Compact X16?

BruceMcF · Post by **BruceMcF** » Tue Feb 09, 2021 12:40 pm

On 2/8/2021 at 2:18 PM, kelli217 said:

One of these, then?

(macadamiaman via Wikimedia)

Quite. That was the system that I wrote a brute force maximum entropy estimator in C for my dissertation ... which took FOREVER to run. It would have been much faster using an annealing algorithm, but I couldn't wrap my head around that one.

I couldn't afford to keep it in batteries to make it "portable". I was able to run it off my car's cigarette lighter to make it car-mobile, but as I said, at the expense of leaving my external parallel port hard drive at home.

Kalvan · Post by **Kalvan** » Wed Feb 10, 2021 1:18 pm

I realize this may sound like a really dumb idea, but...

How about, when the time comes to engineer the Commander X16c, the team simply doubles the motherboard layer count, puts chips on both sides of the PCB, and, on the side facing up, use PC Card slots with some customized pinout for expansion? It should permit more hard silicon and ASICS from its big brother onboard, and thus be more hackable for those who prefer it that way while still being a better fit in a keyboard-console or even laptop form factor.

Or maybe I'm totally off base.

BruceMcF · Post by **BruceMcF** » Thu Feb 11, 2021 7:43 am

18 hours ago, Kalvan said:

I realize this may sound like a really dumb idea, but...

How about, when the time comes to engineer the Commander X16c, the team simply doubles the motherboard layer count, puts chips on both sides of the PCB, and, on the side facing up, use PC Card slots with some customized pinout for expansion? It should permit more hard silicon and ASICS from its big brother onboard, and thus be more hackable for those who prefer it that way while still being a better fit in a keyboard-console or even laptop form factor.

Or maybe I'm totally off base.

Because "c" stands for both "compact" and "cost reduced". Swapping to surface mount versions of the 65c02, VIAs, SRAM, flashROM, integrating the surface mount VERA system into the same board, replacing all of that glue logic with a CPLD and going with one slot, with optional riser board expansion to two or four slots would get the cost down.

The hackable one is the " p" one. The lowest cost one, period, and also the one that might fit into a keyboard case is the "e" one. The lowest cost version of the one with a real 65xx processor is the "c" one.

Perifractic · Post by **Perifractic** » Fri Feb 12, 2021 8:30 am

I realize this may sound like a really dumb idea, but...
How about, when the time comes to engineer the Commander X16c, the team simply doubles the motherboard layer count, puts chips on both sides of the PCB, and, on the side facing up, use PC Card slots with some customized pinout for expansion? It should permit more hard silicon and ASICS from its big brother onboard, and thus be more hackable for those who prefer it that way while still being a better fit in a keyboard-console or even laptop form factor.
Or maybe I'm totally off base.

Sounds like you’ve been watching Halt and Catch Fire.

Perifractic, X16 Visual Designer
http://youtube.com/perifractic

calcmandan · Post by **calcmandan** » Fri Feb 12, 2021 9:21 am

ive been hoping ben heck would eventually craft a commander laptop.

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Kalvan · Post by **Kalvan** » Wed Feb 17, 2021 11:00 pm

On 2/12/2021 at 3:30 AM, Perifractic said:

Sounds like you’ve been watching Halt and Catch Fire.

Perifractic, X16 Visual Designer

http://youtube.com/perifractic

A little, but even more various electronics channels on YouTube.

Personally, I was more partial to Micro Men, Silicon Valley, and Computer Geeks.

Cyber · Post by **Cyber** » Thu Feb 18, 2021 4:52 am

5 hours ago, Kalvan said:

Computer Geeks

I watched the other two, but what's this one? Can't find any info on it.

codewar65 · Post by **codewar65** » Thu Feb 18, 2021 6:24 am

On 2/12/2021 at 3:30 AM, Perifractic said:

Sounds like you’ve been watching Halt and Catch Fire.

We could have a prototype ready for Comdex 2021!

Falken · Post by **Falken** » Fri Feb 19, 2021 5:22 pm

If I may ask @Perifractic, what do you model the casing on? I mean on what chassis. Do you also work with a vendor like you do with the keyboard for the casing?

I was very surprised to know that Perrix is also a german company. Maybe I should get one of their keyboards to have a look at in advance. :-)

calcmandan · Post by **calcmandan** » Fri Feb 19, 2021 5:54 pm

If I may ask [mention=3]Perifractic[/mention], what do you model the casing on? I mean on what chassis. Do you also work with a vendor like you do with the keyboard for the casing?
I was very surprised to know that Perrix is also a german company. Maybe I should get one of their keyboards to have a look at in advance. :-)

you ought to visit perifractic's youtube. he goes indepth

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