37 replies to this topic

[Vwarto]

I was thinking about a multiplayer-game between two calculators (maybe with a server-system for more than two players). Is it possible to control the sending and receiving of data with BASIC-language? Any suggestions perhaps...?

Thanks,
Vwarto

[[neo]f4kill]

no

[CrimsonCasio]

short, but true. no its not possible... the send and recieve commands were made to comunicate with a computer, not another calc.

[Vwarto]

Pitty! ...and are there any commands for transceiving data with a computer, or is the link capability just useful for transceiving program-code and screenshots?

[CrimsonCasio]

I dont think that there is anything you can do with it really, at least not with your model...

[Bob Vila]

other models???

[CrimsonCasio]

AFX

[Andy.Davies]

dot forget the maker of casioCOM he made a DLL that allowed you to use send( and recive( with a PC, so i f you make te server side your PC and vcame up with a method of having more than one PC <> Calc cable, then it could be doen

[[neo]f4kill]

yep but it lose its interest .. coz a multiplayer game on calc wich need a PC and at least 2 cables PC<>calc ... it's a bit too big to be played at school for exemple ..

btw: sorry for my short answer but I was busy and I answered very quickly

[Vwarto]

Yes off course, but what about a LAN party? (with calculators?) I want to give it a try. The only thing I want to know is whether the operation of sending and receiving data takes too much time so the graphics will go too slow for a smooth gameplay
I was thinking of just two players so the data will be rather short.

[Andy.Davies]

Once i have found the url, goto his site, and there is a VB and a C++ example of how to use it, when i tried it it worked quite quickly.

[PerCasioAdAstra]

i think the main reason why the send( and recieve( functions work with computers but not calculators is because of some byte packs it sends automatically, to verify a connection. However, a calculator will send a byte less (or more) in return when recieving this "command", and thats why you get the com-error.

Note; i think i've read this somewhere, but i'm not 100% certain

[Andy.Davies]

thats correct, one sends 0x15 and one sends 0x16, but i cant remember which

[Andy.Davies]

ok, i have found the link to the CasIO page:

GP Productions

just click on the CasIO link on the left menu

[Mohamed]

If by any means you are going to make a 2 calculator game that runs through the PC, then I don't know what to say!
It's a lot better to have two players on the PC.

[Matze]

Hi!
I think it IS POSSIBLE. I am currently working at a baudrate converter to allow overclocked calculators to communicate with other devices. There will be a small microcontroller. It will be no problem to implement a multiplayer function.
Only difficulty: The pattern will have 2 layers (front & back side with circuit paths). I am building it with ics i have here from old motherboards. It consists of: 2x um61256 32kbyte cache, 2x latch 74hc573 and the microcontroller Atmel ATmega8 (2 latches because i didn't have enough i/o pins).

Finish time: perhaps august this year. It'll be free to everyone.

But what i originally wanted to say:
I think the communication WILL BE TOO SLOW!

9600 bps = bits per second
8 databits 1 startbit 2 stopbits=11 bits per byte
=>870 bytes per second

data to transmit:
communication start: 2 bytes
header: 50 bytes
1 byte
min. 30 bytes for data
50 bytes for endheader

AND: the calc that calls "recv" has 2 headers: request header and response header...
lets calculate with 200 bytes per transfer (for 1 variable):
a transfer will take about 0,2 seconds.
If you send more data (5x5 matrix for example) you need to send 25 datablocks each about 30 bytes. So we need about 1 second.
This is really too long. A snake game is impossible. Chess would be nice...

cu
Matze

[Mr_Sparkle]

that cable your making.....
does it plug straight from one calc into another calc
or do u have to go through a computer??

[huhn_m]

it's straight ( sounds funny) but there is a small micro-controller in it.

[PerCasioAdAstra]

oi!

will it be possible for "mortals" to create such a cable aswell?

[Andy.Davies]

I should hope so! if not i will make a PCB and help people make them (i hope)

[Mr_Sparkle]

it's straight ( sounds funny) but there is a small micro-controller in it.

good call lol
how much approximatly would it cost to make one of these cables??
eg equiptment etc
Mr Sparkle

[R00KIE]

@Matze

could you post the schematic, please.
I would like to have a look at it, i think it can be done with less hardware if you select the parts (the micro controler) correctly and if you program it the right way.

