electrotrains Posted March 29, 2017 Share Posted March 29, 2017 Hi All, As some of you may have noticed, I've been writing a series of DIY Atari 8-bit hardware articles for Excel magazine. For Issue #4 (due soon) I've contributed articles on both the Pixels Past 8k and 16k EPROM based cartridges, and also building instructions for my own latest design, the UnoCart. Building your own UnoCart is not massively difficult and involves just a small amount of easy (thru-hole) soldering. The key item is a STM32F407 Discovery board, which is readily available from most electronics suppliers for <£20. Using an off the shelf arduino-like board avoids almost all of the difficult soldering. The only hard to get item is a Atari cartridge breakout board (pictured). The article describes how you can get these made from the provided files yourself from a PCB manufacturer (a batch of 10 can be obtained for not much more than £10 from the cheap chinese suppliers), but I thought it would be easier if I offered some spare ones here. These are suitable for XL/XE machines. So, if anybody is planning to work through the project in Excel magazine (and wants to get ready in advance), then I've got about 8 cartridge breakout boards spare and available for £3 + P&P. Please reply here if you want one. Can I ask that anybody asking for a board confirms they have already reserved their copy of issue #4 of Excel magazine, since I'd prefer these boards to go to readers of the magazine. Robin 7 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Brentarian Posted March 29, 2017 Share Posted March 29, 2017 I'll take one breakout board please. I reserved issue #4 yesterday. Thanks, Brent Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
+orpheuswaking Posted March 29, 2017 Share Posted March 29, 2017 PM Incoming Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
docertabum01 Posted March 29, 2017 Share Posted March 29, 2017 Hello, I'd like one board, too. I also rrserved #4 (#3 as well btw) I didnt know there are still mags related to little Atari:). I'll send address in PM. Thanks! Sent from my Redmi Note 3 using Tapatalk Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
+orpheuswaking Posted March 30, 2017 Share Posted March 30, 2017 I'm looking forward to issue #4 for sure. I'm loving all the modern magazines, Excel, Pro©, Eight Bit etc 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
+Stephen Posted March 30, 2017 Share Posted March 30, 2017 If you have any left, I'd be interested. Thanks for the link to Excel #4 - I ordered. I have the other 3, great magazine. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TheMontezuma Posted March 30, 2017 Share Posted March 30, 2017 I can't wait for Excel #4 (already ordered) to read the UnoCart - DIY article Excel #1-3 are really great ! I assume that a Atari cartridge breakout board is the same that you already posted months ago, but I wondered if I need exactly the STM32F407 Discovery board as on the picture? Will the following boards work as well? STM32F407VGT6 STM32F407VET6 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
electrotrains Posted March 30, 2017 Author Share Posted March 30, 2017 (edited) I can't wait for Excel #4 (already ordered) to read the UnoCart - DIY article Excel #1-3 are really great ! I assume that a Atari cartridge breakout board is the same that you already posted months ago, but I wondered if I need exactly the STM32F407 Discovery board as on the picture? Will the following boards work as well? STM32F407VGT6 STM32F407VET6 The breakout board is a bit longer (as long as I could make it while keeping it in the cheapest price band for PCBs) so it will fit and work in an XL as well as an XE. Otherwise the same. The two items you lists are simply the part numbers for the bare microcontrollers themselves. The Discovery development board used breaks out all the pins to headers (so no soldering), and has all the decoupling capacitors and voltage regulator required to support the microcontroller. EDIT - it also allows easy programming of the firmware via USB from a PC, so no other hardware required. Robin Edited March 30, 2017 by electrotrains 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TheMontezuma Posted March 30, 2017 Share Posted March 30, 2017 (edited) Sorry, here is an example link: http://www.ebay.de/itm/272501793801 Edited March 30, 2017 by TheMontezuma Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
electrotrains Posted March 30, 2017 Author Share Posted March 30, 2017 (edited) If you know what you are doing then any development board that has a STM32F407VET6 or VGT6 should work ok, as long as it breaks out the required pins, and can be powered by 5v from the cartridge port. Obviously the article (and any support from me!) is limited to the "official" discovery board. Robin Edited March 30, 2017 by electrotrains 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
