Personal 4 port cartridge expansion project

[Shift838]

I'm resurrecting this because too many recent things are pushing me back in this direction.

 

First, the Navarone from Vorticon. I now have that and am planning on studying it closely.

Next, Shift838 publishing his 2 port version. I lack the skill and knowledge to create my own PCB design for this project and that is what really holds this up. I can't deal with the prototype and all the wires and connections I made while working on this.

 

Finally, Yesterday's news with a navarone modification article in it.

 

I think that article brought me back to a moment of confusion that I don't think cleared itself .

 

I need to know what the pinouts are if you are physically looking into the cart port of your console.

 

At first i used the image on the left (below) but was told by someone that is how they are on the mainboard but with the 90 degree adaptor in there ofr cart placement, the pins flip vertically. Then I was told by someone else much later that was incorrect and the diagram shows the actual pins as they appear on the 90 degree adaptor, then reading this article it talks about pin 1 being on the right side but I'm unclear if they are talking about the grom port or looking at the card connector from the grom port's perspective.

 

I just need to know a definitive answer. If I flip the little door open and look inside my console's cartridge port with a flashlight, what pin is the upper most left pin? This is probably why this project stalled out, I'm not getting the pin assignments correct.

 

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The 2 port is on my todo list to get the PCB tooled then I can build and test. I've been a bit swamped with work and wanting to hammer out the SCART-Genie board.. (sent to Oshpark today to print prototype).

 

I'm hoping to have some time between now and when I get the SCART-Genie to get it completely layed out and finalized for prototype.

[Sinphaltimus]

 

The 2 port is on my todo list to get the PCB tooled then I can build and test. I've been a bit swamped with work and wanting to hammer out the SCART-Genie board.. (sent to Oshpark today to print prototype).

 

I'm hoping to have some time between now and when I get the SCART-Genie to get it completely layed out and finalized for prototype.

 

 

If I can learn how, I will probably take your 2 port design and use two of them to make a 4 port design. Are these files typically universal for software?

[Opry99er]

Out of curiosity, do you have 4 specific cartridges in mind for this expander?

 

The desire for more and bigger... I get that. Just curious if you have specific plans for it.

[Sinphaltimus]

Out of curiosity, do you have 4 specific cartridges in mind for this expander?

 

The desire for more and bigger... I get that. Just curious if you have specific plans for it.

 

 

My original need was pre-finalGrom99.

 

I wanted to have a cartridge port switcher that would work with TI Extended BASIC, Editor Assembler and FlashROM99 carts inserted leaving one port free to switch any cart in and out like games or other programs I might need to use. Saving wear and tear on the console's port.

 

Since FG99 came out, the immediate need for this is practically none with the exception of the few carts out there that Don't/Won't work with FG99 or that are currently sold and DO NOT have distributable bin files for the finalGrom99 like Break Free and Dragon's Lair when it's done (looking at you Tursi).

 

I am not very good with a prototype of a million wires and solder points so I put this on hold, indefinitely; until I can figure out how to make the PCB with Jumper Pins to connect my custom switches and solder the rest of the components to. I now have a NAVARON 3 port switch thanks to Vorticon but my understanding is there are a lot more carts out there that do not work with this particular device. I plan to take it apart temporarily and measure all the traces, holes and spacings with my digital caliper so I have some data to create my own PCB once I learn how to use PCB creation software.

 

It's a long list of things I don't know yet and between the TI and Amiga scenes, too much going on to stop and make the necessary time to learn and produce anything at the moment. I'm easily distracted by shiny things that go beep boop boop beep.

Edited April 10, 2018 by Sinphaltimus

[kl99]

Break Free got released to the community (Public Domain?) by the Author on the last TI Treff in Italy, Rome, 30th September 2017.

His intention was that others can study his work to learn Gpl.

So you can run it from FinalGrom 99.

 

Afaik there is still an exclusive Cartridge production deal with Gregory for Break Free.

[Sinphaltimus]

Break Free got released to the community (Public Domain?) by the Author on the last TI Treff in Italy, Rome, 30th September 2017.

His intention was that others can study his work to learn Gpl.

So you can run it from FinalGrom 99.

 

Afaik there is still an exclusive Cartridge production deal with Gregory for Break Free.

Seriously?!?!

 

I'll have to take a look at where the dl is. I've been wanting to play that game since I first saw it demo'ed but other expenses have tasked priority.