Daren wrote: ↑Thu Feb 08, 2024 4:59 pm
Very interested, and great to see you back at it @amenjet
I think I needed to do something else for a while...
For me datapak isn’t needed, although I would not mind if it was - maybe the slots could be used for other things?
This seems to be the consensus, that the datapacks aren't really necessary. This is interesting and not having to get them working is less work than building a new storage solution, such as SD cards.
OPL is I think essential, even if just as an option, other programming languages would be great too.
Yes, I think so too. I'm more of a fan now I've looked at the internals. my idea at the moment, and I have to implement this, which will take a while, is to re-implement the original organiser OPL including the original QCode, so there is a new translator and runtime engine. That can then be extended with new features and should run much faster than the original on the 6303. The organiser 'OS' can then be recreated in this new OPL and we have an equivalent organiser that can run the original OPL programs, but which is running on the Pico hardware and has access to SD cards and Wifi etc. You's also be able to extend the 'OS' in C, with a rebuild. The new OPL should be programmable on board like the original.
Call me old fashioned but I like the comms slot, I think there are tons of rs232 peripherals and devices out there, some decades old and still in use, it would be a shame to lose that functionality - I guess there would be other ways to implement rs232 though maybe.
Using a Pico W you have wifi or Bluetooth, and the Pico PIOs are capable of generating RS232, or SPi or I2C using code to define the protocol. Another advantage of running on the new hardware, you can have an RS232 adapter in code. the Pico has USB too, but to get to it you need to cut a piece of the case away unfortunately.
I think possibly the biggest concern from a users perspective might be battery life? I’m guessing you’d look to do away with PP3 battery due to low capacity?
Yes, the Pico isn't a low power device, but with data stored on SD card you can turn off completely and not lose data. The current recreation saves the A: drive to serial flash when it turns off and restores it at power on, so it has that feature.
Other things I’d love to see, but no idea if possible:
Proper audio, with audio output jack, mp3 and wav playback.
A range of wireless comms options, maybe even IR tx/rx (thinking programmable remotes etc)
Midi support
The PIOs of the Pico an do this sort of thing. Even the speech synthesiser IC can be emulated by a Pico...
Some kind of “take over” mode whereby modules could be inserted into datapak slots and completely change the functionality - think about how cartridges worked on old games consoles. So essentially a bootable alternative operating system.
That's a bit harder. The Pico has its code in flash, but that is easily reflashed over USB just by copying a file to the Pico in mass storage mode.
Regardless I will follow along with great interest, and like everyone else am excited to see where this goes, I think it could have wider appeal outside of the forum and Psion enthusiasts too.
Thanks for the comments, it's all most welcome.