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UnoCart (a new multi-cart) - orders/pre-orders thread


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  • 2 weeks later...

I have the carts 14 carts 25% done (half the board is assembled). I need to assemble the second half, program and test them and then put them in their cases. All indications look good that I will meet the 15July ship date (which, of course, I just jinxed by saying something ;-( ). Anyway, will keep updating.

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Can you opensource cart in future? 2018-2019??? I send money on first batch... And Electrotrains send me back money as He had little time. So I ordered second from FlashJazzCat. But had my paypal card expired... There are only few parts. So maybe I can make it 2x or 4x pieces at home.

Or maybe Lotharek from Poland can do those carts!!! I love UnoCart and stm32 on Atari. Can you make github. So people will be able make max. 4 pieces for theirself???

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MCUs are soldered onto all the boards, so that's the most worst part done:

 

attachicon.gifDSCF6726.JPG

 

Aiming to get them fully assembled over the next week or so. :)

 

 

 

I *REALLY* hate that part. I mean seriously. I am beginning to feel like SMT is my "you kids get off my lawn!" in terms of electronics. Give me through hole any day. PLEASE

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I hand assembled two Ultimate Carts and strangely enough the 144 pin Max 10 wasn't the component that gave me trouble. Haven't had a single solder bridge on either cart while soldering Max 10 but managed to bridge some of the SD card slot legs, go figure!, maybe over confidence after the FPGA was in play who knows. In any case it is not really fun hand soldering those multitude of tiny pins, especially if you have to do a large batch. Yikes!.

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Progress report:

 

post-21964-0-00222300-1499192273_thumb.jpg

 

All boards fully assembled and awaiting programming and testing. Also need to drill and assemble cart shells and print and affix labels. I'll allow at least a couple of days for testing since I run each cartridge for an hour or more in case of dry joints, etc. Should be ready to start shipping by the weekend. :)

 

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I have been sending out emails to everyone that has ordered, but just to make sure the word is out, here is the latest update email.

Folks,

Someone asked for some pictures of the production process. So, I put together a quick and dirty update with pictures. It can be viewed on the website under the July 2017 Newsletter link OR click here
-Marlin
-Marlin "MacRorie" Bates
-The Brewing Academy
-Voice: 530-618-BREW (2739)
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All cartridges have passed burn-in tests and having labelled them, I'm now printing out manuals and address labels prior to packaging everything up.

 

post-21964-0-83088600-1499972080_thumb.jpg

 

I'll be sending out PMs with tracking numbers, etc, in the next few days. ;)

Edited by flashjazzcat
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Folks,

 

Just an update. All of the pre-orders will go out on 24 July. I have emailed all of the pre-order people and apologize for the week delay, but just could not be helped. Some of the orders have shipped, so I suspect some of you are enjoying yours right now.

 

As an update, 24 July is when you can order an UNOCart for immediate shipment. Price is US$55 plus shipping. Black cases included. Color cases available for $5 additional. PM me for details (or click any of the links in my signature).

 

A Third run of Ultimate Carts should be available on 31 August. If that changes, I will let people know. Price will be $95 plus shipping. My version of the case (black) included. Colors available for an additional $10. The new case by Robin with your choice of colors is available for an additional $15. Again, details in my signature file.

 

Some of you may be asking why the UNO cart initial run was delayed. Well, the carts were taking far too long to produce reliably (IMHO). Part of it is the weather in the area: It routinely gets to 103 deg F (40 deg C) in the area and, even with air conditioning, my shop just gets too hot to work with the solder paste for even a short amount of time, I have discovered. That and getting a vacuum pick up that was both quick and easy to use was not possible . . .

 

SO, I went the next step and purchased equipment that will allow me to do a lot more. I should be able to do SMT designs by anyone willing to use me as a source in a quick, reliable manner. How is that possible, you might ask? Well, I purchased a (used) pick and place machine and a (used) solder printer. This looks like a steep learning curve (and it is), but it will greatly reduce the amount of time I spend on each unit. sooooooo, if you have a design of a product for the Atari or even the TI, I could be your person!

 

On a related note, The Bates Motel has been up and down as of late. I was running it off of the APE/SIO2PC for a bit, it works, but $#%^& it is slow. If I could find a hard drive that worked reliably, or an MIO that would work with the newer hard drives, or some kind of hard drive interface that would work with the BBS software I have . . . so I will probably move it over to the Mega ST or the TT (I have a pipe dream of letting it run on the STacy . . .). I will keep at it.

 

And to think, this all started because I could not find an R-Time 8 ;-)

post-16779-0-93978200-1500244741.jpg

post-16779-0-93593300-1500244749.jpeg

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