• Re: Can anyone help to make the Mister FPGA Apple II core less half-bak

    From KP@21:1/5 to Charlie on Tue Feb 28 07:58:23 2023
    Wow, that worked! Thank you!

    The next step is more burdensome, though. This thing still won't write to disk images...


    On Tuesday, February 28, 2023 at 10:46:35 AM UTC-5, Charlie wrote:
    On 2/27/2023 11:26 PM, KP wrote:
    The Mister FPGA Apple II core is, in a word... half-baked. Perhaps due to the European origins of many of the lead developers of Mister cores, the Commodore 64 core and ZX Spectrum cores are so fully-featured that, in at least the C64 core, it is
    possible to connect original Commodore floppy drives to the Mister.

    The Apple II core, meanwhile, does not even have a functional Reset key, or the ability to map a functional Reset key. (So it is impossible to use the Apple II core to break into BASIC with a Control-Reset, because there is no Reset key.)

    Nor does it have the ability to write to disk images. So using any kind of serious application software is pretty much out of question. And no games that require saving can work.

    Let alone the ability to use an IO board to do actual audio IO (which the Spectrum and C64 cores can do), to read and write data to tape or other audio device.

    Is anyone here a Mister fan? Does anyone have the technical know-how to help the Apple II core to become even remotely complete? Because, right now, it's pretty half-baked compared to the other cores.
    I had never heard of MiSTer so I looked it up.
    I found this code:

    https://github.com/MiSTer-devel/Apple-II_MiSTer

    In the README.md file there are instructions and I found this:

    "If you press reset (the right button on the MiST) you'll enter
    Applesoft with the ] prompt. From here you have some limited commands.
    See: http://www.landsnail.com/a2ref.htm"

    Have you tried this?
    I took a quick look at the code and reset is an input.

    Charlie

    --- SoupGate-Win32 v1.05
    * Origin: fsxNet Usenet Gateway (21:1/5)
  • From Charlie@21:1/5 to All on Tue Feb 28 10:46:31 2023
    On 2/27/2023 11:26 PM, KP wrote:
    The Mister FPGA Apple II core is, in a word... half-baked. Perhaps due to the European origins of many of the lead developers of Mister cores, the Commodore 64 core and ZX Spectrum cores are so fully-featured that, in at least the C64 core, it is
    possible to connect original Commodore floppy drives to the Mister.

    The Apple II core, meanwhile, does not even have a functional Reset key, or the ability to map a functional Reset key. (So it is impossible to use the Apple II core to break into BASIC with a Control-Reset, because there is no Reset key.)

    Nor does it have the ability to write to disk images. So using any kind of serious application software is pretty much out of question. And no games that require saving can work.

    Let alone the ability to use an IO board to do actual audio IO (which the Spectrum and C64 cores can do), to read and write data to tape or other audio device.

    Is anyone here a Mister fan? Does anyone have the technical know-how to help the Apple II core to become even remotely complete? Because, right now, it's pretty half-baked compared to the other cores.

    I had never heard of MiSTer so I looked it up.
    I found this code:

    https://github.com/MiSTer-devel/Apple-II_MiSTer

    In the README.md file there are instructions and I found this:

    "If you press reset (the right button on the MiST) you'll enter
    Applesoft with the ] prompt. From here you have some limited commands.
    See: http://www.landsnail.com/a2ref.htm"

    Have you tried this?
    I took a quick look at the code and reset is an input.

