New SD2IEC from NKCElectronics

[RobertBe]

Thank you, Unseen and Jim. It's fascinating to read the history on the development of the SD2IEC and the uIEC.

Awaiting my uIEC/SD in the mail,
Robert Bernardo
Fresno Commodore User Group
http://videocam.net.au/fcug
CommVEx v5 info - http://www.commodore.ca/forum and click on ComVEX

[6502dude]

Thank you, Unseen and Jim. It's fascinating to read the history on the development of the SD2IEC and the uIEC.

Since you do not understand or follow history on projects, perhaps you are not in the best postion to (copy & paste) "announce" them?

[PaulQ]

Thank you, Unseen and Jim. It's fascinating to read the history on the development of the SD2IEC and the uIEC.

Since you do not understand or follow history on projects, perhaps you are not in the best postion to (copy & paste) "announce" them?

While there's no doubt as to the benefit of understanding the entire history of that which is being reported, it doesn't preclude one's ability to announce it. Especially when the announcement is in a "Copy & Paste" format.

[nbla000]

Thank you for the story guys

The source code is available...

OK, supposing that i'm able to compile it (i'm not a C programmer), my question was, there is a way to re-upload the code to the chip used for uIEC/sd2iec or i need to unsolder the chip, burn another chip and re-solder it ?
May I upload the new firmware simply by copying a special file in the sd-card ?
In this case i may do tests for myself if someone update the fastload section of the firmware.

My EasyLoad fastload code version is just for the Vic-20 (both PAL and NTSC) ...

Does it use the same drive-side code for both PAL and NTSC?

Yes, same drive-side code for both PAL and NTSC. There is a Drive code for the 1581 (slightly faster) and a drive code for 1540/1541/1541-II/1541C/1570/1571 drives, this is the reason because i need to know the drive model.
If you ever implement this code to the sd2iec firmware, i will send you the 1581 drive-code.

I still recommend UI, that is implemented by more "alternative drives" than M-R and even if it isn't you'll get something from the error channel that won't match any known drive signatures.

I will check but the problem is that since i reupload the drive code each time that the user loads a file, after the first time the 73 error of the UI command is not the drive name anymore...

As said before, everything returned by M-R can change in future firmware revisions. If you rely on it and your code breaks the best you can expect from me is a "I told you so" because I see it only as a way to increase compatibility with legacy programs but not current projects that could implement more reliable detection methods.

ok, i understand btw AR6 uses this method to select which code send to the drive so if someone implement this fastload code it must mess with M-R command... btw i will check for the UI command...

Someone know what AR6 expect after the M-R on $FFFE / $FFFF ?

All other writes are checksummed and discarded, this way we know which speeder code was uploaded when a M-E is received and can call the reimplementation if the checksum matches a known one. Nothing that is reimplemented has used U[2-6] yet, but that could be handled the same way as M-E.

OK so the firmware recognize the "uploaded" drive code but i need to start the drive code with M-E $500 not U3 right ?

[Unseen]

there is a way to re-upload the code to the chip used for uIEC/sd2iec or i need to unsolder the chip, burn another chip and re-solder it ?
May I upload the new firmware simply by copying a special file in the sd-card ?

We covered that aspect too. =) The chip is programmed with a boot loader that checks the medium (SD/CF/whatever) for a file with the correct size and signature (so it works even if something messes up the file name). If the signature indicates that the file is for this device and is a newer version than the one currently programmed into the chip, the bootloader re-programs the chip with the file contents.

In this case i may do tests for myself if someone update the fastload section of the firmware.

Unfortunately it's not as easy as just writing code and trying to run it - my usual approach while debugging new fast loaders is to capture the serial bus with a logic analyzer for both the original drive and the reimplementation to find the differences.

Yes, same drive-side code for both PAL and NTSC.

Nice, that simplifies things because I don't own any NTSC machines.

I will check but the problem is that since i reupload the drive code each time that the user loads a file, after the first time the 73 error of the UI command is not the drive name anymore...

I'm not sure why you think that (copied from x64 with a Jiffy-kernal and stock 1541 rom):

Code: Select all

@ui

ready.
@
73,cbm dos v2.6 1541,00,00

ready.
@s

ready.
@
34,syntax error,00,00

ready.
@ui

ready.
@
73,cbm dos v2.6 1541,00,00

ready.

