is incredible to see it working!
>
> > > > > Thanks and have a nice day!
>
> > > > > Andrew Lynch
>
> > > > > > -----Original Message-----
> > > > > > From: n8...@googlegroups.com [mailto:n8...@googlegroups.com] On
> > > Behalf Of
> > > > > > Dan Werner
> > > > > > Sent: Wednesday, November 11, 2009 1:21 AM
> > > > > > To: N8VEM
> > > > > > Subject: [N8VEM: 5415] Re: N8VEM VDU Console Pictures
>
> > > > > > Printer is working. The code is a real hack right now, but I
> > > should
> > > > > > be able to get the flow control stuff and the patch into CP/M done
> > > > > > tomorrow.
>
> > > > > > Dan
>
> > > > > > On Nov 10, 9:02 pm, Dan Werner <dwe...@dpcpipe.com> wrote:
> > > > > > > I may have found the problem a few minutes ago, it appears a few
> > > > > > > versions back I dropped the code that sets up the starting video
> > > > > > > location (registers 12 and 13) on the VDU. It worked on my chip,
> > > but
> > > > > > > I can see how it may not work on others, so I am hoping that the
> > > last
> > > > > > > upload fixed the problem.
>
> > > > > > > I was able to get my hands on a dot matrix printer today, so I am
> > > > > > > wiring up a cable now, and hope to start on the printer code
> > > shortly.
>
> > > > > > > Dan
>
> > > > > > > On Nov 10, 8:56 pm, "Andrew Lynch" <lyn...@yahoo.com> wrote:
>
> > > > > > > > Hi! Thanks! Great progress and excellent work!
>
> > > > > > > > I noticed during modification of the original VI or VT program
> > > that I
> > > > > > had to
> > > > > > > > modify the code compared to the original KuP code. There board
> > > used
> > > > > > the
> > > > > > > > SY6845E which is a later version of the SY6545A I used during
> > > the
> > > > > > prototype
> > > > > > > > development. If I recall correctly, I had to strobe the R31
> > > register
> > > > > > again
> > > > > > > > to get the code to work properly. I suspect there are slight
> > > > > > differences
> > > > > > > > between the SY6545 and SY6845E chips.
>
> > > > > > > >http://n8vem-sbc.pbworks.com/f/kup80zlib.zip
>
> > > > > > > > I think it was this little blurb I added to the VDUTEST.ASM code
>
> > > > > > > > ; added AJL to support SY6545
>
> > > > > > > > LD A, 31 ;
> > > > > > > > OUT (SY6545S),A ;
>
> > > > > > > > Apparently the SY6845E worked without the extra tweak.
>
> > > > > > > > The VI code does not have any screen clear just initialized the
> > > video
> > > > > > mode
> > > > > > > > and displayed a text pattern over the random memory contents.
>
> > > > > > > > VDUTest implemented the screen clear and primitive keyboard
> > > handler
> > > > > > code.
>
> > > > > > > > I guess my point is that if Nik you are having a problem with
> > > the code
> > > > > > > > working on a specific CRTC chip, I would start from the
> > > beginning with
> > > > > > the
> > > > > > > > KuP code and see if my initial tweaks for the SY6545 broke it.
> > > It may
> > > > > > be
> > > > > > > > the extra bump on R31 is not needed for the SY6845E.
>
> > > > > > > > Thanks and have a nice day!
>
> > > > > > > > Andrew Lynch
>
> > > > > > > > > -----Original Message-----
> > > > > > > > > From: n8...@googlegroups.com [mailto:n8...@googlegroups.com]
> > > On
> > > > > > Behalf Of
> > > > > > > > > Dan Werner
> > > > > > > > > Sent: Tuesday, November 10, 2009 4:23 PM
> > > > > > > > > To: n8...@googlegroups.com
> > > > > > > > > Subject: [N8VEM: 5407] Re: N8VEM VDU Console Pictures
>
> > > > > > > > > Hmmm, I will review the source again tonight and see if
> > > anything
> > > > > > jumps out
> > > > > > > > > at me.
>
> > > > > > > > > Dan
>
> > > > > > > > > -----Original Message-----
> > > > > > > > > From: n8...@googlegroups.com [mailto:n8...@googlegroups.com]
> > > On
> > > > > > Behalf Of
> > > > > > > > > brizza
> > > > > > > > > Sent: Tuesday, November 10, 2009 2:27 PM
> > > > > > > > > To: N8VEM
> > > > > > > > > Subject: [N8VEM: 5406] Re: N8VEM VDU Console Pictures
>
> > > > > > > > > Hi Dan,
> > > > > > > > > Yes i stll have the old version program and it's still
> > > working. From
> > > > > > > > > VDU04.zip The programs appeared to work but i suspect now that
> > > > > > VI.COM
> > > > > > > > > did not as the output is very similar to the vduCONS.COM. The
> > > photo
> > > > > > is
> > > > > > > > > in this google groups file area called VI_IMG2.JPG. I'm at
> > > work now
> > > > > > > > > but i can take a photo tonight and email it to you. Thanks for
> > > your
> > > > > > > > > help!
> > > > > > > > > All the Best,
> > > > > > > > > Nik
>
> > > > > > > > > On Nov 11, 12:33 am, "Dan Werner" <dwe...@dpcpipe.com> wrote:
> > > > > > > > > > I am using the Rockwell R6545AP, but the SY6545-1 should
> > > work
> > > > > > fine. Do
> > > > > > > > > you still have an old version of the program, and does it
> > > still
> > > > > > work? Do
> > > > > > > > > the programs in Andrew's VDU4.zip work? Could you snap a
> > > picture
> > > > > > of the
> > > > > > > > > garbage on the screen and e-mail it to me? dwerner AT dpcpipe
> > > DOT
> > > > > > com?
>
> > > > > > > > > > Thanks!
>
> > > > > > > > > > Dan
>
> > > > > > > > > > -----Original Message-----
> > > > > > > > > > From: n8...@googlegroups.com [mailto:n8...@googlegroups.com]
> > > On
> > > > > > Behalf
> > > > > > > > > Of brizza
> > > > > > > > > > Sent: Tuesday, November 10, 2009 2:05 AM
> > > > > > > > > > To: N8VEM
> > > > > > > > > > Subject: [N8VEM: 5401] Re: N8VEM VDU Console Pictures
>
> > > > > > > > > > Hi Dan,
> > > > > > > > > > Great job ! Your the Man ! Nice photos and it looks like
> > > it's
> > > > > > works
> > > > > > > > > > great !
>
> ...
>
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