Flash Cart Prototype Finished

[Cupcakus]

I took a break to finish up my flash cart prototype, and here's what I have working.

 

It's a 16k EEPROM cart, with F8 and F6 bankswitch support.

 

Once programmed it will hold the current ROM data indefinetly, or until you erase or overwrite it. So cuttle cart users are saved the issue of having to load the data every time you turn off your atari power.

 

You have to have a cable from the Paralell port of your computer, to the cartridge, the cart will have a port on the top. I didn't want to design a loader, so the cable will hook right to the cart.

 

That's basically it, you put the cart into the Atari, tell your computer to load the ROM, the software will prompt you to turn on your Atari, and click OK. Then it will load the ROM.

 

I was only going to order a few of these, and I thought, heck maybe someone would want them. As far as cost, I have no idea, much cheaper than a cuttle cart :-), I will have to get a price on PCB's if others want them.

 

If you're interested, just PM me, or post here so I can get a count. If you're not interested :-) OK, less work for me :-)

[+-^CrossBow^-]

I actually am interested in this. So let me know what the cost break down comes to. Once I am in my next house after my current one sells, I will have the room again to have my 7800 connected near the PC to use this for.

 

Sounds awesome!

[cschell]

Crossbow,

 

As the cartridge is flash based, you don't have to set up the Atari next to the computer. You can load the cart at the computer and then carry it down to your Atari. Flash is non-volatile so it will retain the game without power.

 

Cupcakus:

 

Out of curiosity, how are you selecting cartridge type? Do you store configuration bits in flash, or do you use jumpers?

 

Chad

[vespertillio]

Congratulations, I am also very interested in your flashcart. Send me an email at [email protected] com once you figure out how much it's going to cost. Congrats again.

 

Fred

[+-^CrossBow^-]

Chad,

 

Thanks for making me realize my ignorance...hehe...I should have known that...duh.

 

Anyway, yes that is just bonus points that it can be loaded up and then taken to the Atari later. Also it would be cool if it were possible to load up several games into the 16k flash since you could then load up a few different ones and then take them on the go.

 

Still, I am interested. I would have gotten a cuttle cart back when they were avail except that then as now, I couldn't really afford the cost for the Cuttle Cart. I think it was worth the money for sure, but to me a hundred bucks isn't small change and will provide groceries to myself, my wife, and our 2 sons for several days.

[Cupcakus]

Crossbow,

 

As the cartridge is flash based, you don't have to set up the Atari next to the computer.  You can load the cart at the computer and then carry it down to your Atari.  Flash is non-volatile so it will retain the game without power.

 

Actually the atari is necessary to be near your computer. The parallell cable does not provide enough juice to write enable the chip. I may be able to fix this, but for now the prototype only works on Atari power.

 

Cupcakus:

 

Out of curiosity, how are you selecting cartridge type?  Do you store configuration bits in flash, or do you use jumpers?

 

Chad

 

I move wires by hand right now :-) but in the final product hopefully I can automate this somehow, but it may end up being dipswitches and determine the bankswitch type. I will program the PC software to tell you dipswitch settings for each cart if that is the case.

[CPUWIZ]

How about a picture of the prototype, I think it would be cool to let people see what kind of work is involved in this (I know) ?

[Paul Slocum]

Actually the atari is necessary to be near your computer. The parallell cable does not provide enough juice to write enable the chip. I may be able to fix this, but for now the prototype only works on Atari power.

 

Would a small battery work? It seems like it could last a long time if it's only used to provide power to write the flash.

 

-Paul

[Cupcakus]

@Cpuwiz

Unfortunetly i'm too poor to own a digital camera, so for all of my projects I take pictures with a regular camera and then take them to wallgreens and have them put it on a CD. I plan to take pictures of this now as well as my multitap prototype and have the pictures posted here in a few days.

 

@Paul

That is a possibility, but it would require more than one battery I would think to get the voltage required, and how would you know if it was dead? I don't want to get 100 support emails in 6 months because the batteries all died. :-) I will add this to my list of viable options, and develop a test circuit for it.

[cschell]

You could stick a DC power jack on the cart, then use any 5V power supply.

 

Or you could get really fancy and use USB. It can provide reasonable amounts of power.

