Lotharek's SIO Splitter (a.k.a USB hub)

[+Philsan]

Yes, Lotharek's splitter is a very nice solution.

 

I've connected:

SIO2PC-USB

1050 drive

1050 drive

 

I use the remaining free port for other less used SIO devices like SDrive, SIO2SD, SIO2BT, recorders,printers...

 

 

[TheMontezuma]

And when the SIO splitter is powered with an external power supply,

devices getting power over SIO (like SDRIVE-MAX or SIO2BT) are powered on all the time, regardless if Atari is on or off.

 

 

[ACML]

So when I put a multimeter on this PSU, I get 5.37 VDC.  Is that to be expected when not plugged in to anything or should it be closer to 5.0 VDC?  Basically, is 5.37 VDC too much voltage?

Edited October 9, 2019 by ACML

[_The Doctor__]

Read under load... I like 5.2 or slightly less, but DMM error these day could be more or less... ymmv

Edited October 9, 2019 by _The Doctor__

[+Allan]

Never had one of these multi-voltage power supplies before. So I am assuming you should set it to 5V? Just wanted to ask before I kill any Atari equipment.

[+orpheuswaking]

What I would really like is the ability to connect several a8 machines to a group of peripherals without worrying about power flowing back into the machines and causing issues. Maybe 3 slots for a8s and 5 slots for peripherals

[TGB1718]

On 10/9/2019 at 2:10 AM, ACML said:

So when I put a multimeter on this PSU, I get 5.37 VDC.  Is that to be expected when not plugged in to anything or should it be closer to 5.0 VDC?  Basically, is 5.37 VDC too much voltage?

I have a few of those types of PSU's, they are not modern switch mode, so unloaded output is usually a lot more than the

selected voltage, sometimes by many volts, try putting a resistor (of suitable resistance/wattage) across the terminals 

and measure again.

 

 

[SS]

24 minutes ago, orpheuswaking said:

What I would really like is the ability to connect several a8 machines to a group of peripherals without worrying about power flowing back into the machines and causing issues. Maybe 3 slots for a8s and 5 slots for peripherals

I would like this too.  I have multiple A8s modified in different ways and it would be great to have a way to keep a number of machines connected at the same time so that I wouldn't have to keep swapping them out. 

[TGB1718]

Meant to say, I usually use these to power DC-DC Buck regulators, they are fine for that.

[Mathy]

Hello orpheuswaking

 

On 10/11/2019 at 4:49 PM, orpheuswaking said:

What I would really like is the ability to connect several a8 machines to a group of peripherals without worrying about power flowing back into the machines and causing issues. Maybe 3 slots for a8s and 5 slots for peripherals

 

Something like a combination of the Atari 2 computer interface and the SIO-Splitter.

 

Sincerely

 

Mathy

[JR>]

I've used my MPP Micronet and Deluxe Quintopus in conjunction like that, but now that I think about it, I have no idea if the Micronet provides 5V out or not.

[Mr Robot]

12 hours ago, Mathy said:

Hello orpheuswaking

 

 

Something like a combination of the Atari 2 computer interface and the SIO-Splitter.

  

Sincerely

 

Mathy

@Mathy Just noticed the link to the nunjoy on this page is a 404

 

[Mathy]

Hello Steve

 

Thanks for reminding me.  HARdwareDoc (and a couple of other people) toke his pages offline, because some troll was causing trouble in Germany.

 

Sincerely

 

Mathy

 

[ACML]

On 10/11/2019 at 10:15 AM, TGB1718 said:

I have a few of those types of PSU's, they are not modern switch mode, so unloaded output is usually a lot more than the

selected voltage, sometimes by many volts, try putting a resistor (of suitable resistance/wattage) across the terminals 

and measure again.

 

 

Well, I finally had a chance to test under load and it does not drop a bit.  Still showed 5.37 VDC.  One click down on the selector was 4.5 VDC and it hit it dead on.  Maybe this was a bad one or the 5VDC setting just isn't designed to be that accurate.  Sending back to Amazon.

 

[Guest]

On 10/4/2019 at 3:23 AM, JR> said:

There was also the Quintopus.  The deluxe model even had switchable ports.

http://www.realdos.net/SIO_Quintopus.html

i have the deluxe - the switches are useful

[JR>]

2 hours ago, brenski said:

i have the deluxe - the switches are useful

Is your board populated with the 5 IC Chips?  I believe 4 of them are quad analog switches?  Most pictures I've seen of the deluxe model have them.  Mine just has the switches and several jumpers, no ICs.  I guess they figured out later on in production that they didn't need to switch out so many lines. The switches do work this way and appear to be exactly the same switches used on the chipped model, so I don't think it was a user mod.

