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Can you get Powertran Cortex (TMS9995) PCBs ?


Megatron1999

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I have a set of the Powertran Cortex PCBs, actually (though they are not for sale). I plan to use them to make a new PCB layout at some point in time (and in the midst of all of the other things I am working on). The schematics , build instructions, newsletters, manuals, and a lot of Cortex software are readily available on the WHT FTP site and also on the Powertran Cortex site http://powertrancortex.com/ as a result of the efforts of a few of us over on the VintageComputerForum to document and preserve the system.

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A batch of blank Cortex PCBs came up on eBay a few years ago but they all got snapped up. The Cortex schematics are available (www.powertrancortex.com) as well as decent photos of both sides of a blank PCB, so remanufacture is perfectly possible but you'll have to lay everything out. They're quite big PCBs as well so will be relatively pricey.

 

I've got a design for a simple TMS9995 system (http://www.avjd51.dsl.pipex.com/tms9995_breadboard/tms9995_breadboard.htm) and there's a chap in Australia who has had a PCB for that manufactured, if that is of interest?

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A batch of blank Cortex PCBs came up on eBay a few years ago but they all got snapped up. The Cortex schematics are available (www.powertrancortex.com) as well as decent photos of both sides of a blank PCB, so remanufacture is perfectly possible but you'll have to lay everything out. They're quite big PCBs as well so will be relatively pricey.

 

I've got a design for a simple TMS9995 system (http://www.avjd51.dsl.pipex.com/tms9995_breadboard/tms9995_breadboard.htm) and there's a chap in Australia who has had a PCB for that manufactured, if that is of interest?

The Simple TMS9995 PCB really sounds interesting ... where can you get one and how much are they ?

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I don't think the chap who done the PCB is interested in selling them, but I can probably get the files and have a small run made. Price is around $25 per PCB plus postage. I'll try to get some more details and post them here.

Hi.

 

is there any pics of a finished / assembled unit ?? Do they have any sort of expansion to add video card etc

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I don't think the chap who done the PCB is interested in selling them, but I can probably get the files and have a small run made. Price is around $25 per PCB plus postage. I'll try to get some more details and post them here.

I'd be interested. Particularly if it had some sort of storage interface like an SD card etc.

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OK, the PCB for my TMS9995 breadboard project - http://www.avjd51.dsl.pipex.com/tms9995_breadboard/tms9995_breadboard.htm.

 

Photo below. The board is obviously only partially built in this photo, but it has been completed and works.

 

post-31406-0-48362000-1422393404_thumb.jpg

 

There are a few additions/changes to my original design:

-- Addition of a power LED.

-- Addition of an expansion connector. This has the same pinout as the 9995 itself, with the exception of the oscillator pins. This is provided merely as a convenience should you want to tinker with the hardware yourself.

-- Set of jumper pins to connect/disconnect the pullup resistors for some of the unused processor control signals. Pullup resistor can be disconnected if the signal is to be driven through the expansion connector.

-- The RS-232 connector is some sort of rectangular connector, not the usual D-type connector, and has a different pinout. If you want to use a D-type connector, you'll have to do a little bit of hard-wiring to it (only 3 wires needed).

-- You'll have to sort out your own +5V power supply and a reset button.

 

Board cost is UK£15 for the bare PCB, plus postage from the UK to wherever you are in the world. You'll need to source the components, connectors and IC sockets yourself.

 

If you can't program your own EPROMs, I can supply the BASIC and/or Forth EPROMs for you with the board. These will be around UK£5 each.

 

If you're interested, let me know.

 

Stuart.

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Not at the moment. But I'm tinkering with the idea of a more complex TMS9995 board with CF card, socket for F18A, and more flexible memory.

Now THAT'S what I'm talking about! Any idea as to when you are thinking about doing this? I'm looking for something that I can as a dedicated Forth system (no operating system at underneath it, Forth will be the OS). Your earlier board can do that, and even has a Forth for it, which is really cool, but I really want a method of storing code/data, so a CF (preferably SD) reader is exactly what I'm looking for. I personally am not too bothered about it supporting F18A or not (hey, the more the merrier, though, so why not) as I would probably interact with it via a serial port.

