The Schneiderware series consists of several DIY projects which have been released in german magazine CPC Schneider International published by DMV. The name "Schneiderware" was probably choosen due to its double meaning ("CPC Hardware" in computer language, or "specially fitted clothing" in german language). Aside from building the hardware on one's own, one could also order printed circuit boards, either fully assembled, or plain PCBs without components.
The various boards are having special connectors, intended to be mounted on the "Basisplatine" (some kind of a motherboard with ECB Bus sockets) which allows to connect up to five Schneiderware boards to the CPCs Expansion Port; with some small modifications one could also connect the boards directly to the Expansion Port (the motherboard is merely an Y-cable-like adaptor without electrical components, so one doesn't really need it).
- Schneiderware #1 Introduction (Theory) (6/1986 pages 62-67, plus preface from 5/1986 page 21)
- Schneiderware #2a Basisplatine (Motherboard) (7/1986 pages 60-67)
- Schneiderware #2b Centronics (Printer Port) (7/1986 pages 60-67, plus complaints from 10/1986 page 10, port B redefined on 12/1986 page 124 and 3/1987 pages 8-9)
- Schneiderware #3 V/24 (RS232 Interface) (8/1986 pages 70-77, plus correction from 9/1986 page 80)
- Schneiderware #4 Netzteil (Power Supply) (9/1986 pages 78-83, corrections on 10/1986 page 85, 5/1987 page 12)
- Schneiderware #5 Echtzeituhr (Real Time Clock) (10/1986 pages 78-85, corrections on 12/1986 page 6 and 3/1987 page 9, 9/1987 page 9, ROM driver in 4/1987 pages XX-XX)
- Schneiderware #6 Uni-PIO (48 I/O lines) (12/1986 pages 124-130, correction on 5/1987 page 12)
- Schneiderware #7 A/D and D/A Converter (8 analog inputs, 2 analog outputs) (3/1987 pages 32-45)
- Schneiderware #8 Pseudo ROM (SRAM and EPROM mapped as ROM) (4/1987 pages 26-34, plus corrections in 5/1987 pages 32-34)
- Schneiderware #9 Eprommer (EPROM Burner) (6/1987 pages 122-131)
- Schneiderware Nachlese (Notes) (11/1987 pages 97-99)
Along with the Schneiderware series, there has been also a "CPC Schneider International 02/1987, Page ??-??, 7 MIDI Interface" (advertised together with the Schneiderware PCBs, but not part of the Schneiderware series).
Databoxes: UHR8000 RTC-RAM-driver in 10-1986 (hex listing, plus Hisoft Devpac source code) (caution this version uses incorrect I/O addresses FBE1-FBE3), UHRC000X RTC-ROM-driver in 4-1987 (this version uses correct I/O addresses FBE2-FBE4). Uni-PIO examples in 12-1986 (=only a few basic lines). There seem to be no Centronics and V/24 drivers included in databoxes.
