[Coco] NitrOS9 LEVEL 2 running on Multicomp

[Dave Philipsen]

Ok, another thing I think you had mentioned that is a nice idea will be a modification where we can access the block RAM used as the character ROM.  Right now it's got the standard IBM-style font but it could be set up to easily switch between that and the standard OS9 'CoCo' font for compatibility.

Also, it doesn't look like it would be too difficult to modify the VGA code to do OS9 codes instead of ANSI.

Dave Philipsen

> On Apr 6, 2017, at 7:44 AM, Neal Crook <foofoobedoo at gmail.com> wrote:
> 
> Oh, and no grfdrv or windowing. And using ANSI control.
> 
> On 6 Apr 2017 13:42, "Neal Crook" <foofoobedoo at gmail.com> wrote:
> 
> Only got in going on the real board at midnight so not "extensively" tested
> yet. Needs my mc09 mmu with the changes (cica mid 2016, and in my github
> vault) for fixed RAM at the top of the address space. For rtc I recommend
> using my gpio vhdl and copying my hookup - then the mc09rtc cmd I wrote for
> nitros9 should Just Work.
> 
> More news as it comes to hand.
> 
> Neal
> 
> On 6 Apr 2017 12:28, "Dave Philipsen" <dave at davebiz.com> wrote:
> 
> That is really cool, Neal.  I am looking forward to seeing it when you get
> it ready for release.  I have a couple of different boards I'm playing with
> that I'd like to try it on.  The first one I'd like to try is the Cyclone
> IVb: Cyclone IVb <https://www.retrobrewcomputer
> s.org/doku.php?id=boards:sbc:multicomp:cycloneiv-b:start>
> mentioned on the retrobrew site.  Have you run yours through any paces
> yet?  The IVb board has 3 serial ports, VGA, keyboard, 1MB 55ns RAM, and
> ESP8266.  The only thing I wish it had was an RTC but I may hand-wire a
> module to it.
> 
> I assume you have left out GrfDrv and the windowing system.  Also, have you
> modified the VGA interface to accept OS9 display codes instead of the ANSI?
> 
> Dave
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
>> On 4/6/2017 2:09 AM, Neal Crook wrote:
>> 
>> Dave,
>> 
>> thanks for an excellent summary.
>> 
>> News update: I now have the L2 port running on real hardware (I tried to
>> post a photo but, of course, it bounced: too big)
>> 
>> Neal.
>> 
>> On 5 April 2017 at 19:23, Dave Philipsen <dave at davebiz.com> wrote:
>> 
>> So multicomp is actually a multi-computer design in vhdl of a 6502, 6809,
>>> and Z80 CPU with PS/2 keyboard, VGA output, and memory. It was designed so
>>> that even a novice could piece together a system by picking and choosing
>>> the parts that he wants to include. Neal's link showed a Cyclone II and a
>>> few other boards. Shortly after I discovered the Multicomp a couple of
>>> years ago I ported it to the DE1 and even another Cyclone IV board not
>>> mentioned on the retrobrew site.
>>> 
>>> For us as CoCo enthusiasts the attraction is primarily to run a 6809-based
>>> computer which is not necessarily CoCo-based. However, the 6809 version of
>>> Multicomp has the ability to run a modified version of the Microsoft BASIC
>>> that was used in the CoCo albeit without the graphics modes and some other
>>> features.  If you have a penchant for the 6809 this is a fun project and
>>> could even be used as the basis for serious embedded projects.
>>> 
>>> The multicomp design is really just a starting point since the SD card was
>>> left incomplete, or at least Grant did not provide any software to support
>>> it and there was no easy way to load/save programs from the BASIC
>>> interpreter.  There were also some little 'bugs' here and there that have
>>> been fixed.  Neal's design takes the multicomp a step further and makes it
>>> possible to run NitrOS9 Level 2.  So essentially what you have is  a fast,
>>> compact, expandable 6809 computer that is not necessarily CoCo 3
>>> compatible
>>> but shares some design elements with it.
>>> 
>>> The cool thing about the project (and actually the CoCo3FPGA project too)
>>> is that with the hardware and software source codes and a little hardware
>>> hacking you can actually morph this into your own personal project.  So
>>> let's say Neal gets this all finished and posts the final design.  You
>>> could take it and port it to whatever FPGA platform you wanted (an Altera
>>> DE1 for example) and then add things to it or modify it.  Maybe you want
>>> an
>>> OS9 computer with 16 serial ports or maybe you want an 800x600 VGA display
>>> so you can have a 100x37 text mode.  Or maybe you want a few midi ports or
>>> you want to add a temperature sensor or an LCD display.  All within the
>>> realm of possibility.  A custom made 6809 computer with a little more
>>> horsepower under the hood than a CoCo.
>>> 
>>> 
>>> Dave Philipsen
>>> 
>>> 
>>> 
>>> Dave Philipsen
>>> 
>>>> On Apr 5, 2017, at 12:30 PM, Neal Crook <foofoobedoo at gmail.com> wrote:
>>>> 
>>>> See:
>>>> 
>>>> https://www.retrobrewcomputers.org/doku.php?id=boards:sbc:multicomp:
>>>> 
>>> cycloneii-c:start
>>> 
>>>>> On 5 Apr 2017 18:22, "rcrislip" <rcrislip at neo.rr.com> wrote:
>>>>> 
>>>>> On Tue, 4 Apr 2017 20:44:41 +0100
>>>>> Neal Crook <foofoobedoo at gmail.com> wrote:
>>>>> 
>>>>> "Official release" (ie in the sourceforge vault) is probably a couple
>>>>>> of months away. I will release an SD-card image snapshot once we have
>>>>>> it up and running successfully on real hardware - maybe a couple of
>>>>>> weeks, spare time permitting
>>>>>> 
>>>>>> Neal.
>>>>>> 
>>>>>> On 2 April 2017 at 01:15, Kip Koon <computerdoc at sc.rr.com> wrote:
>>>>>> 
>>>>> <huge snip 8-)>
>>>>> 
>>>>> /Ignorance on/
>>>>> 
>>>>> what is Multicomp? TIA
>>>>> 
>>>>> /Ignorance off/
>>>>> 
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