New graphics, sound and joystick module for RCBUS

[Les Bird]

Hi all, 

I designed a new graphics, sound and joystick module for the RC2014. Everything on a single module. For graphics it has the F18A TMS9918 on a Tang Nano FPGA. For sound it uses the AY-3-8910 and also uses the AY-3's I/O parallel ports for 2 joysticks (port A and port B). It outputs directly to HDMI with outstanding quality. Because I used the F18A FPGA I was able to reduce the circuitry considerably and fit it all on a somewhat standard size RC2014 board size. It is just a hair larger so I could fit the 2 joystick ports on it. The VDP and PSG ports are hardwired for MSX hardware (VDP @ 0x98 and PSG @ 0xA0). It plays all the MSX8 (https://github.com/lesbird/MSX8) games really really well on the RC2014.

Norby, this might be a good graphics option for your H89 RCBus project but also maybe you can put this on a H89 card so we can have graphics on the H89?

This could also be made for the H8 which I may do soon for a much more simplified graphics card option. However, it is so compact that a lot of H8 realestate will be wasted on a full size card so it would probably be better to put this on some kind of multipurpose card instead.

Details here: https://github.com/sebhc/sebhc/wiki/RCBUSMSX

Final board design from JLC should arrive around the middle of next week.

Here's the working prototype on my RC2014 Pro set up.

[Glenn Roberts]

Congratulations Les, fantastic work

Sent from my iPad

On Jun 28, 2024, at 10:30 AM, Les Bird <lesb...@gmail.com> wrote:

Hi all, 

<RCBUSMSX10R3.png>

Here's the working prototype on my RC2014 Pro set up.

<RCBUSMSXPROTO.jpg>

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<RCBUSMSXPROTO.jpg>

<RCBUSMSX10R3.png>

[W2HX]

Could I ask for an explanation of the rc2014's relation to the heathkit gear? Do they share a bus or something? 

Sent from Nine

---

From: Les Bird <lesb...@gmail.com>
Sent: Friday, June 28, 2024 10:30 AM
To: SEBHC
Subject: [sebhc] New graphics, sound and joystick module for RCBUS

[Glenn Roberts]

I’ll take a crack at an answer, though I’ve never been involved in the rc2014 arena.

It is a modern retro computer that accommodates a range of Z80 family CPUs and defines its own bus. There are multiple designs but they fit in a small form factor. I think Wayne Werthen’s ROMWbw (ROM-based CP/M) is popular there. I’m guessing rc stands for retro computer and the project began in 2014?

So there’s a crossover of interest with the Heathkit community since it’s a z80-based kit computer but otherwise no real connection…

Others feel free to enhance or correct my description…

Glenn

Sent from my iPad

On Jun 28, 2024, at 2:36 PM, W2HX <w2...@w2hx.com> wrote:



Could I ask for an explanation of the rc2014's relation to the heathkit gear? Do they share a bus or something? 

Sent from Nine

---

From: Les Bird <lesb...@gmail.com>
Sent: Friday, June 28, 2024 10:30 AM
To: SEBHC
Subject: [sebhc] New graphics, sound and joystick module for RCBUS

Hi all, 

I designed a new graphics, sound and joystick module for the RC2014. Everything on a single module. For graphics it has the F18A TMS9918 on a Tang Nano FPGA. For sound it uses the AY-3-8910 and also uses the AY-3's I/O parallel ports for 2 joysticks (port A and port B). It outputs directly to HDMI with outstanding quality. Because I used the F18A FPGA I was able to reduce the circuitry considerably and fit it all on a somewhat standard size RC2014 board size. It is just a hair larger so I could fit the 2 joystick ports on it. The VDP and PSG ports are hardwired for MSX hardware (VDP @ 0x98 and PSG @ 0xA0). It plays all the MSX8 (https://github.com/lesbird/MSX8) games really really well on the RC2014.

Norby, this might be a good graphics option for your H89 RCBus project but also maybe you can put this on a H89 card so we can have graphics on the H89?

This could also be made for the H8 which I may do soon for a much more simplified graphics card option. However, it is so compact that a lot of H8 realestate will be wasted on a full size card so it would probably be better to put this on some kind of multipurpose card instead.

Details here: https://github.com/sebhc/sebhc/wiki/RCBUSMSX

Final board design from JLC should arrive around the middle of next week.

<RCBUSMSX10R3.png>

Here's the working prototype on my RC2014 Pro set up.

<RCBUSMSXPROTO.jpg>

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[W2HX]

Ah, OK.  So it is the desire to port this project over to the h89 or h8 that really makes it relevant.  Gotcha thanks. 

Sent from Nine

---

From: Glenn Roberts <glenn.f...@gmail.com>
Sent: Saturday, June 29, 2024 6:01 AM
To: se...@googlegroups.com
Subject: Re: [sebhc] New graphics, sound and joystick module for RCBUS

To view this discussion on the web visit https://groups.google.com/d/msgid/sebhc/CFC71E3C-DF9A-41A4-8E4F-6FE0F8543EF0%40gmail.com.

