Multicomp

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Martin A
Posts: 802
Joined: 09 Nov 2013 21:03

Multicomp

Post by Martin A »

On his MFX development pages, Dave mentions that I already had the FPGA board used in the MFX, which was originally running Grant Searle's Multicomp. http://searle.wales/

With the "production" MFX running using it's own FPGA for some time now, I finally got around to re-configuring original FPGA board on the MFX prototype back to the multicomp.
Multicomp on the breakout board
Multicomp on the breakout board
Bare Multicomp.jpg (69.7 KiB) Viewed 6481 times
The breakout board has all the I/O connections, PS2 keyboard, VGA text, Mono Composite, TTL serial and the SDcard. Plus there is a single 128k ram chip.

The FPGA's internal 13k is enough for the video memory and the boot or Basic rom but doesn't leave much for code. The one ram chip though allows a full 64k ram, and support for CPM if the Z80 CPU package is chosen.

Once the re-programming back to a 25MHz Z80 was sorted, the last thing required was a 3D printed case. The boards are mounted the opposite way to the "naked" picture, with the breakout board to the top, to give access to the FPGA prgramming headers and the reset switch.
Multicomp in the 3D printed case running CPM
Multicomp in the 3D printed case running CPM
Cased Multicomp.jpg (115.24 KiB) Viewed 6481 times
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1024MAK
Posts: 758
Joined: 24 Dec 2012 03:01
Location: Looking forward to summer, in Somerset, UK

Re: Multicomp

Post by 1024MAK »

Nice 8-)

Mark
:!: Standby alert :!:
“There are four lights!”
Step up to red alert. Sir, are you absolutely sure? It does mean changing the bulb :!:
Looking forward to summer in Somerset later in the year :D

Not as many MTXs as Dave! :lol:
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