 

Chad

[CPUWIZ]

@Cpuwiz

Unfortunetly i'm too poor to own a digital camera, so for all of my projects I take pictures with a regular camera and then take them to wallgreens and have them put it on a CD.  I plan to take pictures of this now as well as my multitap prototype and have the pictures posted here in a few days.

 

@Paul

That is a possibility, but it would require more than one battery I would think to get the voltage required, and how would you know if it was dead?  I don't want to get 100 support emails in 6 months because the batteries all died. :-) I will add this to my list of viable options, and develop a test circuit for it.

 

Oh well, I guess we'll have to wait then.

 

How about a really low powered LED to indicate battery status ?

[MegaManFan]

How about a really low powered LED to indicate battery status ?

 

How about we let Cupcakus finish them before we give him 10K mods to do?

[CPUWIZ]

Nah, bombard him with all your ideas now. Robotic legs, satellite dish, flux capacitor ... the works.

[Sleep]

so...it plays roms? on your atari? do you have to be smart to use it? if not i want one!

[MrRetroGamer]

do you have to be smart to use it? if not i want one!

 

Dude, I think you just insulted YOURSELF! :wink:

 

BTW, This project sounds very promising!

[Paul Slocum]

@Paul

That is a possibility, but it would require more than one battery I would think to get the voltage required, and how would you know if it was dead?  I don't want to get 100 support emails in 6 months because the batteries all died. :-) I will add this to my list of viable options, and develop a test circuit for it.

 

I wonder if you could use a 9v? I recently ordered a Motorola promotional board for a new microcontroller that came with a serial cable and a 9v battery! Just put in the manual: when it won't program anymore, change the battery. And I think you could calculate roughly how many times you can program before it will run out.

 

-Paul

[Sleep]

Dude, I think you just insulted YOURSELF!

 

so?

[Cupcakus]

I thought about a power supply, but remember, we're working within the confines for of a cartridge here, plus that will add to the price of the unit, and I have no idea where to get these in bulk.

 

If I could figure out how to make a 2600 cartridge port, I could design a loader device maybe, then you just have to bring the cart to the computer, not the whole Atari.

[Sleep]

i dont think you so do that...i dont want to have to pay 50,000 million dollars for this thing. think gamecube.... gamecube minus dvd player = lowest price. get it?

[cschell]

I just meant the jack. Then the user can use their own 5V regulated wall wart power supply. It doesn't take up all that much room.

 

There are standard .1 inch spacing card edge connectors that you can plug the cart into. I don't know if they're available with the right number of pins though. You can use larger and fill the extra with a spacer though.

 

Chad

[LinkoVitch]

I just meant the jack.  Then the user can use their own 5V regulated wall wart power supply.  It doesn't take up all that much room.

 

There are standard .1 inch spacing card edge connectors that you can plug the cart into.  I don't know if they're available with the right number of pins though.  You can use larger and fill the extra with a spacer though.

 

That is what I am planning to do for my Jag Flash board I am working on. You could then give people the option by PC or walk away cart. I'd suggest putting a D-type socket on the cart that takes a standard Parellel extension cable (like a scanner uses), so people could have several carts and just one cable.

 

Great news though.

[church]

I too would be very interested in this so you can definatly put me on a list if there is one. I can be reached at [email protected] or with a private message on the board once price and avaliablity issues become clear.

[Cupcakus]

It's decided :-)

 

The cart will have a paralell port, and a power supply jack.

 

The power supply will be your responsibility, or I may sell them seperate. There are some 12v features of the EEPROM that I would like to use and the Atari can't even do that, so 12v power supply it may be.

 

The DB25 cable will be your responsibility too :-) a standard DB25 straight through will do the trick, just like the ones scanners use. Or are they cross over? Crap now i have to check.

[Cupcakus]

So it turns out the EEPROM I bought for this is actually a 28C256. I couldn't figure out why there were so many address lines, and I finally got it :-) I can't believe it worked without me even knowing it.

 

So given it's a 256K(32Kb) chip I will be adding support for 32k bankswitching. Except, I don't know how it works.

 

I'm assuming the most popular method is F2? $1FF2->$1FF9 for the banks? If it is it should be no problem to add it into my current circuit. Then we can maybe get paul to release his Marble Craze ROM :-)

[cschell]

The Atari 32K is F4, it uses F4-FB.

 

Chad