Premier's Sprite Graphics Board

For the discussion of all hardware related topics.
dlinsley
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Joined: Thu Dec 10, 2009 8:15 pm
Location: Seattle, USA (formerly Chester-le-Street, UK)

Re: Premier's Sprite Graphics Board

Post by dlinsley »

I did download f9dasm to try and disassemble, but I couldnt remember (or find) what the offset was for where addon carts start executing. I don't think it is right at 0xC000 (start of the ROM), or is it?
dlinsley
Posts: 45
Joined: Thu Dec 10, 2009 8:15 pm
Location: Seattle, USA (formerly Chester-le-Street, UK)

Re: Premier's Sprite Graphics Board

Post by dlinsley »

The Sprite manual says the chip is mapped at E000 and E001, and to EXEC &HE002. With f9dasm it looks like I should be able to do "f9dasm.exe -begin e002 -offset e000 sprite.rom > sprite.txt" to get it to dissassemble from byte 2 onwards (I also tried -begin 2, etc) but it always produces the same output no matter the -begin value.
sixxie
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Re: Premier's Sprite Graphics Board

Post by sixxie »

Not used f9, but using my own 6809dasm.pl script the syntax would be something like:

Code: Select all

6809dasm.pl org=0xe000 fcb fcb fcb=0xee02,0xf001 fcb=0xf503,0xffff Sprite_rom2.bin
The key being to mark up data areas (that example covers the first two bytes and two obvious runs of 0xff).

I'd say the version with 0xfd is right, as following an effective "LSLD", it turns TST >$0656 into STD >$0656, which seems more useful.
Pernod70
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Joined: Sat Apr 22, 2017 10:06 pm
Location: Croydon, UK

Re: Premier's Sprite Graphics Board

Post by Pernod70 »

Here we go...
0008.png
0008.png (8.16 KiB) Viewed 12654 times
0009.png
0009.png (4.41 KiB) Viewed 12654 times
Took a little more effort than expected as the current implementation of the cartridge interface is read only for the CTS region $C000-$FFEF. So also needed to make this more flexible to allow writing to the TMS9929A at $E000-$E001.

Colour bar pattern from manual:
0010.png
0010.png (4.37 KiB) Viewed 12654 times
dlinsley
Posts: 45
Joined: Thu Dec 10, 2009 8:15 pm
Location: Seattle, USA (formerly Chester-le-Street, UK)

Re: Premier's Sprite Graphics Board

Post by dlinsley »

That's fantastic! Given that the DU article didn't have any screenshots, and that Premier went bust right when the article went to press, that might be the first time anyone outside of Justin Johnson, Premier and Brian Cadge has seen it :)
tjewell
Posts: 346
Joined: Mon Oct 19, 2009 4:58 pm
Location: Cambridge, England

Re: Premier's Sprite Graphics Board

Post by tjewell »

Just going to add a 'woah, neat!' to this thread. So if you can make up the ribbon cable for this, might we see the card working at the Meetup?
dlinsley
Posts: 45
Joined: Thu Dec 10, 2009 8:15 pm
Location: Seattle, USA (formerly Chester-le-Street, UK)

Re: Premier's Sprite Graphics Board

Post by dlinsley »

I've a couple of issues to overcome - in addition to the regular things like kids and other distractions - but I'm going to try.

1. Apparently it only works on the Dragon 32. I need to unearth my boxed one to see if that is still working, as the one I have in the bedroom has a bad power board (and may have taken more down with it). My known working one I gave to Brendan Donahue last year to get CoCoVGA up and running (which it did on first try. Their product is great!)

2. Lack of edge connector. I know I have a couple of small PCBs with the edge pads, just need to find them. If that Dragon Lab board was still available, I'd buy one of them, but if I can find those edge PCBs I can solder the ribbon cable to that.

3. I no longer have a TV with a UK UHF input. I, now foolishly, recycled the 1990 Philips 15" I brought with me about 8-9 years ago. Though it likely would have needed a recap by now, if it worked at all. I could try and do a composite mod for the board, but that would take more time. There's a large expat community at work, so I'll ask if anyone has a TV (or VCR) they want to get rid of - hopefully someone more recent, and so it's an LCD that is easier to lug around :)

I can also hand off at the meet to someone who is determined to get it up and running.
tjewell
Posts: 346
Joined: Mon Oct 19, 2009 4:58 pm
Location: Cambridge, England

Re: Premier's Sprite Graphics Board

Post by tjewell »

I might be able to donate a D32 to the cause - let me see if I can do a deal with the Museum. I've also got a spare and unused one of these - viewtopic.php?f=6&t=4860 - would that help?

Maybe this can be a project at the Meetup? - Phill normally brings all his soldering kit, I can supply a Dragon and one of Rolo's cards and we should have RF TVs in abundance. Let's see if we can get it going!

Cheers, Tony
dlinsley
Posts: 45
Joined: Thu Dec 10, 2009 8:15 pm
Location: Seattle, USA (formerly Chester-le-Street, UK)

Re: Premier's Sprite Graphics Board

Post by dlinsley »

Yes, if someone at the meet wants to have a go, Rolo's card would be ideal. We know the ROM (or one of them) is good. I have two NOS of the 9929A video chips, and two sets of 8x 4116 RAM chips. Another set of those might be a good idea.
Pernod70
Posts: 122
Joined: Sat Apr 22, 2017 10:06 pm
Location: Croydon, UK

Re: Premier's Sprite Graphics Board

Post by Pernod70 »

dlinsley wrote: Mon May 20, 2019 4:09 am We know the ROM (or one of them) is good.
Both copies of the ROM 'seemed' to work in emulation.
sixxie wrote: Fri May 10, 2019 7:16 am I'd say the version with 0xfd is right, as following an effective "LSLD", it turns TST >$0656 into STD >$0656, which seems more useful.
I agree that the version with 0xfd is preferred.
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