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New Hardware: Atari 400 RAM-Card 48/52 KB & external OS-ROM


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@Jürgen,

Would you consider an EPROM based "Atari 800 10K ROM Card" replacement (with built-in 4 x "OS Switch")?

 

I can't wait for the announced "Atari 400 RAM-Card 48/52 KB & external OS-ROM" board.

It will allow me to run SIO2BT with my NTSC Atari 400 :)

Edited by TheMontezuma
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@Jürgen,

Would you consider an EPROM based "Atari 800 10K ROM Card" replacement (with built-in 4 x "OS Switch")?

 

Interesting idea - but I would suggest also with memory, would enable the 52K mode easily and none of the old RAM carts will be necessary any longer (old DRAMs draw much of the power and let the components on the power PCB get relative hot). Only two wires must be soldered, not more, oll other signals are present at the personality connector.

 

Will make some thoughts about it the next days...

 

Jurgen

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Hi all,

 

some days to go, but thanks to all user showing their interest! Please take a look to the list above and report any error using PN to me - thanks!

 

Jurgen

.

Interest list for Atari 400 48/52 KB RAM Card
---------------------------------------------

High quality PCB with green solder mask, white silkscreen and ENIG (immersion gold) surface finiash. Addon: ribbon cable (crimped ready for use).

AA Nickname       Quantity
===========       ========
beamer320i        1
olix              1
FULS              2
SenorRossie       1
Allan             1
poobah            1
venom4728a        2
Stephen           2
Gandor            1
kazmat            1
jvas              1
rdea6             1
Bunsen            1
ProWizard         1
1050              1
ndary             1
TheMontezuma      1
AtariGeezer       1
Bill Lange        1
lesoleil70        1

Date: 2017-06-27 8pm (Germany Time)

Status of project: Will be made!

Final price each 48/52 KB RAM-Card: 22 Euros
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Interested in one unit please.

 

Danke!

 

BTW, as it has become rather easy with the Super Colour CPU card, I am planning to convert my 400 to PAL. Is there any European source for the required PAL ANTIC/GTIA and quartz or is it Best or B&C only?

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Interested in one unit please.

 

Danke!

 

BTW, as it has become rather easy with the Super Colour CPU card, I am planning to convert my 400 to PAL. Is there any European source for the required PAL ANTIC/GTIA and quartz or is it Best or B&C only?

 

You can get PAL GTIA, NTSC and crystal from me, I have some spare parts.

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Actual version :)

.

Interest list for Atari 400 48/52 KB RAM Card
---------------------------------------------

High quality PCB with green solder mask, white silkscreen and ENIG (immersion gold) surface finiash. Addon: ribbon cable (crimped ready for use).

AA Nickname       Quantity
===========       ========
beamer320i        1
olix              1
FULS              2
SenorRossie       1
Allan             1
poobah            1
venom4728a        2
Stephen           2
Gandor            1
kazmat            1
jvas              1
rdea6             1
Bunsen            1
ProWizard         1
1050              1
ndary             1
TheMontezuma      1
AtariGeezer       1
Bill Lange        1
lesoleil70        1
slx               1
RodLightning      1
Brentarian        2
sector2814        1
mattlacey         1

Date: 2017-06-30 6pm (German Time)

Status of project: Will be made!

Final price each 48K RAM-Card: 22 Euros
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Hi all,

 

thanks for early birds! More than 50% of all orders already paid. I´ve order PCBs and parts a few minutes ago, so I can hold the timeline ;)

 

Here´s the actual (will be updated, see date & time below) order list. If someone want also have one, drop me a PN.

 

Jurgen

.

Order list for Atari 400 48/52 KB RAM Card
------------------------------------------

AA Nickname       Quantity   Payment
====================================
beamer320i        1
olix              1          paid
FULS              2          paid             
SenorRossie       2          paid
Allan             1          paid
poobah            1          paid
venom4728a        2          paid
Stephen           2          paid
Gandor            1          paid
kazmat            1          paid
jvas              1          paid
rdea6             1          paid
Bunsen            1          paid
ProWizard         1          paid
1050              1          paid
ndary             1          paid
TheMontezuma      1          paid
AtariGeezer       1          paid
Bill Lange        1          paid
lesoleil70        1
slx               1          paid
RodLightning      1          paid
Brentarian        2          paid
sector2814        1          paid
mattlacey         1
corkentellis      1          paid
pkriek            1          paid
Fandenivoldsk     2          paid
Wolfsoft          2          paid

Date: 2017-07-08 11:40 am (German Time)

If anything is wrong on this list, please sent me a PN!

