UltraBoost - Complete Feature Summary!

*pcb image is not final!

Hardware Architecture

Connection Method: External MX4 Expansion Port

• Non-invasive - No modification to CPC required
• Plugs into 50-pin edge connector
• CPC's internal hardware completely untouched
• Can be easily removed/swapped

Main Board: Waveshare Core2350B

• RP2350B dual-core ARM Cortex-M33 @ 150MHz
• 8MB PSRAM for RAM/ROM/framebuffers
• 48 GPIO - full utilization
• Native 5V tolerant inputs

Signal Interface: 74HC245 Octal Bus Transceiver

• Bidirectional data bus buffering
• Direction control via GPIO17
• Protects RP2350 from bus contention

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Core Features Implemented

1. Complete Address Visibility

Full 16-bit Address Bus (GPIO1-16)
├── A15-A0: Complete decode capability
├── No address line limitations
└── Precise I/O port detection

Benefits:

• Can monitor all memory accesses
• Precise I/O port decoding
• ROM/RAM shadowing possible
• DMA-like capabilities

2. 4MB RAM Expansion

CPC RAM Bank
├── PSRAM: 0x000000-0x01FFFF
├── All 8 banking configurations
├── Config 0: [0][1][2][3] (64KB standard)
└── Configs 1-7: Extended banking

Features:

• Automatic 464→6128 upgrade
• Gate Array banking emulation
• Fast PSRAM access (~70ns)
• Zero wait states

3. 32 ROM Slots (512KB)

ROM Storage
├── PSRAM: 0x0A0000-0x4A0000
├── 32 slots × 16KB each
├── Soft-switchable (no EPROM burning)
└── Load from SD card

Features:

• ROM 0: BASIC 1.1
• ROM 7: AMSDOS
• ROM 8+: User ROMs (MaxAM, Protext, etc.)
• Symbiface 32-slot compatibility

4. VGA doublescaned output

VGA

Resolutions Supported:
└── VGA   (800x600   @ 60Hz)
└── VGA   (640×480   @ 50Hz)

CSync Input: GPIO29

Benefits:

• Modern monitor compatibility
• Crisp digital output
• No analog noise
• Scalable resolutions
• Can display CPC screen + overlay UI

5. I2S Digital Audio

I2S Bus (GPIO40-43)
├── LCK (40): Left/Right clock
├── DIN (41): Data input
├── BCK (42): Bit clock
└── SCK (43): System clock

Features:
├── 44.1kHz/48kHz sampling
├── 16-bit stereo
├── OPL4 synthesis capable
└── AY-3-8912 mix-through

Audio Capabilities:

• FM synthesis (OPL4 emulation)
• Wavetable synthesis
• Sample playback
• Digital mixing
• Crystal-clear output

6. Graphics Acceleration

Hardware Primitives
├── CLS   (Clear screen)
├── PIXEL (Plot pixel)
├── LINE  (Bresenham line)
├── RECT  (Rectangle outline/fill)
├── BLIT  (Block copy)
├── SPRITE (Hardware sprites)
└── SCROLL (Hardware scrolling)

Performance:
├── CLS:   0.5ms (400× faster)
├── PIXEL: 2µs   (250× faster)
├── LINE:  50µs per 100px
└── BLIT:  1ms for 160×100

Graphics Modes:

• Double/triple buffering
• VSync synchronized swaps
• Independent draw buffer
• Zero bus contention
• 60 FPS smooth animation

7. Complete Symbiface II Emulation

IDE/CompactFlash (0xFD00-0xFD0F)
├── Standard ATA interface
├── Maps to SD card
├── 4 partitions (C: D: E: F:)
└── CP/M Plus compatible

Real-Time Clock (0xFD90-0xFD91)
├── DS3231 hardware RTC
├── DS12885 emulation
├── Battery backup
└── NVRAM (128 bytes)

4MB RAM Expansion (0xFDFD-0xFDFE)
├── Dx-Soft compatible
└── Additional to 128KB base

