Sporniket's log on hardware stuff

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sporniket
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Re: Sporniket's log on hardware stuff

Post by sporniket »

All is placed, adding some trace when I can see them now.

2021-07-16--all-placed.png
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sporniket
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Re: Sporniket's log on hardware stuff

Post by sporniket »

here is the 3rd release candidate of my conversion into Kicad of the STE schematics.

Making the PCB did spot some missing components, and I changed port connectors into shielded ones. And now that all the component are placed on a reconstitution of a pcb, I have a silk screen too.

c300780-001--Atari-STe-Motherboard.pdf
(2.43 MiB) Downloaded 104 times
c300780-001--Atari-STe-Motherboard-F_SilkS.pdf
(256.67 KiB) Downloaded 84 times

As usual, the git repository is up to date. I plan to move the kicad project into its own repository and use git submodules.
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sporniket
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Re: Sporniket's log on hardware stuff

Post by sporniket »

Started doing the trace, my new set of shots https://www.exxosforum.co.uk/forum/viewt ... 768#p67768 (that I have mirrored to avoid brain freezes) helps as expected.

2021-07-25--tracing--exp.png
2021-07-25--tracing--exp.png (1007.8 KiB) Viewed 5053 times

The unattended good side effect is that it helps me spot errors in my schematics (or in the original schematics too like this mysterious C226 : whose bypass capacitor is it ?)
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Icky
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Re: Sporniket's log on hardware stuff

Post by Icky »

Great progress @sporniket.

Is my understanding correct that you are cloning all the traces as they are on an original board exactly. i.e. this project is an exact clone of the CA401177?
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Re: Sporniket's log on hardware stuff

Post by sporniket »

I don't plan to do an exact replica @Icky, but "close enough". I effectively use my motherboard as reference material.

As a result, the relative position between components are similar, and the traces are passing through most of the same waypoints.

However, I use regular PLCC sockets, not "funcky" plcc sockets nor soldered chips. And I use a 4 layer design with 2 ground planes -that will need some work to separate a little the analog areas-, for easying the routing and hopefully make the board less noisy (bear in mind that I have no idea of what I'm doing beyond following rules of thumbs).

In the end, "in theory", one could try to produce the board and be lucky enough that it works.

But it is more meant as a stepping stone to bootstrap other projects, given that the initial heavy lifting is done -just "fork, delete unwanted part, add your own and voilà"-kind of thing -. (personnally, I would fancy an STe variant of the H5)
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Re: Sporniket's log on hardware stuff

Post by exxos »

I think it be good to have it with that program @terriblefire uses to show where pcb traces go so people can fix broken STEs when they burn a hole in the board trying to fit ROMs etc. I forget the name of the program now :roll:
sporniket wrote: Sun Jul 25, 2021 11:50 am I don't plan to do an exact replica @Icky, but "close enough". I effectively use my motherboard as reference material.
-. (personnally, I would fancy an STe variant of the H5)
This is already underway and has been for some time. As I said many times .. We are porting the suska cores to the H5 and there is already much posted about that. This gives us a new MMU and GLUE and BLITTER where we can create 32mhz system. Then no need for boosters, no need for ROM decoding boards etc etc. But point being the suska chips are STE. So once the new MMU is there, its a matter of adding the STE specific features / hardware like the DMA audio circuit . its all ready to copy from suska .
https://www.exxosforum.co.uk/atari/ All my hardware guides - mods - games - STOS
https://www.exxosforum.co.uk/atari/store2/ - All my hardware mods for sale - Please help support by making a purchase.
viewtopic.php?f=17&t=1585 Have you done the Mandatory Fixes ?
Just because a lot of people agree on something, doesn't make it a fact. ~exxos ~
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sporniket
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Re: Sporniket's log on hardware stuff

Post by sporniket »

I read and I am not complaining or whining at all, sorry if it looks like it. I have my own ideas and given enough years of free time and budget, I will try to do some of them myself.
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Re: Sporniket's log on hardware stuff

Post by sporniket »

I received my order from mouser : the remaining sockets for my H5B1, a set of mosfets and zener diode to fix the power circuit of my two lynx 2, leaded solder to work with those legacy boards and some flux.

Meanwhile, after a well deserved holiday away from the computer, I'm continuing the PCb of the conversion of the Ste schematics. It has moved to its own github : https://github.com/sporniket/kicad-conv ... 300780-001

And I capture some timelapses to make a new video soon.
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Re: Sporniket's log on hardware stuff

Post by sporniket »

Around 2/3 of the pads are fully wired... I will have to check more thoroughly around U509-U512 (continuity testing and visual inspection) because I cannot find some routes.

Otherwise, since I use regular through hole PLCC sockets, I have to deviate noticiably around those sockets.

2021-08-10--progress-to-date.png
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