 

Have you thought about any kind of spec? I could do with two serial ports, and an expansion connector/interface for add-on boards (A/Ds, Digital inputs). The second serial port could probably go on the expansion connecter. No particular need to make special provision for it?

 

Very interested in this. I'm tempted to get one of the boards above, but without persistant storage it would be of limited use so probably would get used!

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Hi.

 

One expansion connector is somewhat limiting. If Stuart's Design was modified to have say four (4) expansion sockets, then it would be flexible enough to act as a intelligent backplane, allowing homebrew cards to be fitted. video Card, I/O Keyboard Card, CF, IDE Card etc etc .. It wouldn't take much work to change the design ??

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OK, the PCB for my TMS9995 breadboard project - http://www.avjd51.dsl.pipex.com/tms9995_breadboard/tms9995_breadboard.htm.

 

Photo below. The board is obviously only partially built in this photo, but it has been completed and works.

 

attachicon.gifboardpartasbld.jpg

 

There are a few additions/changes to my original design:

-- Addition of a power LED.

-- Addition of an expansion connector. This has the same pinout as the 9995 itself, with the exception of the oscillator pins. This is provided merely as a convenience should you want to tinker with the hardware yourself.

-- Set of jumper pins to connect/disconnect the pullup resistors for some of the unused processor control signals. Pullup resistor can be disconnected if the signal is to be driven through the expansion connector.

-- The RS-232 connector is some sort of rectangular connector, not the usual D-type connector, and has a different pinout. If you want to use a D-type connector, you'll have to do a little bit of hard-wiring to it (only 3 wires needed).

-- You'll have to sort out your own +5V power supply and a reset button.

 

Board cost is UK£15 for the bare PCB, plus postage from the UK to wherever you are in the world. You'll need to source the components, connectors and IC sockets yourself.

 

If you can't program your own EPROMs, I can supply the BASIC and/or Forth EPROMs for you with the board. These will be around UK£5 each.

 

If you're interested, let me know.

 

Stuart.

 

 

What would it take to create a 9995 based game console PCB, something along the lines of a Tomy Tutor Pyuuta Jr.

http://ultimateconsoledatabase.com/classics/tomy_puta_jr.htm

 

Thinking about the below components:

  • 9995 CPU
  • TMS9901 CRU
  • SN76489 sound chip
  • Socket for a F18A VDP (so no need for VDP ram on the PCB)
  • 1 or 2 joystick ports
  • cartridge port connector (as used in the TI-99/4A)
  • Socket for a 8K ROM that would contain a bare-bone OS
  • Some RAM (8K or perhaps 32K?)

 

And if one wants to go fancy:

  • TMS5220 speech synth chip (not sure if that would be worth the effort)

 

The above configuration could perhaps keep component count to a minimum?

Existing TI-99/4a Jon Guidry based PCB's could be used for storing the game ROM.

 

Obviously I'm not thinking about TI-99/4A compatibility. A small OS could be enough to initialize machine state, initialize RAM, etc.

Hardware wise, what would be the challenge considering component availability?

 

EDIT: Could it be physically possible to build a PCB like that fits in a raspberry pi box?

 

Yes, game software would need to be written, but that's part of the game ;)

Edited by retroclouds
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  • 1 month later...

Hi Mike here (from OZ)

 

Re PCB yes ... I did the design.. Staurt and myself have the boards if someone wants to build them

 

See my website ..

 

https://sites.google.com/site/gogleoops/

 

I still have few boards (if you are in this part of the world) and if you are in Europe region ..try to see if Stuart can supply them.

 

There is expansion circuit for the board I did.. that has 2 TMS9901 chips (breadboard stage at this point)..circuit is there .. will make a pcb for that expansion .. and will be free on the site ..

 

I use diptrace software for schematics and pcb's

 

If some people are interested have few other micro's info on the website too

 

all the best

 

Mike

 

 

 

post-41990-0-51970400-1427256399_thumb.jpg

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