Re: Tiny Vortex86-based DOS gaming PC - weeCee
Posted on 2021-08-01, 22:17
Nice tests! I did some comparitive benchmarks of the various other vortex86 chips in this thread if you're interested - Vortex86 series benchmarks
Re: Tiny Vortex86-based DOS gaming PC - weeCee
Posted on 2021-07-11, 21:23
So I think I'm going to recommend people use a 16KB eeprom (24LC16 is what I used) then they can just use the Orpheus flashing tools. Note that you need to edit CSMPU330.ini to enable Adlib - add the text "IFM" to the GlobalConfigBits field (so it ends up being "GlobalConfigBits = IFM SPS WTEN" ). …
Re: Tiny Vortex86-based DOS gaming PC - weeCee
Posted on 2021-07-09, 08:45
Yeah it's not a cheap project (especially in Canada, apparently) but if someone wanted to manufacture these in quantity the price would come down significantly. I'm just a hobbyist really so I'm not the person for that job. I do have a cheaper Vortex86 SoM (the SOM-128-EX) but I'm burned out on …
Re: Tiny Vortex86-based DOS gaming PC - weeCee
Posted on 2021-07-06, 07:55
You get these sorts of things on ebay - Filename s-l1600.jpg File size 78.08 KiB Views 1407 views
Re: Tiny Vortex86-based DOS gaming PC - weeCee
Posted on 2021-07-05, 07:46
Yeah it's fun to get MS Network Client working just for fun but it's pretty rubbish for actually transferring files, pretty much every time there's a new Windows update it breaks something. The ODI ones are what you want for network gaming
Re: Tiny Vortex86-based DOS gaming PC - weeCee
Posted on 2021-06-30, 13:17
Can you increase the I/O recovery time on that machine? Does it make any difference? That doesn't seem to work either, unfortunately. I've fiddled with all the other PnP/PCI/ISA settings I can in the BIOS and nothing makes a difference. TBH at this point it's pretty academic, I figure everyone who …
Re: Tiny Vortex86-based DOS gaming PC - weeCee
Posted on 2021-06-29, 15:10
Hostload works perfectly on my Vortex86 SX motherboard and PC/104 CS4237 soundcard. As there's basically no difference between the PC104 board and my carrier board for the Vortex86 DX SoM, I'm beginning to wonder if there's something weird about the DX variant when it comes to ISA. At least it seems …
Re: Tiny Vortex86-based DOS gaming PC - weeCee
Posted on 2021-06-24, 06:48
So that would be it? It would explain the midi note timing issues, but wow, it affects almost nothing else? What a quirky issue... If it's this. Yes, that'll be it haha :) I made the same mistake on the first rev of my PC104 soundcard. The BOM says 16mhz because that's the closest value in …
Re: Tiny Vortex86-based DOS gaming PC - weeCee
Posted on 2021-06-23, 21:34
Possibly, the guy local to me (who uses boards printed from the same batch as mine, we shared) definitely uses better technique in soldering and cleaning since he's an electronics professional... His boards work in sb/adlib /midi Did you also share a parts order? I just ask because I'm always …
Re: Tiny Vortex86-based DOS gaming PC - weeCee
Posted on 2021-06-23, 19:29
I knew it wasn't the problem at all (since my SC88st is also plagued by weird notes), but I tried out the S2 on my Vibra Ct2940 in my 486 and it works well. Next up, Mu0n's exposed soldering technique fully zoomed in, vulnerable to the critics on the world stage! It is possible I'm not completely …
Re: Tiny Vortex86-based DOS gaming PC - weeCee
Posted on 2021-06-23, 11:22
Is it possible to get a dos program to wipe out the eeprom? Did you, 640K!enough write hostload? Could it be modified to blank out a size specified rom I would just desolder the EEPROM and blank it in your programmer - you have a heat gun right? I've desoldered my EEPROM probably 15 times now while …
Re: Tiny Vortex86-based DOS gaming PC - weeCee
Posted on 2021-06-22, 13:50
Immediately following boot (don't run CWDINIT or anything else), run " UNISOUND /cl " and check the ID and description for the card. Run HOSTLOAD with RASTERI.BIN. Again run " UNISOUND /cl ". Does the ID and description now correspond to the ID from your original EEPROM? If not, something in the …
Re: Tiny Vortex86-based DOS gaming PC - weeCee
Posted on 2021-06-21, 21:38
Oh hey, never mind. I managed to get the EEPROM to write after all. I think I had a dry solder joint, I must have desoldered-resoldered this EEPROM 10 times today :) IMG_20210621_222945155.jpg But yeah that works just fine for SB/Adlib/MIDI. Still can't get hostload to work though, I'll keep trying …
Re: Tiny Vortex86-based DOS gaming PC - weeCee
Posted on 2021-06-21, 21:15
Nope, My guess is that the eeprom does not play well with the bigger changes from low to high when it expects to go to around 2. 5 V tops in regular operation mode. Are you referring to Keropi's warning about the AT24C16? We're using the 24LC04B which should be fine with 5v. Still I only used it …
Re: Tiny Vortex86-based DOS gaming PC - weeCee
Posted on 2021-06-21, 20:42
A revised version of rasteri's bin file is attached. I removed the EEPROM header (first four bytes) and stripped the part that is supposed to be firmware patch data. The rest is entirely his file, byte-for-byte. To use this, simply add it to your hostload directory, and invoke it with " HOSTLOAD …
Re: Tiny Vortex86-based DOS gaming PC - weeCee
Posted on 2021-06-21, 18:10
So I've tried a few of the things in this thread on my known-good board and I have some findings. Sorry if I missed anything, I rushed to try all this before I had to leave. Firstly, I can't get the CS4237B.asm 640K!enough provided to write to my EEPROM using resource.exe ("unable to write EEPROM"). …
Re: Tiny Vortex86-based DOS gaming PC - weeCee
Posted on 2021-06-21, 16:26
I just want you to confirm you've been able to use your Dreamblaster S2 in your later design without issue and much configuration fuss, iirc, you don't actually show it playing back in your videos (unless I missed it in your PC-104 build which I've watched less often). Yes the dreamblaster works …
Re: Tiny Vortex86-based DOS gaming PC - weeCee
Posted on 2021-06-20, 15:43
keropi wrote on 2021-06-19, 07:24: also a recommendation, try to have thicker tracks on next pcb revision as these look too thin judging from the pics The power traces are 25mil but most other stuff is 6mil. Do you think it's neccesary to go up to 8mil, given the traces are low-current?
Re: Tiny Vortex86-based DOS gaming PC - weeCee
Posted on 2021-06-20, 14:57
As far as I can tell, the CS4237 drives the SCL pin push-pull so it doesn't need a pullup resistor. Certainly none of the CS4237-based soundcards I reverse engineered had a pullup on the SCL pin, and all the boards I've built work just fine without R10. The SDA is driven open-drain so it needs a …
Re: Tiny Vortex86-based DOS gaming PC - weeCee
Posted on 2021-06-08, 21:02
Another problem to solve: rework the ps2 splitter cable I got (I have such bad luck with adapter cables). Do you happen to have the exact pinout needed? Even the keyboard plugged into the keyboard split will not be recognized. The pinout is in the schematic on Circuitmaker. Some splitters have the …
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