    Charlie

    --- SoupGate-Win32 v1.05
    * Origin: fsxNet Usenet Gateway (21:1/5)
  • From Charlie@21:1/5 to All on Tue Feb 28 13:27:44 2023
    T24gMi8yOC8yMDIzIDEwOjU4IEFNLCBLUCB3cm90ZToNCj4gV293LCB0aGF0IHdvcmtlZCEg IFRoYW5rIHlvdSENCj4gDQo+IFRoZSBuZXh0IHN0ZXAgaXMgbW9yZSBidXJkZW5zb21lLCB0 aG91Z2guICBUaGlzIHRoaW5nIHN0aWxsIHdvbid0IHdyaXRlIHRvIGRpc2sgaW1hZ2VzLi4u DQo+IA0KPiANCj4gT24gVHVlc2RheSwgRmVicnVhcnkgMjgsIDIwMjMgYXQgMTA6NDY6MzXi gK9BTSBVVEMtNSwgQ2hhcmxpZSB3cm90ZToNCj4+IE9uIDIvMjcvMjAyMyAxMToyNiBQTSwg S1Agd3JvdGU6DQo+Pj4gVGhlIE1pc3RlciBGUEdBIEFwcGxlIElJIGNvcmUgaXMsIGluIGEg d29yZC4uLiBoYWxmLWJha2VkLiBQZXJoYXBzIGR1ZSB0byB0aGUgRXVyb3BlYW4gb3JpZ2lu cyBvZiBtYW55IG9mIHRoZSBsZWFkIGRldmVsb3BlcnMgb2YgTWlzdGVyIGNvcmVzLCB0aGUg Q29tbW9kb3JlIDY0IGNvcmUgYW5kIFpYIFNwZWN0cnVtIGNvcmVzIGFyZSBzbyBmdWxseS1m ZWF0dXJlZCB0aGF0LCBpbiBhdCBsZWFzdCB0aGUgQzY0IGNvcmUsIGl0IGlzIHBvc3NpYmxl IHRvIGNvbm5lY3Qgb3JpZ2luYWwgQ29tbW9kb3JlIGZsb3BweSBkcml2ZXMgdG8gdGhlIE1p c3Rlci4NCj4+Pg0KPj4+IFRoZSBBcHBsZSBJSSBjb3JlLCBtZWFud2hpbGUsIGRvZXMgbm90 IGV2ZW4gaGF2ZSBhIGZ1bmN0aW9uYWwgUmVzZXQga2V5LCBvciB0aGUgYWJpbGl0eSB0byBt YXAgYSBmdW5jdGlvbmFsIFJlc2V0IGtleS4gKFNvIGl0IGlzIGltcG9zc2libGUgdG8gdXNl IHRoZSBBcHBsZSBJSSBjb3JlIHRvIGJyZWFrIGludG8gQkFTSUMgd2l0aCBhIENvbnRyb2wt UmVzZXQsIGJlY2F1c2UgdGhlcmUgaXMgbm8gUmVzZXQga2V5LikNCj4+Pg0KPj4+IE5vciBk b2VzIGl0IGhhdmUgdGhlIGFiaWxpdHkgdG8gd3JpdGUgdG8gZGlzayBpbWFnZXMuIFNvIHVz aW5nIGFueSBraW5kIG9mIHNlcmlvdXMgYXBwbGljYXRpb24gc29mdHdhcmUgaXMgcHJldHR5 IG11Y2ggb3V0IG9mIHF1ZXN0aW9uLiBBbmQgbm8gZ2FtZXMgdGhhdCByZXF1aXJlIHNhdmlu ZyBjYW4gd29yay4NCj4+Pg0KPj4+IExldCBhbG9uZSB0aGUgYWJpbGl0eSB0byB1c2UgYW4g SU8gYm9hcmQgdG8gZG8gYWN0dWFsIGF1ZGlvIElPICh3aGljaCB0aGUgU3BlY3RydW0gYW5k IEM2NCBjb3JlcyBjYW4gZG8pLCB0byByZWFkIGFuZCB3cml0ZSBkYXRhIHRvIHRhcGUgb3Ig b3RoZXIgYXVkaW8gZGV2aWNlLg0KPj4+DQo+Pj4gSXMgYW55b25lIGhlcmUgYSBNaXN0ZXIg ZmFuPyBEb2VzIGFueW9uZSBoYXZlIHRoZSB0ZWNobmljYWwga25vdy1ob3cgdG8gaGVscCB0 aGUgQXBwbGUgSUkgY29yZSB0byBiZWNvbWUgZXZlbiByZW1vdGVseSBjb21wbGV0ZT8gQmVj YXVzZSwgcmlnaHQgbm93LCBpdCdzIHByZXR0eSBoYWxmLWJha2VkIGNvbXBhcmVkIHRvIHRo ZSBvdGhlciBjb3Jlcy4NCj4+IEkgaGFkIG5ldmVyIGhlYXJkIG9mIE1pU1RlciBzbyBJIGxv b2tlZCBpdCB1cC4NCj4+IEkgZm91bmQgdGhpcyBjb2RlOg0KPj4NCj4+IGh0dHBzOi8vZ2l0 aHViLmNvbS9NaVNUZXItZGV2ZWwvQXBwbGUtSUlfTWlTVGVyDQo+Pg0KPj4gSW4gdGhlIFJF QURNRS5tZCBmaWxlIHRoZXJlIGFyZSBpbnN0cnVjdGlvbnMgYW5kIEkgZm91bmQgdGhpczoN Cj4+DQo+PiAiSWYgeW91IHByZXNzIHJlc2V0ICh0aGUgcmlnaHQgYnV0dG9uIG9uIHRoZSBN aVNUKSB5b3UnbGwgZW50ZXINCj4+IEFwcGxlc29mdCB3aXRoIHRoZSBdIHByb21wdC4gRnJv bSBoZXJlIHlvdSBoYXZlIHNvbWUgbGltaXRlZCBjb21tYW5kcy4NCj4+IFNlZTogaHR0cDov L3d3dy5sYW5kc25haWwuY29tL2EycmVmLmh0bSINCj4+DQo+PiBIYXZlIHlvdSB0cmllZCB0 aGlzPw0KPj4gSSB0b29rIGEgcXVpY2sgbG9vayBhdCB0aGUgY29kZSBhbmQgcmVzZXQgaXMg YW4gaW5wdXQuDQo+Pg0KPj4gQ2hhcmxpZQ0KDQpDb2RpbmcgZm9yICd3cml0aW5nIHRvIGRp c2sgaW1hZ2VzJyBpcyBub3QgdHJpdmlhbCAoYXQgbGVhc3Qgbm90IGZvciBtZSkuDQpJIHN0 cnVnZ2xlIHdpdGggVkhETCBjb2RlIChJJ20gbW9yZSBmYW1pbGlhciB3aXRoIHZlcmlsb2cp IGFuZCBtb3N0IG9mIA0KdGhlIGV4aXN0aW5nIGNvZGUgaXMgVkhETCBzbyBJJ20gbm90IGdv aW5nIHRvIGJlIG11Y2ggaGVscC4NCg0KV2hhdCBGUEdBIGlzIHVzZWQgaW4gdGhlIE1pU1Rl cj8NCldoYXQgdG9vbHMgYXJlIHVzZWQgdG8gc3ludGhlc2l6ZSB0aGUgY29kZT8NCkFsc28g aG93IGlzIHRoZSByZXN1bHRpbmcgYml0c3RyZWFtIGlucHV0IHRvIHRoZSBNaVNUZXI/DQoN CkhhdmUgeW91IHRyaWVkIHdyaXRpbmcgdG8gUHJvRE9TIGhhcmQgZHJpdmUgaW1hZ2VzICgu aGR2KT8NCiBGcm9tIHdoYXQgSSBjYW4gc2VlIGluIHRoZSBIREQudmhkIFByb0RPUyBIREQg c3VwcG9ydCAoIzcpIG5vdGUsIA0KcmVhZGluZyBhbmQgd3JpdGluZyB3b3Jrcy4NCg0KQ2hh cmxpZQ0KDQoNCg==

