+5-11under Posted November 26, 2013 Author Share Posted November 26, 2013 Just a heads up that the PCB manufacturing for the next prototype has been started. I should have it in hand within a couple of weeks. I'm only working on this when I have time, besides a number of other projects, so progress may be slow at times. Here's a picture of the layout (part of a batch of boards): 7 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chart45 Posted November 26, 2013 Share Posted November 26, 2013 this time i dont want to be left behind like the sgm with opcode put me on your list Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pixelboy Posted November 26, 2013 Share Posted November 26, 2013 Wow, that's a lot of components to solder onto the board. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
+5-11under Posted November 26, 2013 Author Share Posted November 26, 2013 Wow, that's a lot of components to solder onto the board. There's lots of diodes for the keypad and Sega controllers, and a lot of circuitry for the composite output. In the future, that will likely go on a daughter board. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
retroillucid Posted November 27, 2013 Share Posted November 27, 2013 What are those PCBs around the CV board? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
+5-11under Posted November 27, 2013 Author Share Posted November 27, 2013 What are those PCBs around the CV board? Bad cropping job? 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
retroillucid Posted November 27, 2013 Share Posted November 27, 2013 (edited) Bad cropping job? Eh eh, I know what it is Edited November 27, 2013 by retroillucid Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
+grips03 Posted November 27, 2013 Share Posted November 27, 2013 Just a heads up that the PCB manufacturing for the next prototype has been started. I should have it in hand within a couple of weeks. I'm only working on this when I have time, besides a number of other projects, so progress may be slow at times. Here's a picture of the layout (part of a batch of boards): any plans to add SGM built in? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
+5-11under Posted November 27, 2013 Author Share Posted November 27, 2013 any plans to add SGM built in? Not at this time. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
+5-11under Posted December 4, 2013 Author Share Posted December 4, 2013 A few pictures... The first prototype from a few years ago. No cartridge slot. One joystick port. DRAM tower (video memory) sort of installed. Was converted to an SG-1000 (but without joystick support): The second prototype from a year or two ago, showing the SRAM daughterboard (video memory) this time. Later I added 24K RAM to test Zaxxon and Dragon's Lair before I had an SGM. Don't ask why the cartridge slot is installed on the bottom : The third prototype PCB, unassembled, which should have full ColecoVision compatibility (excluding RF output), but with some extras (5V input, component/YPbPr output, composite output, Sega controller capability, keypad capability). It's still a prototype, so I anticipate a number of changes before the next version (which will hopefully be the beta version): 9 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
retroillucid Posted December 4, 2013 Share Posted December 4, 2013 A few pictures...The first prototype from a few years ago. No cartridge slot. One joystick port. DRAM tower (video memory) sort of installed. Was converted to an SG-1000 (but without joystick support):proto1.pngThe second prototype from a year or two ago, showing the SRAM daughterboard (video memory) this time. Later I added 24K RAM to test Zaxxon and Dragon's Lair before I had an SGM. Don't ask why the cartridge slot is installed on the bottom :proto2.pngThe third prototype PCB, unassembled, which should have full ColecoVision compatibility (excluding RF output), but with some extras (5V input, component/YPbPr output, composite output, Sega controller capability, keypad capability). It's still a prototype, so I anticipate a number of changes before the next version (which will hopefully be the beta version):pcb.png ColecoVision ... Ah...... ColecoVision..... Such an awesome system! I must admit we are pretty lucky to have folks like you in the homebrew scene! Cheers to that! 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NIAD Posted December 4, 2013 Share Posted December 4, 2013 We are very lucky indeed! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
phattyboombatty Posted December 4, 2013 Share Posted December 4, 2013 Absolutely brilliant! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
retroillucid Posted December 4, 2013 Share Posted December 4, 2013 Absolutely brilliant! Oh sure he is! 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
