Guys, there be a DRAGON in that there CAVE(!)

You got it, Graham.

Your keen eyes spotted those well-wrapped and well-cared for Oric items... refurbed PSU and Microdisc units. They will be coming out of bubblewrapping AND appearing on these screens...

IMMINENTLY!

I swear I'm going to get those babies out of their wrappers and powered up...

TOMORROW!

Cheers again, matey.

Have a relaxing Saturday night all - we're just about to leave for a night of lasagne, Withnail and I and possibly a few cheeky ones around at Fast Eddie's(!)

 

Hi Graham,
The 6821’s are just the old non 2mhz versions sadly, don’t have any 68B21’s but that can change
There are several options for upgrades.
https://www.dragonplus-electronics.co.uk/product/dragonplus-board-for-dragon-32-or-64-kit/
http://tormod.me/udw.html
http://tormod.me/mooh.html
https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/174233145411

So I don’t know just yet.

 

That's fair enough, and first I'd heard of the Dragon plus board, very interesting.
Shame the MooH and the SDC are both cartridge port based as have to choose, or get a Multi port adapter,
Maybe worth seeing if there is an internal 512K upgrade, saying that the Dragon Plus, seems to have lots of memory chips, it this a memory upgrade, prom replacment and a Video upgrade, or purely memory for the video side. ?
At least it's nice to have the options..

 

The DragonPlus board has 64K RAM upgrade, a 6845 CRTC chip ( ala BBC Micro ) to give you a 80 column display, there is 2K VRAM for the CRTC. So it gives a lot of expansion for a Dragon.
The UDW runs off the printer port and leaves the Cart port free for a Dos cart or another expansion. So there is a lot of potential.
Can you remind me Graham why you were stacking two PIA’s in the Atari?

 

Hi Richie
In my case it was to allow me to control items external to the Atari, It will give me two additional 8 Bits ports directly, and I can add serial shift registers both input and output to the two CA1&2 CB1&2 lines in addition to this

One of the original uses was to add a Centronics compatible printer port that used some of these lines, I have a 800XL from Computer House with this part fitted, the 6821 directly soldered on top of the 6520 in the Atari (same pin out) with the port legs bent out some broken off (believe unused in the interface I'm talking about) on the back is has a 25Pin socket that accepts the PC type printer port to Centronics 36 way cable. Relied on the C.U.P.I.D. software driver to be loaded, then acted like the 'P:' device.

Saying that I found an Assembler listing, that I must have wrote, it seems to be a general control handler assigning G & H that you can read/write 8 bit data too that routes to the additional two ports added. I don't remember writing it and didn't thing I'd got to that level of coding in 6502. I'll type it in and check what happens seems to hook into 'Hatabs' the Handling routines that add say R: , P: etc. and has my name on the listing .. we’ll see.

Matt wants his to control an external robotic arm as some idea.

I was going to try using mine to control some additional led’s and possibly add a DMX controller for stage lighting. Just because I can with no practical reason other than learning to code, or maybe re learning.
Think I’d better go back and re read the links you posted.
I think I would go with replacement for floppy disk 1st, then memory upgrade, then the Video option, but depended on the amount of software available for the video upgrade.
I guess ported software from the BBC B could be cross compiled? 6502 to 6809.. likely need to change base address but Suspect a lot more involed (just edited)
Would the 64K memory upgrade on the Dragon Plus clash with a 512K upgrade something to think of?
I did wonder about removing all the DRAM chips on the motherboard, and patching a single 64K SRAM , Patched directly to the CPU socket as well.
Not that I have a Dragon of course Just thinking out loud of the things I would consider ‘playing’ with.

 

Wow! There is a lot to digest there It’s always fascinating what enthusiasts think of to do with 8 & 16 Bit computers. I think the PC era lost that to a degree.
I would imagine that you will run into conflicts with the Dragon Plus board and something like the MOOH board with 512KB on board. You could probably use the uDW or DriveWire expansion with the Plus board but not anything with expansion RAM. Not too sure right now but plenty to get into.
Maybe I can get Sonia to get me one for my birthday this weekend, who knows...

I really need to get some more Atari kit as well as Dragon but the Dragon which is in effect a U.K. Co-Co Is a very interesting machine. The 6809 is a very interesting CPU to study ( in addition to the old SALLY ) it was also in the Vectrex console ( Minestorm is probably one of the Asteroids clone ever ) so plenty to keep the old grey cells ticking over.
Just need to find a decent assembler for the Dragon now...