    --- SoupGate-Win32 v1.05
    * Origin: fsxNet Usenet Gateway (21:1/5)
  • From KP@21:1/5 to Charlie on Tue Feb 28 23:20:41 2023
    I have not tried using HDV images with the Mister Apple II core because so much of what I would want to use disk-writing for would be in DOS 3.3.

    You asked "What FPGA is used in the Mister?"

    The Mister is built around the DE10-nano, which, in turn, is built around the Intel Cyclone V SE FPGA. From the Terasic (the manufacturer of the DE10-nano) Internet site:

    FPGA Device
    Intel Cyclone® V SE 5CSEBA6U23I7 device (110K LEs)
    Serial configuration device – EPCS64 (revision B2 or later)
    USB-Blaster II onboard for programming; JTAG Mode
    HDMI TX, compatible with DVI 1.0 and HDCP v1.4
    2 push-buttons
    4 slide switches
    8 green user LEDs
    Three 50MHz clock sources from the clock generator
    Two 40-pin expansion headers
    One Arduino expansion header (Uno R3 compatibility), can be connected with Arduino shields
    One 10-pin Analog input expansion header (shared with Arduino Analog input)
    A/D converter, 4-pin SPI interface with FPGA
    * If the specification of memory device in Quick Start Guide and official website is discordant, refer to DE10-Nano website as the sole stardard.

