[Coco] Considering new HD6309E based board

[Kip Koon]

Hi Jim!
I too have been working on a 'multi-processor 68B09(E)/63C09(E) based design
as well.  In the beginning of my design, there will be a single mpu.  The
user would be able to choose between a 6809 or a 6309.  Later on when the
basic design is functional, the multi-processor aspects would be applied
with all the necessary changes to enable maybe 5 mpus to run simultaneously.
I'm not sure yet how many mpus to allow for.  Though I have not made an
official invitation yet, I think now is as good a time as any.  I would like
to collaborate with whomever is positively interested on designing the best
multi-processor 68B09(E) / 63C09(E) computer system running NitrOS-9 that
can be made.  With a community like ours, I dare say we all will be able to
come up with something that could even impress us!  I would also like to put
a V9958 VDP in my Kipper Computer as well.  I'm also considering the 6847T1
for Coco 1 & 2 compatibility if I can find one.  I let two slip by a little
while back.  I'd also like to put in a Gime at some point, but I think at
this point the PCB size might be too small although I've been entertaining a
secondary bus for the MMU part of the design.
In addition to Kipper, you can read about other things I've been up to.  I'm
very interested in your particular design as well as anybody else's
contribution in any project like or similar to these you and I have
mentioned.  
Since I'm using the free version of Eagle my PCB size is limited to about 4"
by 4" as far as the actual space for chips is concerned.  Eagle will draw
the traces out a little further than that boundary limit though.  When you
and anyone else has a few moments, I would like for you all to take a look
at what I have done on my Kipper Computer design on my cocopedia.com web
page.  The link is
http://www.cocopedia.com/wiki/index.php/Kip_Koon.
I'm very interested to see what we all really could create.  There should be
plenty of fun to go around!  Take care my friends.
Kip

-----Original Message-----
From: coco-bounces at maltedmedia.com [mailto:coco-bounces at maltedmedia.com] On
Behalf Of iggybeans at comcast.net
Sent: Sunday, October 06, 2013 2:37 PM
To: coco at maltedmedia.com
Subject: [Coco] Considering new HD6309E based board

After playing around with an 130XE equipped with Boisy's Liber809 board,
I've decided I want something faster. 
I've ordered eleven each of the following. 

Hitachi HD6309E processors. 
WDC 65C22 versatile interface adapters. 
16550 UARTS. 
Yamaha V9958 VDPs . 

I'm still trying to decide on the static ram for the processor and video . 
And I can't make up my mind as to whether to use a Yamaha YM2149F sound chip
or something a little more modern ( very slightly more modern like a YM2612
or a YMF262 - there is virtually no price difference in these and the last
probably is probably the best option). 

Also there are a lot of 74LS chips needed that I haven't sourced yet. 

The initial work is being protyped on ISA breadboards installed in an Amiga
2000 (purely for convenience, I'm not following ISA signal convention, its
just nice to have a ready form and a power supply). 

The prototype will only have 64K of RAM, but my goal is to modify that to at
least 512K . 

I just don't feel like addressing a memory management scheme yet. 

MC68B29 chips are still available, but I've never really cared for that
design (I've had one on hand since before the Coco3 was introduced, Motorola
sent me XC samples when I worked at Delmar Co.). 

I've also looked at the 68B44 DMA controller, but I think faster solutions
could be designed with more modern components (the transfer rate nly the
68B44 is surprisingly low). 

So, basically, we're looking at something like an MSX2 system, but with a
6309 processor. 

I'm keeping a couple for mods (like swapping in a V9990 VDP) , but I'd like
to give one to Boisy and will offer any additional units to anybody
interested. 

Keep in mind, these will have almost no Color Computer compatibility. 

I just wanted something with a higher clock speed (between 3.58 and 4MHz) a
more colorful display, and better sound (and Boisy's project has me fixated
on sprites and video display processor that actually has an instruction set
- the GIME is a bit primitive). 

I was going to keep quiet about this until I was a little further along, but
after ordering several hundred dollars worth of parts, I 'm just a little
psyched. 

Besides, I could use some outside input. 

I can readily change the breadboards, but once I get to a circuit board
design (I have the software for that) then the design will be static (except
for any corrections I'll need to make - I've had to cut traces and add wires
to devices in the past, I'm not expecting to have it perfect on the first
batch). 

I also wanted everyone's input on several other ideas I'll mention as this
progresses. 

But the first ideas is this, how about more than one 63C09E (two, four, who
knows)? 

So, sorry for the long winded message. 

Now, your inputs? 

Jim 





--
Coco mailing list
Coco at maltedmedia.com
http://five.pairlist.net/mailman/listinfo/coco