Re: TI-H: 4-Way Doodad


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Re: TI-H: 4-Way Doodad




Grant Stockly wrote:

> 
> Don't decide that mine is not good...it isn't that expensive, at 5$ I
> barely pay for shipping...

OK sorry, it's your system and I don't know much about it.

> I've almost got drivers made for the C64, C128, VIC (maybe), Apple II
> series, IBM (8086 and up), and Mac.  This means that HPs, TIs, IBMs,
> Apples, Oranges :) can all share modems, printers, and a centralized server
> can be made anywhere.

It seems that the project has grown quite a lot... :) I just wonder if
there's much use for it, but now that it's cheap it could have a future.

> Its so far 64 nodes per chip, with a max of 4 chips together.  Then you can
> zone the segments together.  The hub operates with TI protocall when
> talking to calcs, and it uses its own protocall with computers.  It
> basically has its own handshaking form that allows anywhere from 1bps to
> 400,000bps based on the speed of the computer/device.

Does it use just the byte transfer of the protocol (like the EuP) or does
it support variable transfers etc. without external (ASM) programs?

> So, I've ditched the $10 4 port hub and came out with the 64 port hub.  I
> don't know how much it would be since the electronics distributor doesn't
> have any of the chips in stock, but the 64 port firmware should cost about
> $5, with all the supporting parts another $5.  You can have a
> multi-computer network with 64 ports for only $10!  IMO, better than the
> calcnet thing.

It sure is...

> If there is any interest in this network, I will continue it.  I've already
> made a chat program that makes an 83 talk to an 8086 (about the best
> computer I have working right now).  The calcs driver is arround 500 bytes,
> and the PCs is about 1.5k.  Both are very crude.

How do you intend to license it and how will the development continue? I
mean, if you make it really good, it could even have a commercial future
(you probably should sell the system to some firm), but it could also be
made a free, public project like all the GPL licensed stuff etc.

> Oh well, if someone likes this, I will finish it...  ;)

Could you tell me some practical applications for it? I mean, even though
you had a driver for all computer (or fruit ;) flavors, you usually still
need the software that can take advantage of the drivers. I can see use for
e.g. a network printer, but that's already been invented and your new
system would be just reinventing the wheel. There should be some real use
for the system which no other, previous system can handle.

-Ozone

-- 
*** Osma Suominen *** ozone@clinet.fi *** http://www.clinet.fi/~ozone ***


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