 

It's absolutely absorbing "eavesdropping" in on retro micro members' minds mulling over the potentials of our veteran machines. It just shows you, as you point out, Rich, that without wanting to sound over-dramatic or ungrateful for the 'Windoze/beige PC box era' (it really did bring business computer power into our home lives - perhaps not always to our benefit as we're never away from "work" now), why is it that we get miles more enjoyment on a hobbyist level still playing with the potential of our little beauties which still do a great job entertaining us, enthralling us and still punching way way way above their weight via all these stimulating projects that don't just push the envelope - they rip the bugger up and send it on its way - truly incredible, fellas.

No wonder - at 50/60+ there are still addicts like us kicking around - we want to explore ever more what our childhood dreams were all about. The magic hasn't left us and with the kind of expansion and upgrade paths you fellas are constantly finding, every day something new seems to light up this hobby in our lives.

Keep on rocking in the retro world, guys - this thread (and many like it on Atari Owner) has massively exceeded what it started out on.

 

I think that assemblers for the 6809 arn't so much of a problem, but those for use directly on the Dragon maybe.
I've started using Altirra to test short program's before moving to the real think, it's surprising just how good the emulator is.
One thing that the Atari has is a very well documented O.S with what all the Memory areas and shadow Ram contain, (Atari's own O.S & DOS dissasemblies, Mapping the Atari, De Re Atari, etc.) I suspect that the number of publications will be lower for the Dragon, but I could well be wrong. the one I downloaded from your link seems pretty good.

Best you decide quick if it's your Birthday !
" Happy Birthday" to you and hope you have a good weekend

 

Well Andy, someone keeps tempting us with new 'OLD' retro goodies...
I hear what you say with the boring IBM's BUT at least the early one's, with there 8 Bit ISA slots made them very hmm playable/ hardware wise not games, I had a number of additions on the one I built, motherboard had a soldered on 386sx at 25MHz but I added addition ports via I think 8255's (memory here could be wrong) Eprom programmers etc, in fact just dismantled my original EPROM programmer it's very very well made, however it's large, and won't do many of the modern chips as the software didn't know about them .. things have changed over the last 30 years. beside the USB one I use is maybe 20-30 times smaller.(yes it was big..)

I'll wait for my neck to be chopped off, but I think the Atari 8 Bits and the C64/128 are the most interesting purly because of the custom chips they used. Most other computers relie on off the shelf chip's arranged in different ways.
i.e. x computer has 6502, two xx sound chips, 32K RAM graphics chip Y
another y computer has Z80 one zz sound chip, 64K RAM, but the same graphics chip Y and so on.
In many ways it was the operating systems that made these machines that much different from each other.

If you take the O.S of the Atari, the 'Kernal' of the C64 and the O.S of the BBC these are probably the most well documented, and 'clever' with the way hook's can be added (and designed for) from the start ..

P.S. Collecting a boring IBM XT tomorrow.. I've promissed some internal pic's for Richie.
P.P.S. I turned on the old soldering iron, first time in a long while started makeing up the XEGS. so expect some updates to that going on. (Going back to it now for a bit)

 

Fellas, I seem to recall that it was in this thread that I first posted pics of the kitchen extension works here.

The sad news, after three weekends of solid hard graft is that our one man kitchen-fitting team, and friend, Chris, has now gone down with COVID, but as testimony to his skills, commitment and efforts, here are a few shots of his handiwork which we are so so so pleased with (now Bev finally has that "dream" kitchen):







No working stove or sink yet as we have had "issues" there and now we're self-isolating for a fortnight there's no quick fix team waiting in the wings to sort it so we'll just soldier on with the microwave, baby belling oven and takeaway deliveries.

Still, as you can see, Chris has done brilliantly well for us (working on his own and giving up three solid weekends of his own personal time) and we just hope that he recovers real soon from his symptoms (pains, feels crap and has a temperature) and that our results prove negative when we go at lunch for our tests.

Take lots of good care, guys - we now know of upwards of 10+ friends and friends of friends who have been affected by COVID this time around (3 are in hospital). It seems much more prevalent right now.

 

Whatcha done to the pictures..

 

??? Pics showing fine here, fella.

 

looks nice, very classy..

Those pics from previous post not showing for me even after a cache refresh??

But yes, the one's in the post look really good...

 

Thanks, Paul.

Odd. Wonder if the other guys see the original ones or just the zoomed out screengrab 2nd effort?

We are absolutely tickled pink.

We've never had anything as swish as this before, I can tell you.

It will be even better - when it all works!!

 

You are in Show House mode, looks great but nowt hooked up

 

Exactamundo....for at least two self-isolation weeks, bud.

