이안은 뭐하니?

Dear friends and customers,

I am glad to announce another multi-functioning accelerator for APPLE II.

It could provide a good capability on APPLE II system with faster BASIC speed, better memory and DHGR acceleration.

I spent some months to design and testing it and now want to receive orders from international buyers.

In fact, some month ago I already completed design and sold it several cards for local friends.

but, It took long time for international customers.
I don't have much good eyes now and then every month feel a little different and this card has very small parts and hard to make by hand. New card developing is hard for me.

Spending time and ideas on the new card.. is not just developing... it is exploring the APPLE II system.

When I built new devices, i really wanted to make them different than presents others.
I want to assign unique characteristics for my card and then there could be some special functions with it.
When I considered new features into my products, it doesn't complete easy, always brings other technical issues.
Maybe I still don't understand some of WOZ machine properly....

I don't know how long could I design and make cards for friends....

I had rest some weeks and feel much better now..   so you can give me order to make yours now.

The A2 OverDrive has several funny functions.
One is Digital output.. and we can play WAV songs with it (Of cause,  It need a DA converter) 

High speed acceleration doesn't give other than the speed...
But, It bring the possibility for your APPLE II.
Faster running software will make other possibility for a real-time-based games.. 
On the graphics, it could provide smoother faster more object can move at one time period.
But, all software functions... not hard ware additions.. at least still now the accelerator card was as this.

For A2 OverDrive have hardware special functions.

1) interrupt generator
It provide IRQ or NMI interval timer interrupt. user can define the timing of interrupt. 
Hope to be used for multi processing and for event processing.

2)Slot memory
Sold memory area $C100-C7FF which are reserved for ROM on SLOT peripherals.
A2 Overdrive has ability to override this area to own RAM location.
Hence the area can use for User's area ROM or RAM.
Also $C800-CFF0 area also can override it to own RAM.
It is one of my philosophy that if technically possible then try to make new&fun functions.

3) Digital I/O
Many of people wouldn't use it except sound module function to play the WAV (sampling) sound.
I provide it for H/W fun.
8bits Input and 16bit output.

Other small functions such as fixed interval reader, R/W memory speed adjust etc...
Some are provided setup value due to limitation on APPLE II to co-operate it but, others are for special functions those couldn't find other accelerators.

I'm making the English manual for this card and some are completed but, when you order and receive the card, you can have proper manual.

Other information are scattered on this site. just consider it as an  hide and seek game.

Please order this card for an engineer who want to make more fun devices for APPLE II.

https://drive.google.com/file/d/1ngjR27VpbYu-5Wcg0mP1yrwwpku0yMQF/view?usp=sharing 
This is only for the Introduction.

Full users manual would be provided for buyers only.

*RAM works Memory size is 384KB

*8bit Input port now.

https://youtu.be/CvvzKiOJkkA

https://youtu.be/jENz3w-1TC4

Specification

• MAX 16Mhz accelerator card for Apple //e  and Some revision of APPLE ][+ are works

• Integrated Memory emulation of Saturn (64KB) and RAMWORKS (384KB)

• Two 8bits Digital Output ports

• One 8bits Digital Input port

• Integrated programmable Interrupts generator

• Additional Virtual SLOT RAM on $C100-$CFFE

Acceleration

• A2 OverDrive 65C02 CPU works up to 16Mhz

• Accelerate Main and AUX area

– Accelerates ROM ($D000-$FFFF) and Hi-RAM($D000-$FFFF)

– Accelerates Saturn 64KB and RAMWORSK 384KB

– Accelerates BASIC programs

– Accelerates DHGR and DGR programs

• CPU speed can set to 16Mhz, 7.16Mhz, 3.58Mhz and 1Mhz

*** Parts shortage(Parts price is too expensive now)

I think we are really experiencing serious problems.

I'm using CPLD for this card and the parts price became 4 times.

And I can't make it with the price so, I stop selling it.

But, If you are still interested, please ask me for the price.

Sorry for this.

** Shipping issues 

Due to Covid19, only some country covered with the standard shipping costs for shipping.

Please refer to the below and please ask for the shipping costs if your country is not in the list.

In this case, I have to send the package with EMS or for the UPS (Higher costs).

Sorry for it.

Standard Shipping only

Thank you very much

Ian Kim 

Dear Friends and customers,

A2 OverDrive is start to preparing PCB and parts.

I will order PCB soon and parts.. (parts price really very high now.. x3-x5 times becam higher)

I spent many of times not only for me but also for Programers and hacker of APPLE II.

Please try to find fun on the card.

Here is the A2 OverDrive introduction for more understanding.

'

https://drive.google.com/file/d/1ngjR27VpbYu-5Wcg0mP1yrwwpku0yMQF/view?usp=sharing 

youtu.be/CvvzKiOJkkA

* Note;

RAMWORKS memory provided 384KB not 448KB

8bits Input port not 7bits input.

Added one 4mS Timer signal detecting

Speed comparing

https://youtu.be/jENz3w-1TC4

Sales start at the end of June.

Preorder will accept from soon.

I will put the price and Order button on here.

Thanks a lot

Ian Kim

Dear friends and customers,

A2 Turbo (A2 OverDrive light version) is preparing.

I received ordered commercial PCB and testing.

Results is GOOD!

Features,

1) Simplified & Straight forward accelerator for APPLE ][, ][+, //e (Not for IIgs)
2) Max 7.16Mhz<-->3.58Mhz<-->1Mhz
3) Integrated 64KB Main RAM and AUX 64KB memory and accelerate both area.

* It will give more power on your APPLE ][,][+,//e.

* Recommended to use it on APPLE //e for full featuers.

Performance demo

https://quick09.tistory.com/1499

General testing on APPLE ][+ 48KB 

BASIC speed testing.

SD DISKII Plus emulator used

https://youtu.be/at6EreUgEc0

DHGR testing

https://youtu.be/O3HWmxNYbYs

One of Korean Customer listed as below.

https://cafe.naver.com/appleii/19125

A2 Turbo card introduction

https://drive.google.com/file/d/1TSXNjiTv0vQpt92vDkyntok5UkeXtCX3/view?usp=sharing 

*User's manual will be provided for buyers.

* I only accept the Paypal payments.

** eBay prices are always higher, so order my eBay-listed items for better prices directly by email or buy from here.

* Added 

A2 Turbo card is a light version for less price.

Thanks a lot

Ian Kim

Dear Friends and cutomers,

Below is the speed test screen in the scroll game.
In APPLE II, it is  the best scrolling screen on the game.
(The sound was not recorded, but there is sound as well)

https://youtu.be/5UQ8SOpKwig

On the Demo, It shows the screens at 7.16Mhz, 3.58Mhz and 1Mhz respectively.
If you compare, you can see how much difference there is.

if you play the game, there is a sound of shooting a gun, and the sound of dropping a bomb and being detonated.
But, I'm not sure what is the purpose on game.
I guess that It doesn't seem to be made properly due to speed problems.

If made for accelerator cards, a much better screen and smoother look of enemies and friendly planes and  the blast planes.

If I think to make similar as this, set the CPU to 3.58Mhz and reduce the scrolling speed a bit, and handle other things more, 
It woulbe be much better game appearance would have been possible. Of course, if the speed is based on 7.16Mhz, it will be possible to drive more spare CPU power.

If I try to make a game later,
I would like to make a game that supports a merking board or a music card on such a scrolling screen.
It is almost impossible before the accelerator.

With A2 Turbo, programming with Apple 2 will be more fun. 

Thanks
Ian Kim

Dear Friends and Customers,

Recently, I ordered revised accelerator PCB.
I've tested it on CFFA3000 before and it wan't stable but now it solved on this PCB.

Due to phase timing issues, It wan't stable on CFFA3000.

I tested this card on below APPLE II models.
APPLE //e platinum, Works nice.
APPLE //e enhanced, Works nice.
APPLE //e non-enhanced, Works nice.
APPLE ][+ (Original) works and need to test some more.
APPLE ][+ clone model 6502!(?) Not stable handling DISK Emulator.

WAVPlayer V0.1 (only works with SD DISKII)

Little shows information of WAV file on D2:

I will test some more the added features.
If everything are fine, I could order commercial PCB.

'New Accerator will born'

Thank you very much.

Ian Kim

Dear customers and friends,

Today, the A2 OverDrive card works well with the CFFA3000.

I spent a lot of time trying to solve this problem,

As I expected, there was a slight difference in the SYNC timing with the board.

Now, it works well and I have to test the compatibility between APPLE II models,

WAV Player currently works only on SD DISKII Plus.

If I have enough time, I could program a WAV player for CFFA 3000.

WAV Player is a simple ASM code, and source code will be released for purchasers and game developers to use.

A2 OverDrive card will be released at a good price for APPLE II enthusiasts and it could help your APPLE II computer runs faster and more fun to use.

Thanks for your waiting.

Regards;

Ian Kim

Dear Friends and Customers,

I glad to announce these new features,

A2 OverDrive card can play 22Khz Stereo WAV files.

It has a 7bits INPUT with an AUX socket.

Now, sound much clearer and became HIFI sound as the attached video.

I'm very happy with it cause I can listen to nice quality music on APPLE II.

Even making the good sound, still have CPU resources and DISK bandwidth for more.

I hope to make a Music video player but, didn't understand how to convert video and sound for APPLE II system.

Anyway, Have a time to watch this Introduction with Music.

youtu.be/CvvzKiOJkkA

Thank you very mcuh!

Dear Friends and Customers,

Accelerator card name change to 'A2 OverDrive'

And built a revised PCB,  Add an AUX port with one more 8bits Digital output.

It can play Stereo 16Khz 8bits Way music as under.

I also tested to a minimized sound buffer.

Tested 12KB->8KB->4KB all size of buffer working without problem.

16Khz Sampling music is good to my ear.

youtu.be/21hUFrAUnKI

Thank you for watching it.

Hi friends and customers,

I glad to introduce this new card.

A2Turbo  A2 OverDrive card is an accelerator for APPLE II

and it accerate your APPLE II CPU 1Mhz to 65C02 16Mhz.

It would be more fun device on your APPLE II.

I've tested many programs and mostly works.

It rarely failed to start a  program but, reboot make it OK.

(I am testing to find non-compatible program with it)

Card looks as under.

(It may be changed when it be revised)

It isn't the final board and I'm still thinking to add some more fun functions for  APPLE II enthuasists.

What this card can do now.

1) Accelerate Your APPLE II  and ][+ up to 16 times

It accerate all of your program.

Even your BASIC Program runs very fast and It would help to you to make game on BASIC.

Of cause, if you use BASIC compiler it would help to make run faster.

Anyway Your Assembly program also runs very fast.

youtu.be/mB587EpSmL0

It was the first testing.

Now A2Turbo works 16Mhz.

And run also FDD file games as below. (FDD access testing)

youtu.be/7e3XyIX1gzc

And DISK game (16KB HiRAM acceleration activated)

youtu.be/bnQmcXuFXGA

youtu.be/ei5yDdT6o_E

7.16Mhz Working

youtu.be/Td8_1P3weWQ

2) Accelerate Your APPLE //e with Double HGR up to 16 times

It accelerates your program even in AUX memory and Accelerates DHGR games.

No matter what your programs in APPLE II.

Works on HDD emulator and APPLE //e DHGR accelation.

youtu.be/_xJX52JGKUg

And 16Mhz test.

youtu.be/cGmojfSxL14

3) IRQ and NMI generator

(** I do not allow to copy all or partial technical idea on your commercial products without my permission **)

What is this and use for what?

65C02 CPU provides two types of Interrupts. 

IRQ and NMI.

APPLE II main board doesn't use it.

A2Turbo provides programmable IRQ and NMI function.

User can set IRQ and NMI interval by uS unit.

With this, You can run another program while running.

Interrupts can do another task while running a program.

It intercept CPU processing power to make run another program.

User can define 1uS resolution for IRQ and NMI. (16bits IRQ, 16bits NMI)

It can be used a counter or timer while running.

Even simple time counting clock could be emulated.

I've tested it to make a sound you can even run a BASIC program while generating sound.

I wanted it so I put it into the accelerator.

youtu.be/ZCGqM4A1t6Q

4) More Memory?

Yes, I prepared two types of extra memories.

One 64KB Saturn card in it. I've tested it to use a virtual disk and works.

It provide multiple 16K RAM functions in APPLE ][ and //e

So no need language card on APPLE ][.

These 16KB blocks calling as Hi RAM and the user can switch the 16KB area to one of 4 banks as the Saturn 64KB card.

Anyway 16Banks are located in $Dxxx(1) $Dxxx(2), $Exxx ,$Fxxx on APPLE II.

448KB RAMWORKS Memory provided

APPLE //e has AUX slot and user could extend memory with it.

A2Turbo card has integrated AUX memory mapper and provided 448KB(RAMWORKS).

Even APPLE ][ could detect AUX memory and can use as under(it is old photo so 384KB but now 448KB)

5) Virtual Slot memory 

(** I do not allow to copy all or partial technical idea to your commercial products without my permission **)

What is Virtual Slot memory?

This is a unique my idea. I didn't see this function on another card.

APPLE ][.][+ and //e have slots and each slot consume some of memory location as CNxx and C0Nx

(CNxx is a ROM area and C0Nx and Device I/O area)

CNxx  is can say as below.

SLOT1: $C100-$C1FF

SLOT2; $C200-$C2FF

SLOT3; $C300-$C3FF

SLOT4; $C400-$C4FF

SLOT5; $C500-$C5FF

SLOT6; $C600-$C6FF

SLOT7; $C700-$C7FF

Those Address called ROM area and reserved for Slot ROM.

User can't use it for own purpose and it's fixed by ROM.

It is using for own device in slot for as ROM BIOS or Small I/O function etc..

And some function for APPLE //e.

It called as I/O Address.

I made it to work as RAM.

A2Turbo card can swap this External ROM area to RAM.

So user can use this area as general RAM for Write and Read.

(It doesn't erase your ROM in card)

It can be used for a BIOS for user-defined devices or patch area of present ROM code.

or just use as a more RAM area.

Also, $C800-$CFFD (2KB) can use as RAM.

To use this area, It just need proper define. It provided SLOT configuration to ON RAM or OFF for each slot.

It would be very useful if your program fulled with memory.

Or If your program switching Main to AUX but need more command data area which is need to access on Main and AUX.

Even small program can put into $C800-$CFFD 

Such as Interrupts handler would be a great because AUX or Main switching can't kill this area.

And if you want to update or patch the previous game program but no memory space for the program.

it would be useful area.

Unfortunatelly SLOT1 and SLOT2 can't use this RAM assignment. 

From C300~CFFF area can use for user purpose.

Now you can have more +3.25KB RAM in all your program.

6) DA output and APPLE II Speaker mixing

What is DA?

DA is Digital to Analogue.

I assigned a 8bits port for DIGITAL Output for real world.

Accelerator works very fast in Digital world. but, It want to say(?) somthing to us.

Now it has own port and can say(?) to you.

I added a simgple R2R DA cirtuit for Audio sound.

(Back side have resistors).

It is very a simple circuit and looks not so useful.

But, Watch this vide.

youtu.be/j4qAXcxb0s4

It can play WAV songs on my APPLE IIe.  ^^/

(8Khz WAV sample songs)

And more progressed,

11Khz WAV Sound file playing..

youtu.be/BvMmeNiDmQ8

And more 22Khz WAV sound now!!

youtu.be/U9dktdhRoCw

And more sampling frequency.

Maximum NMI generation is 31960.2Hz (every 32uS)

32Khz WAV plying would be fine with this cycle.

First time, it didn't work properly..

I reduced it for less delay while slot access.

And finally I could play 32Khz WAV file. 

Sound quality may be improved but, I don't feel much different between 22K with 32Khz.

Sound quality much improved 8K < 11K < 16K < 22K<32Khz

(But required more HDD Space and CPU power)

Speaker output pin prepared but, not yet physically connected.

It will intercept APPLE ][ ,//e speaker sound and will it to this DA output port.

It can play one 32MB HDD image 

69Mins on 8K WAV music ,

50Mins on 11K WAV music ,

34Mins on 16K WAV music,

25 Mins on 22K WAV music and

17.4Mins on 32K Wav music.

8K WAV wasn't good o my ear but, 11K WAV music is fine.

This is the status of A2Turbo card.

Those functions are working on a board(Not Disk Emulation included).

It is almost finished but, I'm doing for more..

And designing another revised board for more fun.

Board will be revised and that would be last test version then could release it.

Let's enjoy music which is palying on your old APPLE II.

Thanks a lot

Ian Kim

** And I uploaded several accelerator working videos on Youtube and other stuff.

You may find some more fun videos.

I'm not an English speaker hence I uploaded videos to show as "Seeing is Beliving!"

Anyway, enjoy the videos.

**

---------------------------------------------------------

How did I program to play WAV file on APPLE II?

---------------------------------------------------------

WAV file is simple wave sound data and isn't compressed data.

So, It was easy to handle by APPLE II.

To make sampling rates, It used an integrated NMI interval generator to generate sampling rates.

Interrupts handler sending data on time to DA port for sound.

Main program monitoring buffer and filling data from SD DISK II Plus at the same time.

It used a 12KB buffer(maybe can reduce this size).

Due to the power of NMI, it doesn't lose sampling sync.

So. no need for any clock counting to sync sound and It can read SD DISK II plus data while producing sound.

The program size is less than 1KB and works very efficiently and fast.

SD DISK II Plus is working busy and Accelerator also working nicely to play songs.

And CPU power still has left processing power so can increase sound sampling rates some more.

I think some hobbyists could try other fun things with this NMI/IRQ interval function.

Thanks

No license, express or implied, by estoppel or otherwise, to any intellectual property rights is granted by this document or by any conduct of  Ian Kim. Product names and markings noted herein may be trademarks of their respective owners.

Accelerating my program.

It was a long time one of my wish.

Since I was young time, I like to programming on APPLE II+ (It was my first computer).

And tested functions and even try to make games such as Block out and some shooting games.

But, Only my available language was BASIC and hard to make a sound on BASIC. Just toggle sound was possible.

After some research, I could generate tone and melody by ASM power.

Why APPLE II is slow? Can I make my program run faster?

Some months later, I could find a way... it is BASIC compiler.

It accelerates about 2 times than BASIC speed but still not enough to describe my idea. so have to stop to making arcade game. 

Learning ASM was too much hard. I can't understand why there are just AND,OR,ADD... and MOVE and some branch commands... there is no sound-generating commands...?

Now, I want to make a gift for me.

CPU Accelerator card for my APPLE II.

I'm mostly using APPLE //e so, I try to accelerate my APPLE //e.

After some months of research, I could find a way to design it.

And tested it.. but, It didn't work of course.

Several actual research again...

Finally, I could make it run.
But no screen output and I only could hear a high pitch beep.

What's wrong? and How to solve this issue?

it was my first problem.

Explained about the solving ways.

APPLE II is using video area from base memory and it doesn't read from the I/O BUS.

APPLE II is automatically reading from the main board RAM for video.

Due to this reasons, my first design doesn't show proper screen output.

So, What should I do?

I need video output.

It needed to push Video data to APPLE II and APPLE II output the video.

It required I/O sync to match CPU speed with APPLE II BUS speed anyway.

Also I/O have to send APPLE II properly to have sound(toggle) and keyboard input.

So, now APPLE II has video output and speaker, Keyboard input.

Next time, I will talk about I/O syncing..

Thanks a lot

Ian Kim