SIO bus wiring, internally mounting of goodies..

[+rockdoc2010]

I am planning on installing a SIO2USB and possibly a SIO2SD as well as a PR connection within a 1200xl.

 

do I have to daisy chain each item that is internally mounted or can I just jump on to the bus and ensure that each item gets the 4 lines required as they all have there own "ID"??

 

just attach the required lines to the SIO pins on the motherboard? I was planning on installing a SIO socket that had pins bent up as to allow internal access to the mother board and then use the SIO port as third in line..

 

Additionally.. is there a preference or mandatory placement on the bus that certain items should go? I usually had printers at the end of the chain but the PR connection seems to want to be first if I interpret the manual correctly.

 

Thanks for the input!

 

Douglas

 

 

[Rybags]

I've got one selfbuilt internal SIO2PC and an external.

 

Personally, I'd probably do it externally, leaves room inside the machine for more important upgrades like Ultimate 1 Meg, VBXE and the like.

 

One thing I've noticed with my 130XE that has the internal one, for some reason the external SIO2PC refuses to work with it - it could be the case that there's not enough Amperage going through the +5V or could be something else.

 

Order in the chain, not really important. If you really need to have 2 devices internally, I'd probably put them in series and do the wiring to the underneath solder connections of the SIO port.

 

With my 130XE, I also tried to make it modular - the board containing the SIO2PC has pins which I plug the lead from the DE9 plug in. Allows seperation of the case halves and motherboard without having too much stuff tethered together.

 

If I was to do it again, I'd probably go a little different. Probably have wired soldered to the SIO plug then have a female plug at the end (think like the ones you have for USB ports that are external to the motherboard on PCs.

 

By going modular, you can more easily cater for failed components or future replacements.

 

Of course, all that said, the main disadvantage of building it inside the case is that you can't use it on other Atari computers (I've got 10 + an 800XL motherboard).

Edited February 28, 2014 by Rybags