+Ksarul Posted October 31, 2016 Share Posted October 31, 2016 (edited) I've been messing around with this one over the weekend (one of the reasons that I've been mostly quiet here). I have some progress in reconstructing the board layout, although it still needs some work before it can actually be made. What this board will give you is four banks of RAM and five banks of GRAM, all of which you can write protect to prevent file mangling while running. It will load files in most of the available formats as well--and can be used to convert them to any of the supported formats. I'm still mulling over making a board order for these once I finish the layout, as most of the chips have to be soldered directly to the board and there are a LOT of places that need Kynar or that have components installed weirdly. It is a wonderful tool once built though. . . Edited October 31, 2016 by Ksarul 8 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
+jedimatt42 Posted October 31, 2016 Share Posted October 31, 2016 https://www.google.com/url?sa=t&source=web&rct=j&url=%23&ved=0ahUKEwia0pfIs4TQAhVM4mMKHRJWBIcQwqsBCCkwAg&usg=AFQjCNF1sHlk2z9QIx28jtvfnGP_UlkifA&sig2=79pB0Z8vv36IGrxqaIViVw That is pretty cool. Is the loader compatible with HDX storage? -M@ Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
+Ksarul Posted October 31, 2016 Author Share Posted October 31, 2016 I haven't tried it, so my only answer there is: no data yet. See the attached pictures for what I meant about the amount of Kynar needed--and the totally weird placement for the smaller components. . .the board as it is now is a functional equivalent of the original (it just needs a little cleanup). My next step will be to find some space to put some of the crazy add-on bits into standardized holes. That should be a LOT of fun. . . 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sparkdrummer Posted October 31, 2016 Share Posted October 31, 2016 How does this cart compare to a Gram Kracker and/or other gram devices? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
+Ksarul Posted October 31, 2016 Author Share Posted October 31, 2016 (edited) It is basically an unexpanded GRAM Kracker (that only replicates the five GROMs in the cartridge space). Where it is advantageous is in the ROM side, as the GRAM Kracker only simulates two ROM banks, whereas this simulates four. That makes a difference, as you don't have that additional capability in the GRAMulator or in the P-GRAM card. It is present in the HSGPL and in the GRAM Karte, however. It also fits into a standard cartridge case. . . Edited October 31, 2016 by Ksarul 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
+OLD CS1 Posted October 31, 2016 Share Posted October 31, 2016 It also fits into a standard cartridge case. . . Neat! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
+jedimatt42 Posted October 31, 2016 Share Posted October 31, 2016 I imagine the 'fitting into a standard cartridge case' is part of what makes it a challenging layout.This aims at emulating a single cartridge off disk. And looks quite easy to use. It looked like from the menu, it also supported cassette... Which is very unique.If you gave up on the fitting in a standard cartridge there are a few additions that could be made...1: socket and switch for alternate cartridge, to eliminate the need for a Navarone Cartridge Expander2: a battery cell for surviving power cycles when your modded TI goes nuts.But I do see the benefit of the standard form factor.-M@ 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
+Ksarul Posted October 31, 2016 Author Share Posted October 31, 2016 I did start a layout a long time ago that expanded the form factor to fit a ROMOX case, but I haven't taken that one too far yet either. The work I've done here is mostly transferable anyway. . .and the original fit into a standard case too. I have several of them that I use regularly (both varieties of the original boards). 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Asmusr Posted November 1, 2016 Share Posted November 1, 2016 Is the only advantage over an UberGROM cart that you can change the ROM (actually RAM) part from the TI? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
+jedimatt42 Posted November 1, 2016 Share Posted November 1, 2016 It seems like the usage model is quite different. While the UberGROM is targeted to creating cartridges, the SuperModul interface appears to be more for loading and running carts from disk, like the GramKracker. -M@ Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
+Ksarul Posted November 1, 2016 Author Share Posted November 1, 2016 The use model is exactly that of a GRAM Kracker (or for that matter, the FlashROM). A cartridge designed to load the program from some other media and then run it. 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mantadoc Posted November 4, 2016 Share Posted November 4, 2016 I haven't tried it, so my only answer there is: no data yet. See the attached pictures for what I meant about the amount of Kynar needed--and the totally weird placement for the smaller components. . .the board as it is now is a functional equivalent of the original (it just needs a little cleanup). My next step will be to find some space to put some of the crazy add-on bits into standardized holes. That should be a LOT of fun. . . Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mantadoc Posted November 4, 2016 Share Posted November 4, 2016 What ic is in the buttom ? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
+Ksarul Posted November 4, 2016 Author Share Posted November 4, 2016 That is part of a stack of three ICs. The two on the top are 8K each (one RAM, one ROM), with a socket between them. The one on the bottom is a 32Kx8 chip. These three chips are the GROM emulation storage, giving a total of 40K of GRAM and 8K with the management software in it. The other stack of chips (basically at the center of the front edge of the cartridge board) comes in two flavors: two 8K chips (for two RAM banks) or one 32K chip (for four RAM banks). The use of the 32K chip is the primary difference between version I and version II of the SuperModul II. The design was done by Sven Dyroff of the Wiesbaden User's Group, and the cartridge was made available for purchase by the group. A few years ago, Sven gave authorization to reproduce it, which is what I'm working on now. Once the board is complete and verified functional I plan to make a run of them for assembly and I'll put the layout up for others to use, as that ensures that Sven's desires for the future of the board are met. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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