Hi Steve,
No, the idea is to break compatibility with old projects and totally forget the old OS system. That would be starting the project with a burden and unnecessary effort in my opinion.
What's being thought out, and you can see the discussion that we already had on this subject, is to design a complete new system from the ground up that uses the current console/computer interface for all console elements. Some immediate things I can remember is:
- VCA faders + electronics
- Ultimation faders + electronics (motor control)
- Solo Mute
- LEDs
- Total Recall
- Console modes of operation
...
Basically is to be able to control everything the SSL computer controlled and work with it to build a more modern computer that adapts to modern needs.
I already have some initial hardware prerequisites aligned up but that's all open for discussion and depending on our findings (I myself in the meanwhile found some reservations regarding certain details on the initial designs).
Some important things to discover through the software that might be useful and ease up the reverse engineer on the hardware side is to find and document how this communication is achieved through the several interfaces the SSL computer provides. This includes bit resolution, byte order, byte protocol, addresses, etc. This would help greatly to the task!
If you don't mind, I will ask Mattia to move this topic into the "Research" sub-forum of the "SSL Mixed Computer" forum, since we are now digging more into this subject and getting important info for the SSL Mixed computer project. Also be free to open any new threads on this forum, so we can have everything organized in there and easy to find.
I will also try to provision during the weekend a Wiki so we can start organizing all the info we get on the old computer and the new one. What do you think?
Cheers,
Artur