exxos blog - random goings on

[exxos]

I keep thinking about a alt-ram card.. I did add it to a SEC design, but each time I do a new board, I would have to solder more stuff , larger boards, more parts.. it just gets annoying so alt-ram never gets done.

I just un-forgot I designed this a while back...

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The header would be to branch to whatever does the decoding.

Though I am now thinking if I could put a small PLD on there as well, ATF1502, it has 32 IO's (and 4 extra for the JTAG).. So it should be enough as I only really need to route the address lines, 4 SRAM lines, DTACK & AS.

I'm mostly just getting sick of not having a alt-ram card to test stuff out with, like the SEC booster and GB6 in fact. With its own PLD, it could be used on the ST as a stand alone board. Problem with this board layout, is no way to plug the CPU into this board.. it would have to be soldered ontop of the 68000 for example..

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If I made the board longer I could flip the chips and then get a socket.. though I will probably go mad if I route those SRAM's again

[PhilC]

Fire UP the quatro! In reality, there is plenty of space in an STFM case, to be able to use a board similar to the quattro or a relocate board.

Means I could add it to my Megas too if you put the ATF on and those chips are pretty cheap too.

[exxos]

Fire UP the quatro! In reality, there is plenty of space in an STFM case, to be able to use a board similar to the quattro or a relocate board.

Yeah, I been thinking the quatro would be useful for this, I mean its only proof testing after all.

[PhilC]

Another thought, angled simm socket be any easier?

[exxos]

Another thought, angled simm socket be any easier?

Simm is DRAM.. I need SRAM.

[PhilC]

Oh ok, I thought 64pin sims were SRAM but you know what you need

[exxos]

Got side-tracked again... Decided to add a fast-ram installer into GB6... This way fast-ram can be declared in GB6 in a menu to save faffing about with non-existent fast-ram installer software. This shouldn't take long to code up.. Will post more info in the GB6 thread when there is a official update released.

[exxos]

Thought I post a note on whats going on in general..

RTC & FLASH :
RTC is working, Flash to do this week. I need someone to do some boot loader software for it etc as well yet.

REMAKE:
I need to build and debug the second part of the 16MHz board (sync fix board).
Also need to finish doing the holes on the H1.

SEC BOOSTER:
I have a few almost ready for beta testing, though my ST's are tied up with the RTC stuff at the moment. So its on hold until that work is done.

TOS206 ADDON:
I have the PCB's, but no time to work on it at the moment.

ST VIDEO ADAPTER:
I need to order the next PCB revision which should be the final one.

STFM 4MB RAM BOARDS:
About 30 are being assembled and should be finished next week. I then need to test them. I hope they will start appearing back in stock in a couple weeks time.

EXXOS PSU's:
These are running out of stock again. I have about 20 more PSU's needing the transformers ordering and fitting. Though I don't have the cash to bulk buy the transformers at the moment.

IDE BOARD:
Icky and I are plotting the next board with automatic byte swap, Though with so many projects on the go , progress is slow.

BLITTER BOARD:
Icky is working on these, though a couple boards have gone off to be assembled for us as we are having issues getting the thing working.

ALT-RAM BOARD:
I hope to get the test PCBs made for these soon. I plan to use Icky's 4way adapter on a STFM to try it out along with the TOS206 board.

2600 SVIDEO MOD:
Waiting for a diagnostic cart to come from AA shop, seems to be taking weeks to arrive I don't know if I will produce these boards or not yet as I don't think there is demand for them. I also have the Scart board I purchased to send off with a 2600 to be assembled for me yet as well. With 2600 stuff having no interest, I will likely discontinue the 2600 section in my store once current stocks are gone.

PSU BRACKET:
Need to print out the current design yet and see how it all fits together.

STFM CASE REMAKE:
Icky is spending a bit of time each week working on the 3D files. Of course with so many projects on-going, its not high up on the to do list.

FALCON VGA ADAPTERS:
The ones in stock as the last ones of that design. I re-designed the board slightly making it smaller. There will be a batch of them when current stocks run out. Though likely will be only 25 made as the connectors are impossible to find now.

STFM V2.3 BOOSTERS:
I am not sure the fate of that project. Though I don't really plan on producing them again.

STORE TOOLS SECTION:
Items in that section are likely not going to be stocked again. Mostly items were end of stock from my evilbay store days. Though I bought items again several months ago to keep them in stock. Though with import charges being so ridiculous from overseas (USA etc) , It's just not viable to keep stocking such items anymore.

STE SIMMS:
I need to start doing a new batch of these soon as stocks have basically run out. Again with so much going on, it could be a while before they are back in stock again.

I may have forgotten a load of things as well...

I am of course working on stock items for my store constantly, this is taking up the bulk of my time as always. I am constantly searching for spares such as IC's and connectors etc, but likely they are just not obtainable again once stocks run out.

[Icky]

Never a dull day

Just don't have any more ideas or you will be adding to the list

RTC & FLASH :
RTC is working, Flash to do this week. I need someone to do some boot loader software for it etc as well yet.

Am building up some more boards today.

[exxos]

Today's idea... ...

To hook up cosmo as Drive N: on the ST is a share folder on my PC. So instead of endlessly swapping floppys between my PC and ST, I can just use a network folder instead

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