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  • 2 weeks later...

Hi,

 

all rumours you ever heard about the german customs... they are true! :mad:

 

I ordered the PCBs immediately after end of collect orders phase, the PCB house make them fast in 6 days, shipping out in China on 07/08. The parcel arrives Germany on 07/09. Since this day the shipment waits for customs clearance. I sent all necessary documents and called four times the DHL express (EXPRESS... haha) hotline. Always the same excusions... "due to high workload and too much shipments from China there´s a big delay"...

 

If I had get the shipment last week, I could already have been starting assembling all PCBs. Now my own vacancy time comes to the end, so I can´t hold the timeline "end of July". Sorry... never have had such problems, this is normally the reason why I pay some euros more and choose Express service :(

 

So to all purchasers... please be patient. Will finish the job as soon as possible. But first I´ve to get the PCBs...

 

Regards, Jurgen

 

post-15670-0-46818900-1500367678_thumb.png

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(...)

 

Due to this impossible mission to get more of the CO61553, I create my own solution - even better than the original ;)

 

Here´s the Atari 400 48/52 KB RAM-Card with "external" OS-ROM support using standard EPROM sizes:

 

attachicon.gifRAM_Card_Front.jpg

attachicon.gifRAM_Card_installed.jpg

 

This card is a full replacement for the 16 KB built-in RAM card. At least only two wires must be soldered at the bottom side of the Atari 400 mainboard. My RAM-card uses the same pinout like the CO61553 by Atari, but only 2 of the 4 wires suggested by Atari are really needed. But it works also, if you have already equipped an Atari 400 wit the CO61553, you can easily change to my RAM card, if you want.

 

The 74LS243 chip has to be removed, it´s not needed any longer. After soldering the 2 (or 4) wires, just plug in the DIL connector into the socket were the 74LS243 was before, the other end has to plugged on the new RAM card. That´s all.

 

The new RAM card uses SRAMs instead of DRAM and provides 48 KByte or 52 KByte main memory. When enabling the 52K RAM mode, the address range of $C000-$CFFF is also RAM. Please remind, that this area isn´t usable under BASIC (or, to be more precise, I didn´t know about that). A jumperfield on the PCB let´s you choose which size is active.

 

The second new feature is the possibility of using a standard 27128 or 27256 EPROM for the operating system (and math-pack). When the "external" OS-ROM mode is enabled, the three ROMs on the Atari 400 mainboard won´t be used anymore. You can remove them or leave it in their sockets. The EPROM´s first 6 KB are unused, then 2 KB math-pack will be followed by the 8 KB OS-ROM code.

 

A third jumperfield switches the highest address line A14 of the EPROM, so you can hold two different operating-system sets in one 27256 EPROM.

 

What you get?

 

- PCB "Atari 400 48K/52K RAM Card" with ENIG (Gold contacts) surface levelling. Picture shows only standard HASL, but I offer only the better quality with ENIG.

 

(...)

 

Best regards, Jurgen

 

 

 

 

...Mhmmm... been watching closely these developments (especially the board you have on the back, the new CPU board)...

 

I would DEFINITELY consider a NEW CPU board for the wonderful 800, that meets these basic specs:

 

  1. NTSC or PAL operation "soft" selectable from keyboard key-combination, either compatible or integrated in INCOGNITO BIOS (at BOOT time).
  2. Color POT *digitally* adjustable/addressable from keyboard key-combination, either compatible or integrated in INCOGNITO BIOS (at BOOT time).
  3. Video output that allows either RGB, Y/C or Composite output WITH or WITHOUT artifacting. Ideally, digitally adjustable / selectable (each output mode). ONLY way / reason I would consider running a separate video-output from 800's OEM one.
  4. Signal pick-up points on the side of CPU / ANTIC / GTIA side, if possible (not only back).
  5. Either direct replacement of OEM CPU board, or PBI-attachment to existing Incognito, and installed on 800's internal expansion bay, which is basically EMPTY and available after Incognito install. IF PBI-attached, could also be attached to any existing 800XL NTSC or PAL versions.

 

BY THE WAY: love your System Tester, already tried it... Wonder if it could be connected to Incognito's PBI port, and if its firmware could incorporate logic to test Incognito / Ultimate themselves... As we continue down this path, our reliance on critical system add-ons continues to increase, while comprehensive and reliable diagnostics continue to lag... not a good trend.

 

​The above would amount to a KILLER setup... would by instantly, and would promote myself for ages on this place... :-D ;)

​Cheers!!!

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