Crazy wires :)
Date: Saturday, August 03 2024 @ 22:58:38 UTC
Topic: Vampire V2 Accelerators


10 years ago I have tried to implement Waveshare USB module to Vampire accelerators. It is nice SL811 USB board and more details about it can be found HERE. Module is discontinued but this shouldn't be problem as design is relatively simple. In theory this board should work directly on Amiga clockport except that one signal INTREQ should be inverted. All pins of SL811 are 5V tolerant. Chip created lot of controversy inside retro computers world and many reported that chip is slow and full of bugs. But anyway I wanted to try it. The same chip is also used on Thylacine USB. Very good progress is made by ezrec with his Pathway. More info about it can be found HERE.
Idea I had was to use this small module as an cheap upgrade for Vampire V2 accelerators but unfortunately several problems occurred and right now I am certain that Waveshare USB module I got was never working. Last few days I have performed several more tests on my Amiga 1200. First I have used Vampire 600 V2 accelerator as a bridge between A1200 clockport and USB module and couldn't get it work. Code I have done inside to make that bridge happen is really simple so I couldn't make mistake there. Such bridge is also made for the purpose of learning because that way I could see signals with SignalTapII and modify something if needed. Then I moved USB module directly to Amiga clocport and only inverted INTREQ signal. Still no luck with Poseidon and Pathway drivers. But, this is not end of the road. I have already ordered SL811 chips and will try once more because this is one of the things I have started and never finished. Simply I have to do it and see where we can go with this. Once I get it working, can I move it to use SPI or can I learn enough to move to more advanced chip. Let's see what time brings and story will continue when I get ordered parts.

A1200 with SL811 module








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