MIDI and 8MB card

[aje_fr]

Hello there.
I have made an "all in one" board for the X68000.
The board contain a MIDI system and a 8MB memory expansion.
As the design as reached it's final version, i'm showing it here.
Midi is configurable to multiple address/irq and can be switch off (if needed).
8Mb memory could also be put after system memory or be switch off.
If your system only have 1Mb, the total memory will be 9MB. if your system have 2MB, the total will be 10MB.
As the maximum memory allowable on the X68000 is 12MB, if you already have 6MB or 8MB, the total memory will be 12MB.
Configuration is made by rotary encoder.
Midi system have been written from scratch using pure pure vhdl language. Almost all the games are working.
The midi DIN is standard size so board will take place of 2 espansion card. Faceplate is according too.
Here is the picture :

I may sell some in the future, price will be near 175€, PM me if interested.
Bye

[mattsoft]

Very cool. It's great to see another option for memory (+ MIDI)!

[htdreams]

Hi!

I've recently picked up an Expert, and I've been cleaning and putting it in good shape (pico psu, scsi2sd, HxC sharing lines with original 5.25 floppy disk drives... as i'm new in the forum i'll put a post about my experience :-) )

So, i'm interested in this board:

do you have more info?
images/video about how it does perform?
it's just plug and play?

Thanks!

[aje_fr]

@htdreams
It's almost plug and play, you have to select the correct configuration you want on the board (amount of memory already installed in the computer, midi or not).
And configure the computer to use this new amount of memory (via switch.x)
In games, you have different way to activate midi (via menu, key combination, etc) depending on the game.

[htdreams]

great :-)

The midi implementation is similar in compatibility as the Midiori solution?

https://github.com/tdaede/midiori

Is there any compatibility list or tested games list?

[aje_fr]

great :-)

The midi implementation is similar in compatibility as the Midiori solution?

https://github.com/tdaede/midiori

Is there any compatibility list or tested games list?

It's a completely different solution and code is written from scratch.
Actually, I haven't found any compatibility issue.

[mez]

hi aje_fr
when will you sell some ?
merci

[htdreams]

Hi! I'm also interested in this expansion board, do you have any more info or availability date?

Thanks!

[jumpman1229]

Sending you a PM, very interested in buying one from you

[Jehuty]

Yes would be nice if we can purchase the card from you. Or will it be available on beep ?

[aje_fr]

Hi'
Sorry for delay, I had some trouble with fedex....
Some boards are availables, pm me if interested.
Bye

[Cyothevile]

Hi just want to say I placed aje_fr board inside my XVI and it works very well. It is expensive but he also use expensive chips and he worked very hard so this is a fair price.

It's a very excellent economic solution as you can play all the games from hard drive due to high RAM and have Midi... So we don't have to attack each other on Yahoo Japan auction anymore. So if anyone here is thinking they shouldn't buy it... I recommend you get it quickly.

[aje_fr]

@Cyothevile
Thanks a lot for your feedback.
Have fun with it

[htdreams]

Hi all!

I've received my Midi and 8MB Card from @aje_fr, beautifull built, and the black back plate is a superb touch, it looks very nice once mounted in :-)






I managed to test midi output with Gemini Wing, I've got to look how to config games for outputting midi sound, as it seems there is not a standard way of doing so (at least for the little I've checked in)

However, I didn't managed to use RAM expansion, I've setup switch program to use up to 10 MB (as you can see in the following photos) but once in the Game selection Menu from the HDD image v4 I can only run 2MB games, and file browser shows only 1395KB free, as I have when I use default 2MB memory (my machine is an Expert with 2MB or ram)

I've changed the circular selector to 8MB (and I think this is not possible to do it wrong as selector shows the number active, and it's an 8 :-) )

Is there any other step to do to use extended ram?

I've installed expansion board on 2nd slot, as the back plate can only be put one way, and to match midi hole board must be installed in 2nd slot, is this correct?




