It is! I think I'll build a Z80 Playground specifically for putting inside a case, with LEDs on flying leads, etc. Thanks for your suggestions on how to get this working.
Some keyboards will use both protocols, so if you put a simple adapter plug on a USB keyboard and plug it into a ps/2 socket, it will fall back to PS/2 mode. But not all, and I don't know how you could find out without trying your keyboard.
Generating VGA would be much easier than HDMI. You could probably use dual port RAM and emulate a S100 memory (or IO) mapped video card, though that would take some work in CPM IO driver.
Did you think of using an optic isolator chip for your 5v to 3.3V logic exchange, anyway good job looks like an exciting adventure What's that USB thingy, is it a floppy disk substitute, where did you get it?
Where did you get a copy of CP/M 2.2 ? I am trying to find a copy to create a CP/M emulator. I got a number of versions but they either do not have the bootable system or seem to have a system that makes no sense.
Is the level shifter necessary? I have interfaced 5v with 3v3 by using a resistor divider on the 5v tx, and just connecting the 3v3 tx directly to the 5v rx.
this is done until today to learn what with it? I'm Brazilian sorry for my free time and to read and watch Useful things what I got to understand is that it has a type of DOS running inside a ROM sorry for the ignorance I'm a layman in it at the most and handling MSDOS Just that for me is Greek is it high computer engineering in the end does it have any use or is it just for study? i run msdos from a pendrive and i'm already happy kkkk rufus akeo
I'd buy that from you if you sold it in kit form with circuitboards, components and case! And then I'd go off hunting Klingons like it was 1976 again! :)
The case is the tricky bit! I can supply the Z80 Playground as a kit, and those VGA32s are easy to get, but I don't have a way to make a case. Maybe i need a 3D printer?!?!
@@CircuitBreaker256 I have a 3D printer, so I could design and print you a prototype.... but mass production is not feasable from a 3D printer. Once the prototype is finalised, I could give you the STL file and you could get it mass produced from China via injection mould maybe?
@@louisferreira9055 No worries, I have found the perfect case on eBay. www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Metal-Plastic-Electronics-Project-Box-Enclosure-Instrument-Case-Project-Box-BE/154385630006
Nice Project. Have you tried to use the Raspberry Pi Pico? With this you should be able to have HDMI output and USB host functionality. But the programming effort is probably much greater.
@@CircuitBreaker256 Unfortunately I can't post any links. But with a google search for "raspberry pi pico hdmi" you can find a page where a guy built a small HDMI adapter board for the Pi. With a "raspberry pi pico usb host" search you can find an example on the raspberry github page. But both require knowledge of C.
@@chruder83 I've been experimenting with a Raspberry Pi running the baremetal PiGFX software. It works, but I wasn't happy with the reliability - I was running it too fast I think. I'm aiming for one Z80 Playground running via an ESP32 (PS2 keyboard and VGA on a proper aspect radio screen), and another running via PigFX.(Widescreen HDMI, USB keyboard)
All that effort aanndd... we got 64K of memory, a slow processor, some primitive BASIC, command line, and ancient apps. I can wax nostalgic but honestly, I'd play with it for a day or two and then put it away and never touch it again.
You could do that, but my goal is two things: 1) Use a real Z80, real RAM etc. 2) Use a version of CP/M that runs from a FAT-formatted Usb-pen-drive. The ESP32 obviously fails point 1, and point 2 is crucial for usability.
@@CircuitBreaker256 The Commodore 128 had CP/M, but it used the Commodore 128's secondary Z80 CPU. (The primary CPU was a MOS 8502, which was based on the 6502)
Nice one! It's great to have it running standalone.
It is! I think I'll build a Z80 Playground specifically for putting inside a case, with LEDs on flying leads, etc. Thanks for your suggestions on how to get this working.
looks pretty good so far.
Hi how did you program the rom , i got z80 kit which waiting for a cpm software to run, do you have a step by step instructions to follow.
Thanks.
This is a bit off-topic, but...
I'm wondering... did the ZX Spectrum have any kind of CP/M or DOS (aside from TR-DOS)?
Great work! I love it!
Thanks a lot!
Awesome!
please, where can I buy one of this mini computer?
Where I can buy Z80 Playground? The link in description doesn't work!
something to try, a usb keyboard, the way it use to work, if the usb didnt initialize, it fell back to a ps/2 protocol
Some keyboards will use both protocols, so if you put a simple adapter plug on a USB keyboard and plug it into a ps/2 socket, it will fall back to PS/2 mode. But not all, and I don't know how you could find out without trying your keyboard.
