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Post by subarubrat on Mar 18, 2021 20:37:23 GMT
For BBSing I currently use a Wifi modem that plugs into the user port on an actual C64, or a Wifi modem that works on any PC with a 232 port. I usually use my hot rodded Tandy 1000HX as my BBS machine, it kind of depends on what type of BBS I am using. www.cbmstuff.com/proddetail.php?prod=WiModemOLED
One of the first thoughts I had when I got my first Maxi 64 was that it was clearly possible to plug in a USB to Ethernet cable or Wifi dongle, OS support would be easy, so the barrier to having network access would be whatever it took for the terminal program to think it is interfacing with a modem when in fact it is talking over Wifi. This solution already exists on the Wifi 232s, I think all the parts are in place other than getting it all to play together. Is there any hope that this could be supported officially or unofficially in the future? I have other ways to do this, but the Maxi 64 is such a nice package that adding a terminal program and having the ability to hit BBSs could be a killer app for this, and for people looking for an easy path to host a BBS, what a great dedicated machine!
A few links if your not familiar with the Wifi 232 stuff:
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Post by spannernick on Mar 19, 2021 12:52:50 GMT
Well its down to RGL really, they would need to allow VICE to be able to read from a USB WIFI Dongle plugged into THEC64, but I don't see that happening, RGL have complied the emulator without serial enabled so it can't read a serial device, if you was able to add a USB WiFi Dongle, it would not work.
We have more of a chance with the Full Blown VICE by jj0 but jj0 needs to compile it with serial enabled.
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Post by subarubrat on Mar 19, 2021 17:38:14 GMT
Yep, that is what needs to happen. I hope they see the potential of the product becoming THE retro BBS solution.
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Post by c64stuff on Jun 12, 2021 21:36:51 GMT
Well its down to RGL really, they would need to allow VICE to be able to read from a USB WIFI Dongle plugged into THEC64, but I don't see that happening, RGL have complied the emulator without serial enabled so it can't read a serial device, if you was able to add a USB WiFi Dongle, it would not work. We have more of a chance with the Full Blown VICE by jj0 but jj0 needs to compile it with serial enabled. This might be a dumb idea I didn't think through, but I've heard others asking for ways to use a Wifi modem to run a BBS or even original commodore hardware such as printers or disk drives on the mini and maxi. Obviously old school bulletin boards (I wrote and ran one for the 64 back in the day) have the software coded to communicate with the modem port. What if the 64's Kernal was modified to send and receive that information to a really high disk drive port number that nobody would ever use? Then the Maxi's emulator would simply send that info out the USB. On the USB end of things you could then have a Pi Zero process the incoming text and spit it out on wifi to the web. The way to create the send would be to simply modify the 64's Kernal to intercept serial modem port communication and open a sequential disk drive text file and spit text to it, and to receive the kernal would just open and read a sequential text file the same way. Maybe I'm overthinking this, but it would seem a way to do it through the existing emulator's confines and ability on the maxi or mini. Modify the 64 Kernal to divert modem port input and output to a high drive number reading and writing a sequential file. The emulator reads and writes it to usb, and the Pi does it's thing from there. The Pi software could also switch to printer mode and spit out to a printer. Better yet, some kind of interface on the GPIO ports or a USB dongle and you could start connecting real commodore printers or other 64 hardware to the Pi that would then be the bridge for the mini and maxi to access them, all by cheating the confine limits of the emulator by the kernal tricking it to think it's simple disk drive communication. |
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Post by vic2020ian on Jun 12, 2021 22:21:55 GMT
Well its down to RGL really, they would need to allow VICE to be able to read from a USB WIFI Dongle plugged into THEC64, but I don't see that happening, RGL have complied the emulator without serial enabled so it can't read a serial device, if you was able to add a USB WiFi Dongle, it would not work. We have more of a chance with the Full Blown VICE by jj0 but jj0 needs to compile it with serial enabled. This might be a dumb idea I didn't think through, but I've heard others asking for ways to use a Wifi modem to run a BBS or even original commodore hardware such as printers or disk drives on the mini and maxi. Obviously old school bulletin boards (I wrote and ran one for the 64 back in the day) have the software coded to communicate with the modem port. What if the 64's Kernal was modified to send and receive that information to a really high disk drive port number that nobody would ever use? Then the Maxi's emulator would simply send that info out the USB. On the USB end of things you could then have a Pi Zero process the incoming text and spit it out on wifi to the web. The way to create the send would be to simply modify the 64's Kernal to intercept serial modem port communication and open a sequential disk drive text file and spit text to it, and to receive the kernal would just open and read a sequential text file the same way. Maybe I'm overthinking this, but it would seem a way to do it through the existing emulator's confines and ability on the maxi or mini. Modify the 64 Kernal to divert modem port input and output to a high drive number reading and writing a sequential file. The emulator reads and writes it to usb, and the Pi does it's thing from there. The Pi software could also switch to printer mode and spit out to a printer. Better yet, some kind of interface on the GPIO ports or a USB dongle and you could start connecting real commodore printers or other 64 hardware to the Pi that would then be the bridge for the mini and maxi to access them, all by cheating the confine limits of the emulator by the kernal tricking it to think it's simple disk drive communication. Interesting thoughts. We will have to have a think about it. |
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Post by c64stuff on Jun 13, 2021 0:48:10 GMT
There's probably a better disk drive mode for the Kernal to read and write to a "disk drive" than a sequential file, but obviously it's been years so I don't remember all of them.
One of the problems is you can't read a sequential file until the writing is done and it's been closed, otherwise that would normally result in a drive error. But I guess the Pi software could just ignore any requests from the BBS software to the kernal, which in turn is then relayed to the emulator... asking the the USB device to open the sequential file. Once the Pi is done receiving any ASCII from the "modem" (wifi), it could close the sequential file and go ahead with the requested input from the BBS software.
But all that seems a bit clumsy, and probably slow in function. I'm sure there's other 64 to disk drive functions that are more fluid two way instant communication. The question then becomes does the emulator support that function of the 1541 drive. If it does then it's a simple matter to modify the Kernal to convert modem input and output to that drive function and write the software for the Pi end of things.
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