 The team will post updates and news about our project here
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| V4 Mini-ITX Expansion Board - Specs, Registration | page 1 2 3 4 5
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Thierry Atheist
Posts 644
28 Sep 2021 19:20
| Kenji Irie wrote:
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Specifics testing of the first prototypes:
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- [COMPLETED] 16-bit HIGH-QUALITY analogue audio output, with ultralow-noise LDO regulator. 112 dB SNR, and -93 dB THD. Playback both PAULA AND ARNE audio at high quality! |
You mean that it currently isn't?Kenji Irie wrote:
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- [NOT YET STARTED] RS232 in/out (limited to RX/TX lines) (serial.device) |
How useful is a serial port that doesn't support all the signal types?Kenji Irie wrote:
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- [IN PROGRESS] Smart power/reset for integration with standard ITX front-panel case buttons and LEDs (power LED, or Power LED+HDD LEDs) |
Highly desirable feature.Kenji Irie wrote:
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- [COMPLETED] Provision of SAFE +5 power supply terminals (screw) for powering other components like HDDs and CD-ROMs for the V4 (12V pass-through from primary power supply) |
Hmmmm. Won't we need more controllers, SATA and/or IDE?Kenji Irie wrote:
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- [FUNCTIONAL] POTENTIAL NEW FEATURE 1 - TBC. Watch this space! |
Floppy disk drive... 720/880K/1.44/1.76M??Kenji Irie wrote:
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- [NOT YET STARTED] POTENTIAL FEATURE 2 - TBC. Watch this space!
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"Zorro" ( :-DDD) slot for an extra 512 Megabytes of system RAM??? :-DDDDDD
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Matthew Langtry
Posts 199
30 Sep 2021 05:29
| if a normal usb with usb stack can be added maybe this could be used EXTERNAL LINK eventually to use real floppies
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Kenji Irie
Posts 86
03 Oct 2021 21:27
| Matthew Langtry wrote:
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if a normal usb with usb stack can be added maybe this could be used EXTERNAL LINK eventually to use real floppies
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I think the USB stack here is just to create a virtual com port, for the arduino comms to the PC. The heavy work is done in the framework for the emulator, I suspect.
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Kenji Irie
Posts 86
03 Oct 2021 21:36
| Thierry Atheist wrote:
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Specifics testing of the first prototypes:
------------------------------------
- [COMPLETED] 16-bit HIGH-QUALITY analogue audio output, with ultralow-noise LDO regulator. 112 dB SNR, and -93 dB THD. Playback both PAULA AND ARNE audio at high quality! |
You mean that it currently isn't? |
There is no analogue audio output from V4 by default, just DIGITAL-VIDEO audio. Which is fine, if you have an expensive audio decoder hooked up to your V4 (the cheap splitters are often nasty with their audio quality. I've got a couple which have shocking noise)
Thierry Atheist wrote:
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- [NOT YET STARTED] RS232 in/out (limited to RX/TX lines) (serial.device)
How useful is a serial port that doesn't support all the signal types? |
RX/TX is supported by all UART based devices. I believe Amiga games can be played using RX/TX only, and you can communicate with any serial port using no hardware handshaking. Perhaps you might want it with analogue modems, if you can still find them...
Thierry Atheist wrote:
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- [COMPLETED] Provision of SAFE +5 power supply terminals (screw) for powering other components like HDDs and CD-ROMs for the V4 (12V pass-through from primary power supply)
Hmmmm. Won't we need more controllers, SATA and/or IDE? |
Perhaps, if you want more than 2 devices on the current IDE bus. But this is provided as an option to the user, if they have other peripherals they want to connect that required 5V.
Thierry Atheist wrote:
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- [FUNCTIONAL] POTENTIAL NEW FEATURE 1 - TBC. Watch this space!
Floppy disk drive... 720/880K/1.44/1.76M?? |
No floppy drive. I don't even have a CD/DVD-rom anymore, let alone a floppy drive.
Thierry Atheist wrote:
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- [NOT YET STARTED] POTENTIAL FEATURE 2 - TBC. Watch this space!
"Zorro" ( :-DDD) slot for an extra 512 Megabytes of system RAM??? :-DDDDDD |
Nope!
