Podules Pi &Ti
Colin Ferris (399) 1809 posts |
Ref the new Econet mini podule – would it possible to have a converter that made it possible to use podules with the Pi & Ti? |
Rick Murray (539) 13806 posts |
To what end? The Pi has a limited set of GPIO, less than is likely to be used by podules. Not to mention a lack of clock pulses. And there’s the 3.3V/5V issue. These days, there are other options. Like an IDE to USB interface, for example. Or a USBVideo capture card. Twenty five to fifty euros will get you an SDR that can tune from 24MHz to 1.766GHz in all sorts of modes. And so on. Heck, even that little Android portable given away with a magazine subscription works with things like USB video. What we lack are drivers for this sort of stuff. Maybe if we had more drivers, modern equivalents to old clunky podules (easily 2-3 times the size of a Pi!) would be more attractive? Well, USB MIDI is now usable on RISC OS. That’s a little step forward. ;) |
Colin Ferris (399) 1809 posts |
Nice to see the USB midi module by Rick. Could there be a USB to Econet adapter? |
Stuart Swales (8827) 1349 posts |
There could be, but who would bother to make one? Not only new hardware design, but would require low-level drivers to be redone to speak via USB. Guess it would require FIFOs as the USB won’t be generating FIQ, will it? You can already get cheap Econet-to-Ethernet(AUN) bridges (using Pi) over on stardot that have extra functionality like clock, termination, print and file serving. https://stardot.org.uk/forums/viewtopic.php?t=25126 “I had a working bridge and file server inside of 25 minutes!” reported one happy user. |
Dave Higton (1515) 3497 posts |
I’m not being derogatory, just curous: why does anyone want to use Econet today? |
Rick Murray (539) 13806 posts |
Let me channel my inner Paolo… ;) I’m not being derogatory, just curous: why does anyone want to use RISC OS today? |
Rick Murray (539) 13806 posts |
More seriously now… maybe he has stuff on Beebs in an existing Econet setup that the newer generation of machines can’t talk to. |
Paolo Fabio Zaino (28) 1853 posts |
Damn! lol Now I have nothing to comment XD Econet is fun, but remember you’ll need more than just a USB-to-Econt to get it run stable (aka clock etc.) |
Paolo Fabio Zaino (28) 1853 posts |
yup that’s one use, but then again Super Sprow made Ethernet for the Beeb, which obviously it’s a bit easier to wire up and maintain |
Marvin the Paranoid Android (9493) 11 posts |
Actually that only fits the Master & Compact computers not the Model A/B/B+ which most people refer to as the “Beeb” |
Clive Semmens (2335) 3276 posts |
It did fit the Model A/B/B+ – but you had to solder in the appropriate chips to connect it – or have it done by a dealer, of course. The PCB had all the necessary tracks and through holes. |
Stuart Swales (8827) 1349 posts |
You’re thinking of Econet, Clive! |
Clive Semmens (2335) 3276 posts |
True, true! mea culpa |
Chris Johns (8262) 242 posts |
IIRC econet needs VERY quick response, because of the ADLC buffer (or lack thereof). Do do it over USB you’d need some sort of dedicated thing on ther other end of the USB device to talk to the ADLC. That said, I’d imagine a PIC would be more than enough to do so – the tricky bit would be the firmware / software side of it. |