Regards!

[Jehuty]

You must set the rotary encoder to 2mb. Its the amount of ram already installed in you system, not how much ram the card offers.
I got the card last week. I use it in my XVI with already 6mb internal ram so my rotary is on 6mb and i now have 12mb.
The midi works fine, testet some games. One good game to test is Overdrive while it has an option menu on the beginning where you can test MT32, CM64 and SC55.
There is an tool "si.x" on the hdd image that shows you the amount of ram, no matter what you select in switch.x.
That helped me as i bought an 2mb expansion and si.x shows 6mb instead of 4mb. So my expansion was 4mb not 2mb as bought.

[aje_fr]

Thanks Jehuty for providing the solution.
Yes, the rotary switch is to select the amount of memory already installed on the computer, not the onboard memory. For not forgetting it, it's written on the board.
So for a expert, you need to put the switch on 2mb, the 8mb will be placed after your internal 2mb memory.

[htdreams]

Hi! sorry for not posting this before

@Jehuty : thank you so much! thats it, and @aje_fr is right, this is just written on the board itself, and in fact it already came configured at 2, in order to work on my expert, but I was somehow dumb enough to not read it and just assume it was for configuring the ammount of ram desired :-P

Anyway, This board from @aje_fr is wonderful, works like a charm, has no problem at all handling anything you throw at, and Midi works flawelsly (I have a Roland sc88lv) with every game I've tested through

Any X68000 owner who doesn't have ram/midi solutions should get aje_fr's expansion board :-D

Regards!

[cyanpixie]

Hi @aje_fr - PM'ed you. Would love to grab one of your cards for my Pro which is on its way from Japan. Looks like a great expansion!

[Retro-Rabbit]

Having received one of these board just recently, I can say it is amazing!

[squeeb]

I too can recommend this board.  High quality and working great!

[Decoryah]

@aje_fr, I sent you a PM. I would like to buy one board.

[incrediblehark]

Also pm'ed! This looks like the perfect x68000 upgrade card

[Stuckonails]

Pm sent

[Ulan64]

Pm sent

[Retro-Rabbit]

I was able to combine this card with 2Mb on-board ram and the IO-Data SH-6BE-2/4M-1 (4Mb) for a full 12MB of ram. No issues at all so far

[incrediblehark]

Hi just want to say I placed aje_fr board inside my XVI and it works very well. It is expensive but he also use expensive chips and he worked very hard so this is a fair price.

It's a very excellent economic solution as you can play all the games from hard drive due to high RAM and have Midi... So we don't have to attack each other on Yahoo Japan auction anymore. So if anyone here is thinking they shouldn't buy it... I recommend you get it quickly.

What internal ram board are you using? I am having a hard time getting the ram to work properly with a XM-6BE6AP internal ram board. keep getting errors in MTEST

[Cyothevile]

I don't get any errors. I use that board and aje_fr board. runs perfect.

[incrediblehark]

hmm I've been trying to work out the issue with aje_fr in pm. For some reason when I set the dial to 8 and 12m in switch.x, lhes only reports 8m. running mtest gives me an $00800000 address error.

[Turbolenza]

Payment sent via paypal + postal address for 2 boards.

[Turbolenza]

Card received. Works well !

[nassekova]

Any change to get that back plate on grey?

[BIGFAT]

Pm sent!

[capcomFan]

PM sent!

The "MIDI and 8MB card" looks awesome! Such a great idea to combine both upgrades into one expansion card!

[opossum]

Interested in x1 board!

PM sent!

[erpirao]

Interested in x2 boards!

PM sent!

[aje_fr]

I'm still active ;-)
But components are almost impossible to source actually, please be patient.

[GHo0ST]

Another wannabe customer here... Please PM me if/when you have more to sell.

[Estrayk]

Interested

[LittleLarrySellers]

Also interested when available

[Reechard]

Interested!!