XM301/SIO2SD Finished!

[flashjazzcat]

I finally finished (bar a couple more bits of bodge) the XM301 casing for my SIO2SD. I thought you might like to see it working:

 

 

The power LED doesn't seem to work at the moment, and the button mount was the most unbelievable bitch to get right. It feels quite robust now, though. The buttons are held in place on a plastic platform screwed to two stand-offs on the underside of the case top. I was quite taken with the look of the red LCD display against the Atari logo and the silver buttons.

 

The previous XM301 case did not die in vain...

[+Philsan]

XM301s are useless (apart collecting) and available, so in the past many times I have posted that it would be nice to use them as cases for SIO2SD/SDrive.

It's not easy task but you have done it.

Congratulations!

[+Stephen]

Very nice - I like that red LCD.

 

Stephen Anderson

[spookt]

Nice work - it looks great.

[mimo]

very nice, congratulations on a job well done:thumbsup:

[+wood_jl]

That is fantastic!!!

 

Now just make a "how-to" PDF file!!!!!

 

Anybody use the XM301 case for a USB SIO2PC? I think I would really like that.

[ataridano]

I was going to do something similar but unlike yours, just leave the buttons and display off and basicly use the card reader as a hard drive. Just setup the SD card on the PC and no need for buttons/display on the Atari. I can't watch the video at work... what did you do for the SIO connections? Did you make a special circuit board to fit the case? Would be interested in a couple if so.

[sloopy]

looks sweet... finaly a use for the ultra fast 300baud/bps XM301 modems :')

 

sloopy.

[tjlazer]

I want to do something similar for my SIO2PC interface. Would that work?

[Ralphy Rocket]

NICE!!! That makes up for the bad week......

 

Ralph

[flashjazzcat]

Thanks for the comments. I'm really pleased with it.

 

I was going to do something similar but unlike yours, just leave the buttons and display off and basicly use the card reader as a hard drive. Just setup the SD card on the PC and no need for buttons/display on the Atari. I can't watch the video at work... what did you do for the SIO connections? Did you make a special circuit board to fit the case? Would be interested in a couple if so.

I was considering putting my SIO2IDE in there, but it wouldn't fit. Even the SIO2SD is a pretty tight squeeze. The SIO2IDE would probably be better suited to the 1064 case I have lying around, although I actually intend to fit it inside my "best" 65XE.

 

No special circuit board for this: just the original flipped around and everything wired up. The final job is to make some epoxy-putty protrusions for the PCB to rest against when the case is sealed up. It's a real shame there are no mounting holes on the SIO2SD board I'm using.

 

I want to do something similar for my SIO2PC interface. Would that work?

I built my SIO2PC interface inside an SIO plug, which was to me the most obvious place to put it. However, the XM301 case would be ideal to house a larger version.

 

With my job coming to an end, I was actually considering buying up a load of XM301s and SIO2SDs and producing a few of these to sell. There's quite a lot of work involved, though, so I wouldn't exactly be giving them away. I was considering making some of the SIO2PC-in-an-SIO-plug as well.

 

In any case, I'll surely post a how-to guide at some stage for folks who want to try this "at home". After all, most people who already have the PCB wouldn't want to buy another complete unit.

[mellis]

That's beautiful work.

 

What tools did you use to mill out the rectangular window for the display? From the video, it looks flawless.

[flashjazzcat]

That's beautiful work.

 

What tools did you use to mill out the rectangular window for the display? From the video, it looks flawless.

Thanks!

 

I used a cheapo Dremel type multi-tool to just mill away the plastic near the lines I'd drawn on the top. Then it was a case of using a craft knife and then a flat file to gently widen the aperture, and an emery board to finish it; I also slightly chamfered the edges to make it look like a moulded part.

 

Anyway, the illustrated guide will be finished soon: I'll post tonight or tomorrow.

[flashjazzcat]

PDF Guide here.

 

[telengard]

2000% awesome. Great job. Makes my case and mod look like something out of a cracker jack box.

 

~telengard

[flashjazzcat]

2000% awesome. Great job. Makes my case and mod look like something out of a cracker jack box.

Thanks! Now I just need something to put in the 1064 case.

[candle]

Jon, could you add red plastic filter to the case? it would protect lcd and increase contrast ratio

[Mathy]

Hello Jon

 

Now I just need something to put in the 1064 case.

Maybe Candle (or somebody else) could come up with an external SRAM memory upgrade that adds 1MB or something like that to the XL. (Or make it 64MB, so the 1064 would again honor it's name )

 

greetings

 

Mathy

[flashjazzcat]

Jon, could you add red plastic filter to the case? it would protect lcd and increase contrast ratio.

Good idea. Could you point me in the direction of a suitable filter part? I've managed to track down the LCD part used in the original SIO2SD builds: if I tidy my case up in the future, I might order another LCD instead of desoldering the legs on this one. However, I'm wondering what the white plastic triangular protrusion is on the right hand edge of the current LCD unit (which isn't on the one illustrated on ebay).

