gman1964 Posted June 30, 2017 Share Posted June 30, 2017 Excuse my ignorance on TI specs, I am new to this world of 99/4A and have just started playing around with my now working unit. As far as memory goes, even after I acquire the FinalGROM 99, will I still need to add a sideport 32K or something similar in order to run some of the roms? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
+arcadeshopper Posted June 30, 2017 Share Posted June 30, 2017 Excuse my ignorance on TI specs, I am new to this world of 99/4A and have just started playing around with my now working unit. As far as memory goes, even after I acquire the FinalGROM 99, will I still need to add a sideport 32K or something similar in order to run some of the roms? Yep Sent from my LG-H830 using Tapatalk Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fandenivoldsk Posted July 1, 2017 Share Posted July 1, 2017 Please add me to the FinalGROM 99 wantlist! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ralphb Posted July 9, 2017 Author Share Posted July 9, 2017 (edited) Finally. This is it: You may notice a few last-minute changes to the final prototype. The FinalGROM 99 now uses plain SD sockets, although you can still fit an Arduino shield if you want. Also, a second reset button resets the TI 99. This is useful for programs that don't react to FCTN-=. Finally, the 5V SRAM was replaced by its 3.3V couterpart, which is cheaper and easier to get. As already mentioned, with only a few modifications, the FinalGROM 99 fits a standard cart shell. You can also combine both reset buttons by getting a DPST switch for your case. I updated the homepage to include the additional hardware features and some software changes I did (mostly, advanced modes, help viewer texts, and image dumping). The latter allows you to write the contents of the image in SRAM back to SD cart. This is useful for saving high scores, progress, or preferences. You'll also find ordering information on the homepage. Please allow a few days for me to reply, especially in the beginning. While the boards are mostly complete, I need to add a few components, and, more significantly, program and test the final carts. Thanks go to Jim (brain) for nudging me to use real SD sockets and introducing me to a cheap model, and to Eric (speccery) for analyzing an electrical program on the first prototype! Homepage: https://endlos99.github.io/finalgrom99/ Repository: https://github.com/endlos99/finalgrom99 EDIT: added links Edited July 9, 2017 by ralphb 22 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sinphaltimus Posted July 9, 2017 Share Posted July 9, 2017 (edited) EDIT: link to homepage Link Please? EDIT *Nevermind* EDIT2: Email inquiry sent. Edited July 9, 2017 by Sinphaltimus Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
+Schmitzi Posted July 9, 2017 Share Posted July 9, 2017 4 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PeteE Posted July 9, 2017 Share Posted July 9, 2017 The latter allows you to write the contents of the image in SRAM back to SD cart. This is useful for saving high scores, progress, or preferences. That sounds super useful! Thanks for adding that. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
+chue Posted July 9, 2017 Share Posted July 9, 2017 Wow! 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
atari2atari Posted July 9, 2017 Share Posted July 9, 2017 PM sent, this is great timing, just got a "new" TI-99 and am looking forward to this! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
+arcadeshopper Posted July 9, 2017 Share Posted July 9, 2017 woot! congrats Ralph! email sent! Greg Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
+evg2000 Posted July 9, 2017 Share Posted July 9, 2017 I sent an email also, this is exciting! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Casey Posted July 9, 2017 Share Posted July 9, 2017 (edited) Me too! I've also got a new 99/4A that can't wait for this to be plugged into it. Combined with the nanoPEB, I'm *really* excited to get everything up and running. Edited July 9, 2017 by Casey Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Asmusr Posted July 9, 2017 Share Posted July 9, 2017 Congratulations - well done! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
+Ksarul Posted July 9, 2017 Share Posted July 9, 2017 Excellent! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gip-Gip Posted July 9, 2017 Share Posted July 9, 2017 Right on my birthday! Happy to buy the thing, sent an email myself Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Omega-TI Posted July 9, 2017 Share Posted July 9, 2017 Wiping the drool off my keyboard.... 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gip-Gip Posted July 9, 2017 Share Posted July 9, 2017 (edited) Why don't you get your SD card connectors from mouser or the sorts? Look here: http://www.mouser.com/Connectors/Memory-Connectors/Memory-Card-Connectors/_/N-axj8k?P=1yzxfx6&Ns=Pricing|0 Edited July 9, 2017 by Gip-Gip Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Shift838 Posted July 9, 2017 Share Posted July 9, 2017 email sent! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
