ABBUC Hardwarewettbewerb 2024 eröffnet!

[andymanone]

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Alle wichtigen Infos dazu findet ihr hier / All important information can be found here:

-> Regeln für den ABBUC-Hardwarewettbewerb 2024 / Rules for the ABBUC Hardware Competition 2024

[mega-hz]

Sollte das nicht bei den anderen Threads sein?
Weiter oben?

[Mathy]

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Hallo Wolfram

Sollte das nicht bei den anderen Threads sein?
Weiter oben?

Gute Bemerkung. Danke!

Tschüß

Mathy

[mega-hz]

so siehts gut aus!

[andymanone]

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Ich freue mich, hier schon einmal die erste Einreichung für den Hardwarewettbewerb 2024 anzukündigen !

Unser - nicht ganz unbekannter - Pancio hat am 29.03.2024 sein neuestes Projekt "Virtual to Reality Hardware Interface"
für den ABBUC Hardwarewettbewerb 2024 eingereicht.

Genauere Details zu dem sehr interessanten Projekt poste ich in Kürze! (Bin gerade erst aus dem Osterurlaub zurück).

Ihr könnt gespannt sein !

Gtx,
andY

[andymanone]

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So wie versprochen, hier ein paar Details zur Einreichung von Pancio für den AHC 2024:

Pancio schreibt:

Hi,
I would like to present my new VRHI device, which is used for programming, reading and cooperation with any Atari XL/XE devices. The main reason why I decided to build it was the need to quickly write to any cartridge, because writing to an Atari takes a very long time... The presented device can do this in a dozen or so seconds (depending on the capacity). Additionally, we can connect any device compatible with Atari to the interface and, if the method of communication is known, we can also control it. We connect VHRI to a PC using a USB cable and, if we need to use a debugger, a serial cable (or another USB). The first tests showed that transmission speeds of 2mbit are possible (reading a 512KB cartridge takes about ~3s), but work is underway to use USB as a faster interface.
My colleague @mono (Jerzy Kut) is involved to the creation of VRHI in its current form and he is the author of most of the communication software as well as the PC library. I designed, built and tested the system at a basic level. Currently, work is underway on the second prototype and speeding up the information exchange process between PC and VRHI.

A few technically details:
- the project was created as a development of the ATARino idea and initially used its PCB (see photo of the prototype),
- the main element of VRHI is a module with a 32-bit RISC-V microcontroller 144MHz with 64KB RAM and 256KB FLASH,
- additional elements include 16Mb of FLASH memory for cartridge data,
- EEPROM memory for configuration data,
- SD card slot (for cartridge images),
- ETHERNET 10Mb connector
- 2xUSB HOST/DEVICE

Not all features are currently supported, but a few are planned...
There is one more cool thing if I use AtarINO... we can use VRHI as a sniffer, PC-controlled freezer or accelerator directly on Atari
I will provide more details soon!

Best Regards,
pancio

Für die deutschsprachigen User habe ich die Beschreibung mal ge-DeepL-t:

Hallo!
Ich möchte mein neues VRHI-Gerät vorstellen, das zum Programmieren, Lesen und zur Zusammenarbeit mit beliebigen Atari XL/XE-Geräten dient. Der Hauptgrund, warum ich mich entschlossen habe, es zu bauen, war die Notwendigkeit, schnell auf jedes Modul zu schreiben, denn das Schreiben auf einen Atari dauert sehr lange... Das hier vorgestellte Gerät kann dies in einem Dutzend Sekunden tun (je nach Kapazität). Außerdem können wir jedes mit dem Atari kompatible Gerät an die Schnittstelle anschließen und, wenn die Kommunikationsmethode bekannt ist, auch steuern. Wir schließen VHRI über ein USB-Kabel an einen PC an und, wenn wir einen Debugger verwenden müssen, über ein serielles Kabel (oder ein anderes USB-Kabel). Die ersten Tests haben gezeigt, dass Übertragungsgeschwindigkeiten von 2mbit möglich sind (das Lesen einer 512KB-Cartridge dauert etwa ~3s), aber es wird daran gearbeitet, USB als schnellere Schnittstelle zu nutzen.
Mein Kollege @mono (Jerzy Kut) ist an der Entwicklung von VRHI in seiner jetzigen Form beteiligt und er ist der Autor des größten Teils der Kommunikationssoftware sowie der PC-Bibliothek. Ich habe das System entworfen, gebaut und auf einer Grundstufe getestet. Derzeit wird am zweiten Prototyp gearbeitet, um den Informationsaustausch zwischen PC und VRHI zu beschleunigen.

