UnoCart-2600 : a DIY SD multi-cart for the 2600

[Andrew Davie]

On 7/16/2021 at 10:18 PM, WicoKid said:

Any ideas? Has the firmware become specific to the Pcb board design? 

The very latest PCB design from me is compatible with both UnoCart and PlusCart firmware, as the address lines are "doubled" to the correct pins for both firmwares.  Earlier boards AFAIK were either UnoCart boards OR PlusCart boards (but not both).  That is, if you are putting firmware on a board that is not my dual-design, then you need to have firmware that is looking at the correct pins, so to speak, on the ARM.  That's because the UnoCart and PlusCart firmware use different pins for the address/data lines.

 

This is not a matter of "has the firmware become specific" but that the firmware was always specific, and only with my "dual mode" PCB could you mix and match the firmware/type you used. That is, my board is compatible with the UnoCart AND the PlusCart firmware. Earlier boards were UnoCart OR PlusCart.

 

That's my recollection. It's been a while since I've thought about it.

 

[Andrew Davie]

To refine the previous answer....

The new boards allow PlusCart OR UnoCart (original) firmware, thus allowing you to make a genuine UnoCart with these boards. There was not previously a UnoCart board available, and so you could not DIY UnoCart. Original UnoCart firmware does not run on the older boards, due to an address pin difference. The new board feeds the data/address pins to dual pins on the ARM, and so the firmware can choose either. The PlusCart firmware runs on all boards. And there's a UnoCart-version build of PlusCart, IIRC - which, at a guess, will run on original UnoCarts if you update the firmware on those.

 

[WicoKid]

Thank you for responding. Here are pictures of my construction from the Discovery board described in the Edwards original Unocart build on GitHub. The original instructions do not mention setting boot1/boot0. There is no repetitive pattern or sound the Atari makes, after turning on, it does output video; anything from blank screen and no sound, to locked up but familiar (Atari) sounding beeps and buzzes; occasional black with light colored narrowed vertical stripes, occasionally orange screen with dark narrow vertical stripes.

 

After reading the thread on the PlusCartSD and watching the youtube videos, it is my next DIY project. However later in the thread there are downloads for firmware but after updates to PCB are mentioned,  I cannot find the updated Gerber files and cannot locate them on GitHub or even from video links. Sorry if I'm breaking some ettiquitte by asking....its hard to tell if the thread is a developer exchange or an open to all situation as far as the Gerber files.

[+Al_Nafuur]

1 hour ago, WicoKid said:

The original instructions do not mention setting boot1/boot0.

[+Al_Nafuur]

1 hour ago, WicoKid said:

 

After reading the thread on the PlusCartSD and watching the youtube videos, it is my next DIY project. However later in the thread there are downloads for firmware but after updates to PCB are mentioned,  I cannot find the updated Gerber files and cannot locate them on GitHub or even from video links. Sorry if I'm breaking some ettiquitte by asking....its hard to tell if the thread is a developer exchange or an open to all situation as far as the Gerber files.

 

 

The PlusCart Duo (Pluscart with WiFi and SD) is in an experimental stage and is not detected and fully supported by the PlusStore.

 

I think the latest version of the gerber files for the hybrid PlusCart/UnoCart board is in this post by @Andrew Davie

 

[Andrew Davie]

Here is a minor update. The holes for the MicroSD module were a bit small, and have been enlarged.

4 hours ago, WicoKid said:

After reading the thread on the PlusCartSD and watching the youtube videos, it is my next DIY project. However later in the thread there are downloads for firmware but after updates to PCB are mentioned,  I cannot find the updated Gerber files and cannot locate them on GitHub or even from video links. Sorry if I'm breaking some ettiquitte by asking....its hard to tell if the thread is a developer exchange or an open to all situation as far as the Gerber files.

 

I have just posted the latest board/schematics, and a GERBER export using PCBWay's CAM file for 2 layer boards into the tread @Al_Nafuur linked above. There was only a minor hole-size change, but makes all the difference when assembling.

[youxia]

Do you know any European sellers?

[manterola]

Maybe answered in the previous 17 pages..... Can an UnoCart2600 be housed in a "regular" original 2600 case? For example PacMan is quite common.. Does the PCB fit inside a pacman case? I know I will need to make some mods in order to provide a slot for the SD Card, but beside that modification?

 

I am asking, because I broke the tabs (of the 3d printed case) that open the dust cover of the sixer console. Maybe an Activision type case can also work.... I don't know... Any ideas?

 

[xefned]

20 minutes ago, manterola said:

Maybe answered in the previous 17 pages..... Can an UnoCart2600 be housed in a "regular" original 2600 case? For example PacMan is quite common.. Does the PCB fit inside a pacman case? I know I will need to make some mods in order to provide a slot for the SD Card, but beside that modification?

 

I am asking, because I broke the tabs (of the 3d printed case) that open the dust cover of the sixer console. Maybe an Activision type case can also work.... I don't know... Any ideas?

 

 

Yes, it will fit inside a regular Atari cart. I rehoused my UnoCart in a Combat cartridge. And I sent the 3d printed case back to MacRorie to reuse. 

 

Not sure about Activision cartridges, but the PCB aligns with a standard Atari cartridge perfectly, so Pac-Man will be an acceptable substitute.

[manterola]

Thanks for the help. I ended up repurposing a Pac-Man cartridge. I needed to cut and file the cart to make room for the PCB and for the SD card. Finally, I took a promotional old picture, applied a filter and used the 2600 label website to quickly create a label so the cart does not look “naked“.

Not that bad for quick hack....:

 

 

[xefned]

7 hours ago, manterola said:

 

OMG, that is WONDERFUL. 

I love it. Nice work!

[xefned]

 

Yours is way better, but while we're sharing our rehoused Uno-Carts, here's mine in a Combat cartridge.

 

[DFL]

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Edited December 23, 2021 by DFL
Sorry, double posted