+remowilliams Posted July 10, 2017 Share Posted July 10, 2017 Woohoo! Email sent! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
brain Posted July 10, 2017 Share Posted July 10, 2017 (edited) Why don't you get your SD card connectors from mouser or the sorts? Look here: http://www.mouser.com/Connectors/Memory-Connectors/Memory-Card-Connectors/_/N-axj8k?P=1yzxfx6&Ns=Pricing|0 The post's intention is admirable, but the cheapest Mouser option in the link is more expensive than the one he is currently using, so moving to a Mouser sourced unit would drive pricing up. It sounds like there's a 100 order option on this device, so I recommend he have them professionally assembled. I'd hate to think he's planning to hand solder them :-/ jim Edited July 10, 2017 by brain 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gip-Gip Posted July 10, 2017 Share Posted July 10, 2017 The post's intention is admirable, but the cheapest Mouser option in the link is more expensive than the one he is currently using, so moving to a Mouser sourced unit would drive pricing up. It sounds like there's a 100 order option on this device, so I recommend he have them professionally assembled. I'd hate to think he's planning to hand solder them :-/ jim I just thought you could use that instead of ordering them off ebay. Not cheaper, rather if you went large scale you would definitely want to use this Plus It's a teensy bit more trustworthy than buying it off ebay The parts can come in reels And if they run out of stock you can ask the supplier for more or find a new supplier quite easily Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gip-Gip Posted July 10, 2017 Share Posted July 10, 2017 (edited) It sounds like there's a 100 order option on this device, so I recommend he have them professionally assembled. I'd hate to think he's planning to hand solder them :-/ Especially soldering SMDs. The only upside is you'd already be a professional by the end of the batch, ready to retire and everything (it really wouldn't hurt to have some external assembler, or at the very least volunteer assemblers) Edited July 10, 2017 by Gip-Gip Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
brain Posted July 10, 2017 Share Posted July 10, 2017 I just thought you could use that instead of ordering them off ebay. Not cheaper, rather if you went large scale you would definitely want to use this Plus It's a teensy bit more trustworthy than buying it off ebay The parts can come in reels And if they run out of stock you can ask the supplier for more or find a new supplier quite easily I believe he went with eBay because he could get a small quantity at a low cost, but he specified against a footprint I gave him, which can be purchased anywhere, and if he decides he needs high volume, I buy them direct from the manufacturer in 1000 unit batches. It's sad, but for the price Mouser is charging per unit, he can buy 1000 (with shipping) from the manufacturer and pay not much more than buying 100 from Mouser. Now, your point holds more weight when it comes to the Xilinx and Atmel parts. It's not the cost in that case, or the supply, but the quality. As someone who had to replace 100 atmega1281 68 pin QFP packages on units because of counterfeit problems, (not my doing, the assembler tried a local source), it can get you. I chose this footprint (and recommend it for anyone doing an SD design), because: it's available on eBay, for small runs it's manufactured by a bunch of vendors I believe Digikey offers it (if you want the trusted vendor relationship) #2 is important because I first did what you recommended, and used a 3M SD conn. Laid out the board, ran them, paid for the stencils, and then after a few runs, Digikey sends me a note that 3M discontinued that part. You never expect that to happen, and it was expensive. On a classic machine sales scales, even moreso. So, I decided to find a part made by a few vendors to hopefully alleviate the obsolete issue. Jim 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
brain Posted July 10, 2017 Share Posted July 10, 2017 Especially soldering SMDs. The only upside is you'd already be a professional by the end of the batch, ready to retire and everything (it really wouldn't hurt to have some external assembler, or at the very least volunteer assemblers) I priced it out. If he can get 100 orders, the going rate is ~USD$0.016 per pad. At that rate, it is darn near impossible to do anything else. Or, to put it another way, Ralph's gift is in the design, not the assembly, so he would be ahead to contract out the assembly and spend the time working on firmware revisions and such. I solder up prototypes, but nothing more. Once the design is proven, it's time to let the pros do it, with their pick and place machines, etc. Jim 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gfreige Posted July 10, 2017 Share Posted July 10, 2017 Mail sent!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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