Beta Design Finished! (Warning big images)

[Cupcakus]

It took longer then expected, but I have designed and placed the order for the beta phase Flash Cart prototypes... If this proto works, I will be DONE!!!!! and ready for production carts... (Don't get your hopes up) I have budgeted for 3 proto runs... I checked and rechecked every trace on this board, and it "should" work perfectly :-)

 

Here's to hoping! Keep your fingers crossed.

 

Pictures of the final board as promised.... For those who are still interested after all this time :-)

[CPUWIZ]

Looks awesome but you forgot about the center post of the cartridge shell unless you want to completely get rid of it in every cart you assemble.

[borq]

What kind of bankswitching is it going to support??

 

Are that two surface mount IC on it?? (hard to solder)

[Cupcakus]

If you look at this image, you will see that I had the center post in...

 

http://www.atariage.com/~clarkin/view_page...es/awesome1.png

 

I was forced to remove the center post to leave enough room for the hundreds of traces that need to be routed around the board.

 

And SOIC chips are not as hard as you think to solder... With reflow on the board it's really only a matter of heating the pads.

[Cupcakus]

The Flash Cartridge will support all known forms of bankswitching and extra RAM.

[Rob Mitchell]

The Flash Cartridge will support all known forms of bankswitching and extra RAM.

 

You got a winner here !! I hope it works as expected !

 

It will allow me to enjoy my Atari more!

 

Rob Mitchell, Atlanta, GA

[+johnnywc]

Cupcakus -

 

Great pics - what is this thing supposed to do anyway? From the descriptions it sounds like it can be used for loading in ROMs - but from what source?

 

Thanks for any info -

[CPUWIZ]

If you look at this image, you will see that I had the center post in...  

 

http://www.atariage.com/~clarkin/view_page...es/awesome1.png

 

I was forced to remove the center post to leave enough room for the hundreds of traces that need to be routed around the board.

 

Ok, I saw that, one of the reasons I ask. Do you really plan on removing the posts on a hundred cart cases ?

[Cupcakus]

Do you really plan on removing the posts on a hundred cart cases ?

 

No....

 

Two hundred actually :-)

 

The cases require a lot of work anyway... The PCB tabs have to be broken off, the post has to be cut away, the end label area has to be cut for the DB25 port, and the upper right side requires a hole for the power supply.

 

Plus each board has 183 points to be soldered. This will take time :-) but it's worth it... I have always wanted a device like this :-)... as I'm sure others do too.

 

How it fits in a case is yet to be seen. I have printed a scale image on cardstock and cut it out... and everything looks OK... but I won't know until I recieve the board.

[Cassidy Nolen]

Freaking amazing work. I am blown away. Seriously, you took it up a notch with this project. Email me if you get in over your head, dude. I may be of help.

 

BTW, mod'ing the cases is not that hard. I built a Unicart (ZIF socketed cart for 2/4K games) and I used a styrofoam cutter to make perfect cuts. Plastic on the Atari cases drills really easy. Then you just make a cool looking end label and you are good to go. Build a jig for cutting and drilling so you make them all the same. Super cool, and I totally want one.

 

Cassidy

[SS]

Super cool, and I totally want one.

 

 

Man, this is so cool, I totally want two! Ok maybe one to start. Still, can't wait, can't wait, can't wait!

 

How can I pre-order?