 

Maybe Candle (or somebody else) could come up with an external SRAM memory upgrade that adds 1MB or something like that to the XL. (Or make it 64MB, so the 1064 would again honor it's name )

It's become a challenge in itself to find something useful to put in there.

 

I was toying with the idea of offering to build a these cases to order, perhaps around SIO2SD boards sent to me in the post. The XM301s are readily available, and although the first case took many hours to build, I suppose it would get easier the more I made. Needless to say, there'd be a fee.

Edited December 16, 2009 by flashjazzcat

[+Philsan]

Years ago I have bought 2 XM301, one for collecting and one just in case someone would put in it a SIO2SD...

Altough now I have Pigula's SIO2SD in Lotharek's case, if you will sell your product, I think I will not resist!

 

A question: now I use Sdrive (in beautiful c0nsumer's version) instead of SIO2SD (I prefer on-screen selection instead of tiny lcd selection).

Do you also plan to insert Sdrive in XM301? It would be easier because Sdrive doesn't have a display.

[flashjazzcat]

Years ago I have bought 2 XM301, one for collecting and one just in case someone would put in it a SIO2SD...

Altough now I have Pigula's SIO2SD in Lotharek's case, if you will sell your product, I think I will not resist!

 

A question: now I use Sdrive (in beautiful c0nsumer's version) instead of SIO2SD (I prefer on-screen selection instead of tiny lcd selection).

Do you also plan to insert Sdrive in XM301? It would be easier because Sdrive doesn't have a display.

I'm not familar with the Sdrive PCB, but if it doesn't require buttons or a display it should be a much easier job. We've already had talk of delegating soldering/de-soldering jobs to the more skilled forum members, and I'd certainly consider doing builds like this on a "bespoke" basis. However, there'd naturally be parts and labour costs involved.

 

As for SIO2SD, we could have a "three tier" product range:

 

• A complete unit, with internals and casing
• A casing built around the owner's existing SIO2SD
• A module built from the owner's SIO2SD board and XM301.

I might add that if I can find a supply of SIO plugs/cables, I'll consider manufacturing SIO2PC interfaces (with serial connector at the PC end) with all circuitry inside the plug to order.

 

...I've updated the project page on my website. Perhaps I'll have to redesignate it "products" soon.

Edited December 16, 2009 by flashjazzcat

[ataridano]

I was actually thinking about getting a SpeedDrive and mounting it inside the XM301 case. I thought about mounting my existing SIO2SD in there but unfortunatly the Atmel chip sits exactly where the screw would have to go, and I don't want to hack my XM301 case to death. I even thought about making a custom PCB for the job but was unable to talk Steve (classics) into letting me buy SIO connectors direct and the cost of the board was quite high. Again my plan was to use my existing SIO2SD or the PC to setup an SD card as a hard drive partition so there would be no need to cut a hole for a display or buttons. If the SpeedDrive materializes (as it looks to be) I would gladly help build a circuit board that was a direct drop in for the XM301.

[flashjazzcat]

A custom circuit board would make life a whole lot easier. If I had the knowledge, skills and resources, I'd design and manufacture a batch of these things with a custom PCB. The Sdrive Nuxx is a thing of beauty, without a doubt (I'd certainly like one), but these little XM301s look pretty cool and it's a good use for a peripheral which is largely useless today except as part of a collection.

 

Ideally, the main PCB should support the switches and LCD at just the right height when screwed into the original mounting pillars. Then it would just be a case of drilling seven holes, cutting the LCD aperture, and a slot for the SD card.

Edited December 17, 2009 by flashjazzcat

[+orpheuswaking]

I was actually thinking about getting a SpeedDrive and mounting it inside the XM301 case. I thought about mounting my existing SIO2SD in there but unfortunatly the Atmel chip sits exactly where the screw would have to go, and I don't want to hack my XM301 case to death. I even thought about making a custom PCB for the job but was unable to talk Steve (classics) into letting me buy SIO connectors direct and the cost of the board was quite high. Again my plan was to use my existing SIO2SD or the PC to setup an SD card as a hard drive partition so there would be no need to cut a hole for a display or buttons. If the SpeedDrive materializes (as it looks to be) I would gladly help build a circuit board that was a direct drop in for the XM301.

 

I think you might find the speeddrive a little too big for the XM301

[+orpheuswaking]

I finally finished (bar a couple more bits of bodge) the XM301 casing for my SIO2SD. I thought you might like to see it working:

 

 

The power LED doesn't seem to work at the moment, and the button mount was the most unbelievable bitch to get right. It feels quite robust now, though. The buttons are held in place on a plastic platform screwed to two stand-offs on the underside of the case top. I was quite taken with the look of the red LCD display against the Atari logo and the silver buttons.

 

The previous XM301 case did not die in vain...

 

That makes my xm301 SIO2SD hack look positively barbaric...(and I don't even have the buttons relocated or mounted)

Edited December 17, 2009 by orpheuswaking