[Guest]

On 10/4/2019 at 3:23 AM, JR> said:

There was also the Quintopus.  The deluxe model even had switchable ports.

http://www.realdos.net/SIO_Quintopus.html

i have the deluxe - the switches are useful

 

8 hours ago, JR> said:

Is your board populated with the 5 IC Chips?  I believe 4 of them are quad analog switches?  Most pictures I've seen of the deluxe model have them.  Mine just has the switches and several jumpers, no ICs.  I guess they figured out later on in production that they didn't need to switch out so many lines. The switches do work this way and appear to be exactly the same switches used on the chipped model, so I don't think it was a user mod.

 

yes. mine's the six-port 2-switch, 5-IC (CD4066BCN)

1988 Computer Software Services Inc

version

Edited October 14, 2019 by Guest

[manterola]

16 hours ago, ACML said:

Well, I finally had a chance to test under load and it does not drop a bit.  Still showed 5.37 VDC.  One click down on the selector was 4.5 VDC and it hit it dead on.  Maybe this was a bad one or the 5VDC setting just isn't designed to be that accurate.  Sending back to Amazon.

 

In my experience, those multi  output voltage PSU are not very good. Maybe you can reuse a phone changer, as long as you can find the correct barrel connector. I use an Ikea 2.1 or 3.1 amps USB changer with a homemade cable. If don;t want the DIY approach there should be a cheap 5VDC switching PSU  with barrel connector in amazon or ebay.

[manterola]

Some cable like this will make it. 

https://rover.ebay.com/rover/0/0/0?mpre=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.ebay.com%2Fulk%2Fitm%2F163830022127

 

Sio splitter is 5.5mm 2.1mm or 5.5mm 2.5mm? 

[Mr Robot]

5.5 x 2.1 

 

This will work 

https://www.amazon.com/BOLWEO-100-240V-Wireless-Connector-5-5mmx2-1mm/dp/B0719GY29M

[ACML]

1 hour ago, Mr Robot said:

5.5 x 2.1 

 

This will work 

https://www.amazon.com/BOLWEO-100-240V-Wireless-Connector-5-5mmx2-1mm/dp/B0719GY29M

Thanks.  I just assumed it had to be a 5.0 x 2.1, but I had a 2.5 x 5.5 and it fit.  That's great news as 5.5 is very common.

Edited October 14, 2019 by ACML

[Mr Robot]

That 2.5 might be a little loose on the 2mm pin but it should work too.

 

[ACML]

I purchased the dedicated 5VDC unit off Amazon for $6.99 or $11.99 for 2.

 

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0719GY29M/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_title_o02_s00?ie=UTF8&th=1

This one is a winner.  They are 5.27 VDC without load and dropped to 5.17 VDC with a SIO2SD connected.  They have a 5.5mm x 2.1 mm barrel which works fine even though Lotharek calls out a 5.0xx x 2.1mm.  It's nearly impossible to find 5.0mm barrels and 5.5mm is everywhere.

Edited October 27, 2019 by ACML

[Faicuai]

1 hour ago, ACML said:

I purchased the dedicated 5VDC unit off Amazon for $6.99 or $11.99 for 2.

 

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0719GY29M/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_title_o02_s00?ie=UTF8&th=1

This one is a winner.  They are 5.27 VDC without load and dropped to 5.17 VDC with a SIO2SD connected.  They have a 5.5mm x 2.1 mm barrel which works fine even though Lotharek calls out a 5.0xx x 2.1mm.  It's nearly impossible to find 5.0mm barrels and 5.5mm is everywhere.

Interesting! (And thanks for going the extra mile and post this)...

 

Could you please, check noise-ingress?

 

Please, get to Basic, clear screen (no text except Ready prompt) and Poke 710,2. Then connect this power-supply to SIO-splitter, and watch closely screen. After 5 secs., disconnect again, and watch screen closely again. Repeat all over with Poke 710,4 (BOTH must be tested).

 

Any signs of ingress noise will be immediately visible there. Screens should appear completely clean, and out of any "structured" / flashing banding, or noise-speckles.

 

I am asking because I just got my back-up Incognito, together with an SIO splitter, both from LRK.

[ACML]

30 minutes ago, Faicuai said:

Interesting! (And thanks for going the extra mile and post this)...

 

Could you please, check noise-ingress?

 

Please, get to Basic, clear screen (no text except Ready prompt) and Poke 710,2. Then connect this power-supply to SIO-splitter, and watch closely screen. After 5 secs., disconnect again, and watch screen closely again. Repeat all over with Poke 710,4 (BOTH must be tested).

 

Any signs of ingress noise will be immediately visible there. Screens should appear completely clean, and out of any "structured" / flashing banding, or noise-speckles.

 

I am asking because I just got my back-up Incognito, together with an SIO splitter, both from LRK.

I'll have to check later, but I did notice that when the splitter is powered by the external 5 VDC adapter, the 5 VDC pin on the SIO to computer is isolated from the other four SIO powered pins (6 or 10, I forget which is 5 VDC and which is ground).  Which I think is good.  That way the external 5 VDC has no path back to the computer through the SIO.