The A2Pico hardware comes in two flavours: SMD and TH, see https://github.com/oliverschmidt/a2pico for details.
The other day, the design files for the most recent TH variant were published, see https://github.com/rallepalaveev/a2pico/tree/main/A2Pico.v2.6
2.6 is functionally identical to the previous design. However, it puts all "user serviable parts" on the top and comes with a nice switch to turn USB power delivery on/off. And it comes with enough clearance around the USB port to allow for even bulky types of USB-A adapters (which are necessary i.e. for connecting a USB-mouse).
Now the SMD design files are available too, see https://github.com/rallepalaveev/a2pico/tree/main/A2Pico.v2.7
The 2.7 is an SMD design that's functionally identical to the 2.6 TH design.
I've published a new A2Pico firmware that plays the 'Bad Apple!!' video on the IIgs.
Here's the demo video: https://youtu.be/CnemTrIuyy0
Here's the project: https://github.com/oliverschmidt/bad-apple-iigs
https://hackaday.com/2024/08/27/using-the-pi-pico-as-programmable-hardware-for-the-apple-ii
A2Pico is now available in reasonable quantities at Joe's Computer Museum :-)
I just release a significantly enhanced A2retroNET firmware for A2Pico. A2retroNET implements (despite the name) a mass storage device.
https://github.com/oliverschmidt/a2retronet
Just installed. Smartport and direct hdv support on //e is really cool !
Thanks for the kind feedback :-)
Are the 8 drives all mapped to the same slot? I read through the GitHub and do not understand how 8 drives can be used.
No, at least up to ProDOS 2.4.x there are never more than 2 drives per slot. Therefore ProDOS "mirrors" aditional SmartPort drives to other slots. See https://prodos8.com/docs/technote/20/ for details.
I just published another A2retroNET update. It improves the behavior with Thumb Drives initilaizing (even) slower than the Apple II cold boots. From the updated README:
Note: Some Thumb Drives take several seconds to initialize. Therefore, a cold boot will use the SD Card. However, if no SD Card is present, the firmware waits until a Thumb Drive is plugged in and initialized.
I just released another version of https://github.com/oliverschmidt/a2retronet. This is for sure the biggest step forward so far. It shows for the first time what A2retroNET is supposed to be.
The most recent A2retroNET firmware includes an interactive configuration utility like the one you know from CFFA3000 or Xdrive. With that addition, the A2retroNET can be considered a fully feature-complete mass storage solution (in contrast to a floppy emulation).
The primary partner shop https://jcm-1.com/product/a2pico/ has reduced the price for the A2Pico to $29.99 !