Looking for development tools

[bobs]

There is a nice IDE for the ZX Spectrum named "TommyGun": http://www.users.on.net/~tonyt73/TommyGun/

Bernd

TommyGun is a good editor, especially for ZX Spectrum graphics - I used it on most my Spectrum games, and also to design the maps for my ZX81 games - but it doesn't include an assembler, so you'd still need to integrate it with Pasmo or TASM.

[PokeMon]

TommyGun is a good editor, especially for ZX Spectrum graphics - I used it on most my Spectrum games, and also to design the maps for my ZX81 games - but it doesn't include an assembler, so you'd still need to integrate it with Pasmo or TASM.

Yes I tried yesterday.
I think it's maybe not the best choice because I can only use it like it is and can not do any modifications (like TAPE Loader).
Even I have some development ideas and some more tools for the ZX81 which could have the same IDE.
I want to use flatassembler (fasm) and adapt it for the Z80 cpu.
It's available for DOS and WIN in source code and could easily adapted to another instruction set than x86 (which it was developped for).

Due to TAPE interface of ZX81 I am not sure if a serial communication would be a good way because for modern PC's and net/notebooks there is no more support for serial interfaces. You will find mostly only ethernet, usb and audio connectors, sometimes HDMI. Anyway audio connectors will be supported in future I think.

But I will take a look on that interface from B0D0 when I reached the point for integration of TAPE loader.

[bbock]

Due to TAPE interface of ZX81 I am not sure if a serial communication would be a good way because for modern PC's and net/notebooks there is no more support for serial interfaces.

There are good USB-to-serial adaptors, though (just in case you didn't know).

Bernd

[PokeMon]

I know that, but this is used only/mainly for compatibility to old components.
New developments for PC's should neither use parallel nor serial interface.
This is quite old stuff and by the way to slow in general (not for ZX81 ) and no more state of the art.
The only advantage is that these interfaces are very simple in comparison to USB.
That's why I am experimenting with USB.

When my interface work I don't need the tape loader interface or better it's directly connected.
But for new developments and for many users with simple ZX81 and no special hardware the tape interface is more than very useful.

[Thommy]

I know that, but this is used only/mainly for compatibility to old components.
New developments for PC's should neither use parallel nor serial interface.
This is quite old stuff and by the way to slow in general (not for ZX81 ) and no more state of the art.
The only advantage is that these interfaces are very simple in comparison to USB.
That's why I am experimenting with USB.

You obviously know what you're doing and don't need any advice but I have a few homebrew flash cartridges for various consoles that I use for programming and they tend to take USB and use one of those FTDI chips to turn it into serial directly on the board. So it's all USB in terms of cabling but they show up on the computer as a serial port and on the well-designed ones you can connect a terminal emulator and post files across through a menu-driven interface reminiscent of a telnet session. The poorly designed ones push you through some proprietary front end which is always very poorly laid out and usually available for Windows only (and, even then, they tend to break whenever Microsoft change the driver model).

[PokeMon]

You obviously know what you're doing and don't need any advice but I have a few homebrew flash cartridges for various consoles that I use for programming and they tend to take USB and use one of those FTDI chips to turn it into serial directly on the board. So it's all USB in terms of cabling but they show up on the computer as a serial port and on the well-designed ones you can connect a terminal emulator and post files across through a menu-driven interface reminiscent of a telnet session.

I am always happy when people answer my posts and give suggestions, advices and many more.

The main reason why I think I can not use standard serial interface is the speed.
I want to transfer the video signal via USB. So I need about 6,5 MBit/s to transfer this data in realtime (for the first development step).
This is out of range of all serial interfaces I found as integrated chips.

The second point is, that I want to learn something about USB protocols and how to handle them.

Anway if you provide me some IC's with very high speed serial interfaces I could maybe change my project if I capitulate at the USB interface.
I hope this will not happen but you never know.