Driver+Firmware+PCB for Pi RP2040 PIO (i.e. an easy-to-configure FPGA-like card)

Have you started a git repo for this yet Andy?

"I keep meaning to buy some and work on getting SmartSerial working on the PIOs. Then it would be trival to make special-purpose peripherals and no new driver would be needed at the LinuxCNC end. "

I would be interested if this was developed. My CNC runs a Gecko540 from the parallel port of a old over clocked Hasswell computer. Having more modern hardware options would be great. I’ve looked at driver boards but the postage from the US to Australia almost doubles the price and now the Raspberry pi4 has taken over.

srl

Find a shop that sells used PC in AU, the "Enterprise" type of PC's made by HP had add on parallel cards.
Mostly PCI but new-ish ones also had PCI-E although not as often as PCI.
I got several for free once.

tommylight wrote:

Find a shop that sells used PC in AU, the "Enterprise" type of PC's made by HP had add on parallel cards.
Mostly PCI but new-ish ones also had PCI-E although not as often as PCI.
I got several for free once.

You should be able to get them on FB market place for < AUD $100 HP or dell

Or you could get a Mesa 7i92 for your G540 and hang the expense.... Seems like they have stock of some variants


 

This looks great for a Remora port, Rpi-2040 + Ethernet for ~$18: docs.wiznet.io/Product/iEthernet/W6100/w6100-evb-pico

linuxgizmos.com/wiznet-board-features-ra...net-controller-chip/