LarryL’s blog - creating an ATX version of the Phoenix H5

[LarryL]

Hi,

had a little time today for some small tests:
- RTC -> check! Didn't work immediately, didn't know that the battery needs to be OK (was down to 0.3V). With a fresh battery I could set the clock and it keeps the time
- switching between 4/2/1M and 512k RAM also works
- made my temporary PS/2-adapters (to correct the wrong footprint) - now Eiffel Keyboard and Mouse also work
- struggling with the Joystick ports via Eiffel...
Joy0 is working (but then the mouse is dead) - normal?
Joy1 is working except the fire button - need to check...
- temperature sensor and switching on/off of the fan (based on temperature) also works

pleased...

Cheers
Michael

[agranlund]

Nice!

[DoG]

- struggling with the Joystick ports via Eiffel...
Joy0 is working (but then the mouse is dead) - normal?
Joy1 is working except the fire button - need to check...

This is a known issue. There is a new modified firmware if you're not using a display.

[LarryL]

- struggling with the Joystick ports via Eiffel...
Joy0 is working (but then the mouse is dead) - normal?
Joy1 is working except the fire button - need to check...

This is a known issue. There is a new modified firmware if you're not using a display.

Cool, thanks - will check

[LarryL]

Hi,

Time for another short update.
Board is progressing…

Did some tests with the Diag card and attached test harness

IMG_0878.jpeg (596.59 KiB) Viewed 1302 times

Most of the tests worked out fine, except
- Joystick (most probably because of the Eiffel issue, still at original 1.10 firmware)
- printer port tests were failing - but read elsewhere that this often happens even if port is good. Need to look for a different test… do not own a parallel printer… and will not buy one…
- Floppy tests failed - maybe the Diag does not like the Gotek (because normal operation with the Gotek works just fine)

VGA card is also working fine, together with Idek‘s driver and NVDI 5.03 (as GDOS)
Have a ET4000 with 24Bit RAMDAC, so managed to get 1024x768 with 256 colors
But, man, is the system slow and RAM hungry with plain 8MHz 68k

IMG_0888.jpeg (347.66 KiB) Viewed 1302 times

Burned EmuTOS 1.3 together with TOS 2.06. works great
Before I had TOS 1.04 (with IDE boot patch) and 2.06 running
So changing decoding and the bank with the two jumpers works just fine

IMG_0887.jpeg (431.75 KiB) Viewed 1302 times

Next test will be, hooking up a real Floppy and testing HD mode - maybe I need to swap the WD with the Ajax, now that nothing seems to burn any chips


Mounted it inside the ATX frame (sliding into the case later) and connected most ports, CF reader and VGA card

IMG_0886.jpeg (555.18 KiB) Viewed 1302 times

Cheers
Michael

[LarryL]

And a quick additional step: I have HD Floppy access now.

First I struggled a bit, because the drive was reading HD, but no DD
Then I discovered, that my HD drive was Drive B (Sel1), but the HD detect signal was expected to come from Drive A only (Sel0)

So I modded my Sony MFP920 according to this thread
https://www.exxosforum.co.uk/forum/viewtopic.php?t=49

Now the Sony is Drive A and the HD detect signal goes to pin 2 of the shugart connector

Works like a charm - DD and HD, depending on inserted Floppy
Even with the old WD (02-02 version) - but I will swap with an Ajax for stability reasons

Cheers
Michael

[agranlund]

Awesome progress!

Have a ET4000 with 24Bit RAMDAC, so managed to get 1024x768 with 256 colors
But, man, is the system slow and RAM hungry with plain 8MHz 68k

I can imagine that resolution being a bit much for the stock 68k

[LarryL]

Awesome progress!

Have a ET4000 with 24Bit RAMDAC, so managed to get 1024x768 with 256 colors
But, man, is the system slow and RAM hungry with plain 8MHz 68k

I can imagine that resolution being a bit much for the stock 68k

Thanks

Yes, slightly too much

But nice to see it working

This Atari will be my platform to test different expansions anyway.
It has enough space to host anything… PAK, ST536, …

BTW: I am not satisfied with the location of a few components, e.g. the internal IDC34 floppy port is in the way for larger expansions for the 68k socket
So there will be another revision
But first I want to ensure that things are stable and working
… and I have time…

[davemacblack]

Hi @LarryL , has there been any progress in the more than a year since the last post? The Phoenix H5 ATX project looked very promising.

[LarryL]

Hi @LarryL , has there been any progress in the more than a year since the last post? The Phoenix H5 ATX project looked very promising.

Hi
Somehow…
I put this on-hold for some time
Doing some re-work to integrate the different PAL/GAL logics into an ATF1504 and changing the layout to allow better fitting of extensions
Need to make complete new routing - and did not find time for this
Maybe I continue early next year

Cheers
Michael