Someone know what AR6 expect after the M-R on $FFFE / $FFFF ?

It just reads $FFFE, a 1541/1570/1571 should return $67 there, a 1581 $03. The AR6 disables its fastloader when it sees $00 there, haven't checked the other values. It also seems to M-R $1801 to distinguish between a 1541 and 157x in native mode, but at least in VICE the fastloader crashes the drive CPU on a 1571 in native mode.

OK so the firmware recognize the "uploaded" drive code but i need to start the drive code with M-E $500 not U3 right ?

Use whatever you prefer, we can "fix" it on the sd2iec side if required.

[nbla000]

OK, thanks for information, i will do tests this night and i will report them.

[RobertBe]

...in the upcoming weeks I will report on our findings.

SCCAN member, Joe M., has been putting the SD2IEC through its paces, and below are some of the problems and triumphs that he has had with the device (edited for clarity) --

From: Joe M.
Date: Thu, February 12, 2009 12:47 am

Robert,

I soldered your daughter board but how does it mate with the main board?

There is a clear pin 1 on the main board, but the daughter board does not have a pinout. Usually circuit board manufacturers will make the via at pin 1 square, or at least label pin one on the header.

So-
Does it go with the IEC's facing the same direction you insert SD card?
Or
Does it go with the IEC's facing out the back?

--------------

Tony Kim of NKCElectronics.com answered and said, "...I need to make it more clear, as a reverse connection can damage the main board. It must be connected like PICTURE 2, with the IEC jacks facing out the back. I will add some pictures to the product page.

You can install it 2 ways, with the main board below / db top or the daughter board below and main board top."

--------------

From: Joe M.
Date: Sun, February 15, 2009 1:44 am

Robert,

The sd2iec is pretty fun to play with!

Took me a while to figure out how to mount a .d64, once I did it was even more fun...

The directions (what exist) are horrible... you may know this but in case you don't, to mount a .d64 in the current directory it would be:

open1,8,15,"CD:nameofd64.d64":close1

The example they gave did not include the colon and assumed the .d64's were in a sub-directory.

Also after looking for some instructions on how to use the sd2iec, I saw that the daughterboard is supposed to come with a 90 degree, 10 pin female plug. That is why when you see it in the picture, it is underneath... yours came with a straight one.

After using it, it is still easy to use this way though.

[snip]

Joe

---------------

From: Joe M.
Date: Sun, February 15, 2009 5:21 pm

One thing I was impressed with was mounting an INFOCOM .d64 image. Infocom games have an unorthodox directory structure and it worked fine with the sd2iec. I remember being with Josh and trying his 1541 Ultimate and it didn't work the first time. As a matter of fact I dont think we got it to work 100%. So it looks like it will be a handy little tool to add to your collection.

I used a Sandisk micro 512meg in a Sandisk micro to sd adapter; it worked perfect out the gate.

Joe

---------------

Truly,
Robert Bernardo
Fresno Commodore User Group
http://videocam.net.au/fcug
CommVEx v5 info - http://www.commodore.ca/forum and click on ComVEX

[nbla000]

Hi,

After my holidays, I'm focused on SD2IEC/uIEC, there are a lot of ideas that comes on my mind, for the moment I'm working on a Vic porting of a C64's SD2IEC/uIEC browser (sd2iec firmware browser to be exact) but working on it I got some other nice ideas btw, just one step at a time.

Since I've not one of these unit yet, I wish to buy one:
The SD2IEC has a nice daughter board even if you need to build it yourself but the uIEC/SD uses the m1281 microcontroller instead of the m644 used for the SD2IEC so more space for future implementations...

Which I should buy ? an uIEC with a daughter board (already assembled) seems a good solution but nothing from Jim at the moment

My dream is a complete unit with a full case/shell like a 1541-III, what about appearance other then substance ?

These units are excellent for embedding projects but when stand-alone requires (solders/adaptors/wires/tricks) not so nice and I don't like to see hardware without cases.

Someone has find a solution to use them stand-alone in a "elegant" way ?
I do not intend embedding units like schema's modded vicof course.

Btw by remaining on the substance, Jim said:

uIEC/IDE+CF will soon offer SD support (it's in the sd2iec main codebase now, just no HW built as yet. That's probably as close as I'll come.