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Kenji Irie
Posts 86
03 Oct 2021 21:42
| An update from this weekend Video link from above repeated: EXTERNAL LINK - [COMPLETED] Buffered serial UART in/out suitable for both 3.3 OR 5V FTDI cable (serial.device)
- [COMPLETED] MIDI in/out (serial.device; using beat-buddy format connector due to space constraints)
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Chris H
Posts 65
07 Oct 2021 17:14
| Any news?
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Kenji Irie
Posts 86
07 Oct 2021 21:53
| It's only been 5 days since the last update :D
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Kenji Irie
Posts 86
09 Oct 2021 23:00
| EXTERNAL LINK
A few more things ticked off:
- RS232 implemented, but not tested (need to get hold of an RS232 device)
- Smart power control implemented (see video above)
- 3-pin fan connector tested
Progress status summary on first prototypes 10/10/2021 (will be updated live as progress is made):
Specifics testing of the first prototypes:
------------------------------------
- [COMPLETED] 16-bit HIGH-QUALITY analogue audio output, with ultralow-noise LDO regulator. 112 dB SNR, and -93 dB THD. Playback both PAULA AND ARNE audio at high quality!
- [COMPLETED] Buffered serial UART in/out suitable for both 3.3 OR 5V FTDI cable (serial.device)
- [COMPLETED*] RS232 in/out (limited to RX/TX lines) (serial.device) * Looks fine on scope, need to test on genuine RS232 device.
- [COMPLETED] MIDI in/out (serial.device; using beat-buddy format connector due to space constraints)
- [COMPLETED] Mini-ITX form factor, for install into any Mini-ITX compatible case
- [COMPLETED] Smart power/reset for integration with standard ITX front-panel case buttons and LEDs (power LED, or Power LED+HDD LEDs)
- [NOT TESTED YET] Pass-through of analogue audio out on rear of PC to HDAUDIO header for cases with 3.5 mm jacks*
- [ALMOST COMPLETED] 12V input from standard barrel jack supply (external), standard Molex connector (internal), OR ATX 24-pin header (this part not tested yet)
- [COMPLETED] Provision of SAFE +5 power supply terminals (screw) for powering other components like HDDs and CD-ROMs for the V4 (12V pass-through from primary power supply)
- [IN PROGRESS] Internal USB 2.0 (completed) AND USB 3.0 (not tested yet) internal headers for connecting the V4 mouse port to an ITX-case USB port**
- [COMPLETED] Exposure of 9-pin Amiga keyboard/mouse ports to the rear ITX I/O panel
- [COMPLETED] Internal mounting of USB blaster with USB mini socket on the rear ITX panel, for easy FPGA programming
- [IN PROGRESS] Exposure of 2nd USB gamepad via internal USB 3.0 AND 2.0 header to an ITX-case USB port** (compatible with both V4 and V4+, providing 2nd gamepad for the original V4)
- [IN PROGRESS] Internal programming header for on-board microprocessor (functional, not completed yet)
- [COMPLETED] 3-pin fan header for supply of 12V to standard case fan
- [FUNCTIONAL] POTENTIAL NEW FEATURE 1 - TBC. Watch this space!
- [NOT YET STARTED] POTENTIAL FEATURE 2 - TBC. Watch this space!
- [NOT YET STARTED] POTENTIAL FEATURE 3 - TBC. Watch this space!
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Chris H
Posts 65
11 Oct 2021 00:38
| Very very nice. Yet, a native floppy support would be extremely cool.
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Carles Bernat Martorell
Posts 22
13 Oct 2021 08:20
| Looking forward to it :)
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Tim Noyce
Posts 156
13 Oct 2021 14:43
| Excellent progress!
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J I
Posts 30
18 Oct 2021 04:39
| I would like one too.
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Michal Pietal
Posts 236
18 Oct 2021 15:40
| What about the overall cover? Did You contact this vendor about manufacturing a novel one? EXTERNAL LINK
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Kenji Irie
Posts 86
20 Oct 2021 19:18
| Michal Pietal wrote:
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What about the overall cover?
