50 replies to this topic

[Behnoud]

For Connecting an external memory to CP what steps should be done?
Does It need next generation of ClassPads or OSs?!
(Don't forget Impossible is Impossible, Human can do WHATEVER he want!))
How to program CP ports?
I want to make this topic HOT even I remember we have discussed it SHORTLY befor!

[Orwell]

The CP has only a client USB port, it cannot provide the power supply that is required for external memory cards.
It's not a question of OS or programmation, but of hardware limitations.

[kevinator9]

Then but better hardware in it . Maybe a 1gHz processor with 2Gb of ram

[Behnoud]

We really need an external memory!

[kevinator9]

I can imagine! A ClassPad with bits dangling off it etc etc

[Kilburn]

What about an external hard drive ? It has its own power supply, so maybe it could work.

[Orwell]

What about the drivers?

[Behnoud]

Every Idea in first steps of developments seems funny.
But you should keep on going to reach it!

[Behnoud]

I have a FDD (floppy disk drive) and I don't use it currently.
Can we connect this to CP USB port?
We can supply power externally by an adaptor!
Btw, Think professional And use your CP professionally.

[kevinator9]

I have seen floppy drives that can connect to laptops via USB. It is a floppy drive all on it's own and you just plug it into the laptop. (Don't know how to install or anything.) Maybe something like this could be made/used...

[Behnoud]

Great guideline!
But a FDD socket and its cable have many Pins; How to Connect it via USB?

[kevinator9]

Might have to change the USB plug on the portable floppy drive... I call the ClassPad's USB port the male one and the one it goes into the female one. The floppy drive has a male and maybe it woul need to be changed to female. That's just to connect let alone store data.

[Behnoud]

What about power supply?
What do you think about internal ones?

[The_AFX_Master]

well..if an electric engineer se us talking about slamming connectors, and plugging cables and such... will kick our a** right now .

i don't mess with electrical stuff.. you can end with a Toastpad 300

[kevinator9]

Im guessing the fdd would run off the classpad batteries but that would drain them very fast. Possibly the fdd would have two usb plugs? One (male plug) to a pc so that it will supply power and one (female plug) to the classpad to store data etc. Or maybe if you wanted it portable it would possibly have separate batteries to supply power. But there would need to be a female plug coming off it to connect to the classpads male usb plug. Also a special *.cpa file would be needed to connect it as I don't think the simple connection ones that are already on the classpad would be up to it. Here is a link to a post I have just made on an electronics forum and also one on a computer forum. There is bound to be many people there who can help.
(dutchforce)
http://www.dutchforc...mp;#entry105755
(techforums)
http://www.tech-foru...32/#post1121667

[kevinator9]

How about one of those little flash disk drives? They have bigger capacity than a floppy disk and don't require power. Although it might be harder to configure with the classpad. I would suggest trying both and whatever one is easier to develop something to connect to the classpad with then go with that one.

[afshin_electronic]

oh my god!!

no offence ... but it looks like everyone here watches lot's of movies!!!

do you understand what you say !!!

what has the usb on cp got to the usb of pc!!!
why do you think you can connect a flash or whatever to the usb socket of cp!!! just because both have the same shape!!!!!!!!!

we are living in real world not some movie!!!!

[kevinator9]

Some one from dutchforce just suggested getting the chip from a usb storage device and putting that on. I think it is quite possible.

[Behnoud]

It is not about watching movies!
It's about a need, requirement.
CP ram and flash Memories aren't enough!
Am I so ambitious!

[The_AFX_Master]

I said that... the first electro guy that had seen this topic.... had a a rant :roflol

[Behnoud]

We can define required protocol to use 3pin or USB socket differently.
We need a team combined of electronic and computer (both software and hardware) engineers!

[Orwell]

I said that... the first electro guy that had seen this topic.... had a a rant :roflol

IMHO, he was right to do so

[kevinator9]

We can define required protocol to use 3pin or USB socket differently.
We need a team combined of electronic and computer (both software and hardware) engineers!

That's where dutch force and techforums come in handy!
(dutchforce)
http://www.dutchforc...mp;#entry105755
(techforums)
http://www.tech-foru...32/#post1121667

[Behnoud]

As I heard it is possible to program CP's sockets.