512KB ROM Banking (0xFDFF)
├── 32 soft-switchable ROMs
└── No EPROM burning

Symbiface Benefits:

• FutureOS compatible
• SymbOS compatible
• Standard software works
• Mass storage access

8. I2C Expansion Bus

I2C Interface (GPIO30-31)
├── SCL: GPIO30
├── SDA: GPIO31
├── 400kHz Fast Mode
└── Multiple device support

Connected Devices:
├── DS3231 RTC (0x68)
├── Future: EEPROM
├── Future: Sensors
└── Future: I/O expanders

9. SD Card Mass Storage

SPI Interface (GPIO44-46)
├── MISO: GPIO44
├── MOSI: GPIO45
├── SCK:  GPIO46
└── CS:   Hardwired to 5v (always selected)

Storage:
├── Virtual HDD image
├── ROM library
├── DSK disc images
└── Save states

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Software Features

RSX Commands Available:

Graphics Commands:

|GINIT              ' Initialize graphics
|CLS,color          ' Fast clear screen
|PIXEL,x,y,c        ' Plot pixel
|LINE,x0,y0,x1,y1,c ' Draw line
|RECT,x,y,w,h,c     ' Rectangle outline
|RECTF,x,y,w,h,c    ' Filled rectangle
|BLIT,sx,sy,dx,dy,w,h ' Block copy
|SWAP               ' Swap buffers (vsync)
|SPRITE,id,x,y      ' Draw sprite
|SCROLL,dx,dy       ' Hardware scroll

Storage Commands:

|DIR                ' Directory
|DIR,"C:"           ' Drive C: directory
|DRIVE,"C:"         ' Change drive
|LOAD,"FILE.BAS"    ' Load from IDE
|SAVE,"FILE.BAS"    ' Save to IDE
|FORMAT,"D:"        ' Format partition

ROM Commands:

|ROMLIST            ' List ROMs
|ROM,n              ' Select ROM n
|ROMLOAD,"file",n   ' Load ROM from SD
|ROMINFO,n          ' Show ROM info

System Commands:

|TIME               ' Show time
|DATE               ' Show date
|SETTIME,"..."      ' Set RTC
|SYSINFO            ' System info
|BENCHMARK          ' Speed test
|SETUP              ' Configuration

Compatible Software:

✅ All standard CPC software
✅ 6128-specific software
✅ Symbiface II software
✅ FutureOS
✅ SymbOS
✅ CP/M Plus
✅ AMSDOS applications

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Performance Benchmarks

Graphics Primitives:

Operation	Original CPC	UltraBoost v3	Speedup
Clear screen	200ms	0.5ms	400×
Plot pixel	500µs	2µs	250×
Draw line (100px)	50ms	50µs	1000×
Block copy (160×100)	100ms	1ms	100×
Buffer swap	200ms	0ms (instant)	∞

Memory Access:

• PSRAM: 70ns typical
• Original CPC RAM: 4MHz = 250ns
• Speedup: 3.5× faster RAM access

Animation Performance:

• Original: 12-15 FPS maximum
• UltraBoost: 60 FPS sustained
• Improvement: 4-5× smoother

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Key Innovations

1. Non-Invasive Design

Unlike Z80 socket devices, completely external

2. Modern Digital Video

VGA output or DVI over HDMI in future

3. Full Address Visibility

16-bit address decode for precise I/O

4. Dual-Core Architecture

Core 0: Bus monitoring
Core 1: Video/audio generation

5. Zero Wait State Graphics

Independent PSRAM buffers

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Future Enhancements

Planned Features:

• OPL4 FM synthesis
• Network connectivity (WiFi)
• USB HID keyboard/mouse
• Save states
• Tape emulation
• Hardware sprites (256+)
• Copper-like raster effects
• Shader support
• Video playback through hybrid buffer
• Complete suite of graphics primatives (circles, triangles, polygon fill, etc)
• Math Coprocessor suite including fast multiply, division and matrix operations (calculations can be written directly to CPC RAM, or received via IO Port IN)

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