+Darrin9999 Posted December 4, 2013 Share Posted December 4, 2013 I have a couple of colecovisions just waiting for the new board. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wickeycolumbus Posted December 5, 2013 Share Posted December 5, 2013 Just a heads up that the PCB manufacturing for the next prototype has been started. I should have it in hand within a couple of weeks. I'm only working on this when I have time, besides a number of other projects, so progress may be slow at times. Here's a picture of the layout (part of a batch of boards): Awesome project! Those other boards around the Coleco board look pretty interesting as well. Do you use an autorouter at any point in the design process? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
+5-11under Posted December 5, 2013 Author Share Posted December 5, 2013 Do you use an autorouter at any point in the design process? I actually use FreePCB. It's not the greatest, but it serves me well, at least for simple and/or digital stuff, where most of the work is just connecting address and data lines. I use the included auto-router, then usually do a lot of clean-up afterward. For this prototype, I didn't do any clean-up... I won't do that until I need to make more than one of them. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
+5-11under Posted December 5, 2013 Author Share Posted December 5, 2013 Thanks for the kind words, everyone. Just remember that it's all pretty much vapourware until you're able to have one of your own. They did make 2 boards instead of the 1 I requested, so who knows, if it works well, maybe one will be up for grabs sometime. Please don't PM me, though... . Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
retroillucid Posted December 5, 2013 Share Posted December 5, 2013 Please don't PM me, though... . Will email you then! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pixelboy Posted December 5, 2013 Share Posted December 5, 2013 Will email you then! Even better, I'll send you a letter by snail-mail! 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
retroillucid Posted December 5, 2013 Share Posted December 5, 2013 Even better, I'll send you a letter by snail-mail! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ApolloBoy Posted December 5, 2013 Share Posted December 5, 2013 Depending on the price of this, I might pick up a second CV! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
youki Posted December 5, 2013 Share Posted December 5, 2013 A few pictures... The first prototype from a few years ago. No cartridge slot. One joystick port. DRAM tower (video memory) sort of installed. Was converted to an SG-1000 (but without joystick support): proto1.png The second prototype from a year or two ago, showing the SRAM daughterboard (video memory) this time. Later I added 24K RAM to test Zaxxon and Dragon's Lair before I had an SGM. Don't ask why the cartridge slot is installed on the bottom : proto2.png The third prototype PCB, unassembled, which should have full ColecoVision compatibility (excluding RF output), but with some extras (5V input, component/YPbPr output, composite output, Sega controller capability, keypad capability). It's still a prototype, so I anticipate a number of changes before the next version (which will hopefully be the beta version): pcb.png I'm impressed! I dream of a full new CV not just mother board! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
projectcoleco Posted December 6, 2013 Share Posted December 6, 2013 A few pictures... The first prototype from a few years ago. No cartridge slot. One joystick port. DRAM tower (video memory) sort of installed. Was converted to an SG-1000 (but without joystick support): proto1.png The second prototype from a year or two ago, showing the SRAM daughterboard (video memory) this time. Later I added 24K RAM to test Zaxxon and Dragon's Lair before I had an SGM. Don't ask why the cartridge slot is installed on the bottom : proto2.png The third prototype PCB, unassembled, which should have full ColecoVision compatibility (excluding RF output), but with some extras (5V input, component/YPbPr output, composite output, Sega controller capability, keypad capability). It's still a prototype, so I anticipate a number of changes before the next version (which will hopefully be the beta version): pcb.png ColecoVision 1.2 - So beautiful... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hardhat Posted December 11, 2013 Share Posted December 11, 2013 (edited) Looks like some good progress. Still a lot of work to populate those boards though. Any cartridges that are compatible with the Coleco Adam should be fine with the 24k of RAM. There are a couple -- like Telegames US released a soccer game that worked on the CV and not on the Adam as I recall. I usually use Eagle from cadsoft for work. It works pretty well, but you have to pay big bucks if you want to make a PCB that large I guess. It is cheap/free for smaller projects though. I haven't tried FreePCB in a while, maybe I'll have to check it out again. Edited December 11, 2013 by hardhat Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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