exxos's Atari, Amiga & retro forum

I came across this ISA card using a Pico Raspberry PI. Its gives a lot of features in one ISA card. Am looking at this for my Amstrad PC1640.

Features:

• Integrated Bootable ROM: Enables in-system configuration and booting from any vintage system with Option ROM support.
  Press "S" at boot to configure and select disk images, memory settings, and more.
• MicroSD Card Reader: Allows storage of multiple floppy and hard drive images (disk .img files).
• RAM : Upgrade conventional memory and add UMB (128kb with 0 wait state other from external PSRAM)
• EMS Memory: Supports 4MB of EMS memory with current drivers.
• USB Support: Provides USB mouse and joystick support via a Micro USB OTG hub.
• NE2000 Network Emulation: Currently in beta, this feature works through the RP2040's integrated Wi-Fi module.
  Note that no external antenna is supported, which may reduce signal strength in some computer cases.
• Firmware Updates: Easily update the firmware by copying a single file to the PicoMEM via a Micro USB cable.
  The card will automatically reboot and run the updated firmware.
• ROM Addressing: Cards are preset to ROM address 0xD000, allowing coexistence with XTIDE BIOS on existing CF adapters.

https://github.com/FreddyVRetro/ISA-PicoMEM

nice project,
Am I correct that ISA has 8bit slot?

Cyprian wrote: 27 Jun 2024 13:42 nice project,
Am I correct that ISA has 8bit slot?

There are 16-bit and 8-bit versions of ISA cards. This one is an 8-bit card.

Ordered one from https://shop.flamelily.co.uk/picomem

Will report back when I get time to try it out.

I have one, bought from the creator (Freddy).

I only tested it briefly in a Sinclair PC200 and it works great. You can copy any DOS disk image on a SD-Card and the image is available as a bootable drive on the PC200.

Freddy is designing a low profile PCB for in the PC200. For those who don't know, the Sinclair PC200 has two ISA 8-bit slots. Due to the design of the PC200, only low profile 8-bit ISA cards fit if you want to have to top lid closed.

I just got one of these for my Amstrad PPC512 (Now 640), will get it tested soon.

Nice find !

OK, so wow. PicoMem has just obliterated the XT-IDE. I now have 3 working hard drives in a matter of minutes.

I'm very impressed indeed.

Adrians digital basement did a review on it a while back, looks like a fantastic piece of kit...



JD

Hellraiseruk wrote: 02 Apr 2025 13:01 Adrians digital basement did a review on it a while back, looks like a fantastic piece of kit...



JD

It really is, it lets you create HDD images and have up to 4 drives. It does so much, totally amazing.