Eivind wrote on 2022-04-15, 12:26:

Joined moments ago after spotting your awesome 86Duino project, very nice work! I'm afraid the supply chain issue is affecting all manufacturers these days, including DMP. One of the many problems is sourcing the 128MB DRAM chip, probably because not much demand for small memories these days. It seems the 1GB version will be more available in the future, costing $18 USD above the 128MB version. I don't have any relationship with DMP other than buying x86 boards and their responses to lead times and supply issues.
Please let me know if you do another run of those boards, I'm very interested in buying a few of them.

I just checked, the 1GB modules are also unavailable now. I sent an updated request for future availability to DMP, let's see what their response will be...
I actually have PCB's and components in stock for a run of ~30 units which I'll happily sell as kits or assembled - if we can just get our hands on the x86 & vga modules! :p

I found VortexEX modules from icop-eshop.
https://www.icop-shop.com/product/vex-som/
This include vex som module + VGA + dev board

https://www.icop-shop.com/product/vex-6254-s/
This one includes PC104 baseboard + VEXSOM+VGA

Update: I just noticed DMP finally has both the 128 MB SOM and VGA module in stock again.
I intended to get the github page up earlier this year, but life just got in the way...
I'll see if I can't work on getting it done soon.
Also, I still have about 25 complete sets of boards with some pre-soldered SMT components + all parts (except the DMP stuff) lying around, would consider selling these as kits if there's interest. Don't think I'd have the patience to assemble all of them myself though! 😀

And btw, rasteri - I saw you DM'ed me, but I couldn't answer you directly because of vogons' aggressive minimum-20-posts rule. 😜

Eivind wrote on 2022-10-11, 09:59:

Also, I still have about 25 complete sets of boards with some pre-soldered SMT components + all parts (except the DMP stuff) lying around, would consider selling these as kits if there's interest. Don't think I'd have the patience to assemble all of them myself though! 😀

Pre assembled would be cooler, but I'd be interested nonetheless. How much would it be?

Eivind wrote on 2022-10-11, 10:05:

And btw, rasteri - I saw you DM'ed me, but I couldn't answer you directly because of vogons' aggressive minimum-20-posts rule. 😜

All good! I was gonna message you again asking about mice on the Vortex86EX - the BIOS doesn't seem to have support for USB mouse PS/2 emulation, how are you making it work?

Okona wrote on 2022-10-11, 11:14:

Pre assembled would be cooler, but I'd be interested nonetheless. How much would it be?

Not quite sure yet, it's been months since I touched any of this - I'd have to go over all my purchases and see what I myself paid for all of this stuff! 😁

rasteri wrote on 2022-10-11, 11:16:

All good! I was gonna message you again asking about mice on the Vortex86EX - the BIOS doesn't seem to have support for USB mouse PS/2 emulation, how are you making it work?

Hmmm... good question. I'm pretty sure I didn't have to muck about with anything to get the mouse working, actually. I do think Seabios handles some kind of emulation - if I remember correctly I just connected a modern optical USB mouse and ran ctmouse, and that was it. I'd have to go back and check though, I'll post back later.

I’d be interested to know about pricing? Thanks.

Eivind wrote on 2022-10-11, 11:43:

I do think Seabios handles some kind of emulation - if I remember correctly I just connected a modern optical USB mouse and ran ctmouse, and that was it. I'd have to go back and check though, I'll post back later.

Fair enough - I'm going to recompile the bios myself and see if that makes any difference. There seems to be a binary blob for the keyboard controller so maybe the secret is there...

Eivind wrote on 2022-10-11, 09:59:

Update: I just noticed DMP finally has both the 128 MB SOM and VGA module in stock again. I intended to get the github page up e […]
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Update: I just noticed DMP finally has both the 128 MB SOM and VGA module in stock again.
I intended to get the github page up earlier this year, but life just got in the way...
I'll see if I can't work on getting it done soon.
Also, I still have about 25 complete sets of boards with some pre-soldered SMT components + all parts (except the DMP stuff) lying around, would consider selling these as kits if there's interest. Don't think I'd have the patience to assemble all of them myself though! 😀

Eivind, I just came across your TinyLlama project after a quick search - I have plans to build a mini 486-compatible handheld and the TinyLlama would suit perfectly as the guts of the project!