    HPS (Hard Processor System)
    800MHz Dual-core ARM Cortex-A9 processor
    1GB DDR3 SDRAM (32-bit data bus)
    1 Gigabit Ethernet PHY with RJ45 connector
    USB OTG Port, USB Micro-AB connector
    Micro SD card socket
    Accelerometer (I2C interface + interrupt)
    UART to USB, USB Mini-B connector
    Warm reset button and cold reset button
    One user button and one user LED
    LTC 2x7 expansion header



    On Tuesday, February 28, 2023 at 1:29:52 PM UTC-5, Charlie wrote:
    On 2/28/2023 10:58 AM, KP wrote:
    Wow, that worked! Thank you!

    The next step is more burdensome, though. This thing still won't write to disk images...


    On Tuesday, February 28, 2023 at 10:46:35 AM UTC-5, Charlie wrote:
    On 2/27/2023 11:26 PM, KP wrote:
    The Mister FPGA Apple II core is, in a word... half-baked. Perhaps due to the European origins of many of the lead developers of Mister cores, the Commodore 64 core and ZX Spectrum cores are so fully-featured that, in at least the C64 core, it is
    possible to connect original Commodore floppy drives to the Mister.

    The Apple II core, meanwhile, does not even have a functional Reset key, or the ability to map a functional Reset key. (So it is impossible to use the Apple II core to break into BASIC with a Control-Reset, because there is no Reset key.)

    Nor does it have the ability to write to disk images. So using any kind of serious application software is pretty much out of question. And no games that require saving can work.

    Let alone the ability to use an IO board to do actual audio IO (which the Spectrum and C64 cores can do), to read and write data to tape or other audio device.

    Is anyone here a Mister fan? Does anyone have the technical know-how to help the Apple II core to become even remotely complete? Because, right now, it's pretty half-baked compared to the other cores.
    I had never heard of MiSTer so I looked it up.
    I found this code:

    https://github.com/MiSTer-devel/Apple-II_MiSTer

    In the README.md file there are instructions and I found this:

    "If you press reset (the right button on the MiST) you'll enter
    Applesoft with the ] prompt. From here you have some limited commands.
    See: http://www.landsnail.com/a2ref.htm"

    Have you tried this?
    I took a quick look at the code and reset is an input.

    Charlie
    Coding for 'writing to disk images' is not trivial (at least not for me).
    I struggle with VHDL code (I'm more familiar with verilog) and most of
    the existing code is VHDL so I'm not going to be much help.

    What FPGA is used in the MiSTer?
    What tools are used to synthesize the code?
    Also how is the resulting bitstream input to the MiSTer?

    Have you tried writing to ProDOS hard drive images (.hdv)?
    From what I can see in the HDD.vhd ProDOS HDD support (#7) note,
    reading and writing works.

