Cartridge for E/A and 8K battery RAM

[+TheBF]

I may not have searched hard enough but I am wondering about making a Cartridge with Editor Assembler GROM and an 8K battery ram with calendar and clock.

The 8K RAM could be easily written to and used to host CAMEL Forth.

Since the kernel is only 8K the battery RAM could be used to hold Forth in the cartridge but could be updated if need be very easily.

(I will have to cross-compile a slightly different version for this application but that's what we do this for isn't it?)

 

The real time clock and calendar is just a nice addition to the system.

 

Would a mini-memory cartridge board allow this kind of thing?

 

Anybody know if such a board exists?

 

The chip I have used in the past is old (MK48T18) but I see newer versions available like this:

 

https://4donline.ihs.com/images/VipMasterIC/IC/SGST/SGSTS16672/SGSTS16672-1.pdf

[+helocast]

I may not have searched hard enough but I am wondering about making a Cartridge with Editor Assembler GROM and an 8K battery ram with calendar and clock.

The 8K RAM could be easily written to and used to host CAMEL Forth.

Since the kernel is only 8K the battery RAM could be used to hold Forth in the cartridge but could be updated if need be very easily.

(I will have to cross-compile a slightly different version for this application but that's what we do this for isn't it?)

 

Rings a bell I've seen something like that, but like you, a cursory search after reading your post didn't produce anything.

 

Other than the obvious 24/28 pin size difference if using an existing Mini-mem pcb/cart (arcadeshopper has adapter boards), I'd say it would be a fairly easy realization.

I'll keep searching and reply back if I find anything:

[+jedimatt42]

This is generally called a "supercart"

 

[email protected]

[+jedimatt42]

https://www.arcadeshopper.com/wp/?page_id=11#!/PCB-Fetzner-Supercart-Cartridge-bare/p/44354006

[+Omega-TI]

The << Super Cart >> was a big thing back in the day.

 

[+TheBF]

Thanks for the responses. I will look into the supercart idea.

[RickyDean]

Thanks for the responses. I will look into the supercart idea.

Yes, I have one that was started 20 years ago, not finished yet, been in storage since then, that had a BCD switch to go between banks. could cram some stuff in there and was battery backed like a gram device. Since then, there have been a lot of improvements, by people like Ksarul.

 

Here is a link with some info, to get started. http://www.mainbyte.com/ti99/supercart/supercart.html

Edited March 28, 2019 by RickyDean

[senior_falcon]

I did this with 2 additional groms that can be selected with a switch. You can choose:

Editor/Assembler

MiniMemory

Disk Manager

But most of the time I just left it on the EA grom.

[+TheBF]

I think I will buy a board and case from Arcadeshopper after I kill a few million more bugs. :-)

[BeeryMiller]

On 3/28/2019 at 12:01 AM, INVISIBLE said:

The << Super Cart >> was a big thing back in the day.

 

Does anyone have the instructions for building the 8K cartridge inside an Editor/Assembler cartridge?  I prefer not to have battery back ram if such instructions exist someplace.

 

Beery

 

[Stuart]

1 hour ago, BeeryMiller said:

Does anyone have the instructions for building the 8K cartridge inside an Editor/Assembler cartridge?  I prefer not to have battery back ram if such instructions exist someplace.

 

Beery

 

Is this what you're after: http://www.mainbyte.com/ti99/supercart/supercart.html ?

[+TheBF]

2 hours ago, BeeryMiller said:

Does anyone have the instructions for building the 8K cartridge inside an Editor/Assembler cartridge?  I prefer not to have battery back ram if such instructions exist someplace.

 

Beery

 

I bought the board from arcadeshopper and the silk screen text tells you what parts go where. It's very straightforward from what I can see.

I don't need switches because I am going to start with some 8K clock rams I have sitting here. (I hope one of them works)  

 

I also found out that my old MK4818 chips drop right into the board as they are 28 pin. 

I have not sat down to build it yet because I need some sockets but I am look forward to having Camel Forth in cartridge with a clock and calendar available on the old 99.

 

[BeeryMiller]

1 hour ago, Stuart said:

Is this what you're after: http://www.mainbyte.com/ti99/supercart/supercart.html ?

I was thinking there was a version without the battery and led circuitry.

 

Beery

[+jedimatt42]

just leave them out... make sure cartridge port 5v goes to memory chip 5v.. 

[+arcadeshopper]

4 hours ago, BeeryMiller said:

I was thinking there was a version without the battery and led circuitry.

 

Beery

I sell a nice elegant pcboard designed by Jim: https://arcadeshopper.com/wp#!/PCB-Fetzner-Supercart-Cartridge-bare/p/44354006/category=0

[+TheBF]

43 minutes ago, arcadeshopper said:

I sell a nice elegant pcboard designed by Jim: https://arcadeshopper.com/wp#!/PCB-Fetzner-Supercart-Cartridge-bare/p/44354006/category=0

I can second that elegant design statement. 

[+FALCOR4]

I hope this is not too far off topic but this thread reminded me of an old cartridge I put together BITD.  Just something fun. Some of the crazy things we did!