[Glenn Roberts]

NOGDS made a sound and graphics card for the h89 (equivalent to the HA-8-3 for the H8). I'm not sure how popular that was? I've never seen one. I think Les was suggesting adapting his rc2014 one to the 89 might make for a simpler solution...

To view this discussion on the web visit https://groups.google.com/d/msgid/sebhc/3c1f47f2-4d72-47c7-bce4-d4843ce95b4f%40w2hx.com.

[Les Bird]

Yes that was my intent, to take my module and adapt it to work with the H89. I've not done any H89 board designs so Norby would be the best one to take on this task. The module I made should easily fit on a H89 board. But also Norby has been working on an H89 that uses the RCBus and if he stuck to the RCBus design this module should plug right in. Getting a graphics board for the H89 is the ultimate goal though since, as Glenn said, the NOGDS board is extremely rare. Adapting this module would allow H89 users to run MSX8 and all the games that work with it.

Les

[Mark Garlanger]

I have a HA-89-3, but I don't have it working in a system - https://heathkit.garlanger.com/companies/NOGDS/HA-89-3/

Mark

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[Glenn Roberts]

That’s an amazing board! Les’ board doesn’t have as many bells and whistles, but the advantages of the tang nano include hdmi resolution and Yamaha chip emulation. On the h8 anyway most video functions can run at 8mhz, which is nice.

 Perhaps the NOGDS h89 board can accommodate the tms9928 chip (?) which lets you output component video. Terry and I have used that approach, along with an open source scan converter, to generate hdmi video.

Sent from my iPad

On Jun 29, 2024, at 1:48 PM, Mark Garlanger <garl...@gmail.com> wrote:



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[norberto.collado koyado.com]

Les,

WOW! Great job. Can I get a new pcb to try on the H89 RCbus? Yes, I can help with the H89 version as well. Where can I get all your files to import to the H89 board template?

Love it!

Norby

Get Outlook for iOS

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From: se...@googlegroups.com <se...@googlegroups.com> on behalf of Glenn Roberts <glenn.f...@gmail.com>
Sent: Saturday, June 29, 2024 1:39:14 PM
To: se...@googlegroups.com <se...@googlegroups.com>

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[smb...@gmail.com]

Les,

I'm tempted to get into this F18A stuff, and I've done a few projects with the 9918. Maybe the first place I'd get into it is with one of the H8 video boards.

I assume the Tang Nano itself is not natively compatible with the TMS9918 pinout? You always have to use a carrier board of some sort? Where do I find these carrier boards?

Scott

[Glenn Roberts]

There’s a small converter board that plugs into the 9918 socket. I couldn’t find the specific link but Les probably has it in the wiki somewhere. Les built a version of the HA-8-3 clone with the adaptation circuitry installed directly on the board.

I’m sure he will weigh in with more detail…

Sent from my iPad

On Jun 30, 2024, at 9:58 PM, smb...@gmail.com <smb...@gmail.com> wrote:

Les,

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[Glenn Roberts]

I think this is the original GitHub

It looks like they’ve moved on to a tang nano 20k? But info on the 9k is in there…

Here’s Les’ version of the HA-8-3 that incorporates the circuitry:

Sent from my iPad

On Jun 30, 2024, at 10:17 PM, Glenn Roberts <glenn.f...@gmail.com> wrote:

There’s a small converter board that plugs into the 9918 socket. I couldn’t find the specific link but Les probably has it in the wiki somewhere. Les built a version of the HA-8-3 clone with the adaptation circuitry installed directly on the board.

[Joseph Travis]

Hi Scott,

Les is using the Tang Nano 9K from Ali Express:

https://www.aliexpress.us/item/3256803624202217.html?spm=a2g0o.productlist.main.7.4603DomDDomDcS&algo_pvid=448413ff-5833-4246-898b-66e77f23f3f3&aem_p4p_detail=202407010547173523339807447280005185541&algo_exp_id=448413ff-5833-4246-898b-66e77f23f3f3-3&pdp_npi=4%40dis%21USD%2117.16%2112.66%21%21%21124.50%2191.84%21%402101e9ec17198380371764934e780c%2112000027243899141%21sea%21US%210%21AB&curPageLogUid=lReb1q5H1u1t&utparam-url=scene%3Asearch%7Cquery_from%3A&search_p4p_id=202407010547173523339807447280005185541_1

There's a link on his HA-8-3 webpage that you'll use to get the TMS-9918 image to program it with.  It's fairly straightforward.  Good luck!

BR,

Joe

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[Les Bird]

Hi Scott,

Looks like Glenn and Joe already chimed in with the links you need. I'd be happy to send you one of my redesigned H8-8-3 graphics boards with the adapter built into it if you want. Just let me know. If you want to design your own you can probably start with my RCBUSMSX schematic. You can find it here: https://github.com/sebhc/sebhc/wiki/RCBUSMSX. I think I might take a stab at building a new H8 graphics card using my RCBUS design but it would take up a fraction of the board space so need more things to add to it, just not sure what that should be yet.

Les