Ein paar technische Details:
- Das Projekt entstand als Weiterentwicklung der ATARino-Idee und verwendete zunächst deren Platine (siehe Foto des Prototyps),
- das Hauptelement von VRHI ist ein Modul mit einem 32-bit RISC-V Mikrocontroller 144MHz mit 64KB RAM und 256KB FLASH,
- zusätzliche Elemente sind 16Mb FLASH-Speicher für Modul Daten,
- EEPROM-Speicher für Konfigurationsdaten,
- SD-Kartensteckplatz (für Cartridge-Bilder),
- ETHERNET 10Mb-Anschluss
- 2xUSB HOST/DEVICE

Nicht alle Funktionen werden derzeit unterstützt, aber einige sind geplant...
Es gibt noch eine weitere coole Sache, wenn ich AtarINO verwende... wir können VRHI als Sniffer, PC-gesteuerten Freezer oder Beschleuniger direkt auf dem Atari verwenden
Ich werde bald mehr Details bekannt geben!

Mit besten Grüßen,
pancio

Gtx.,
andY

[Mathy]

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Hallo Leute

Deepl macht leider eine Fehler beim Übersetzen: Wo "Kassette"steht, sollte "Modul" stehen.

Tschüß

Mathy

[Mathy]

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Hello Pancio

I hope the software can be/will be compiled for use with the Mac too.

Sincerely

Mathy

PS will you show this at the Fujiama 2024?

[andymanone]

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Hallo Leute

Deepl macht leider eine Fehler beim Übersetzen: Wo "Kassette"steht, sollte "Modul" stehen.

Tschüß

Mathy

Korrigiert .

[pancio]

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Hello Pancio

I hope the software can be/will be compiled for use with the Mac too.

Sincerely

Mathy

PS will you show this at the Fujiama 2024?

Library and main program is wrote in GCC, so if this compiler is available on Mac... so answer is yes :-)

[pancio]

Hi,

I would like to inform you that VRHI (yes, I know it's crazy name - will be changed soon to something more friendly :-)) was pretty finished. I made a short movie about VRHI:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=y30KcJ_vIys

Many thanks to Mono - which wrote very fast software and excellent firmware!

Best Regards,
pancio

[andymanone]

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Very cool, Buddy !

Btw.: Double posts - as requested - deleted...

Gtx.,
andY

[pancio]

Hi,

Short update... housing under tests... It will be protected against incorrect insertion of the cartridge.

[mega-hz]

hi pancio,

is it possible to program my THE!CART with that?

[pancio]

We are working on that! I bought The Cart! last month for this purpose. As I discussed with JAC!, there is nothing strange to do... protocol for The Cart! should be ready soon...

BR,
pancio

[mega-hz]

if you want to use higher clock (phi2) remind that there is a 74HCT123 for shortening the clock inside of THE!CART !

[pancio]

Hi mega-hz,

Thank you for notice! Will consider this fact. Was it added to stabilize PHI signal phase?

BR

[andymanone]

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Hey, Jungs! Was ist los?

Der Einsendeschluss endet in Kürze !

Diesmal echt nur EINE (!) Einreichung für den Hardware-Wettbewerb ?

Na kommt, Leute, da geht doch bestimmt noch was !

