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Simple & Useful Project - For your P-Box


Omega-TI

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Unfortunately, I can't make the card the correct length, as I'm working in Eagle and thus am under a maximum size restriction of about 3 inches by 4 inches. Also, trimming the board size down makes it cheaper. :)

 

You could probably add some material to it or add a backing of some sort that would reach the slots for stability. I'll think of some ideas.

 

Edit: About the price, the board itself is gonna be $9.63 each to get 3 from OSHPark. I'll have to add up a BOM on Mouser later tonight to figure out how much components will add to that. I will update later.

 

How about 4 holes in the corners of the board? Then it could be mounted with screws to a backer board..

 

Gazoo

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How about 4 holes in the corners of the board? Then it could be mounted with screws to a backer board..

 

Gazoo

Already beat you to it! :-) I just added 3 mounting holes. Kind of a tight squeeze on one of the corners, so I couldn't fit a hole there. I'll play around with the layout some more and see if there's a better way to arrange things so I can fit another mounting hole on there.

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I have a quick question... am I blind or am I missing the LED attachment pads on the PCB?

Are you asking about my board or the image Gazoo posted?

 

I don't have an LED on my board. The board is too small to reach the front of the case, so it wouldn't be able to position the LED properly to reach the window in the front of the PEB.

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Are you asking about my board or the image Gazoo posted?

 

I don't have an LED on my board. The board is too small to reach the front of the case, so it wouldn't be able to position the LED properly to reach the window in the front of the PEB.

 

If it's the protoboard, yes there's pads there. It's just not a real clear photo. And yes the led works.

 

gregallenwarner, how about a couple of through-hole pads on you board to connect a led (with some extension wires) to?

 

Gazoo

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I can definitely add a pad for an optional LED. It'll have to be attached with jumpers so you can position the LED off-board to reach the PEB window.

 

Edit: Ok, here's the latest update with my name and website, the mounting holes, and the LED anode pad added. You can steal one of the ground pads off the JTAG header for the LED's cathode. I included a current limiting resistor for the LED so you don't have to add that. The LED will be optional, however, so you won't be required to install it if all you want is just the speech functionality. It just mirrors the output of the SBE decoded signal. The attached screenshot shows the current state of the card.

 

Last chance to get in any last minute requests before it goes to production! :-)

post-37498-0-45207800-1411610480_thumb.png

Edited by gregallenwarner
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Thanks!

 

I'm also going to be drawing up a CAD file for a mounting bracket that will interface with the slots in the PEB, along with matching screw holes for this card. I don't think I'll be manufacturing these, but I'll offer the file on my website for download if you want to use it as a template for making your own bracket. That should suffice for securing the card in place in the PEB, since I don't have the capability to design a bigger PCB in Eagle. Plus, with the small form factor, the cards end up being a lot cheaper for you guys!

 

Strictly speaking, the bracket won't be necessary for it to work, but it's a good idea to take the stress away from the electrical connections in the card slot connector.

Edited by gregallenwarner
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Seriously bad ass, man. I cannot think of anything special I need. The LED is a nice touch -- thanks!

 

I agree, this is indeed, "bad ass, man". :)

I'm kind of partial to having the little LED's inform me of all activity. Is it necessary? No. Is it part of the Retro-TI experience? HELL YES! Besides, who wants only one card out all other to be dark/blank?

 

This is turning out to be a GREAT YEAR for the TI!

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To reflect on what I meant about my own project, I was going to work up a board using Ksarul's proto board which would have the sockets needed to transplant the guts from a Speech Synthesizer, plus the necessary interface circuitry. Your board is a far more elegant solution and one we have needed for a long time.

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It may still make sense to try to make the protoboard variant--just to give folks options later, OLD CS1. There will always be a few folks who want to try their hand at hand-wiring an interface board, and a Speech Synthesizer is a good learning board for that.

 

I really like what Gregallenwarner has come up with here too. . .definitely a good year for things TI.

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Ok, I've attached a render of what the finished board will look like from OSHPark. I think I'm ready to order 3 of them and build some initial prototypes.

 

Here's the thing: Since I've never sold anything on here before, I want to make absolutely sure it's it perfect working order before I go ahead with a big run. Even though my breadboarded prototype works, I'd like to build 3 of these new boards and send 2 of them out to two lucky people to help me field test them. Once I get word back that it's working well for them, I'll do the big run for the ten or so people here who indicated their interest.

 

Now then, that leaves the question, which two lucky dudes will be picked to get the first prototypes?

 

If I had to pick my recommendations, I'd ask Ksarul to take the first one, since he has experience building cards for the TI, and could give valuable feedback for any last minute tweaks I may need to make before the big run. As for the 2nd person, I would choose --- Ω ---, as the one who started this thread, and thus brought my attention to the matter.

 

Does that sound like an acceptable plan? Also, last chance to comment on the attached board design before I submit the order.

 

Also, I was thinking of pricing the finished board at around $30. That would give me just over $10 for the assembly after you take out the costs for materials. How does that sound to everyone? Thanks again for all the input so far. It's helped me refine this project tremendously.

post-37498-0-84032400-1411654934_thumb.png

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Also, I was thinking of pricing the finished board at around $30. That would give me just over $10 for the assembly after you take out the costs for materials. How does that sound to everyone? Thanks again for all the input so far. It's helped me refine this project tremendously.

Absolutely fantastic, and thanks for your effort here.

Fritz

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Sounds good. I just tested my prototype (the one that's hanging out of the PEB on an umbilical cord of wires) using the Terminal Emulator II cart and the Text to Speech DSR. Worked flawlessly. So now it's been tested under XB (CALL SAY), TE2, and Parsec!

 

I get paid tomorrow, so I'll have the funds to place the initial order. Hope you guys are ready!

 

EDIT: Just saw your post, Darryl. Just steal one of the ground pins off the JTAG connector next to the LED pin. Those pins won't be used after the initial programming of the CPLD, so you're safe snagging one of it's grounds.

Edited by gregallenwarner
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