anybody cloned OCM?

Resident (44)

24-03-2009, 21:26

Hello all

I've been taking a look at all the information about the OCM. I was surprised to find the schematics, a PCB drawing and the needed files to program the FPGA chip. With that information and some relatively trivial work somebody with experience could actually build the OCM without much trouble.

Hasn't anybody tried to replicate it? Do you think ESE artist factory (If I'm not mistaken they designed this) has opposed any plans to build new ones?

Thanks for your input

By NYYRIKKI

Enlighted (6091)

24-03-2009, 22:47

Yes, some people have ported this to their own platforms...

Most easy way to get OCM is to buy Altera DE1 and download OCM hardware from HRA's page:
http://www5d.biglobe.ne.jp/~hra/note/onechipmsx/index.htm

By zogo

Supporter (3)

25-03-2009, 10:02

@dproldan: Could you post where you found these documents?

By dhau

Paragon (1570)

25-03-2009, 10:10

To topic starter:

Yes, all the plans are freely available. As mentioned by NYYRIKKI above, caro adjusted ESE MSX System 3 VHDL code to run on Altera DE1 board, even with some improvements (DE1 = 20K logic gates and 16 bit DAC, ESE MSX System 3 = 12K logic gates and 1 bit DAC).

No, no one tried to fully clone ESE MSX System 3, including PCB layout, slot connectors and nice plastic case, because that would probably cost 10x more then the selling price of still widely available ESE MSX System 3 even without the plastic case.

Any other amazingly bright ideas that surprizingly no one esle came up with before you?

By spl

Paragon (1470)

25-03-2009, 10:13

Although I have an original 1chipMSX, I have a question: how do you flash the FPGA of the DE1 board for the first time?

By NYYRIKKI

Enlighted (6091)

25-03-2009, 10:35

@spl DE1 has built in JTAG

By spl

Paragon (1470)

25-03-2009, 10:56

Ok. Thanks for the info.

By dproldan

Resident (44)

25-03-2009, 13:28

@Nyyrikki Thanks for pointing out the DE1 system.

@dhau thanks for your answer, even with the sarcastic tone.
The idea does't look "amazingly bright" to me; what amazes me is that, having almost all the information, nobody has tried to replicate the hardware. Different groups have built high quality boards for the MSX, so the knowledge is here. I supposed that there must be something else preventing this from happening.

You're price estimation is wrong. A quick BOM and some search tells me materials would cost about 120 USD on a prototyping scale, excluding the case. In Europe, a small EMS would charge something between 20-30 EUR for the assembly. If you add a generic box cutted with a router, another 15-25 EUR. It would add to 170-180 EUR maximum.

I guess I'll have to ask ESE directly about this.

By Ivan

Ascended (9371)

25-03-2009, 15:45

Take a look at this thread.

By spl

Paragon (1470)

27-03-2009, 11:26

At June I will get a DE1 board to do some tests (even it doesn't have joy or cart ports )