ali@rocky.UUCP (09/03/87)
----- Here's an interesting query, from a friend... If you wish to send him email, try sending to r.racer@othello.stanford.edu or, if that fails, to me (and I'll forward). Or you can post... Ali Ozer, ali@rocky.stanford.edu ----- From: ARTHUR WALKER <R.RACER@OTHELLO.STANFORD.EDU> Subject: Sidecar and Bridge Anybody know whether the programmer's models for the Sidecar and the Bridge Card are identical? Do they look the same to the 8088? to the 68000? In other words, could I use a sidecar to write lots of connectivity software for the 2000/bridge configuration and have object code compatibility? I expect that what has come from commodore doesn't stretch the capabilities for transfer through the video ram. We should already be hearing about using the 8088 as a server for all sorts of resources not now accessible to amigites for lack of hardware. If this is what I want to do, should I buy a sidecar tomorrow or should I wait, wait, wait.........for a 2000? I think that buying a clone and emulating the dual port ram via serial port and interrupts in software might be too slow and obscure the power of the Bridge. Art
andy@cbmvax.UUCP (Andy Finkel) (09/03/87)
In article <548@rocky.STANFORD.EDU> ali@rocky.stanford.edu (Ali Ozer) writes: >Anybody know whether the programmer's models for the Sidecar >and the Bridge Card are identical? As this gets asked a lot, I'll post the answer...except for the sense of the busy bit on the PC parallel port they do indeed present the same programming model. In fact, we use the same software to drive both the Sidecar and the Bridge board. (aside from the LPT1 program) As an I/O adapter for an Amiga, the PC may have its finest hour :-) andy finkel -- andy finkel {ihnp4|seismo|allegra}!cbmvax!andy Commodore-Amiga, Inc. "Interfere? Of course we'll interfere. Always do what you're best at, I always say." Any expressed opinions are mine; but feel free to share. I disclaim all responsibilities, all shapes, all sizes, all colors.
hyberts@ethz.UUCP (Sven Hyberts) (09/08/87)
In article <2294@cbmvax.UUCP> andy@cbmvax.UUCP (Andy Finkel) writes: >....... >As an I/O adapter for an Amiga, the PC may have its finest hour :-) > > andy finkel > >-- >andy finkel {ihnp4|seismo|allegra}!cbmvax!andy >Commodore-Amiga, Inc. That's exactly want I want to do: use an analog/digital converter board on the PC side of an A2000 to collect data and transfer them to the Amiga side. Does anybody now where I can find the programming manual for the Bridge card? -- Rudolf Baumann hyberts@ethz.uucp Institute for molecular biology & biopysics MOLEKULA@CZHETH5A.BITNET ETH Hoenggerberg CH-8093 Zuerich/Switzerland
grr@cbmvax.UUCP (09/13/87)
In article <548@rocky.STANFORD.EDU> ali@rocky.stanford.edu (Ali Ozer) writes: > ----- > From: ARTHUR WALKER <R.RACER@OTHELLO.STANFORD.EDU> > Subject: Sidecar and Bridge > > Anybody know whether the programmer's models for the Sidecar > and the Bridge Card are identical? Do they look the same to > the 8088? to the 68000? In other words, could I > use a sidecar to write lots of connectivity software for the > 2000/bridge configuration and have object code compatibility? The programming model is the same, the sidecar and bridgecard are different implementations of the same basic logic. > I expect that > what has come from commodore doesn't stretch the capabilities for transfer > through the video ram. The applications software provided probably doesn't, however there is "Janus" library provided that can provide the basis for more sophisticated applications and interactions. I'm not sure whether this library is fully documented in the A2000 user's guide that comes with the machine, however I know the documentation is in the A500/A2000 Technical Reference manual available from the CATS people. > We should already be hearing about using the 8088 > as a server for all sorts of resources not now accessible to amigites for > lack of hardware. If this is what I want to do, should I buy a sidecar > tomorrow or should I wait, wait, wait.........for a 2000? I think that > buying a clone and emulating the dual port ram via serial port and interrupts > in software might be too slow and obscure the power of the Bridge. You shouldn't have to wait long for the A2000, now that they are finally shipping... -- George Robbins - now working for, uucp: {ihnp4|rutgers|allegra}!cbmvax!grr but no way officially representing arpa: out to lunch... Commodore, Engineering Department fone: 215-431-9255 (only by moonlite)