 

Shame, would be nice to have it done for Xmas....In the lap of the gods now...

Mind you, Xmas on lockdown is going to be boring for some, we hope Serena will be allowed home but we don't have a family do, its just us 3.

 

Hi Andy
Firstly Pictures don't show on your original post, only on the 2nd Post looks like a AOC screen grab or similar.
Although very small it does indeed look very nice indeed.
I hope it all gets completed ontime for Christmas. If it becomes a major problem and Chris remains unwell, let me know I'm happy to fininsh off the electrics for you if need be.
Paul, Yes It would be nice for Serena to get home to You & Cindy hopefully these test's they have just anounced for Students will allow that, even if you have to collect her.
Sorry I've not been about to much and had to put down the old soldering iron etc. Been busy with new fencing round a neigbours, sorting out my newist shed, resolving issues with Doctor's & Mum, repairing guttering, repairing my mates car.. OO and a few other bits and bobs.. Should be free ish from tomorrow, as will have finished off. apart from MOT for mates Car but thats out of my hands now, MOT Sat.. at least it has working brakes .. needed Discs and Pads. (not floppy ones)
I hope I may have some energy left to spend sometime online as well, best I've been doing is from my phone the odd time I've not fallen asleep after a shower when I've got home .. must be an age thing
Anyway I'll wish everyone Well, Stay safe

 

No problem collecting her and I heard about the blanket covid test for uni's but they also said about the term being shortened because there was no face to face but Serena so far has not been told of that.

And yeah, we hope Andy and Bev's place takes shape in time for Xmas, living in a building site is just the worst, add a covid take out of the key worker and its hell.

You seem to be a busy bunny Graham, no wonder you nod off.

After my epic double MOT walk the other day and the fall I had I had a bath and just noticed I've just a huge jaffa sized bruise by the knee, didn't notice before, mind you I did hit the floor like a bag of spuds.

All, stay safe and keep away from hospital while I chase up a bloody sod who brought my camera on Ebay and still hasn't paid, if he thinks I'm sending it to the Philippines before he pays he's soft in the head.

 

Guys, thank you very much for your kind thoughts and sentiments re the works here - we will get there, we're sure (we hope) for Christmas but most of all we just wish for good health and happiness to us all to enjoy time with our nearest and dearest. That's got to be the number one hope for us all. Thank you so much for the offers of help - massively appreciate that Graham and by god you do sound busy - Paul is spot on there. Will catch you later as MICROWAVE TEA is ready!! Cheers, guys. Stay safe...

 

True Andy I've been busy (But I always try to be), but I'll not be after Monday next week. And I was serious.

Paul I'm sorry to hear you copt'd a fall; never nice. I managed something a little similar earlier in the year, still have seeminly permanent marks from the graze on my shins (I toppled over a low wall in the garden) Think mine was due to effects of Glandular fever. Thankfully no effect now, unless that's of course the 40 winks in the armchair at night hehe

 

I'm prone to falls because my balance is stuffed but I normally make sure I'm careful but wasn't expecting such a strange step and BOOM. Felt such a pillock, between the balance and my eczema which causes facial redness when its flaring up it looks like I've fallen over because I'm drunk which is not the case (I drink only with food and stuff like wine is too expensive so a nice treat but that's it.)

I don't have vices. never smoked, only drugs I take are prescribed and as said, any wine is a rare treat..Very much the silly old family man.

Looking forward to my daughter being home for Xmas...

 

Yea that was one thing I was spared, only Pam and my shins knew about it.
I just hope the walk from and back to the MOT station was worthwhile.
I can only wish you all the best for you and all your family.
I had some good news I guess must be a few weeks back that my Eldest daughter had gained a merit in her first year of her MSc.. (Thankfully sponsored by the MOD) I wish every success to Serena.

P.S I've woken up now those 35 winks did me a power of good.

 

Hi guys, I was about to start a new 6809 thread, when I saw this one, started by Andy!
And since I know that Andy already misses his 32k roaring beastie, here's some silly "cross platform" experimenting that I've done with my CoCo2 (ex-16k, recently updgraded to 64k with a little help from some cool CoCo fans abroad)...

An excellent demo for the Dragon by Genesis Project (yes, the onez with the warez on the C64), called Dragon Pepper, also running on CoCo with 32k or more...
Here's a proof, on my beloved Sony Trinitron KV2032ME! On such a screen the scrolling is perfectly ultra-smooth!

Long live the real retro-gear! Long live the infamous M6847 with its eye-burning green display (even greener than the Atari ST, haha!!)
Cheers, mates! I hope you like it!!