Any news ?

While talking about software, Unseen said:

If you want i may supply you the full drive fastload code in ASM and i explain you how EasyLoad interface itself with the drive.

That would probably be helpful, although I can't say when I'll get around to do anything with it because I'm currently busy with university exams.

Even if I'm not a C programmer (I tried to learn C but... ), I'm still interested on help in develop an EasyLoad fastload support for sd2iec firmware, now that Mega-Cart is in production, there are a lot of people that may use it and even if there is an SJLOAD support for the vic at the moment an EasyLoad fastload support may cover a lot of active user without too much troubles that is the philosophy of the Mega-Cart and EasyLoad, things must be easy and elegant

[Diddl]

>The SD2IEC has a nice daughter board even if you need to build it yourself
>Confused but the uIEC/SD uses the m1281 microcontroller instead of the
>m644 used for the SD2IEC so more space for future implementations...

In near future Atmel provide us the Atmega1284 which is compatible to the Mega644. So you have more space also for SD2IEC.


SD2IEC is also part of Final expansion for VC-20. It is simple to solder cause no SMD parts are used, only DIL.

Some People has build a SD2IEC on a breadboard: click, click


SD2IEC is very simple to build. I'm not good in soldering but I have made it for myself.

[nbla000]

In near future Atmel provide us the Atmega1284 which is compatible to the Mega644. So you have more space also for SD2IEC.

There will be a new hardware revision right ? and how much near ? Any change or just an adaptation ?

I really like the v1.2 layout (latest?) with daughter board but there is also this layout on c64-wiki pages named also as 1.2, there is an error ? which is the last ? And any chance for a case ?

And what about a cbm power connector and/or a miniusb port for power on the daughter board ?

[RobertBe]

The SD2IEC has a nice even if you need to build it yourself

The SD2IEC daughterboard can be assembled by NKCElectronics.com if you ask.

Truly,
Robert Bernardo
Fresno Commodore User Group
http://videocam.net.au/fucg
The Other Group of Amigoids
http://www.calweb.com/~rabel1/
Southern California Commodore & Amiga Network
http://www.sccaners.org

[Diddl]

There will be a new hardware revision right ? and how much near ? Any change or just an adaptation ?

a few month / this year I suppose.

I really wait hard for this Mega1284 cause my XS-1541 project need more RAM.

1284 is much better than 644, 16KB!!! SRAM (644 has only 4K), 128K Flash (644 has 64K) and some other improvements.

I really like the v1.2 layout (latest?) with daughter board but there is also this layout on c64-wiki pages named also as 1.2, there is an error ? which is the last ? And any chance for a case ?

Thes both are different one. The one is from NKC and the other is a public project in forum64. I have both boards working fine here.

And what about a cbm power connector and/or a miniusb port for power on the daughter board ?

daughter board is only good for external SD2IEC board.

I have build-in SD2IEC for my 128-D and my C64.


Another SD2IEC I soldered on a cassette port connector (for 5V). The IEC cable are soldered directly at SD2IEC board. So I have a SD2IEC which is usable for any commodore device (VIC-20, C-64, C128 ...).
Cause each of this devices has an Cassette port and a IEC connector, - plug and play ...

[nbla000]

The SD2IEC daughterboard can be assembled by NKCElectronics.com if you ask.

Thank you.

I really wait hard for this Mega1284

So why you don't buy the uIEC ?

daughter board is only good for external SD2IEC board.

Exactly what I wish but there is a case for an external board ?

Another SD2IEC I soldered on a cassette port connector (for 5V). The IEC cable are soldered directly at SD2IEC board.

Nice, may you send us some photos ?

[Diddl]

So why you don't buy the uIEC ?

Why? I'm using SD2IEC.
µIEC has Atmega32 or Atmega128, not Atmega1284 ...

Nice, may you send us some photos ?

Yes, I'll make some Photos.

[nbla000]

So why you don't buy the uIEC ?

Why? I'm using SD2IEC.
µIEC has Atmega32 or Atmega128, not Atmega1284 ...

Sorry I intend uIEC/SD (uIEC v3.0) that uses the Atmega1281 not the Atmega1284 but similar if I'm not wrong.