이안은 뭐하니?

Dear customer and friends,

As I mentioned it before, I built a test version for the SWAP FDD function.

It is simple to use and easy to make.

Please prepare a button Switch with dupone female wire.

You can find similar or better one on eBay.

How to use.

After start APPLE II and after booting process...

You can use this SWAP function.

Press once it will swap present D1: D2 each other and press once again, it will return D1: D2: as before.

If you need any help, please let me know.

Required firmware; V2.74 and later.

Required Hardware; SD DISKII Plus only.

Dear Friends and Customers,

Some of users having difficulties to use the USB Serial dongle on Windows 10.

The maker said, it isn't compatible but, I found the solution to make it run.

Now, You can use it on windows 10.

Please delete old version of Driver and install it.

How to do it

1) Delete presnt (If have) USB Serial driver on windows 10. 

2) Download and install it.

You can also find detail information by googleing.

I tested and it works on my Windows 10 (32bit version)!

Thanks

Dear customers and friends,

It was long years have passed since I develope the MB4c.
First time, I really want to have Mockingboard for my APPLE IIc and finally could have Mockingboard for //c computer.
it was really happy experianced and It was enough for me.
And revised some version for perfect compatibility as now.
But, the Mockingboard doesn't work on APPLE //c+.
Physically and logically it doesn't support APPLE //c+.
I received some of email who want to have Mockingboard for his APPLE //c+ and finally I promised to finished it.
Infact, When I develped the MB4c, I also tried to make it run on APPLE //c+ but failed.
APPLE //c+ has own cache for faster run and it working different with  APPLE //c.
Some of friends want a Mockingboard with a memory board.
But, It woudn't be easy due to low space.

Anyway, This is a beginning for APPLE //c+ so let me to complete the Mockingboard for C+ first and consider next step on next version.

Thanks;
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.

Thanks Mr. Johnson Lam,

youtu.be/eq_tTo3qrsI

youtu.be/aU1P4eh-Y34

youtu.be/2-OCZf_lDAk

This is the SKY Fox Intro music. 

Very similar as the Mockingboard isn't it? 

(It just has a color issue on the capture device)

youtu.be/LuB8ghXvTRo

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

Another Revision of PCB was ordered and I'm waiting for it.

In the first design, I used AY3-8912 and good parts going to hard to obtain so change it to AY3-8910 chips.

And now, 6522 part also getting harder to find good one And more failure rates are too many.

So, Tried it to use 65C22 but it doesn't fit well and needs to change circuit redesign.

Designing a new device isn't simple due to old vintage parts need to be provided properly.

it is harder to obtain good working parts.

Due to a lack of good working parts, I also considered replacing it to CPLD but, it isn't good mate for vintage APPLE II so didn't emulate it and now CPLD is just used to replace some of TTL chips.

Once it finished, I could prepare enough amounts of MB4c board.

Please wait more time for it.

Thanks a lot

Ian Kim

Dear friends and customers,

Please update your Music DLX card to this firmware V1.0b.

This version patched music instruments changing function.

How to update

1) Pls OFF your APPLE II

2) Remove the Switch Block on DLX card (Firmware update mode) 

(SD Music Deluxe card must in SLOT#4)

3) Boot the image file.

4) Follow the instruction.

It would take a few mins.

If success, it will make 'Ding Dong sound...' but, if failed, It will make 'Ding.... Ding...' 

5) If successfully updated, please return the switch block as before.

6) If has any error then Please try again to 1)

7) Close your APPLE II and enjoy it.

** Instrument change utility for SD Music DLX.

Please download this image file and try it.

You can assign each channel of mockingboard to a specific music instrument(Pls refer to the manual for instrument list).

Also, This utility disk has two example instrument data files for a sample.

This utility can do

(1) Assign music instrument to each channel of Mockingboard.

(2) Upload music instruments to SRAM 

(3) Upload music instruments to EEPROM

Pls refer to the Source code for your programming.

If you have any questions, please let me know.

Thanks

Ian Kim

Dear Friends and Customers,

Here is the user's manual of SD DISK][ Plus V2.5A.

이것은 한글 사용자 메뉴얼입니다.

A Simple Demo of SD DISK][ Plus

https://youtu.be/HW--CsAcWH4

Thanks a lot

Ian Kim

SD DISK II PLUS support Power ON menu and Now it also works on Re-Boot.

https://youtu.be/HW--CsAcWH4

The new firmware has a function to call the Boot menu by program or ROM BIOS.

It required new ROM BIOS V1.85 for Re-Boot menu

if not, it will act the same as previous firmware and need a Menu ON program.

With New ROM BIOS(V1.85), 

It always shows the menu entry message while on Boot.

It would be useful to some users who are using several SD DISK II plus.

How to update?

Pls copy it to SD Memory card and use the Boot menu. There is a firmware update function.

SD DISKII Plus firmware (V2.72) 

It works only for SD DISKII Plus (Pls don't update it on other SD DISK II card)

You need this ROM BIOS Version 1.85 for this Re-Boot menu.

You need a ROM Writer to write your ROM chip in SD DISKII Plus.

Before to erase ROM, Pls read and save the old code just in case.

ROM BIOS (V1.85A)  (please mail me for BIN file)

FDD image with Menu boot file.

It is a menu ON program. [B]

it works even no ROM BIOS updates.

It works DOS3.3 and PRODOS FDD/HDD.

Pls copy the file to another FDD image and use ciderpress for copy your DISK image.

If you ]BLOAD MENUBOOT, You can see the address of Starting&Lengh for copy it.

Dear Friends and Customers,

A2Z80PLUS card is a 16MHZ Z80 card, but when using CP/M with a diskette, It looks no better advantage,

(Actually, in the past, there was already has a way to drive by HDD but, I can't make it run to loss of files and data)

For A2Z80PLUS, please see the posts in the link below.

https://quick09.tistory.com/search/a2z80

However, the value of luxury goods is revealed in the end...

The drive of HDD was restored properly by the following as link.

https://planemo.org/2020/06/18/bootable-cp-m-system-on-the-cffa3000-compact-flash-hd-for-the-apple-ii/?fbclid=IwAR2Pt4k9KS9at_sUYnmBhHIzW3EbO_1mMbqUvCNFxTAEM_oDax1md-31cg

So, I experimented/tested right away.

Insert A2Z80PLUS into slot 1,

After installing SD DISK II PLUS in slot 7, select the corresponding CP/M image and boot

First, PRODOS comes up.

To start CP/M operation

-PCPIBOOT (return)

After a while, the number selection appears. At this time, if you press '2'...

CP/M appears.

Drive is

A: B: C: D: Four are caught.

Since the FREE capacity is checked, it has enough free space as shown below.

Additionally, A clock has a driver but, I haven't been able to determine what kind it is.

From now, we can use CP/M with big spaces.

Enjoy it.

32MB PO images are here.

** Added **

I searched dBase II on Internet and could get a dBase 2.4 and tested.

I recalled my old memory and made simple program to add testing records.

Now it have 45752 records and works fine.

This dBase program is general one and I transfered it to FDD and copy it to the HDD of SD DISKII plus.

To transfer the program to CP/M..

1) Download programs for CP/M

2) Add files for APPLE II image disk by Cpmtools 2.9.

It looks some complicated but works.

cpmarchives.classiccmp.org/cpm/mirrors/www.cpm8680.com/cpmtools/index.htm

3) Transfer this FDD image to another SD DISKII Plus. (For conveniances I used two SD DISKII Plus)

4) Boot CP/M and Copy files.

PIP C:=E:*.*

Thanks

Dear friends and customer,

With this utility, You can change a default mockingboard channel instrument to one of Bank instruments.

If you have any questions, please email me.

Regards;

Ian Kim

Mr. SangTang Gune, He is planning to make a game that is run on APMSX card.

This is just a Sprite and APPLE II joystick testing and has no sound yet.

I'm expecting good music with SD Music +/Deluxe card too.

Anyway, It has a very fast scroll.

https://youtu.be/IOBFBwkXnFs

You can download this program with DSK image for your APMSX card.

APMSX card should slot#4.

Hi, 

Mr. SanTang Gune is making a Game for APPLE //e.

It is one of sample stage on his game(Game isn't completed yet, It is ongoing his project)

It supports SD MUSIC(+) (Firmware V2.0 required) and used native mode and can hear percussion instruments.

Anyway, It supports Mockingboard..

Please try it.

https://youtu.be/YJ5iZ8qYhto

Thanks

Dear friends and customers,

This version of Firmware is now stable.

Please update your SD DISK][ Plus card for new Power ON boot menu.

After firmware updates, It will show a new message on Screen to enter the Menu.

After press [S] then you can go for Menu.

It is simple and easy to use.

To update firmware, please refer to the user's manual.

Download firmware V2.71G

Thank you very much!!

Ian Kim

Some bugs fixed and little changed.

- Eject function by 'C' 'D' bug fixed

Some cases fail to Empty D1 or D2 and now fixed. (Anyway, It is seldom used)

- Failed to show the last file and now Fixed.

- During the firmware updates, it shows a message and doing a nice restart.

Testing is going to finish.

Please let me know if you experienced any errors or have suggestions.

Tested on APPLE ][+, //e and IIGS (ROM1)

Download Firmware

*I didn't test it on SD DISK][ Emulator(Earlier version) yet.

Please use this firmware for SD DISK][ Plus.

If the firmware didn't work on your card, please contact me.

Thanks;

Ian Kim

This version properly works FDD mode on APPLE IIGS(Fast).

<Enhanced>

Speed up on Reading file LIST. 

More than 256 files reading was slow but, much faster now.

I did test it with 1,530 files and took 4.8Sec to read on APPLE //e and ][+, (IIGS Fastmode is faster).

<Image List Sort>

Menu program showing as followed this image group (no naming sort).

1) Volume/Directories first

2) HDD images(HDV or 2MG or PO no internal sort)

3) FDD images (NIB or DSK no internal sort) 

Firmware tested on APPLE ][+, //e, IIGS ROM1

Tested card version; SD DISK][ plus V2.49A, V2.5A, and V2.46.

<Restriction>

* HDD disk D1 and D2, It should be in the same directory.

* FDD disk file D1 and D2 could be different but, reading only.

  If it needs to write, It should be in the same directory.

  Power ON Boot will search image file for D1 and D2 in a Boot Directory.

  But, If you load a FDD file in the menu, you can use but, only Read purpose. Because the Write process will search in the directory update the file.   (These restrictions is due to the MPU RAM size)

Firmware Download; 

'Please use newer version'

To update firmware, please refer to the user's manual.

Thank you

Ian Kim

This version patched below.

If you just changed the mode without select any file, it causes boot failure.

In this case, SD Disk][ will use as a Boot image from the previously selected one.

Changed

(1) When it updates the file list, it shows 'Updating..' on the file list window.

(2) When FDD image loading, Menu waited until to finish but now it doesn't wait but show 'updating..' on drive name and it will be updated when it finished the loading. 

And if more commands to the SD DISK II before to complete, it will wait until finished.

(3) FDD D1 & D2 images will load while Power ON Boot.ing.  Some games need two diskettes and it would work without select 2nd image again.

Thanks a lot;

Ian Kim

*old version removed. Please use a newer one.