Re: TI-H: 4-Way Doodad
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Re: TI-H: 4-Way Doodad
I WANT IT!!!! I think it's a GREAT idea!!! Imagine this, buy a small
palmtop computer w/ 2 PCMCIA card slots. Get one of those wireless
cell-phone-like thingies that connects via PCMCIA to connect to the internet
w/out a hard wired outlet or cellular (built in cellular, can't get
suspended for having it). Use the other port on the palmtop for a network
card. Sell intenet access in math class to all of those who have a graphing
calc!!!
-----Original Message-----
From: Grant Stockly <gussie@alaska.net>
To: ti-hardware@lists.ticalc.org <ti-hardware@lists.ticalc.org>
Date: Sunday, February 22, 1998 11:51 AM
Subject: Re: TI-H: 4-Way Doodad
>
>Don't decide that mine is not good...it isn't that expensive, at 5$ I
>barely pay for shipping...
>
>Btw, that 4 port hub is a pos... I'm almost done with a new version taht
>incorporates some better IO parts to allow upwards of 128 nodes operating
>with the same protocall. There is no source to port since the network
>routines are built into the hub, and the communication routines are built
>into the calc.
>
>I've almost got drivers made for the C64, C128, VIC (maybe), Apple II
>series, IBM (8086 and up), and Mac. This means that HPs, TIs, IBMs,
>Apples, Oranges :) can all share modems, printers, and a centralized server
>can be made anywhere.
>
>I might need some help with the commodore, but I've got an Apple II
>bootstraping from the network.
>
>Its so far 64 nodes per chip, with a max of 4 chips together. Then you can
>zone the segments together. The hub operates with TI protocall when
>talking to calcs, and it uses its own protocall with computers. It
>basically has its own handshaking form that allows anywhere from 1bps to
>400,000bps based on the speed of the computer/device.
>
>I personally have it connected to all of my computers which is connected to
>a parallel printer.
>
>So, I've ditched the $10 4 port hub and came out with the 64 port hub. I
>don't know how much it would be since the electronics distributor doesn't
>have any of the chips in stock, but the 64 port firmware should cost about
>$5, with all the supporting parts another $5. You can have a
>multi-computer network with 64 ports for only $10! IMO, better than the
>calcnet thing.
>
>The centralized server consists of a 68HC11 (upgradable firmware), a LCD,
>and 1MB of flash, and 512k of static RAM. The Apple or Commodore sends a 1
>byte message to the server, and the server dumps the startup instructions
>to the computer, so the comouter doesn't need disks! After the computer
>starts up, it can send more detailed instructions to the 68HC11 which is
>connected to a HD.
>
>Every peripheral's, except the hub its self, ROM can be downloaded off the
>net so you can build it yourself.
>
>If there is any interest in this network, I will continue it. I've already
>made a chat program that makes an 83 talk to an 8086 (about the best
>computer I have working right now). The calcs driver is arround 500 bytes,
>and the PCs is about 1.5k. Both are very crude.
>
>If I continue this, by june I can releasee the ROM freely for a
>Ethernet<->(I havn't named it yet) converter. The ethernet routines will
>convert the network stuff and all you have to do is start a telenet
>connection with it, then use the hubs protocall. I think the 68HC11 has
>enough rescources to handle 10 connections at a time.
>
>Oh well, if someone likes this, I will finish it... ;)
>
>PS, with a test 2 port version, I was able to get .8MB burst over it before
>the paper clips fell out of the computer. That was on 2 PIIMMX we had at
>school. Boy did the CL teacher freak when she saw 8 paper clips and a
>breadboard hanging out! (It was at school)
>
>I don't expect 800K per sec, but maybe 400k with 10 computers, and 200k
>with a bunch of calcs and a few computers. Thats pretty good since
>10Base-T gets ~230k per sec burst...
>
>Grant
>
>
>>> I am interested in building a piece of hardware that allows 4
calculators to
>>> plug in and:
>>> a. Chat
>>> b. Play Specially Designed Games (Compatible with the 4-Way Linkport)
>>> c. Host a "server" in which other calcs could download files.
>>>
>>> I think that the Gameboy 4-way connector would be a good
reference/possible
>>> conversion. I will need someone to write drivers, preferredly in ASM
for
>>> Usgard, and possibly someone who is a little more knowledgible about
this
>>> stuff than I am. I'll try to have a schematic of the gameboy 4-way
>>>connector,
>>> and a possible schematic of my 4-way connector soon.
>>
>>MBus already allows this, and MChat shows that it really works. MBus uses
>>I2C and a higher-level protocol to interface between calcs, and works with
>>straight wire and up to about a hundred calcs (I've never tried it out
with
>>that many, though...). I admit that CalcNet is slightly faster and, at
present,
>>more compatible with other calcs than the TI-85, but it is also a lot more
>>expensive and at least a bit harder to make. I see no need for a third,
>>competing design, and instead I'd like to see more development on the MBus
>>and why not CalcNet too. Some people have shown interest in porting the
>>MBus routines to other calcs than the 85, but I haven't heard of any
>>complete ports yet. A MBus multiplayer game by me is on the way. The
>>current MBus drivers were made for ZShell, but I'll probably make an
Usgard
>>version soon because the game should be easier to make with Usgard. The
>>differences won't be big, though.
>>
>>Your idea seems to be to connect calcs together in the same way as
Gameboys
>>are connected together. Although I don't know how Gameboys link together,
I
>>can assure you that you have to either do some pretty advanced electronics
>>if you want to use the TI internal protocol (use a microcontroller as
CalcNet
>>does) or use a custom protocol with simple hardware (use I2C as MBus
does).
>>Both approaches have their good and bad sides, and I think both CalcNet
and
>>MBus are about as good as they can be, so we don't need a third system
unless
>>it relies on some really new and great idea.
>>
>>This blurb probably seems confusing, check out my MBus page at
>>http://www.clinet.fi/~ozone/mbus/
>>and Grant's CalcNet page for more info.
>>
>>-Ozone
>>
>>--
>>*** Osma Suominen *** ozone@clinet.fi *** http://www.clinet.fi/~ozone ***
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