Atari Portfolio IDE Kit needs modified Parallel Interface

[rcamp48]

Hey guys, I just found out that the Atari Portfolio IDE kit also needs a modified Parallel interface, this is the setup for it , I will probably get Don to do 3 of them for me , I have 1 and have another 2 coming .... I thought according to the wiring diagram there was no modifications needed on the Atari Portfolio interface, but I was wrong, there is a total of 21 short wires needed to be soldered to the back of the circuit board. I can get Don to do a few and buy a few more as well, I have a good source for extra parallel ports.

If anyone wants their money back, I will understand, Don has the money saved , but if anyone wants to go ahead with parallel port modification, we can do it for you. (AS well as memory upgrades). I am getting my 2 Atari Portfolios upgraded later this summer.

     8255               Sub-D-25                IDE
  pin   name           pin   name            pin   name

    5   Port A.0 ------  2   Data 0  -------- 17   Data 0
    4   Port A.1 ------  3   Data 1  -------- 15   Data 1
    3   Port A.2 ------  4   Data 2  -------- 13   Data 2
    2   Port A.3 ------  5   Data 3  -------- 11   Data 3
   44   Port A.4 ------  6   Data 4  --------  9   Data 4
   43   Port A.5 ------  7   Data 5  --------  7   Data 5
   42   Port A.6 ------  8   Data 6  --------  5   Data 6
   41   Port A.7 ------  9   Data 7  --------  3   Data 7

   20   Port B.0 ------  1   Strobe  --------  4   Data 8
   21   Port B.1 ------ 14   Auto Feed-------  6   Data 9
   22   Port B.2 ------ 16   Init    --------  8   Data 10
   24!  Port B.3 ------ 17   Select in------- 10   Data 11
   25   Port B.4 ~~~~~~ 18*  (Gnd)   -------- 12   Data 12
   26   Port B.5 ~~~~~~ 19*  (Gnd)   -------- 14   Data 13
   27   Port B.6 ~~~~~~ 20*  (Gnd)   -------- 16   Data 14
   28   Port B.7 ~~~~~~ 21*  (Gnd)   -------- 18   Data 15

   16   Port C.0 ------ 12   Paper out------- 35   Address 0
   17   Port C.1 ------ 13   Select  -------- 33   Address 1
   18   Port C.2 ~~~~~~ 22*  (Gnd)   -------- 36   Address 2
   19   Port C.3 ------ 15   Error   ---|>o--  1   /Reset
   15   Port C.4 ------ 11   Busy    ---|>o-- 37   /CS 0
   14   Port C.5 ------ 10   Ackn    ---|>o-- 38   /CS 1
   13   Port C.6 ~~~~~~ 23*  (Gnd)   ---|>o-- 25   /IO Read
   11!  Port C.7 ~~~~~~ 24*  (Gnd)   ---|>o-- 23   /IO Write

            25   Gnd     ----+---  2   Gnd
                     |--- 19    .
                     |--- 22    .
                     |--- 24    .
                     |--- 26    .
                     |--- 30    .
                     +--- 40   Gnd

              +5V---\/\/\--->|--- 39   /ACT (/Busy)
                  R    LED             
  Notes:
 the 25 pin connector  to CF side has been done as far as I know, the only thing left is modifying the parallel port....

Russ

 

Edited April 7, 2020 by rcamp48
fix mistake in text

[towmater]

You're not quite clear on what the mod requires, is there a guide somewhere?

9 hours ago, rcamp48 said:

Sub-D-25 

 

[+davidcalgary29]

Does he also do the backlighting upgrade?

[rcamp48]

We are talking about integrating the whole thing into a new parallel interface , nobody has done that yet,m I have two pictures of what Klaus did to his 20 years ago, I will attach them to this message. Question for the knowledgeable here: Is this possible to integrate everything for the IDE kit into the parallel interface I have one that I am sending to my friend in town, and let him design it , is the shield needed in the parallel interface ? I am talking to Klaus about that one ATM, here are the pictures, and yes my friend can do the backlightiing too as well as the 640 K upgrade. Note: he will NOT do what Klaus did on his , it will be neater than that.

 

[rcamp48]

After all of this has been done , it is much easier to obtain working zip drives and a few zip disks, each zip disk holds 100 Meg and the parallel port does not have to be modified, the drivers are proven and all you need is the zip drive a parallel port and the power supply plus the zip drive cable, I used to have one years ago, I am afraid that it is the better option, for the same price we can supply zip drives and one or two zip disks, much more reliable and easier to do.... I know that the probram is stable, I have used it, but I do not know if the POFOIDE even works properly with all IDE drives, they are bulkier and more expensive, and I have no idea whether or not the CF card will even work, Klaus has no idea , but Brad from California said it should work.

 

Russ

 

[rcamp48]

For those of you who have bought IDE kits , what are your thought on this topic, zip drives are more expensive to ship but do not require a modified parallel interface , 50 % of one half a dozen of the other , I do have 20 zip disks and can get more but zip drives are hard to come by , do any of you have them? I have the program, and its only $7.00 US to register the program for the serial number, it does work really good, I used to have one ......

 

Russ

 

 

 

[rcamp48]

2 hours ago, rcamp48 said:

After all of this has been done , it is much easier to obtain working zip drives and a few zip disks, each zip disk holds 100 Meg and the parallel port does not have to be modified, the drivers are proven and all you need is the zip drive a parallel port and the power supply plus the zip drive cable, I used to have one years ago, I am afraid that it is the better option, for the same price we can supply zip drives and one or two zip disks, much more reliable and easier to do.... I know that the probram is stable, I have used it, but I do not know if the POFOIDE even works properly with all IDE drives, they are bulkier and more expensive, and I have no idea whether or not the CF card will even work, Klaus has no idea , but Brad from California said it should work.