[PerCasioAdAstra]

general question:
will you have to manipulate the calculator itself, or are you just tampering with the transfer cable?

[Andy.Davies]

I think they are just fiddleing the cable, not the calculator!

[octobclrnts]

Wow, I'm very impressed with this cable idea. I think it is great that you are doing this. I can barely tell a resistor from a battery (well maybe I can but you get the idea ). In fact, could somebody point me to a good tutorial or lesson on electronics. I would like to learn more in this area. But again, great job and I hope it turns out well for you.

[Andy.Davies]

I am currently working at a baudrate converter to allow overclocked calculators to communicate with other devices.

On second thoughts, I think that they intend to mod the actuall calculator. As I dont think Casio sell overclocked calculators

[Wutje]

Could you please post the schematics...??
Since the ATMEGA8 has only 1 UART, how are you going to communicate to two devices? Multiplexing? Is that the reason for the latches?
I'am very interested since I've got two ATMEGA8 here waiting for a usefull function!

Are there no smal microcontrollers with two UART's? (I only know "big" microcontrollers with two UART's)

Maybe there are external UART's on I2C or SPI?

[octobclrnts]

Wow, if I didn't know any better I'd say that that post wasn't in english. This is why I need you guys to educate me. Please send me to a site where I could begin to know what Wutje just said. Thanks.

[CrimsonCasio]

*laughs really, really, hard because that statement was soooo reflective of my thoughts...*

[Andy.Davies]

*laughs, as i realize, theat is exactly how i sound when talking about electronics

You could always try making an interface/baudrate converter using a PIC chip or an ATMEL Controller

[PerCasioAdAstra]

can we talk basic physics instead?

[Andy.Davies]

No! because that would be off topic

[PerCasioAdAstra]

no it wouldn't be!

physics describes what happens, in micro and macro levels. Clearly, describing, by utilizing laws of physics, what really happens wouldn't be off-topic

Anyway, communication between two calcs via programs sounds lovely. I'm looking forward to it!

[Wutje]

Sorry if I you couldn't follow me, now you know how i feel when people start talking on malloc, gaps, heaps, dweaps, sweeps en bleeps....
on the other hand, perhaps that reply was not written for you

I will try to explain a few things: the "device" the casio uses to communicate is a UART (Universal Asynchronous Receive Transmit or.... something a like)

The good news is that most microcrontrollers (e.g. ATmega) have an onboard UART. Which means you don't need to care about timing, shifting bits, start stop conditions etc...

The bad news is most of the microcontrollers only have one... And you really want two UART's. Since you need to listen to both calc's.

You could always try making an interface/baudrate converter using a PIC chip or an ATMEL Controller

You can make an "soft" UART of course... but that's not the most easy thing to do.., come to think of it, maybe someone already made one... I remember thinking why the *** would someone write a soft UART if you got it in hardware. I'll check it...

[Andy.Davies]

cool, if you need any help with PIC chips, just ask me

[Wutje]

I found an "soft" UART. It's part of the Procyon AVRlib (sorry I'am an Avr Adept not a Pic adept). Getting some pic chips wouldn't be a problem he?

So basicly if you get the smallest avr with a UART (probably the AT90S2313 or the ATTiny2313) one is capable of making two calc's communicate. Or one coulde try to a smaller one and making two soft UART's

It would be a nice project.... if one has two calc's
I could probably put hands on a second casio, and I have a mega8 (which would do the trick as well)... but then again it would cost a lot of time... it would be nice if there are others willing to participate, anyone with atmel's on the shelf?

It would still be at a terrible rate due to the protocol casio build.... they are sending more than 200 bytes just to get one (1) variable over!

[lathiat]

He I was thinking about doing this when I read about not being able to do calc-calc, guess I'm not alone

Let us know on your progress

[huhn_m]

They do not intend to overclock the calcs ... they HAVE overclocked the CFX calcs (a bit late but just to put that right )