electrotrains Posted April 5, 2017 Author Share Posted April 5, 2017 (edited) I've still got a few breakout boards left, if anyone else wants one. Postage to the USA (and Europe) is only £2. Issue #4 of Excel (with the DIY UnoCart article) is due out in the new few days. A huge amount of work goes into each issue - so even if you don't fancy building a DIY UnoCart - please support this great new magazine by ordering your copy. Robin Edited April 5, 2017 by electrotrains 5 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
+MacRorie Posted April 5, 2017 Share Posted April 5, 2017 I've still got a few breakout boards left, if anyone else wants one. Postage to the USA (and Europe) is only £2. Issue #4 of Excel (with the DIY UnoCart article) is due out in the new few days. A huge amount of work goes into each issue - so even if you don't fancy building a DIY UnoCart - please support this great new magazine by ordering your copy. Robin used it as an opportunity to order all four issues! 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
+DrVenkman Posted April 8, 2017 Share Posted April 8, 2017 Not directly related to the magazine orders, but if you're thinking of building one, I just wanted to say I received my Uno Cart today, spent a little while converting my collection of .bin files to .car versions and have been giving it a good set of tests - I haven't yet tried .xex or .atr compilations, but for cartridges it's working pretty darn well! I'm very pleased, especially given the incredibly reasonable price. My only question has to do with the .html conversion tool hosted on Github ... aside from trial and error and basic common sense, is there any way to know what type of format to select when converting .bin files to .car? For those damnable OSS carts, at least the AtariWiki site has .car files already in a number of formats. Anyway, thanks to Electrotrains (and FJC for his fantastic little firmware and file searching!) ... This is a great little cart. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
+David_P Posted April 21, 2017 Share Posted April 21, 2017 An earlier version of the breakout boards (v1.1) is also available from OSH Park. http://atariage.com/forums/topic/236819-xlxe-cartridge-slot-breakout-pcb-board-file-spares-available/?p=3343361 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Almerian Posted April 22, 2017 Share Posted April 22, 2017 I would like a cartridge breakout board. I have reserved issue 4 of the Excel magazine. And also ordered 1, 2 and 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kyle22 Posted April 23, 2017 Share Posted April 23, 2017 (edited) I use Altirra to make .car files so I can try them and make sure I have the car type correct. Edit: spelling Edited April 23, 2017 by Kyle22 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
malan23 Posted April 23, 2017 Share Posted April 23, 2017 I just ordered all four issues! 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
xdslx Posted April 24, 2017 Share Posted April 24, 2017 I would like to have one Atari cartridge breakout board , if there is any left. thank you Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
flashjazzcat Posted April 24, 2017 Share Posted April 24, 2017 (edited) Just to point out that Robin wrote the menu (including file search feature) for the Uno (I just provided the hacks to the soft-loaded OS, which is based on Altirra OS). He did a fine job too. Edited April 24, 2017 by flashjazzcat Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
xdslx Posted April 24, 2017 Share Posted April 24, 2017 (edited) how to delete a post . lol Edited April 24, 2017 by xdslx Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
xdslx Posted April 24, 2017 Share Posted April 24, 2017 (edited) . Edited April 24, 2017 by xdslx Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chongo Chile Posted May 4, 2017 Share Posted May 4, 2017 Robin, i orden Printed and PDP Excell magazines Nº 1, 2, 3 and 4. So I am waiting them tho make your "uno" proyect!!. Thanks four your contibution's to the Atari world. Francisco Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
xdslx Posted May 5, 2017 Share Posted May 5, 2017 one thing to make clear , will we use the pin strips on the cartridge breakout 2,2,2,2,2 (2pinsx5) or 5,5 (5 pins x2) ? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
xdslx Posted November 30, 2019 Share Posted November 30, 2019 I had some problems and I got DIY unocart working in 2018. I didnt login to atariage for a time so I m posting this now. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
E474 Posted December 2, 2019 Share Posted December 2, 2019 Hi, Is there a version of SpartaDos X that runs on the UnoCart? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Like us on Facebook
Follow us on Twitter
AtariAge on Instagram
Watch us on YouTube
Chat on Discord
Recommended Posts
Join the conversation
You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.
Note: Your post will require moderator approval before it will be visible.