Re: A new Z80 based SBC to get beginners started on the S100 bus

I'm glad to report that so far the hardware for the V1.1 version of the Z80 based SBC is holding up fine. The prototype came in a few days ago. Looks like no major hardware bugs. Currently I have to hammer out a decent monitor to allow downloads of Xmodem files from a PC over the USB port and get the IDE/CF card diagnostics working. I'm not sure I have the stomach to do a full CPM3 may settle for non-banked CPM3 or leave it to others. The good news is the lower 32K RAM bank switching is working fine. Please see here for more info:-

http://s100computers.com/My%20System%20Pages/SBC%20Z80%20Board/SBC%20Z80%20CPU%20Board.htm

I am NOT at the point of taking bare board orders yet. Will announce when I have a decent monitor. Stay tunded!

John

On Wednesday, September 9, 2015 at 12:34:51 PM UTC-7, monahanz wrote:

Guys, I thinking of trying to solve the chicken/egg problem by doing a single Z80 based S100 board that would contain 64K RAM, EEPROM, PS/2 keyboard input as well as a host of indicator LED's and jumpers to deactivate ROM/RAM keyboard etc. one at a time as other boards are added to get new people started on the S100 bus.

The only part I'm not sure of is what to do about console output/video. Was thinking of using the basic Propeller Console IO circuit
http://s100computers.com/My%20System%20Pages/Console%20IO%20Board/Console%20IO%20Board.htm

but this requires programming its two wire serial EEPROM with Parallaxes software and USB adaptor/software. Do you think that is outside the range capability of most
newcomers. Alternatively we could go with a straight serial output to some dumb terminal IBM PC terminal emulator. Open also to other suggestions.
John