    Charlie

    --- SoupGate-Win32 v1.05
    * Origin: fsxNet Usenet Gateway (21:1/5)
  • From Charlie@21:1/5 to All on Wed Mar 1 16:10:44 2023
    T24gMy8xLzIwMjMgMjoyMCBBTSwgS1Agd3JvdGU6DQo+IEkgaGF2ZSBub3QgdHJpZWQgdXNp bmcgSERWIGltYWdlcyB3aXRoIHRoZSBNaXN0ZXIgQXBwbGUgSUkgY29yZSBiZWNhdXNlIHNv IG11Y2ggb2Ygd2hhdCBJIHdvdWxkIHdhbnQgdG8gdXNlIGRpc2std3JpdGluZyBmb3Igd291 bGQgYmUgaW4gRE9TIDMuMy4NCg0KTWFueSBET1MgMy4zIHByb2dyYW1zIGhhdmUgYmVlbiBw b3J0ZWQgdG8gUHJvRE9TLg0KcWt1bWJhIChvbiB0aGlzIGdyb3VwKSBoYXMgcG9ydGVkIGEg dG9uIG9mIHRoZW0gYW5kIGhlIHRha2VzIHJlcXVlc3RzLg0KDQo+IA0KPiBZb3UgYXNrZWQg IldoYXQgRlBHQSBpcyB1c2VkIGluIHRoZSBNaXN0ZXI/Ig0KPiANCj4gVGhlIE1pc3RlciBp cyBidWlsdCBhcm91bmQgdGhlIERFMTAtbmFubywgd2hpY2gsIGluIHR1cm4sIGlzIGJ1aWx0 IGFyb3VuZCB0aGUgSW50ZWwgQ3ljbG9uZSBWIFNFIEZQR0EuICBGcm9tIHRoZSBUZXJhc2lj ICh0aGUgbWFudWZhY3R1cmVyIG9mIHRoZSBERTEwLW5hbm8pIEludGVybmV0IHNpdGU6DQo+ IA0KPiBGUEdBIERldmljZQ0KPiBJbnRlbCBDeWNsb25lwq4gViBTRSA1Q1NFQkE2VTIzSTcg IGRldmljZSAoMTEwSyBMRXMpDQo+IFNlcmlhbCBjb25maWd1cmF0aW9uIGRldmljZSAg4oCT IEVQQ1M2NCAocmV2aXNpb24gQjIgb3IgbGF0ZXIpDQo+IFVTQi1CbGFzdGVyIElJIG9uYm9h cmQgZm9yIHByb2dyYW1taW5nOyBKVEFHIE1vZGUNCj4gSERNSSBUWCwgY29tcGF0aWJsZSB3 aXRoIERWSSAxLjAgYW5kIEhEQ1AgdjEuNA0KPiAyIHB1c2gtYnV0dG9ucw0KPiA0IHNsaWRl IHN3aXRjaGVzDQo+IDggZ3JlZW4gdXNlciBMRURzDQo+IFRocmVlIDUwTUh6IGNsb2NrIHNv dXJjZXMgZnJvbSB0aGUgY2xvY2sgZ2VuZXJhdG9yDQo+IFR3byA0MC1waW4gZXhwYW5zaW9u IGhlYWRlcnMNCj4gT25lIEFyZHVpbm8gZXhwYW5zaW9uIGhlYWRlciAoVW5vIFIzIGNvbXBh dGliaWxpdHkpLCBjYW4gYmUgY29ubmVjdGVkIHdpdGggQXJkdWlubyBzaGllbGRzDQo+IE9u ZSAxMC1waW4gQW5hbG9nIGlucHV0IGV4cGFuc2lvbiBoZWFkZXIgKHNoYXJlZCB3aXRoIEFy ZHVpbm8gQW5hbG9nIGlucHV0KQ0KPiBBL0QgY29udmVydGVyLCA0LXBpbiBTUEkgaW50ZXJm YWNlIHdpdGggRlBHQQ0KPiAqIElmIHRoZSBzcGVjaWZpY2F0aW9uIG9mIG1lbW9yeSBkZXZp Y2UgaW4gUXVpY2sgU3RhcnQgR3VpZGUgYW5kIG9mZmljaWFsIHdlYnNpdGUgaXMgZGlzY29y ZGFudCwgcmVmZXIgdG8gREUxMC1OYW5vIHdlYnNpdGUgYXMgdGhlIHNvbGUgc3RhcmRhcmQu DQo+IA0KPiBIUFMgKEhhcmQgUHJvY2Vzc29yIFN5c3RlbSkNCj4gODAwTUh6IER1YWwtY29y ZSBBUk0gQ29ydGV4LUE5IHByb2Nlc3Nvcg0KPiAxR0IgRERSMyBTRFJBTSAoMzItYml0IGRh dGEgYnVzKQ0KPiAxIEdpZ2FiaXQgRXRoZXJuZXQgUEhZIHdpdGggUko0NSBjb25uZWN0b3IN Cj4gVVNCIE9URyBQb3J0LCBVU0IgTWljcm8tQUIgY29ubmVjdG9yDQo+IE1pY3JvIFNEIGNh cmQgc29ja2V0DQo+IEFjY2VsZXJvbWV0ZXIgKEkyQyBpbnRlcmZhY2UgKyBpbnRlcnJ1cHQp DQo+IFVBUlQgdG8gVVNCLCBVU0IgTWluaS1CIGNvbm5lY3Rvcg0KPiBXYXJtIHJlc2V0IGJ1 dHRvbiBhbmQgY29sZCByZXNldCBidXR0b24NCj4gT25lIHVzZXIgYnV0dG9uIGFuZCBvbmUg dXNlciBMRUQNCj4gTFRDIDJ4NyBleHBhbnNpb24gaGVhZGVyDQo+IA0KDQpOaWNlIQ0KDQpD aGFybGllDQoNCg==

