exxos's Atari, Amiga & retro forum

Oh yes, now that I look at a picture of your booster, I see the problem... All PLCC plugs have their Pins layout in a straight line, and not like the PGA socket in an offset way. Damn...

Exxos, in your post about the STE V1.5 booster you mentioned a "simple adapter". Is this already reality and if yes how does it look like? Could it be of any use here?

Or do I really have to resort to ribbon cable?

IngoQ wrote: ↑Tue Aug 22, 2017 4:30 pm Exxos, in your post about the STE V1.5 booster you mentioned a "simple adapter". Is this already reality and if yes how does it look like? Could it be of any use here?

Or do I really have to resort to ribbon cable?

That is what I was referring to with the plastic CPU earlier...

Though that is to plug into the CPU socket on the motherboard..

Ah okay, now I get it. Pins from your booster into the socket and the plastic dummy to clamp them in place.

Meanwhile I found this:
But can you believe they really want 150 Bucks for this?

Yeah, the "PLCC RISERS" were about £40 last time I checked. Its why I designed my own, since the pins are on the booster PCB anyway.. the only thing needed is a plastic square to replace the CPU.. then everything slots together like a proper adapter anyway , only a fraction of the cost...

IngoQ wrote: ↑Tue Aug 22, 2017 4:40 pm Ah okay, now I get it. Pins from your booster into the socket and the plastic dummy to clamp them in place.

Meanwhile I found this:

68pg_pl.jpg

But can you believe they really want 150 Bucks for this?

The left one wouldn't work, atari used another pinout on it's plcc sockets.

Yep, you're right. It's called SPGA, correct? And with that, all converters and adapters are out of the race. I could not even find a PLCC68 Socket with SPGA pinout.

So if I see this right, the only remaining option is ribbon cable, or did I miss something?

IngoQ wrote: ↑Tue Aug 22, 2017 5:24 pm Yep, you're right. It's called SPGA, correct? And with that, all converters and adapters are out of the race. I could not even find a PLCC68 Socket with SPGA pinout.

So if I see this right, the only remaining option is ribbon cable, or did I miss something?

I call it "funky pinout"

I did design a adapter..
http://www.exxosforum.co.uk/atari/last/blitter/index.htm

They were custom made by Atari (god knows why?!)

I think the easiest way would be to fit a SMT socket. Assuming they align with the pads on the motherboard that is.

The only other way would be to have the new plug in design, solder the pins on the motherboard after removing the CPU.. then solder the pins on the booster.. Though that isn't going to be easy. I don't think ribbon cable is a good idea either.

Mostly I have just been telling people to get another motherboard. Same problem with my MMU RAM upgrade kit, not easy to fit onto of the MMU.. I don't think anyone has even tried that, though its how the marpets did it on such motherboards.

exxos wrote: ↑Tue Aug 22, 2017 6:03 pm I think the easiest way would be to fit a SMT socket. Assuming they align with the pads on the motherboard that is.

Okay, this I could do. But then what? Use your adapter to solder a PLCC plug on the booster? Or could I use the same technique like you on your new plugin design?

exxos wrote: ↑Tue Aug 22, 2017 6:03 pm Mostly I have just been telling people to get another motherboard.

Yes, but I like my STE... and I have two cats

IngoQ wrote: ↑Tue Aug 22, 2017 6:46 pm Okay, this I could do. But then what? Use your adapter to solder a PLCC plug on the booster? Or could I use the same technique like you on your new plugin design?

It would need the V1.5 STE booster. Though that project is on hold as I diverted my attention to the STF remake project.

Problem with developing hardware on STF/E machines is there is always something which is unstable. A lot of projects are actually really easy and simple to do ( well aside from if you have 100 of such projects, then it adds up to years of work ) but in practice, I probably spend 90% of the time chasing faults on the motherboards. Its just not productive to keep chasing such faults since developing new hardware takes forever.

So my time has gone into my store and the remake project. Where I can have a proper stable motherboard to design addons and upgrades for. People can then just plug them in, no faffing about. Once everything is finished and I am happy its stable. Then I will look to adapting those designs to run on the original motherboards. But again, this will likely be some years down the line.

The only booster I am working on is the new V2 STFM booster. Though this is a remake of the original rather than a new product. So of course I can't work on the STFM booster and the STE booster, and the STF remake project, and IDE, and flash-tos etc etc all at the same time.

Long term , at least for me, its just going to be quicker and easier to work on the new motherboard. Everything else will have to wait.