 

Russ

 

Chalk all f this up to the fact that I am going through depression with Covid 19 isolation ATM, I am still going through with the IDE kits but am holding off on taking any more orders until I get a clearer picture of what is involved in doing this mod. I am thinking less and less about zip dives as they are not cheaper, they are in fact more expensive and not as reliable, and I am sacrificing my only parallel port to do this as I have lots of CF cards. We are pioneering together in this field, stick with Don and I as we go into uncharted areas in making IDE kits built into the parallel interfaces. 

 

PS: I have ordered an SI WIFI modem  modem for my Atari Portfolio and am going through with a 640 K mod too, plus backlit on the Atari Portfolio. Please join me on Facebook in the Atari Portfolio Users Group, and the Atari Portfolio Group for those of you who can put up with Facebook, otherwise watch here for all news updates on the Atari Portfolio, I am very active on both groups , I actually scan YouTube for new articles and post them in both Facebook groups.

 

Lets just say that writing this all down has lifted my spirits and I am back to my usual joyful self, I am actually looking forward to getting my WiFi modem, as well as getting all of the updates going soon. Russ

 

For any of you who want to call me and listen to a cheerful voice , I will send through PM my phone number, or I can call you , I just got a $10.00 plan a month ago that allows my 930 mins to 10 top countries worldwide per month, and unlimited phione calling to North America and I would love to hear from you all. I also will be putting my bulletin board back online with 900,000 files online , 3.5 TBS online storage.

 

Hope to hear from you all soon, I am in a really good mood now , thanks to you guy out there. Russ

 

[rcamp48]

This is my CF setup without a modified Parallel interface , it is entirely doable, all of the plans are still in the works but I have pictures of the setup. We can do 3D printed housings for both the IDE kits and the CF to IDE adapters in particular the ones that I have ordered.

 

 

[walter_J64bit]

WoW, I don't have an Atari Portfolio but this is awesome!
 

Edited April 8, 2020 by walter_J64bit

[rcamp48]

This is better than integrating everything into one Parallel port as the parallel port can still be used as a file transfer device: Walter_J64bit, I will have an extra Atari Portfolio and parallel interface available , I now have 2 Atari portfolios and 2 extra Atari Portfolio Parallel Interfaces, (3 including mine), I will get all 3 modded.

 

[rcamp48]

On 4/7/2020 at 2:32 AM, rcamp48 said:

Hey guys, I just found out that the Atari Portfolio IDE kit also needs a modified Parallel interface, this is the setup for it , I will probably get Don to do 3 of them for me , I have 1 and have another 2 coming .... I thought according to the wiring diagram there was no modifications needed on the Atari Portfolio interface, but I was wrong, there is a total of 21 short wires needed to be soldered to the back of the circuit board. I can get Don to do a few and buy a few more as well, I have a good source for extra parallel ports.

If anyone wants their money back, I will understand, Don has the money saved , but if anyone wants to go ahead with parallel port modification, we can do it for you. (AS well as memory upgrades). I am getting my 2 Atari Portfolios upgraded later this summer.

     8255               Sub-D-25                IDE
  pin   name           pin   name            pin   name

    5   Port A.0 ------  2   Data 0  -------- 17   Data 0
    4   Port A.1 ------  3   Data 1  -------- 15   Data 1
    3   Port A.2 ------  4   Data 2  -------- 13   Data 2
    2   Port A.3 ------  5   Data 3  -------- 11   Data 3
   44   Port A.4 ------  6   Data 4  --------  9   Data 4
   43   Port A.5 ------  7   Data 5  --------  7   Data 5
   42   Port A.6 ------  8   Data 6  --------  5   Data 6
   41   Port A.7 ------  9   Data 7  --------  3   Data 7

   20   Port B.0 ------  1   Strobe  --------  4   Data 8
   21   Port B.1 ------ 14   Auto Feed-------  6   Data 9
   22   Port B.2 ------ 16   Init    --------  8   Data 10
   24!  Port B.3 ------ 17   Select in------- 10   Data 11
   25   Port B.4 ~~~~~~ 18*  (Gnd)   -------- 12   Data 12
   26   Port B.5 ~~~~~~ 19*  (Gnd)   -------- 14   Data 13
   27   Port B.6 ~~~~~~ 20*  (Gnd)   -------- 16   Data 14
   28   Port B.7 ~~~~~~ 21*  (Gnd)   -------- 18   Data 15

   16   Port C.0 ------ 12   Paper out------- 35   Address 0
   17   Port C.1 ------ 13   Select  -------- 33   Address 1
   18   Port C.2 ~~~~~~ 22*  (Gnd)   -------- 36   Address 2
   19   Port C.3 ------ 15   Error   ---|>o--  1   /Reset
   15   Port C.4 ------ 11   Busy    ---|>o-- 37   /CS 0
   14   Port C.5 ------ 10   Ackn    ---|>o-- 38   /CS 1
   13   Port C.6 ~~~~~~ 23*  (Gnd)   ---|>o-- 25   /IO Read
   11!  Port C.7 ~~~~~~ 24*  (Gnd)   ---|>o-- 23   /IO Write

            25   Gnd     ----+---  2   Gnd
                     |--- 19    .
                     |--- 22    .
                     |--- 24    .
                     |--- 26    .
                     |--- 30    .
                     +--- 40   Gnd

              +5V---\/\/\--->|--- 39   /ACT (/Busy)
                  R    LED             
  Notes:
 the 25 pin connector  to CF side has been done as far as I know, the only thing left is modifying the parallel port....

Russ

 

Edit, only 8 wires are needed on the inside of the interface, not 21 on the back of the interface, see ictures below:

Russ