Being new to this forum, I'll add my 1.5 cents to the TDock discussion. It seems, the most straight forward approach, both hardware, and software, would be a serial to USB interface to a Raspi; the Raspi being the emulator. The Raspi would offer all of the hardware add-ons WiFi, HDMI/ Composite display, SD, etc capability. The 100/102/200, would need a simple serial interface program, developed to communicate through the serial interface, to the Raspi. In effect the 100/102/200, is acting as a dump terminal. The software for the Raspi emulator would, or might be the only software challenge. This approach would provide a more simple portability interface, both hardware wise, and wouldn't be limited to physical portability also.
Dave Sent from my iPad > On May 20, 2015, at 9:49 AM, Ken Pettit <petti...@gmail.com> wrote: > > Hey Mike, > > I suppose you could use serial port + Bluetooth to drive an 80x25 character > display. But I wonder how slow it would be to do scrolling, etc. I was > already worried about how slow a parallel port implementation would be > relative to a true system bus connection. And I think the tricky part about > what you said is the word "internal" as it relates to Bluetooth. Most people > don't want to take their machines apart and take a soldering iron to them, > myself included and I even have the skills to do it (or at least I tell > myself I do ;) > > As far as the how, the SysROM has multiple RST 7 hooks for sending characters > to the LCD. And it uses RAM variables to record the current screen > dimensions (which are initialized to 40x8). Redirecting to anything other > than the internal LCD (i.e. DVI system bus, parallel port, serial port, etc.) > requires installing a relatively small .CO program and RST7 hooks to > intercept the data going to the LCD. And BASIC has a WIDTH command for > setting the width to either 40 or 80. But the WIDTH command will fail unless > you have actually installed a RST7 hook to handle it. > > Ken > >> On Wed, May 20, 2015 at 9:09 AM, MikeS <dm...@torfree.net> wrote: >> >> ----- Original Message ----- >> From: Gmail >> To: Model 100 Discussion >> Sent: Wednesday, May 20, 2015 11:22 AM >> Subject: Re: [M100] TDock >> >> Ken, >> >> Tell me more! >> >> Pretty well everything that's being discussed is already available today; >> connect to an old laptop via Bluetooth and you've got your display >> interface, USB/SD/HD storage, WiFi etc. If that $9.00 SBC becomes a reality >> it should be able to do the same thing, sort of a wireless super-NADSbox.. >> >> That's the way I'd go, a separately powered portable standalone device >> linked to the ModelT via (internal) Bluetooth. >> >> When I put the M100's display up on the big screen TV it was usually for >> playing M100 format text games and puzzles while reclining on the couch so >> 80 column mode wasn't really an issue for me, but I did investigate the 80 >> column screen mode a bit way back when with no success. >> >> I then assumed it was part of the DVI DOS but I gather it's actually >> included in the basic BASIC; any hints about how to get at it, preferably >> redirecting out the serial port? >> >> And of course then there's the issue of drawing graphics on an 80x25 >> equivalent display... ;-) >> >> m >> >> ---------------- >> >> >> >> >> Hi Bob, >> >> >> Actually no ROM changes are needed. The existing ROM already supports 80x25 >> text mode displays (though not for the MENU program). >> >> >> Ken >> >> Sent from my iPhone >> >> On May 20, 2015, at 7:18 AM, Bob Pigford <rpigfo...@comcast.net> wrote: >> >> >> I agree with Van and others: TDOCK needs to be a Dock (not portable) and >> may be powered with a wall wart. For me, an 80 X 25 display would be the >> ultimate goal, not just duplicating the ModelT screen on a larger display. >> For instance, I think one might already be able to run VirtualT on a >> Raspberry Pi and have a virtual ModelT on a larger screen, but what is the >> point in that. >> >> I want to have the great ModelT keyboard, serial & parallel ports, etc, on >> my desk while looking at a full screen of characters. The hardest part of >> that might be the changes to the ROM. I will point out that Steve鈥檚 REX can >> be operated in ROM replacement mode such that a custom modified 鈥渟oft鈥� ROM >> (adjusted for 80 X 25 display) can be used without actually creating or >> requiring a new physical ROM. >> >> SD card storage in TDOCK would also be terrific freeing the serial port for >> BlueM. >> >> I think that HDMI may be the best video solution for TDOCK, and there are >> many small HDMI screen choices available. For example, see >> http://www.adafruit.com/category/63 >> If you only have a VGA screen, then an HDMI to VGA adapter could be used. I >> am doing this now with a RPi and a VGA screen. >> >> I think that Wifi and internet connectivity delivered directly from TDOCK >> might be way down the road, but Ken鈥檚 initial design could allow design >> 鈥渟pace鈥� for that later enhancement. >> >> As to Ken鈥檚 question about I/O capability (like A/D and digital pins), that >> would be nice but not necessary. If you want to touch the real world of >> sensors, motors, and the like, a serial connection to an Arduino will >> suffice (cheap hardware and easier programming on the ModelT end). Of >> course, if a Raspberry Pi were to be used as the engine under the TDOCK >> hood, I/O pins and HDMI are already there, as well as USB ports for add-ons >> like Wifi. >> >> >> \ >