I/O Ports
Address (default) | Address (alternate) | Usage |
DFxxh | N/A | Schneiderware RAM/EPROM - Expansion ROM bank number (W) Battery-backed SRAM and/or EPROM are selected when the bank-number matches the jumper-selected values; the memory is then mapped to C000h..FFFFh (in case of READing one must also enable upper ROM via Gate Array). The bank number decoding is a bit strange:
The SRAM/Write mode doesn't disable the internal RAM in the CPC, so writes are going both to SRAM and normal RAM at C000-FFFF, that no matter if upper ROM is enabled/disabled via Gate Array; the author recommended to map VRAM to 4000-7FFF via CRTC registers, in order to prevent video dirt during writing. |
F8E0h | F8F0h (later redefined to F8E4h) | Schneiderware Centronics Port 8255 PPI Port A (data) |
F8E1h | F8F1h (later redefined to F8E5h) | Schneiderware Centronics Port 8255 PPI Port B (unused) |
F8E2h | F8F2h (later redefined to F8E6h) | Schneiderware Centronics Port 8255 PPI Port C (busy/strobe) (bit7=busy, bit6-1=unused, bit0=strobe; strobe is externally inverted) (autolf is wired to GND, all other control/status signals are not connected) |
F8E3h | F8F3h (later redefined to F8E7h) | Schneiderware Centronics Port 8255 PPI Control |
F8E8h | F8F0h, F8F8h | Schneiderware Uni-PIO 8255 PPI #1 Port A (without pull-ups, with red LEDs) |
F8E9h | F8F1h, F8F9h | Schneiderware Uni-PIO 8255 PPI #1 Port B (with pull-ups and green LEDs) |
F8EAh | F8F2h, F8FAh | Schneiderware Uni-PIO 8255 PPI #1 Port C (lower 4bit without pull-ups and red LEDs, upper 4bit with pull-ups and green LEDs) |
F8EBh | F8F3h, F8FBh | Schneiderware Uni-PIO 8255 PPI #1 Control |
F8ECh | F8F4h, F8FCh | Schneiderware Uni-PIO 8255 PPI #2 Port A (without pull-ups or LEDs) |
F8EDh | F8F5h, F8FDh | Schneiderware Uni-PIO 8255 PPI #2 Port B (without pull-ups or LEDs) |
F8EEh | F8F6h, F8FEh | Schneiderware Uni-PIO 8255 PPI #2 Port C (without pull-ups or LEDs) |
F8EFh | F8F7h, F8FFh | Schneiderware Uni-PIO 8255 PPI #2 Control |
F9E0h | F9E2h | Schneiderware V/24 Interface 8251 USART Data |
F9E1h | F9E3h | Schneiderware V/24 Interface 8251 USART Control |
F9ECh | F9E8h | Schneiderware V/24 Interface 8253 Timer 0 (TX clock) |
F9EDh | F9E9h | Schneiderware V/24 Interface 8253 Timer 1 (RX clock) |
F9EEh | F9EAh | Schneiderware V/24 Interface 8253 Timer 2 (unused) |
F9EFh | F9EBh | Schneiderware V/24 Interface 8253 Timer Control Note: Timer clock input is jumper select-able: 2MHz (default), or 1MHz |
FAE0h | N/A | Schneiderware Analog Converter ADC 0848 A/D Converter (R/W) Read: Get 8bit data from selected channel Write: Select channel & mode; bit0..2=channel (0..7), bit3..4=mode, bit5-7=unused
|
FAE1h | N/A | Schneiderware Analog Converter DAC 0832 D/A Converter #1 (W) Write: 8bit data |
FAE2h | N/A | Schneiderware Analog Converter DAC 0832 D/A Converter #2 (W) Write: 8bit data |
FAF0h | N/A | Schneiderware EPROM Burner 8255 PPI #1 Port A (Data, 8bit) |
FAF1h | N/A | Schneiderware EPROM Burner 8255 PPI #1 Port B (Address LSBs, 8bit) |
FAF2h | N/A | Schneiderware EPROM Burner 8255 PPI #1 Port C (Address MSBs, 7bit; bit7=unused) |
FAF3h | N/A | Schneiderware EPROM Burner 8255 PPI #1 Control |
FAF4h | N/A | Schneiderware EPROM Burner 8255 PPI #2 Port A (bit0-7=unused) |
FAF5h | N/A | Schneiderware EPROM Burner 8255 PPI #2 Port B (bit0-5=unused, bit6=Red LED, bit7=Green LED) |
FAF6h | N/A | Schneiderware EPROM Burner 8255 PPI #2 Port C (programming signals, 8bit) |
FAF7h | N/A | Schneiderware EPROM Burner 8255 PPI #2 Control |
FBE2h | BUGGED:FBE1h | Schneiderware Real Time Clock Index/Control (W) |
FBE3h | BUGGED:FBE2h | Schneiderware Real Time Clock Data 4bit (W) |
FBE4h | BUGGED:FBE3h | Schneiderware Real Time Clock Data 4bit (R) |
Schematics
Pictures
Datasheets
- ADC0848 Datasheet.pdf - 8 channel A/D converter
- DAC0832 Datasheet.pdf - 1 channel D/A converter
- M5832 Datasheet - Real time clock