Gtx.,
andY

[andymanone]

.
So,
nach meinem Reminder gestern hier (und im AA-Forum), gab es doch tatsächlich heute früh um 3 Uhr
noch eine Einreichung für den AHC 2024 !

Ich freue mich, hier die zweite Einreichung für den Hardwarewettbewerb 2024 anzukündigen !

Unser - auch nicht ganz unbekannter - Bertrand (aka ScreamingAtTheRadio) hat am 30.07.2024 sein
neuestes Projekt "DecentUSB Host - a USB / Bluetooth / Wifi host for Atari 8-bit computers"
als work in Progress für den ABBUC Hardwarewettbewerb 2024 eingereicht!

Hier schon mal ein Auszug aus seiner Beschreibung (etwas gekürzt):

DecentUSB Host - a USB / Bluetooth / Wifi host for Atari 8-bit computers

Disclaimer
This is very much a prototype. Both the hardware and the software are work in progress but the proof of
concept is here.

Summary
The DecentUSB Host aims at being a low-cost extension for Atari 8-bit computers that brings USB, Bluetooh
and Wifi capabilities to the platform. It's open source both in hardware and software to allow the community
to easily build new features.
The device is a multi-function interface to keyboards, gamepads or memory devices in a single board that
costs less than $15 to build.
The Raspberry Pi Pico has been a fantastic booster for retro-computer extensions. Its fast PIO state machines
and its extremely low price enable applications involving precise timing of signals with a much lower barrier to
entry than FPGAs.
Specifically, the Pico-W can act as a USB host, a Bluetooth host, and a WiFi card. By connecting it internally to
the relevant Atari 8-bit buses and signals, we can interface modern devices with our favorite retro platform.

Applications
Once drivers have been built, we should be able to support the following scenarios (non exhaustive list):

- USB and Bluetooth keyboards
- USB and Bluetooth gamepads
- USB and Bluetooth mouses
- USB stick drives and SD cards

Internet access (potentially in a FujiNet-compatible way)
Atari to PC communication (potentially in a SIO2PC-compatible way)

Internal interfaces
The DecentUSB Host board exposes pins that connect to the following signals inside the Atari:
GND and 5V power the Pi and its helper chips
Pokey K0-6, KR1 and KR2: enables the device to simulate a keyboard
Start, select, option, reset: enables console key control, for example through an external keyboard
SIO clock in/out, data in/out and command: enables SIO device simulation
Joystick port 1 up, down, left, right and fire as well as A_POT: enables joystick simulation
Potentially other signals using the remaining free GPIOs on the Pi

External interfaces
USB-A: enables the connection of keyboards, gamepads, memory cards, etc.
WiFi: enables connecting the Atari to a WiFi network
Bluetooth: enables the connection of wireless keyboards, gamepads, etc.
Extra GPIOs: can be used to connect a small screen and buttons to control the device (for example to
select a disk image on a USB stick)

Physically, the board is designed to fit in an Atari 800XL between the ROMs and the SIO port. Optionally, the
case can be modified on the right side behind the joystick ports to let a USB port through. If the user doesn't
want to use USB but only Bluetooth and Wifi, the board can operate without case mods.

In a XE computer, the board can be fitted closer to the keyboard connector. The optional USB port can be
exposed to the outside through a case mod that lets the new port through the right side of the case in front
of the joystick ports

In other machines such as the 600XL or XEGS, the back of the case can let the USB port through. If necessary,
there could be optimized versions for each model or form factor

Future developments

Hardware
The prototype relies on the Pi to host a USB port on GPIOs using the USB host library. One of the
disadvantages of this approach is that we're using the Pi's computing resources to wait for USB data. The USB
host library supports only one USB port and can only work in a blocking or polling way, meaning that it's very
difficult to handle other tasks while waiting for USB data without missing any of it.
For those reasons, the next version of the hardware will include a specialized USB hosting chip such as the
Microchip PIC16(L)F145X and a 2-port USB hub chip such as the Microchip USB2422 2-port USB hub
controller to have two active USB ports without having to connect a hub.
The prototype was all through hole components, which is great for experimentation. The production version
of the board will use SMD components, which are easier to source and will allow for an even more compact
design.
I might also add enough GPIO extenders to plug into the PBI

