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Interface system for controlling operant chambers

Posted: Fri Apr 21, 2017 11:27 am
by Kakemoms
I just found this old article on using a Vic-20 as a controller:

http://link.springer.com/content/pdf/10 ... 200952.pdf

I didn't think anyone had used the Vic-20 for this. The C64 would probably work as well since they only use the userport. Interesting project!

Re: Interface system for controlling operant chambers

Posted: Fri Apr 21, 2017 5:15 pm
by norm8332
That's cool, but not practical now a days. Why use a whole Vic-20 when a $2 Arduino pro mini will do? Maybe for nostalgia.

Re: Interface system for controlling operant chambers

Posted: Fri Apr 21, 2017 8:48 pm
by Kakemoms
Ehhp. Well, for one, there is no clicky keyboard on the arduino. :D

Actually the AVR are nice, and their assembly language is quite close to the 6502 and they are more modern with efficient ways of handling more memory.
Still, if you build your own modern base computer with a 6502, its going to be:

- More power minimalistic (the WDC has its own patented power saving mode),
- Faster (up to 200MHz demonstrated in embedded cores, >100MHz in soft cores),
- Cheaper (or can be depending on volume - its only 3500 transistors per core!),
- Can be put into the body (the wdc65c02 is the only one that is certified for that),
- Put it into a tiny cpld or even smaller embedded core,
- Made in a larger volume (around 100 million per year).

and probably a number of other reasons I can't remember now. :mrgreen:

Re: Interface system for controlling operant chambers

Posted: Sun Apr 23, 2017 8:50 pm
by norm8332
With a single atmega328p etc. you can directly connect a ps2 keyboard, ntsc monitor, all IO is built in - digital, analog, UART(serial),PWM, SPI, TWI. All for 2 dollars from ebay. But with that said this is a Vic-20 board and I love to do new things with my Vics. :D

Re: Interface system for controlling operant chambers

Posted: Mon Apr 24, 2017 2:30 am
by Kakemoms
norm8332 wrote:With a single atmega328p etc. you can directly connect a ps2 keyboard, ntsc monitor, all IO is built in - digital, analog, UART(serial),PWM, SPI, TWI. All for 2 dollars from ebay. But with that said this is a Vic-20 board and I love to do new things with my Vics. :D
Yep, you can ADD a lot to the Atmel range of AVRs, but that is going to drive the cost up. And the $2 version is some Chinese variant that may work for a while. I would´t base my product on that.

Actually, putting a 65C02 core into a CPLD is going to cost less than 2 dollar for a MachXO3L-1300 from Lattice, so you might want to stick with the 6502, even from a cost perspective. And then you can add what interface you want to, because its programmable logic. :wink: