nfg.forums

@incrediblehark Thanks I tried your ini file but it's the same issue.
your one:
[SCSI]
System=X68000
EnableParity=0 ; Off

my one was:
[SCSI]
System="X68000-SASI"

my one is really the same as yours just using the new firmware includes the EnableParity=0 by default.

I also tried adding a 4 second delay as suggested but sadly no change:

cd sxsi
bootset.x
ED0100
4


@amazin Is that soldering wire picture the same for an Expert model?
The docs say to set the bluescsi SCSI termination jumper to "off" but I tried the "on" position too and same error.
The log.txt file in the sd card has no errors about power and I used 2x separate 5v 1amp psu's with micro usb cables. Is the 5v tapping from the X68000 only for convenience or does it help with the "termination power"?

I also tried setting the hard drive image scsi ID to 0 (and 1) by renaming the image on the sd card but it just moved the "So low SCSI level" error to the new ID.

Could this termination power issue be addressed in a firmware update?

about the 5v grabbed from pcb for external SASI, i confirmed i did it also in my ACE HD but the input point is different of course... i didn't take any photo of that mod but i got power from the solder side of the 20pin floppy connector

@amazin no worries!

Attached is my .ini which is very bare bones but works well for me, I tend to agree with amazin's comments about the power cycling / so low errors.

What I firmly believe it's the issue with BlueSCSI V2 on SASI machines is because SASI machines cannot power the BlueSCSI as there is no equivalent to the SCSI "TermPWR".

The "So Low SCSI device" is a SCSI Termination error.
The "Check IDx Not Conn" is an issue with BlueSCSI V2 "freezing" and not getting reset. If you remove the power, reconnect the power and press reset on the X68000, this will go away.

@aotta has devised a quick and simple solution to power it by grabbing 5V from somewhere and adding to a specific pin.

I believe that this might fix the issues related to powering BlueSCSI V2 **AND** fixing the Termination Power.

Here's a photo of what he did:


Although he done this on a Shodai (CZ-600) I'll try to apply this to an Ace probably tomorrow, just need to find 5V there somewhere. I know a way of doing this by getting 5V from the back joystick connector on the I/O (bottom) board, but it's not practical.

Cheers

@incrediblehark I saw your PM, haven't got time to test it yet, life is a nightmare right now :-D

By the way, we should put this "you must use ID3" to rest, this is not true.

What happens is that in a SASI machine, you have that option HD_MAX by default set to 1.

This "HD_MAX" according to the manual is the "max number of physical SASI HDDs", so if you don't have a physical SASI HDD connected to your X68000, this should be set to 0. Then you get SCSI ID0 available on SxSI. That might be one of the reasons people recommend setting the SCSI device to ID3.

The other reason is that there was an early version of SCSI2SD that was hardcoded to use SCSI ID3, but all devices available will let you assign any SCSI ID you want to the emulated SCSI device.

There's absolutely NO REASON for any one to use SCSI ID3 today.

Try setting a longer delay for the SxSI boot loader (I use 4 personally). I'll see if I can upload my .ini - I'm on a fw before the SASI - SCSI flags were added for X68000 so I'm using the standard SCSI config for x68k with parity off and hdd image named HD10_512.hda

My 3.00 set to release soon will have an archive specific for BlueSCSI so it should (hopefully) be a quick drag and drop onto your sd card to get up and running.

Yes great work on the mod. It seems the newer firmware is just a shortcut to set EnableParity = 0 and do the rest of the X68000 quirks (selectionDelay = 0; enableSCSI2 = false; maxSyncSpeed = 5;)

I still cant get this "bluescsi centronics" working though on this new firmware.
Error is always:
Check ID X: So low SCSI level 
(Where X is the SCSI ID set on the file name. Usually 3)


-The machine is a X68000 Expert 2 AC
-Has an Etarikashikoshi 8MB + MIDI expansion card installed.
-blueSCSI is a centronics version that plugs directly into the back of the X68000 into the Hard Drive expansion port. Needs external 5v power via the micro USB port on the pi.




If someone wouldn't mind double checking my steps please for where I am going wrong:



1. Set up SASI drivers:

Set switch.x options by booting from master v3 floppy and type these commands:

switch.x

memory: highlight, enter. Use arrow up/down and set the memory you have (in my case 2MB onboard and 8MB with the Etarikashikoshi card so set it to 10MB 10240)
Boot: highlight, enter. Use arrow up/down to select STD. Enter again.
HD_MAX: highlight, enter, Use up/down arrow to selelct 0. Enter again,
Quit: Highlight the very last option (translates to "End"). Press Enter then Y to save.


Now set to boot to SASI. At the command prompt enter these commands:

cd sxsi
bootset.x
ED0100
1



2. BlueSCSI prep

Update firmware:
connect the bluescsi pi to your Windows laptop over USB holding the bootsel button on the pi. When the new drive letter appears in File Explorer, copy the latest uf2 firmware file to the root of the new drive. Wait a minute it will automatically disconnect. Firmware is now updated.

SD Card:
Format the SD card to Fat 32 using the "fat32 formatter" utility.
Create a file on the root of the SD card called bluescsi.txt with the following text:

[SCSI]
System="X68000-SASI"



Copy in a disk image. In my case I used the 2.20 3GB disk image.
Name the file:
HD30_512.hds

This tells bluescsi it's a Hard drive image on scsi ID 3 in 512 bytes

Safely remove SD from Windows then physically remove the card.


-Plug in the SD card to the pi/bluescsi
-Set the Termination jumper to OFF on the bluescsi pcb.
-With the X68000 powered off, plug the bluescsi it into the centronics port at the back of the X68000
-Connect up a micro USB cable from the 5v plug to the pi and confirm a blue light.


3. Boot from bluescsi

Power on the X68000 and start praying.


Welcome Personal Workstation X68000

SxSI Booter version 1.00  IOCS version 1.00

Check ID 0 Not Conn. (should this not say "SASI UNIT"?)
Check ID 1 Not Conn.
Check ID 2 Not Conn.
Check ID 3 Chk.Conn. (for 2 seconds) then: So low SCSI level (NOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!!!!)
Check ID 4 Not Conn.
Check ID 5 Not Conn.
Check ID 6 Not Conn.
Check ID 7 Not Conn.
Standard boot because no unit can start
Then a message in Japanese about insert bootable disk with icon of a hand inserting a floppy.


It was fun getting this far but not so much fun now after seeing low SCSI level error around 100 times.




Troubleshoot steps:

1. Tried another SD cart formatted to FAT 32,
2. tried different 5v power supply to the BlueSCSI
3. Tried various combinations of resetting/powering up the x68000 and delaying power to the bluescsi.
4. Even tried another bluescsi v2 (my BlueSCSI Desktop v2 edition that I use on a Capcom CPS3 arcade PCB). Same low SCSI level error.


One thing I noticed that could be related: many forum posts say to use SCSI ID3 for the HD image file as ID0 is used by the SASI controller. My X68000 Expert, there is nothing on ID0 at all (it says "Check ID 0 Not Conn." but images online imply this should actually say "Check ID 0 SASI UNIT" When I boot the master floppy disk it says: "Device with ID0 status: Does not operate YSXSIYSCSIHD.SYS could not register".


Open to any suggestions!

Quote from: TinaTurner on November 17, 2024, 09:31:08 AMNew firmware for BlueSCSI supports X68000-SCSI and X68000-SASI

see: firmware v2024.10.26 https://github.com/BlueSCSI/BlueSCSI-v2/releases/tag/v2024.10.26
commit: https://github.com/BlueSCSI/BlueSCSI-v2/commit/fd296c9512f5ce3e9936920ca7548965f05a1fa2

For SASI users, add this to the bluescsi.ini text file on the root of the SD card


[SCSI]
System="X68000-SASI"

Set the termination jumper on the bluescsi PCB to "off"
Format SD card to FAT32 and name your image file: HD30_512.HDA


However I tested it and it unfortunately gives the error: "So low SCSI level"
Does the new firmware work for anyone else with SASI? ({If it works for you then it must be my SD card)

Well, as confirmed by the commit, last version didn't add the X68000 support, it was already added in previous releases with my pull 112 on december 2023.
The difference for SCSI is that in bluescsi.ini the right "parity" parameter needs to be:
EnableParity = 0 ; for SASI
EnableParity = 1 ; (default) for SCSI

With last FW update, you can simply use directly the quirks X68000-SASI or X68000-SCSI without the need of specifiying the parity option.

Some more details? it emulates both 0 and 1 floppy drives?
Considered the LCD posisition, it's only for external?
Do you plan to share the project or you'll sell it? In case, prices and time for it?
Congrats for the work!

New firmware for BlueSCSI supports X68000-SCSI and X68000-SASI

see: firmware v2024.10.26 https://github.com/BlueSCSI/BlueSCSI-v2/releases/tag/v2024.10.26
commit: https://github.com/BlueSCSI/BlueSCSI-v2/commit/fd296c9512f5ce3e9936920ca7548965f05a1fa2

For SASI users, add this to the bluescsi.ini text file on the root of the SD card


[SCSI]
System="X68000-SASI"

Set the termination jumper on the bluescsi PCB to "off"
Format SD card to FAT32 and name your image file: HD30_512.HDA


However I tested it and it unfortunately gives the error: "So low SCSI level"
Does the new firmware work for anyone else with SASI? ({If it works for you then it must be my SD card)