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Third PCB design finished

A project log for Isetta TTL computer

TTL Retro computer runs 6502 and Z80 code. Has video, sound and filesystem. Runs a Windows-like OS. No microprocessor or FPGA.

roelhroelh 07/30/2025 at 08:400 Comments

The new pcb design was finished. I did not send it yet for production, because experience says, that within ten minutes of the final submit for production, I think of something that I forgot in the design. So I just wait a few days before ordering.


What changed (w.r.t. ISA2442 version):

- The wire modifications, as on prev version, are no longer needed
- slightly changed form factor, to better fit in the housing
- Have a 1.5 W sound amplifier on board, can now directly connect a speaker. The 
    output for an amplifier is also still on board.
- Due to speaker dimensions, a bigger housing is used, RM2055M (instead of RM2055S)
- Have a 'wakeup' button at the front. (A SymbOs command can put Isetta asleep). The power
     LED will be off while Isetta is asleep.
- Several changes to improve EMC behaviour
- Amount of Microcode flash ROM can be doubled, now 32 instead of 16 microcode pages.
    (The option to use 8-cycle instructions was removed for this.)
- Max number of consecutive microcode cycles is now 512 (was 256). Now it is easier
    to display 640 pixels per line (two pixels per cycle, so 320 consecutive cycles)
- The selection between 640 or 320 pixels per line is simpler now (uses ctl_upd_n)
- The 4 blinkenlights were removed
- Added a LED to indicate file read/write
- Changed the optional WiFi module to XIAO ESP32S3 (WiFi + Bluetooth BLE)
- The WiFi module has an option to add LoRaWan
- One extra IC used. And one for the sound amplifier.

New Option connectors:
- I/O A: 20 pin connector. Bus for parallel input/output. Has 8 datalines, 3 address lines.
- I/O B: 20 pin connector. Supports 4 input and 4 output bits. Also useable for alternative power
                            supply (and battery backup). This option can also select a lower CPU speed
                            for less power consumption. 
- I/O C: 40 pin connector. A board to give more video modes can be connected here.

- I/O D: 20 pin connector. Connects to RPi. This was "I/O C" on prev version. Removed some unused signals.

This is the 3D impression of KiCad:

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