Did You contact this vendor about manufacturing a novel one?
EXTERNAL LINK |
Hi Michal, Thanks for the link. I have not looked at those custom case designs. I am considering sourcing a suitable case for a full pre-installed system though. Nothing decided yet, as there are still some functionality of the board yet to be confirmed.
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Kenji Irie
Posts 86
25 Oct 2021 02:50
| V4 Ultimate Expansion: exploring MIDI video. EXTERNAL LINK
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Kenji Irie
Posts 86
25 Oct 2021 10:37
| Aside from the MIDI video above, a few more things ticked off:
- RS232 tested successfully
- Analogue audio to HD Audio/AC97 Audio connector passthrough tested successfully
- Tested 'molex' 12V power connector, and ATX 24 pin connector.
- Temperature sensor implemented and tested (I forgot to document this as a function to test!)
Also, I missed the testing of the IDE access LED passthrough from the list. This is in place on the expansion board, but requires confirmation with a new V4 core.
Progress status summary on first prototypes 25/10/2021 (will be updated live as progress is made):
Specifics testing of the first prototypes:
------------------------------------
- [COMPLETED] 16-bit HIGH-QUALITY analogue audio output, with ultralow-noise LDO regulator. 112 dB SNR, and -93 dB THD. Playback both PAULA AND ARNE audio at high quality!
- [COMPLETED] Buffered serial UART in/out suitable for both 3.3 OR 5V FTDI cable (serial.device)
- [COMPLETED] RS232 in/out (limited to RX/TX lines) (serial.device)
- [COMPLETED] MIDI in/out (serial.device; using beat-buddy format connector due to space constraints)
- [COMPLETED] Mini-ITX form factor, for install into any Mini-ITX compatible case
- [COMPLETED] Smart power/reset for integration with standard ITX front-panel case buttons and LEDs (power LED, or Power LED+HDD LEDs)
- [COMPLETED] Pass-through of analogue audio out on rear of PC to HDAUDIO header for cases with 3.5 mm jacks*
- [COMPLETED] 12V input from standard barrel jack supply (external), standard Molex connector (internal), OR ATX 24-pin header (this part not tested yet)
- [COMPLETED] Provision of SAFE +5 power supply terminals (screw) for powering other components like HDDs and CD-ROMs for the V4 (12V pass-through from primary power supply)
- [ON HOLD] - Needs reworked hardware for USB3.0 header testing - Internal USB 2.0 (completed) AND USB 3.0 (not tested yet) internal headers for connecting the V4 mouse port to an ITX-case USB port**
- [COMPLETED] Exposure of 9-pin Amiga keyboard/mouse ports to the rear ITX I/O panel
- [COMPLETED] Internal mounting of USB blaster with USB mini socket on the rear ITX panel, for easy FPGA programming
- [ON HOLD] - Needs reworked hardware for USB3.0 header testing - Exposure of 2nd USB gamepad via internal USB 3.0 AND 2.0 header to an ITX-case USB port** (compatible with both V4 and V4+, providing 2nd gamepad for the original V4)
- [IN PROGRESS] Internal programming header for on-board microprocessor (functional, not completed yet)
- [COMPLETED] 3-pin fan header for supply of 12V to standard case fan
- [COMPLETED] On-board temperature sensor to monitor board temperature
- [NOT YET TESTED] IDE access LED pass-through from V4 (requires a new V4 Core)
- [COMPLETED] NEW FEATURE PROVISIONALLY CONFIRMED. Watch this space!
- [IN PROGRESS] POTENTIAL FEATURE 2 - TBC. Watch this space!
- [NOT YET STARTED] POTENTIAL FEATURE 3 - TBC. Watch this space!
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Richard Statham
Posts 50
27 Oct 2021 20:32
| IS this expansion going to have more ide ports on it?
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Kenji Irie
Posts 86
29 Oct 2021 05:18
| Richard Statham wrote:
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IS this expansion going to have more ide ports on it?
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No, the IDE port is a function of the V4, not the expansion board, so further IDE ports will need to be developed on the V4 itself. Cheers.
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Michal Pietal
Posts 236
29 Oct 2021 11:18
| Does this board require any soldering?
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