Software
The software for the board is currently highly experimental and only establishes a proof of concept. It can
detect USB devices being added and removed. It recognizes any USB keyboard and can read its inputs. It can
map USB keystrokes to Pokey signals. It can scan the Pokey keyboard pins and simulate keystrokes (albeit
imperfectly at this time because it does so in Python).
Over the next few months, the code will be extended and rewritten to use PIO state machines, which are much
faster than Python code. The main code will be rewritten in C, again for better perf.
I'll also write new drivers for gamepads, thumbdrives and Wifi.

Ein paar Bilder vom Prototyp:

DecentUSB 01.JPG (186.54 KiB) 12388 mal betrachtet

DecentUSB 02.JPG (101.17 KiB) 12388 mal betrachtet

DecentUSB 03.JPG (49.09 KiB) 12388 mal betrachtet

Und noch ein Youtube-Video dazu: DecentUSB Host - a USB / Bluetooth / Wifi host for Atari 8-bit computers

Gtx,
andY

[andymanone]

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Finaler Einreichungsstand: AHC 2024

Einreichung 1 (WIP):
Pancio: "Virtual to Reality Hardware Interface"

Einreichung 2 (WIP):
ScreamingAtTheRadio: DecentUSB Host - a USB / Bluetooth / Wifi host for Atari 8-bit computers

Beide Einreichungen sind im Wettbewerb.

Ab jetzt können keine Hardwareprojekte mehr für 2024 eingereicht werden.

Vorab schonmal ein großes "Dankeschön" an alle Beteiligten !!!

Gtx.,
andY

[mega-hz]

oh Mist,
da habe ich den Einsendeschluss Termin 30.07. doch wieder verpasst.
Ich hatte da noch ne Kleinigkeit einzureichen.
Naja, muss dann wohl bis nächstes Jahr warten...

[Olix]

oh Mist,
da habe ich den Einsendeschluss Termin 30.07. doch wieder verpasst.
Ich hatte da noch ne Kleinigkeit einzureichen.
Naja, muss dann wohl bis nächstes Jahr warten...

... oder du erfreust uns ausserhalb des Wettbewerbs damit und entwickelst für nächstes Jahr etwas neues

[mega-hz]

ja, werde ich auch so machen!
Brauche noch etwas freie Zeit dafür.
Technisch gesehen ist es schon seit 6 Monaten fertig und läuft gut.
Aber das drumherum muss noch...

[mega-hz]

...ist aber kein MegaHammer

[Olix]

...ist aber kein MegaHammer

... oh nein, nicht schon wieder.

Mach jetzt aber nicht den andY, sondern sag uns einfach an was du tüftelst

[DjayBee]

...ist aber kein MegaHammer

Ist doch logisch.
Mega Hz kommt eindeutig nach Mega Hammer.

Ob das auch zeitlich korrekt ist, wird sich, äh Andy uns, zeigen.

[ScreamingAtTheRadio]

I wanted to give an update on my project... I've entirely redesigned the board for rev.2:

image.png.0df6b199240823f54d6f4fe71282dc4d.png (376.01 KiB) 10388 mal betrachtet

RS2350 chip instead of Pi Pico (not yet widely available, expected by the end of the year)
ESP32 for WiFi + Bluetooth
4-ports USB hub chip on-board
One dual-USB port can be mounted directly on the board, is positioned to stick out flush in a 800XL case.
Two additional ports use the standard PC connector for panel-mounted USB ports
Support for the 2 joystick ports (including paddles), keyboard, console keys, and SIO port
Level shifting on all lines
1 Neopixel built-in + port to add an arbitrary number of additional pixels
RGB activity LED for the ESP32
Atari connectors optimized for the ASIC chips pin layouts: ribbon cables will be much easier to route
Protection added to Atari pins as necessary (reproducing the Atari schematics) so direct connection to chips is possible instead of soldering to vias or connectors
Expansion port for the leftover GPIOs and an optional OLED display
Programming through micro-USB port to upload new firmware
Debug port
Buttons on the board for flashing new firmware, option and run
Power supply decoupled and protected so power can be supplied by the programming USB port or from the Atari motherboard and everything can be kept connected simultaneously
Components selected for availability and low-price from JLCPCB
All pins labeled clearly on the board
I can't get this fabricated just yet because RP2350 chips are not yet widely available, but I will as soon as I can.

I'm in the process of rewriting and expanding the firmware in C and PIO assembly, taking maximum advantage of the two cores and state machines in the RP2350.

[andymanone]

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Der ABBUC Soft- und Hardwarewettbewerb 2024 war wieder ein voller Erfolg!
Es gab 11 tolle Einreichungen im Bereich Software und 2 spannende Hardwareprojekte!
Soweit ich das sehe, hatten wir in diesem Jahr - mit insgesamt 81 Mitgliedern - eine Rekordbeteiligung bei den Abstimmungen
(und somit den letzten Rekord von 2023) geknackt !
Vielen Dank an alle ABBUC´ler die mitgemacht haben!
Gestern, auf dem 39. Usertreffen in der FBW in Herten wurden dann auch die langerwarteten Ergebnisse und Preise verkündet!

Hier sind die Gewinner:

KATEGORIE 2 (300€)
Biernat Błażej (Pancio) mit seinem Projekt: Virtual to Reality Hardware Interface
(Mit 130 Punkten und einem Mittelwert von 2,1311)

KATEGORIE 2 (300€)
Bertrand Le Roy (ScreamingAtTheRadio) mit seinem Projekt: DecentUSB Host - a USB / Bluetooth / Wifi host for Atari 8-bit computers
(Mit 140 Punkten und einem Mittelwert von 2,2951)


Herzlichen Glückwunsch von mir und dem gesamten ABBUC-Team an alle Gewinner!!!

André



~~~~ english version ~~~~



The ABBUC Software and Hardware Contest 2024 was again a great success!
There were 11 great submissions in software and 2 exciting hardware projects!
As far as I can see, we had a record participation in the voting this year - with a total of 81 members !
Many thanks to all ABBUC'ers who participated!
Yesterday, at the 39th user meeting in the FBW in Herten, the long-awaited results and prizes were announced!

Here are the winners:

CATEGORY 2 (300€)
Biernat Błażej (Pancio) with his project: Virtual to Reality Hardware Interface
(With 130 points and a mean of 2.1311)

CATEGORY 2 (300€)
Bertrand Le Roy (ScreamingAtTheRadio) with his project: DecentUSB Host - a USB / Bluetooth / Wifi host for Atari 8-bit computers
(With 140 points and a mean of 2.2951)



Congratulations from me and the whole ABBUC team to all winners!!!


André

[ScreamingAtTheRadio]

Big thanks to everyone who voted, and congrats to @pancio on the great project! On my side, I'm hoping to be able to produce the revised version of the project soon, when RP2350 is widely available, and I'll make the boards available as soon as possible.
Big thanks also of course to ABBUC for organizing this competition and awarding me a prize!

[pancio]

I would like to say THANK YOU for your votes and good wiling.

I am very happy and surprised, especially that @ScreamingAtTheRadio presented a project more complex and more usable! :-)
I would especially like to thank everyone who help me finish it. I hope, someone will take it and doing some new features. All materials are available on my page: https://systemembedded.eu/viewtopic.php?t=60

If you have any question - don't be hesitate to ask!

Special thanks for the organizers of the competition! As always, professionals!