Looked on ebay but out of stock. Any plans to produce more at all? (will buy one for sure)
Oh yes, definitely, just waiting on the parts for more kits, and soldering up more ready-assembled ones. Keep your eye on my ebay account.
@@CircuitBreaker256 Will do thanks :)
There are more on ebay now
@@CircuitBreaker256 Thank you :)
When do you expect more of them on ebay?
Generating VGA would be much easier than HDMI. You could probably use dual port RAM and emulate a S100 memory (or IO) mapped video card, though that would take some work in CPM IO driver.
I'm using the VGA32 to generate VGA, and I've got a VGA2HDMI converter box, so now I have both output options.
Did you think of using an optic isolator chip for your 5v to 3.3V logic exchange, anyway good job looks like an exciting adventure
What's that USB thingy, is it a floppy disk substitute, where did you get it?
Where did you get a copy of CP/M 2.2 ?
I am trying to find a copy to create a CP/M emulator.
I got a number of versions but they either do not have the bootable system or seem to have a system that makes no sense.
Is the level shifter necessary? I have interfaced 5v with 3v3 by using a resistor divider on the 5v tx, and just connecting the 3v3 tx directly to the 5v rx.
It's overkill! I will do the real thing with resistors. I just wanted to make totally sure it worked first.
If you lived through their the first time this is the stuff of nightmares.
this is done until today to learn what with it? I'm Brazilian sorry for my free time and to read and watch Useful things what I got to understand is that it has a type of DOS running inside a ROM sorry for the ignorance I'm a layman in it at the most and handling MSDOS Just that for me is Greek is it high computer engineering in the end does it have any use or is it just for study? i run msdos from a pendrive and i'm already happy kkkk rufus akeo
I'd buy that from you if you sold it in kit form with circuitboards, components and case! And then I'd go off hunting Klingons like it was 1976 again! :)
The case is the tricky bit! I can supply the Z80 Playground as a kit, and those VGA32s are easy to get, but I don't have a way to make a case. Maybe i need a 3D printer?!?!
@@CircuitBreaker256 I have a 3D printer, so I could design and print you a prototype.... but mass production is not feasable from a 3D printer. Once the prototype is finalised, I could give you the STL file and you could get it mass produced from China via injection mould maybe?
@@louisferreira9055 No worries, I have found the perfect case on eBay. www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Metal-Plastic-Electronics-Project-Box-Enclosure-Instrument-Case-Project-Box-BE/154385630006
@@louisferreira9055 Col. Young, is that you? :)
Nice Project. Have you tried to use the Raspberry Pi Pico? With this you should be able to have HDMI output and USB host functionality. But the programming effort is probably much greater.
I think the Pi Zero is a better bet, and I do have one. I just know nothing at all about Pi programming.
@@CircuitBreaker256 Unfortunately I can't post any links. But with a google search for "raspberry pi pico hdmi" you can find a page where a guy built a small HDMI adapter board for the Pi. With a "raspberry pi pico usb host" search you can find an example on the raspberry github page. But both require knowledge of C.
@@chruder83 I've been experimenting with a Raspberry Pi running the baremetal PiGFX software. It works, but I wasn't happy with the reliability - I was running it too fast I think. I'm aiming for one Z80 Playground running via an ESP32 (PS2 keyboard and VGA on a proper aspect radio screen), and another running via PigFX.(Widescreen HDMI, USB keyboard)
@@CircuitBreaker256 No need for programming, just boot Pi OS into a terminal emulator and you're done.
You should try to let it run SymbOS
I had never heard of symbOS until now. I would have to figure out how that was even going to be possible!
@@CircuitBreaker256 You can start by gearing a little ajour og om Wikipedia
I forgot how cpm looked like
All that effort aanndd... we got 64K of memory, a slow processor, some primitive BASIC, command line, and ancient apps. I can wax nostalgic but honestly, I'd play with it for a day or two and then put it away and never touch it again.
Just emulate everething on the esp
You could do that, but my goal is two things:
1) Use a real Z80, real RAM etc.
2) Use a version of CP/M that runs from a FAT-formatted Usb-pen-drive.
The ESP32 obviously fails point 1, and point 2 is crucial for usability.
Come on man! 6502 is where it’s at! 🤡🤡🤡🌍🌍🌍
It's a shame that the 6502 never had an equivalent to CP/M. I suppose the C64 would be my target if I was doing this using a 6502.
@@CircuitBreaker256 The Commodore 128 had CP/M, but it used the Commodore 128's secondary Z80 CPU. (The primary CPU was a MOS 8502, which was based on the 6502)
Z , not Zed.
Blame my school teachers.