Hello all, >> I'm curious how many people would be interested in >> an entire motherboard replacement instead? Maybe with >> the option to plug original chips into it? If it will drop down the overall price of the board and would have more i/o connections, why not? Today I can still order orignal C= chips like 6502, 6522, 6510, 6526, 6581, 8580. Even desolder old chips from "dead boards" not a big work. PD> If I'm replacing the mobo, I think I'll just setup my PD> Super-64 in a PC tower case. The new board ought to be PD> designed with this in mind. Right. Form factor of the PCB shouldn't be designed for C64 case. PD> Also, there should be a PD> connector for a PC keyboard and included logic to PD> decode PC keypresses as equivalent C-64 keys. Might be PD> a good idea to allow people to customize the decoding PD> matrix too, perhaps by writing the new matrix into a PD> PRAM-type area? Optional. C128 keyboards can be used or rewired PC keyboards can be also used. PD> Make the KERNAL customizeable. Maybe have it copied to PD> RAM on power-up. Then implement KERNAL patches by PD> loading them from the PRAM-type area. Now I can PD> customize my KERNAL without loading from disk or PD> burning EPROMs :) Right idea. Today's 2Mbit FLASH PROMs with price and capacity are enough for C=. Can be also omitted and user programmed, but FLASH programming needs a prog. device. PD> The cassette port can definitely be ditched. Same PD> thing with the RF output. At least the power lines can be wired to same-type PCB connector for compatibility. PD> The User port is not essential, but would be nice for PD> connecting audio/video digitizers and printer devices PD> which already exist and require it. USER PORT is necessary for C64-PC connection, centronics printers, etc. PD> Slots are very desireable. Right. At least 2 preferable. PD> 65816 socket is a MUST so we can write sophisticated PD> new apps to take advantage of the new hardware. It PD> would also ease the burden of developers who are PD> willing to port their SuperCPU apps. Not sure about this. If the user want compatibility then remove 65816 and insert 6502? Or dual-CPU-socketed PCB? One for 6502 and one for 65816? Would be very nice, but little comlicated I think. PD> Other desireable features include ETHERNET, IDE, USB, PD> SCSI and true RS-232. Ethernet and USB are good things. Although, there are many USB->Ethernet converters today in the market. BTW, I can't found so many docs about programming many USB devices on the manufacturers site. Probably Linux also lacks USB devs because manufacturers sells devices only for winXX? IDE and SCSI is not needed inside C64/128. Why complicate the HW inside C= and lost compatibility, when from the first time C= used peripherals as storage units. I think it's better to connect IDE (or SCSI) HDD or CD-ROM drive to 1541 (or equivalent) electronics, patch kernal and forget about incompatibility. (At least easier than write a new incompatible OS-kernal for C64 (like IDE64)). Parallel cables (or Jiffy-DOS like routines) can be used to speed up transfer between peripherals and C64 and thats all. (100% CMD command set I don't mentioned but have in mind) 115K or faster 16550A is also good thing. Probably a socket for it enough for most of users. If they desire to use it, simply buy (or desolder) one and insert it (with buffers of course). The price can be cut down in such way. In case of entire MB replacement, extra memory (with DMA controller) or socket for extra RAM *very* preferable. For price-sensitive users I think a blank (socketed) MB with Jeri's VGA/VIC-II/VDC? controller+FLASH ROM and necessary I/O connectors is the best-buy. (I have at least many C= chips laying around waiting for "good-days".) -- Best regards, Frank mailto:frank@kontros.uzhgorod.ua - This message was sent through the cbm-hackers mailing list. To unsubscribe: echo unsubscribe | mail cbm-hackers-request@dot.tml.hut.fi.
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