MSX USB | MSX Resource Center (Pagina 18/24)

Paladin (680)

23-08-2020, 17:32

Fabf wrote:

Hi SOurceror !
I've build one MSX USB using an old epm240 board.
All seem to work well but I can't use Nextor.
The device only want to boot MSXDOS1.
Maybe I don't use good bios or good files.
Your NEXTOR720.DSK doesn't work, always reboot and link for bigger images is dead.
Could you help me ?
Manu thanks for this great piece if hardware

Fabf, do your MSX has a Memory Mapper of at least 128KB? DOS2 (and Nextor) won't boot if there is no free memory mapper segments, it needs at least one segment (16KB) for it if I'm not mistaken. Sorry if that doesn't help and you know it, sometimes it is best to ask if the outlet plug is plugged in than remaining in silent thinking it is obvious for everyone.

Van Fabf

Champion (266)

23-08-2020, 17:49

Yes I use it with a NMS8245.
Also tried with a 512KB mapper but nothing better.
Thanks for your help.

Van Fabf

Champion (266)

23-08-2020, 19:23

Finaly found Big disks images.
Now I need to manage to add files.

Van S0urceror

Master (210)

24-08-2020, 09:09

Fabf wrote:

Hi SOurceror !
I've build one MSX USB using an old epm240 board.
All seem to work well but I can't use Nextor.

Hi Fabf,
Great to hear you build your own device.
Regarding your question I didn't see a lot of specifics so I will make a small list of things to check:

You have the CH376s connected to port 0x10/11?
You have a megaflashrom of type SCC?
You have version 0.6 of the ROM flashed?
You have a USB flashdrive formatted in FAT16 connected either directly or via a powered hub to the CH376s?

Please note that starting release 0.6 I removed the high-level driver that worked with .DSK files and FAT32. In favour of being able to run multiple devices on a hub in parallel. I will update my instructions to reflect this change.

Now you have Nextor built-in's FAT16 support that boots the disk. And start keyboard and ethernet drivers if you have the appropriate device connected to a powered USB hub.

Let me know how you progress!

Van sdsnatcher73

Prophet (3962)

24-08-2020, 09:40

I was wondering, would it be possible to integrate a ROM mapper device into MSX-USB? The mapper could be similar to what is implemented in MFR, C2, FlashJacks and use a file (8MB) as backend on the USB drive. To top it of it would be really great if SofaRun could also control/support this.

Only thing I am not sure about is if all the translation from access to mapper by MSX to access the file would be fast enough.

Van Fabf

Champion (266)

24-08-2020, 14:09

Hi SOurceror
I use now last firmware and fat16 formated flashdrive.
All is fine !
Now I need to find a usbhub and a compatible keyboard.
Do you think implement usbwifi ?
Great job.

Van ducasp

Paladin (680)

24-08-2020, 16:42

Fabf wrote:

Hi SOurceror
I use now last firmware and fat16 formated flashdrive.
All is fine !
Now I need to find a usbhub and a compatible keyboard.
Do you think implement usbwifi ?
Great job.

I'm not sure an USB WiFi adapter could work with MSX, it probably offloads plenty stuff to the host processor, which in case of MSX, is not likely to be powerful enough to do what is requested... And also, there is no standard for USB WiFi, unlike Mass storage, so each chipset has a driver of its own.

On the other hand, if a serial port over USB is somehow possible, we could attach a USB-Serial 3V3 adapter and a ESP-01 and I could work on a driver for the ESP custom UNAPI firmware (wouldn't mind releasing a binary so anyone can flash their own ESP for that). Not sure the performance would be great though, it would depend on the throughput of the USB serial on the MSX.

Van lintweaker

Champion (464)

24-08-2020, 18:56

Quote:

On the other hand, if a serial port over USB is somehow possible, we could attach a USB-Serial 3V3 adapter and a ESP-01 and I could work on a driver for the ESP custom UNAPI firmware (wouldn't mind releasing a binary so anyone can flash their own ESP for that). Not sure the performance would be great though, it would depend on the throughput of the USB serial on the MSX.

That sounds like a bit of overhead for the poor MSX
I you want to go that route, MSX-USB->serial->ESP->Wifi. I guess it would be better to make a 'normal' serial port and then straight to the ESP.

Van ducasp

Paladin (680)

24-08-2020, 19:56

lintweaker wrote:

Quote:

On the other hand, if a serial port over USB is somehow possible, we could attach a USB-Serial 3V3 adapter and a ESP-01 and I could work on a driver for the ESP custom UNAPI firmware (wouldn't mind releasing a binary so anyone can flash their own ESP for that). Not sure the performance would be great though, it would depend on the throughput of the USB serial on the MSX.

That sounds like a bit of overhead for the poor MSX
I you want to go that route, MSX-USB->serial->ESP->Wifi. I guess it would be better to make a 'normal' serial port and then straight to the ESP.

That is Andrés Ortiz BadCad modem

Van S0urceror

Master (210)

26-08-2020, 08:39

The Unapi driver I created works with USB CDC ECM compatible devices. Like those based on the RTL8153 chipset. Then Internestor Lite takes care of the TCP/IP stack. Which works, albeit a bit slow on a Z80. I get max 16KB/second, comparable to the speed of a floppy drive.

Alternatively I could create USB serial driver to connect to anything including devices that do TCP/IP in hardware, like the ESP. With an UNAPI compatible thin driver it would work a lot faster indeed.