between a pi and an android phone.. I pick android.
the Pi has some issues
1) it has no safe on/off switch. you can't simply power it down!
2) it is not portable. You will forever be tethered to a power source
3) linux. You have to be linux savvy to use it. period.
4) needs a "non trivial' cable solution.
An android phone however... now that is convenient.
* fundamentally portable
* slick packaging, robust, durable, flexible etc.
* built in connectivity options
* needs a wireless cable (IE BT)
Kurt found a great BT serial module for ~25$
A cheap android phone can be easily obtained...we've only built about
a billion of those in this world.
Anyhow both are neat options. Both work. Both leverage (1) large
scale hardware manufacturing (2) large scale software development
projects. Both require talented people to do the custom work to
bring it together as a storage solution for M100.
On Thu, Mar 31, 2016 at 4:39 AM, VANDEN BOSSCHE JAN
<[email protected] <mailto:[email protected]>>
wrote:
As far as I know, the answer is NO. It's not as simple as you
hope it would be.
Because you have to realise that the Model T's are, by today's
standards, really primitive computers. There is not even a Disk
Operatin System build in. The only thing that even resembles a
DOS, is the communication with a TPDD. But even if it's dressed
up as a disk system, it basically is a communications protocol
over a serial port with another serial device. Actually, not like
a common DOS at all.
Integrating a disk - and of variable size - into that means that
you have to translate the commands from the rudimentary
communication protocol of the Model T towards file commands that
apply to this disk/ram device. No simple task if you have to do
it all by yourself, i.e., if there is no underlying OS to wich
you can pass commands to.
I have the impression that a lot of people didn't understand what
an engineering masterpiece NADSbox is/was. It translates the TPDD
protocol and creates its own disk-access protocol towards an
SD-card, so that this can even be read by other computers.
Basically, he wrote a mini-DOS into a purpose-build computer.
There are not many people in the world who could have done thàt,
I think.
On top of the software, there's the hardware. You need to get the
signals from a serial port, through the translating process,
towards an SD-card or a flashdrive. Again, that is not too
simple, though there, luckily, you can use industry standard
components. But you still need a skilled engineer - like Ken - to
put it all together with the controller, the interpreting and
translating software, to make a working unit.
The NADSbox did all this, custom made. The price was steep,
understandably, but it was still only the cost of the hardware, I
don't think Ken made any profit from it.
Basically, to be able to use any modern storage via a Model T,
you need a computer in between to make it work.
To avoid building the computing element from scratch, why not use
one off-the-shelf ? And that's where the Raspberry Pi comes in.
This computer is as powerfull as an iPhone. You have an operating
system to handle disk operations, and you have USB and SD-card
ports. The only thing you need now - and that's still easier said
than done - is a link to the serial port of the Model T, and the
translating software. But because you are working in a real
computer, the translating software can be an adaptation of
software that already exists. Like LaddieAlpha.
You see that, by using a Pi, you reduce software and hardware
effort considerably.
I am working on using an old Pi as a TPDD. Just like with my DOS
station, I intend to write an article and post it to the Wiki.
Everyone, feel free to correct any gibberish I might have
mentioned above.
**
* |\ _,,,--,,_*
* / ,`.-'`' **._ \-;;,_*
*|,4- ) )_ .;.( `'-'*
*<---''(_/._)--'(_\_)*
*Jan Vanden Bossche @ work*
**
**
**
*From:*M100 [mailto:[email protected]
<mailto:[email protected]>] *On Behalf Of *Duane
Adrian
*Sent:* woensdag 30 maart 2016 14:45
*To:* [email protected] <mailto:[email protected]>
*Subject:* [M100] Could you use a USB portable flash drive as an
alternative device to stores files on a Model 100 ?
I was wondering if you could use any USB Flash drive to save
files. Maybe have some software written for it so the Model 100
would understand it.
I heard of the NADSBox and Raspberry Pi. But the NADSBox is
expensive and I am not sure if it is available anymore.
As for Raspberri Pi. It is $35 dollars. I have even seen one for
$15. Even a CHEAP one for $5. But I am not a very technical
person or software programmer or hardware engineer. I am just a
basic user and owner of a TRS 80 Model 100.
Any suggestions or opinions that I can get.
Duane A.
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