If you still have any boards left please sell me one! 😀

I am comfortable with SMD soldering and would be more than happy with an incompletely assembled board 😀 Email me at selectivetao@gmail.com as the 25 post minimum rule here is going to prevent either of us from communicating directly 😅

Incredible stuff! If you could get the components in volume, I reckon that there would be a market for a "486 mini"

SeaBIOS does have USB mouse support so I'm guessing I'm just doing something wrong 😀

I've just heard about this from TheRasteri's video on the 86duino and it looks brilliant - what a great job! I'm super interested in this and would love to have a look at the Schematics once you get them up on a GitHub page, if youre still thinking of sharing those. Hats off this, this is super cool, I love the form factor and sounds amazing with the RPi Roland MIDI emulator.

This is exactly what I've been looking for....for a VERY VERY long time. I'd be happy to buy this in any form available, in any shape/status and will help contribute in any way I can. I wish you the best of luck, and please let me know if you have any boards available, and I'll send you a generous amount of money for one.

This is a wonderful project and, as bd1308 has already said, it's a long time dream of mine becoming a reality.

I have a question: in rasteri's video, it seems that the PCIe VGA card limits framerate to 27.3 FPS. There were many games that ideally ran at 35, 60 and 70 FPS on DOS, given they had enough CPU juice and video bandwidth. For example, Jazz Jackrabbit or Quake. Since the TinyLlama's solution to the VGA video problem seems to be different from the card that rasteri used, can you confirm if that 27.3 Hz screen refresh limit is still there with the TinyLlama? Or is the TinyLlama capable of real DOS screen refresh rates?

Thanks!

vanfanel wrote on 2022-10-11, 15:34:

I have a question: in rasteri's video, it seems that the PCIe VGA card limits framerate to 27.3 FPS. There were many games that ideally ran at 35, 60 and 70 FPS on DOS, given they had enough CPU juice and video bandwidth. For example, Jazz Jackrabbit or Quake. Since the TinyLlama's solution to the VGA video problem seems to be different from the card that rasteri used, can you confirm if that 27.3 Hz screen refresh limit is still there with the TinyLlama? Or is the TinyLlama capable of real DOS screen refresh rates?

I've since run other games/benchmarks that get higher refresh rates so it can't be an absolute limit. Maybe it's just the way Quake and Doom access the screen or something?

vanfanel wrote on 2022-10-11, 15:34:

This is a wonderful project and, as bd1308 has already said, it's a long time dream of mine becoming a reality.

I have a question: in rasteri's video, it seems that the PCIe VGA card limits framerate to 27.3 FPS. There were many games that ideally ran at 35, 60 and 70 FPS on DOS, given they had enough CPU juice and video bandwidth. For example, Jazz Jackrabbit or Quake. Since the TinyLlama's solution to the VGA video problem seems to be different from the card that rasteri used, can you confirm if that 27.3 Hz screen refresh limit is still there with the TinyLlama? Or is the TinyLlama capable of real DOS screen refresh rates?

Thanks!

I'm not aware of any hard fps limits. Look at my benchmarks here: Re: TinyLlama (Vortex86EX SBC)

vanfanel wrote on 2022-10-11, 15:34:

Since the TinyLlama's solution to the VGA video problem seems to be different from the card that rasteri used...

Oh, it's the exact same solution I'm using that's on the 86DuinoOne board rasteri's using. Just routing the PCI-e signals from the SOM to a Mini-PCI-e connector, and then the Vortex86VGA card is plugged into that.

How can i get my hands on a kit to put toguether? I love this tiny "old" computers a lot!! 😍

Great project, thanks for sharing with us all.
I'd also be intersted in the pricing of a 'kit'.