JezC H4 Build - in slow time

Topic for users to share their building progress.
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rubber_jonnie
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Re: JezC H4 Build - in slow time

Post by rubber_jonnie »

JezC wrote: Fri Jun 12, 2020 10:21 am @rubber_jonnie Ah yes...the lovely HDMI board...I might have to put that on my Christmas list (and hope it will be read around that time)...failing that, possibly for my birthday next year which gives them just over a year to finish it off).

I had to dig out a TV with a SCART connector to test the video on the H4...I'm wondering if I should have put a VGA socket on it instead of the 13 pin DIN...but it will probably have a Mono monitor connected most of the time (for MIDI usage when completed).

Yes, my hobby funds are depleted at the moment (hence why I've not managed to order the bits for the first IDE board)...might be lucky enough to order some bits when I get paid at the end of the month... :roll:
I didn't put a VGA socket on mine, but I do have something like 5 or 6 VGA switchers, so that works nicely for me. I'm lucky enough that I do usually have a decent monthly "gadget budget", but because of the MSTE I said I'd reign it in for a bit. Still can manage small stuff like £15 on caps for the Amstrad PSU, but it's very limiting. I suppose I should be choosy about what I buy, and be grateful I have a nice MSTE permanently set up :) And A wife who puts up with my strange hobby. And my karate...

But you're making great progress, so as long as you can continue that, I guess it's a win!
Collector of many retro things!
800XL and 65XE both with Ultimate1MB,VBXL/XE & PokeyMax, SIDE3, SDrive Max, 2x 1010 cassette, 2x 1050 one with Happy mod, 3x 2600 Jr, 7800 and Lynx II
Approx 20 STs, including a 520 STM, 520 STFMs, 3x Mega ST, MSTE & 2x 32 Mhz boosted STEs
Plus the rest, totalling around 50 machines including a QL, 3x BBC Model B, Electron, Spectrums, ZX81 etc...
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JezC
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Re: JezC H4 Build - in slow time

Post by JezC »

(Copied my last post from the current stock status thread to try & appease @exxos - sorry about veering off topic!)

Ok, so last night I managed to get my TF536 to boot using EmuTOS...to the desktop.

:cheers: :yay: :yay2:
Didn't have time to get any programs running on it though, maybe later this week (I need to copy the SysInfo & Gembench etc. into a new pen drive for my Gotek)

So I basically used the EmuTOS 192k boot image from the post by @agranlund and his EmuTOS peg in the auto folder...and it just works!

:thanksblue: @PhilC & @agranlund for the TF536 & EmuTOS 192k builds respectively!

Next steps are to get some utils & demos etc. onto that pen drive to try with the TF536 & then to try and update it to use the EmuTOS 1.0 release build (still running a flavour of 0.91 at present).
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PhilC
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Re: JezC H4 Build - in slow time

Post by PhilC »

@JezC Could you make a .ST floppy file with the emutos boot etc on it, so others have a way if quickly getting up and running please?
If it ain't broke, test it to Destruction.
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Re: JezC H4 Build - in slow time

Post by JezC »

@PhilC Yes, already on my to-do list...but all I have done so far is to take the builds of EmuTOS 192k boot rom & the EmuTOS prg file kindly posted by @agranlund and use them.

So, I programmed up a different Hitachi 27C4096 EPROM with this boot ROM, created an hfe image on a pendrive with the EmuTOS prg in the auto folder, swapped the EPROM, removed the PLCC 68k, plugged in the TF536, powered up...and a few seconds later saw the EmuTOS boot screen show it had detected the 68030 and then up came the EmuTOS desktop.

Thanks again for the assembled TF536, very nice build.

More updates including that ST disc image later this week....
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Re: JezC H4 Build - in slow time

Post by PhilC »

@JezC simple as that then I guess?
If it ain't broke, test it to Destruction.
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Re: JezC H4 Build - in slow time

Post by JezC »

@PhilC pretty much...all the kudos should go to @agranlund really.

Once I work out how to run v1.0 EmuTOS I will post that too...all a learning curve.
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Re: JezC H4 Build - in slow time

Post by DoG »

If you are really in a pickle I have a decoder board for 256K ROMs. It's just 3 chips to solder and all the pins. Not tried it on a H4 but works in a Mega I have. I used that decoder when i ran my TF536 on the Mega.

I looked at the schematics for the H4 and I guess you should be able to pick up ROM2 from the board (pin6 on U2 or pin14 on U$29) and the feed CE to the same place as exxos rom decoder does on J13.
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Re: JezC H4 Build - in slow time

Post by JezC »

@DoG Thanks for the very kind offer...but I do have a couple of the Exxos IDE boards to build up when time allows....and they provide the extra decode functionality.

I'd be interested in the details of your decoder for the Mega at some point... I might have time one day to build up a decoder for that!

Love the form factor (and keyboard) of the Mega!

Thanks again, Jez
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Re: JezC H4 Build - in slow time

Post by PhilC »

@DoG can I be cheeky again and ask for the details of the decoder. I might see if I can incorporate it somehow on top of the tf536
If it ain't broke, test it to Destruction.
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Re: JezC H4 Build - in slow time

Post by JezC »

PhilC wrote: Mon Sep 21, 2020 4:12 pm @DoG can I be cheeky again and ask for the details of the decoder. I might see if I can incorporate it somehow on top of the tf536
@PhilC

Nice idea to help upgrade the original STM/STF/STFM as well as the Megas!
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