VOGONS


First post, by Zup

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I don't know if that's emulation related, hardware related or if it is of any interest to most users...

The ZX-Uno is a FPGA board based on a Xilinx Spartan, with the same form factor of a Raspbery Pi. That board was meant to work as a ZX Spectrum, but also allowed to load other "cores" (a "core" is the hardware or a computer, ZX-Uno allows up to 9) so the owner could choose which machine to work on. Currently, there are cores for various computers and consoles, some are very mature (ZX Spectrum) and other are more beta (C64).

That board is open hardware and software, so anybody can download schematics and firmware and made their own board.

The latest core release is a PC/XT core (an adaptation of a core working on Papilio boards). Currently, that core is beta and also is hampered by the fact that ZX-Uno has only 512Kb of RAM. There are plans to made new boards with 2Mb of RAM (and an add-on to older boards with the same amount), and a version of that core for those boards.

The list of features:
- CPU 80186 @ 25Mhz
- 504 Kb of RAM (full 640Kb + 448Kb XMS on 2Mb version)
- 60 Kb VRAM
- EGA and MCGA graphics @ 320x200, not completely implemented.
- Beeper sound.

Note that it is an "alpha" core, but it is fun to see a XT running on that FPGA. There are some threads about that core on ZX-Uno forum, but almost all information about that board is spanish.

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Sometimes going all the way is just a start...

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Reply 1 of 2, by vladstamate

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That is a very interesting project! I would like to see the Verilog (or VHDL) for it, if it is available.

Zup wrote:

The latest core release is a PC/XT core (an adaptation of a core working on Papilio boards). Currently, that core is beta and also is hampered by the fact that ZX-Uno has only 512Kb of RAM. There are plans to made new boards with 2Mb of RAM (and an add-on to older boards with the same amount), and a version of that core for those boards.

To support 2Mb they will need to up their CPU version. 808x/8018x only have 20bit address line and cannot see more than 1Mb. They will need to emulate/implement a 286. I am not sure how that can work as an add-on?

YouTube channel: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC7HbC_nq8t1S9l7qGYL0mTA
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Reply 2 of 2, by Zup

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They're planning to use the extra memory as EMS, so it will run with 8086.

There is a repository that contains everything related to the project, so the VHDL description may have been uploaded there.

I have traveled across the universe and through the years to find Her.
Sometimes going all the way is just a start...

I'm selling some stuff!