[Behnoud]

What do you think about coonnecting via 3pin socket?!
I think we have necessary command such as:
open/close port, send/recieve data.
EDITED:
I have a basic question:
What do the pins on 3pin and USB (4pin) socket do?
Which one is affined to send and which one is affined to recieve data?
Are there any null (ground) pins?
For a connection, how many pins at last is needed?

[kevinator9]

USB is for connecting your CP300 to your PC and the 3Pin cable is for connecting with another CP300.

[Behnoud]

That's where dutch force and techforums come in handy!
(dutchforce)
http://www.dutchforc...mp;#entry105755
(techforums)
http://www.tech-foru...32/#post1121667

I couldn't access the topics?!

[kevinator9]

Tech-forums:
http://www.tech-foru...32/#post1121667
Dutch-force:
http://www.dutchforc...h...=18&t=13086

[Andreas B]

It's not as easy as you might think. I'm not very updated on the CP or if it has been 'hacked', but what you want to do is very hard. The ways you have to connect external memory would be through USB or "3-pin", but do you know the protocol of the 3-pin port? Do you know how to decode it, convert it and make it usable for a USB mass storage device? Do you have any knowledge of electronics at all?
If you want to use the USB-port, with a standard USB-mass storage device, you would have to disassemble the OS and rewrite the right parts of it for USB host support.

It is not something you can ask how to do on a random forum, and expect a step-by-step answer with nice pictures.

[Behnoud]

I'm mechanical Eng student with very little knowledge about computer!
I just give the idea, I thought it can be develope however it is really difficult!

[kevinator9]

And I am just a 15 year old boy with very little or no knowledge of either... Andreas, you seem to know a bit more, maybe you could help out? WOuldnt it be easier to make the usb device recognise the cp300 than the other way round? Is that possible?

[Andreas B]

Would not be easier, as the CP would have to be able to access the memory itself. That is the idea right? to have more memory available in the CP?

Just saying you should not put too much energy in this

[kevinator9]

Yea more memory, maybe we need to find out more about the CP300's memory and language before we start this in practical?

[Andreas B]

Asking me? There is no proper way to do it. You will have to reverse the OS, and change it to be able to control the USB-port. That would require a huge amount of time, and knowledge about SH-3 ASM and C/C++ if possible at all. It is also possible that the USB-circuitry cannot be run as a USB-host even through software. Your idea sounds nice, but it is close to impossible.
If you don't even know where to start, you are sortof unqualified

[far2055]

Hey men please stop about making classpad's usb as a host one.
There is many hardware limitations. It is not easy.

Why you don't try to using the serial port(3pin). it is really easy to make a flash using serial port and cheaper than usb solution. just a piece of cake.
I can do it but there is a problem. Is there any one who can write a program for CP to access the CP flash memory?(some kind of file manager.)
So we can store our data in external flash and every time we need them transfer our data from/to CP flash to/from external flash.(by 'data' I mean add-ins or any thing else.)

[vanhoa]

Yeah I can ^^

Please tell me how!

But a problem, CP's flash is NAND, not NOR. So you cant use it as RAM (

[far2055]

I didn't say to use CP's flash as RAM. I just need a program to read data from CP's flash then send it to serial port and recive data from serial port and write it to CP's flash. Just a simple program. We can make so many diffrent adaptors for serial port. Working with serial port is very easy and cheap.

We can use a MicroController that communicate with CP by using the serial port and a flash memory witch connected to the MicroController. So MicroController act as a bridge between serial port and flash memory.

How much additional flash memory do you need? I found Atmel has 4MB @5v high performance modules. Is it enough or you need more?

[Andreas B]

Do you have raw (enough) serial port access in the CP?

[vanhoa]

I didn't say to use CP's flash as RAM. I just need a program to read data from CP's flash then send it to serial port and recive data from serial port and write it to CP's flash. Just a simple program. We can make so many diffrent adaptors for serial port. Working with serial port is very easy and cheap.

We can use a MicroController that communicate with CP by using the serial port and a flash memory witch connected to the MicroController. So MicroController act as a bridge between serial port and flash memory.

How much additional flash memory do you need? I found Atmel has 4MB @5v high performance modules. Is it enough or you need more?

I'm not talking about using Flash as Ram.

Is the MicroController and your Flash big? Can I open the ClassPad and put them inside?