The Official "Super Expansion Module" Thread

[+opcode]

where do sign-up to get one of these??

 

Here, please:

http://opcodegames.com/lists/?p=subscribe

 

Thanks!

[ACrystal2011]

cool thx

[Yurkie]

Final revision of the SGM case. Isn't that cool that we have a license...

 

Edit: That is the bottom of the case, btw.

 

To quote George Costanza "I think I felt movement"

[+opcode]

Pengo:

 

[Pixelboy]

[+opcode]

Got first quote for the case: $200 a piece for the prototype. I am now waiting a quote for the mold. If the price is ok I will order first the prototype then the mold, just to make sure.

[+opcode]

Not exactly great news, but I think it is better get you guys ready. At this point I would say it is quite probable I will need to raise the SGM price a bit, from the planned $60 to $70. The estimate total cost of the project is now $15,000. That was raised to accomodate higher than expected development and mold costs. I apologize for that.

 

I will try to compensate reducing DK price a bit when it is released so that the total for game+module is still around $100.

[+opcode]

Case prototype ordered. We're going to see the face of the final module, albeit in clear color, in about a week.

And being the only clear case that will ever be produced, in five years it will be worth... ONE MILLION DOLLARS (doing Doctor Evil's face)...

Edited March 22, 2012 by opcode

[+opcode]

I just decided to peel off an EM#1 name plate to see the material Coleco used for that. The name plate in the original Auto Dialer is actual aluminum, so I was surprised to find out that Coleco actually used a plastic sticker for ColecoVision and accessories. And for 30 years I could swear that was real aluminum....

 

Oh, well, now I need to check with Dale where we can get an exact duplicate made.

[+opcode]

The prototype PCB is overdue. Trying to find out what happened. I cannot afford any delay. I will be traveling to Brazil in mid April, and all the beta boards must be assembled and shipped to beta testers before I leave otherwise that could result in considerable delay to beta testing and consequently the whole project.

[+opcode]

Hm, they just shipped the PCB. 3 days overdue, I should receive it next Monday. Too bad as I wanted Pixelboy to take his beta board with him during his visit in two weeks. Now I am not sure that is going to happen...

 

On a related note, I got a quote for the production PCBs. Very reasonable. So far the SGM is 100% made in China. I hope to do the same with the packaging.

[Jordiway]

Sounds like you have been quite busy. Cant wait to see some pics.

[coleco_master]

I just decided to peel off an EM#1 name plate to see the material Coleco used for that. The name plate in the original Auto Dialer is actual aluminum, so I was surprised to find out that Coleco actually used a plastic sticker for ColecoVision and accessories. And for 30 years I could swear that was real aluminum....

 

Oh, well, now I need to check with Dale where we can get an exact duplicate made.

 

Eduardo, if you don't find anything i can help !

I was able to make a almost perfect reproduction of the CV console stickers with the same aluminum finish.

[+opcode]

 

Eduardo, if you don't find anything i can help !

I was able to make a almost perfect reproduction of the CV console stickers with the same aluminum finish.

 

That would be great! Let's discuss once a get home. I hate to text from an iPhone.

[+opcode]

Ok, so now that we have the SGM project well under way, it is time to start phase II, the MegaCart 2. The original Super Game Module from 1983 had been designed with the following objectives in mind:

 

1) Offer a new media format capable of 128KB of storage space

2) Expand the ColecoVision RAM memory from 1KB to 32KB

3) Offer rewritable media capable of saving high score tables or any other data

 

The new SGM only offers #2. With the advances in technology we got to the point that cartridge space is no longer a issue (that is, large ROMs are now very affordable). In fact we have at least 2 games already released for the ColecoVision that came in a 128KB cartridge, thus matching the original SGM wafers capacity. However in order to map ROMs larger than 32KB into the CV memory space a mapper is required. The mapper created for the first 128KB cartridges (also known as the MegeCart) was somewhat limited in terms of bank manament and required a fairly large address space range for hotspots.

The new MegaCart2 will offer a far more flexible mapper, with minimum hotspot address space requirements.

 

In addition to that, capability #3 is mostly non-existing in the ColecoVision realm. The MegaCart 2 will consistently offer that capability for all games I release from now on, starting with Donkey Kong.

 

So the combination of Super Game Module + MegaCart 2 will offer everything touted by the original SGM, and more, with the advantage of keeping using cartridges as its media, instead of magnetic media that was probably fairly unreliable.

[Pixelboy]

Ok, so now that we have the SGM project well under way, it is time to start phase II, the MegaCart 2.

 

I thought you had already designed the PCB for that. I seem to remember you showing us a 3D picture of the PCB over a year ago...

[+opcode]

Ok, so now that we have the SGM project well under way, it is time to start phase II, the MegaCart 2.

 

I thought you had already designed the PCB for that. I seem to remember you showing us a 3D picture of the PCB over a year ago...

 

Yes, I did. However since then I improved some of the specs. So I am not starting from scratch, but some rework will be required.

[+opcode]

Got all the deliverables related to the SGM case today. Top notch project. I have a couple of extra projects that are going to require a case and I wouldn't think twice about going with the same designer.

[Pixelboy]

I have a couple of extra projects that are going to require a case and I wouldn't think twice about going with the same designer.

 

I'm thinking casing for the Arkanoid controller...

[+opcode]

I'm gonna show you something in a couple of weeks...

[+opcode]

Note to myself: never ever use UPS again...

[phattyboombatty]

Note to myself: never ever use UPS again...

Unreliable Poor Service sucks!

[+opcode]

Terribly frustrated today. Should get both the PCB and case prototypes tomorrow though.

Almost done with J-F's port of Rollerball (our first SGM game), ordered connectors for the beta boards. The beta boards need to be ready by April 17th, otherwise the whole SGM release will be delayed by a month and a half, as I am going to Brazil on April 18th.

[Hitachi]

Is there a FAQ page for this device and the CV2? I'd like to 'invest' but i'm not sure as to the differences. As I understand it, The CV2 won't have all the capabilities of the CV1. Correct? In addition, the SGM that's releasing soon will not have all the features of the CV2. I've also read something about a megacart, but I don't really understand. Can someone please help a n00b since opcode didn't? (not that I'm pushing hate towards him)

[Pixelboy]

Is there a FAQ page for this device and the CV2? I'd like to 'invest' but i'm not sure as to the differences. As I understand it, The CV2 won't have all the capabilities of the CV1. Correct? In addition, the SGM that's releasing soon will not have all the features of the CV2. I've also read something about a megacart, but I don't really understand. Can someone please help a n00b since opcode didn't? (not that I'm pushing hate towards him)

 

1) The CV2 will be everything the CV1 was, and more.

 

2) The SGM is an expansion module that plugs in the front of the CV1.

 

3) The MegaCart is simply a PCB that goes inside regular Coleco cartridge casings, and it allows games to be bigger than 32K, which is the "natural" limit for CV games.