Re: Replace the 9010A base with an IBM Parallel port?

Well it is an interesting idea but base (9005, 9010A, 9020 & 9100) units are
not too difficult to buy yet (compared to certain pods).

I don't think there would be much profit motive, unless someone was to
reproduce the pods also.

Anyone remember the RATBOX project.

Don't get me wrong John (or anyone else), I'd love to see the project move
forward, but I'd rather see progress on the Z8002 interface now which is non
existant versus work on a "available" unit replacement.

Does anyone have a DUMP of the PROM in the Z8002 interface for a CAT Box?

Kev

>
>Looking over the requirements and commands for the pod, I think it is
>"possible" to use the parallel port to handle data transfer and
>handshaking. There are only a few interface lines "MainStat" (MS),
>"PodStat" (PS), "Reset" (R), "Sync" (S), and "Power Fail" (PF). And 8 data
>lines...
>
>Now most of these lines are run through a 6520 (similar if not identical to
>a 6821 PIA), thus the data lines and control lines MS, PS, PF and R all
>come out of the PIA. Thus NONE of these are very fast at all! I strongly
>suspect the ECC Parallel port can handle them, now there remains, Sync, and
>I don't know how fast it runs, but it is for timing the Probe and Probe
>Signature generator and is not used anywhere else. Perhaps we can ignore it
>for now....it appears to run at 1/2 the pod Z80 write speed, but I'll have
>to check that further.
>
>So, we need some bright person to handle the software, the hardware looks
>like, well just a jumper cable with some power (+5, +12 and -5) and the -5
>could be created with a simple 555 driving a small negative bridge
>recitifer. Looks like minimal current, in fact as far as I can see (at
>least for the Z80 pod) the -5 is only to bias the voltage sense circuit.
>
>Comments? Is ANYONE interested in this? I'mm not getting a lot of feedback
>on these ideas I'm chucking out into the void...
>
>John :-#)#
>
Received on Mon Feb 25 19:05:52 2002