    --- SoupGate-Win32 v1.05
    * Origin: fsxNet Usenet Gateway (21:1/5)
  • From KP@21:1/5 to Charlie on Wed Mar 1 20:31:46 2023
    Thank you, but using ports of DOS 3.3 programs to ProDOS is not the goal. I want to be able to use DOS 3.3 programs and save to disk..


    On Wednesday, March 1, 2023 at 4:12:47 PM UTC-5, Charlie wrote:
    On 3/1/2023 2:20 AM, KP wrote:
    I have not tried using HDV images with the Mister Apple II core because so much of what I would want to use disk-writing for would be in DOS 3.3.
    Many DOS 3.3 programs have been ported to ProDOS.
    qkumba (on this group) has ported a ton of them and he takes requests.

    You asked "What FPGA is used in the Mister?"

    The Mister is built around the DE10-nano, which, in turn, is built around the Intel Cyclone V SE FPGA. From the Terasic (the manufacturer of the DE10-nano) Internet site:

    FPGA Device
    Intel Cyclone® V SE 5CSEBA6U23I7 device (110K LEs)
    Serial configuration device – EPCS64 (revision B2 or later)
    USB-Blaster II onboard for programming; JTAG Mode
    HDMI TX, compatible with DVI 1.0 and HDCP v1.4
    2 push-buttons
    4 slide switches
    8 green user LEDs
    Three 50MHz clock sources from the clock generator
    Two 40-pin expansion headers
    One Arduino expansion header (Uno R3 compatibility), can be connected with Arduino shields
    One 10-pin Analog input expansion header (shared with Arduino Analog input)
    A/D converter, 4-pin SPI interface with FPGA
    * If the specification of memory device in Quick Start Guide and official website is discordant, refer to DE10-Nano website as the sole stardard.

    HPS (Hard Processor System)
    800MHz Dual-core ARM Cortex-A9 processor
    1GB DDR3 SDRAM (32-bit data bus)
    1 Gigabit Ethernet PHY with RJ45 connector
    USB OTG Port, USB Micro-AB connector
    Micro SD card socket
    Accelerometer (I2C interface + interrupt)
    UART to USB, USB Mini-B connector
    Warm reset button and cold reset button
    One user button and one user LED
    LTC 2x7 expansion header

    Nice!

    Charlie

    --- SoupGate-Win32 v1.05
    * Origin: fsxNet Usenet Gateway (21:1/5)
  • From Charlie@21:1/5 to All on Thu Mar 2 12:36:58 2023
    On 3/1/2023 11:31 PM, KP wrote:
    Thank you, but using ports of DOS 3.3 programs to ProDOS is not the goal. I want to be able to use DOS 3.3 programs and save to disk..


    Okay, if you mean a real physical disk then yeah, that's going to be tough.

    If you mean a disk image, I would think a ProDOS port would include
    saving to the disk image (.hdv, .po). Maybe someone on this group can
    correct me if I'm wrong.

    Charlie

    --- SoupGate-Win32 v1.05
    * Origin: fsxNet Usenet Gateway (21:1/5)
  • From qkumba@21:1/5 to All on Thu Mar 2 11:45:02 2023
    For ProDOS ports, if the original program saved to disk then the port will save to a file instead on the hdv, and the program won't know the difference.

    --- SoupGate-Win32 v1.05
    * Origin: fsxNet Usenet Gateway (21:1/5)
  • From Charlie@21:1/5 to qkumba on Thu Mar 2 15:01:17 2023
    On 3/2/2023 2:45 PM, qkumba wrote:
    For ProDOS ports, if the original program saved to disk then the port will save to a file instead on the hdv, and the program won't know the difference.

    Thank you for the clarification.

    Charlie

    --- SoupGate-Win32 v1.05
    * Origin: fsxNet Usenet Gateway (21:1/5)