PEB Splitter Boards

[atrax27407]

There are four holes on the edges of the card. I have found that a combination of stand-offs equaling 26mm is just the right height to line everything up with the console ( I used a 20mm and a 6 mm). Nylon stand-offs which are non-conductive work great. Of course, a project box would be better.

[+Vorticon]

For those of us living under a rock, what exactly do these boards do and how are they used physically?

[atrax27407]

I'll let Jim Fetzner tackle the hardware jargon but it basically allows to the connection of two P-Boxes to a single console.

[+Ksarul]

This is an update to the PEB splitter cables. As noted, it allows two PEBs on a single TI, so that those of you with more PEB cards than you can fit into a single PEB have an opportunity to try and use them all at once. This is especially useful if you have multiple RAM disk cards along with the usual stable of TI cards. . .and it also lets you put an HFDC in one box with the selector set to an address other than >1100 with a regular floppy controller in the other box--then you can have up to 8 floppies connected to one TI. . .

[+Vorticon]

Nice! So the board plugs into the side port of the TI and the PEBs connect to it via their individual flex cables? I need another PEB! Would it be possible to connect a PEB and a CF7+/NanoPEB as well?

[+Schmitzi]

This is an update to the PEB splitter cables. As noted, it allows two PEBs on a single TI, so that those of you with more PEB cards than you can fit into a single PEB have an opportunity to try and use them all at once. This is especially useful if you have multiple RAM disk cards along with the usual stable of TI cards. . .and it also lets you put an HFDC in one box with the selector set to an address other than >1100 with a regular floppy controller in the other box--then you can have up to 8 floppies connected to one TI. . .

 

 

oh, up to 8 HxC-drives in one system? thats great So, I need 3 of this nice spitter-cards please if still possible

 

thanks for one more fine feature

xXx

[RXB]

But you can daisy chain one PBOX to the next using a empty slot in each BOX the only real issue is number CRU address for cards.

 

Of course to do this you need the double edged card that plugs into a PBOX slot and then plug the Flex Cable into that doubled edged card.

[+Ksarul]

Rich, this just makes that process a lot easier, as both of the flex cable boots plug into the splitter. To do it your way also requires a modification to the end of the flex cable, so it is a lot more work. This is just plug and play. . .and you could put a CF7 or NanoPEB on one of the arms, but it may end up messing with the signaling to the PEB, as it might not fully shut down if it can pull any power from the splitter. There is no problem on the PEB side--when it is shut down, the CF7 or NanoPEB will work fine (when properly powered). It does make it relatively easy to swap between the two modes though, as you remove the CF7 to run the PEB (and if it does work fine just by turning it off, switching between them would be a snap). One other possibility is that you put cards in the PEB that use CRU addresses in addition to those used by the CF7/NanoPEB. It might actually be possible to use crazy things like RAM Disks, Hard Disks, P-System, SID Master, or other interesting PEB cards with the CF7. . .I wonder if the second RS-232 card would work with it. . .but that would depend on how far the DSR for the CF7 has been changed from the TI version.

Edited January 14, 2016 by Ksarul

[+arcadeshopper]

Rich, this just makes that process a lot easier, as both of the flex cable boots plug into the splitter. To do it your way also requires a modification to the end of the flex cable, so it is a lot more work. This is just plug and play. . .and you could put a CF7 or NanoPEB on one of the arms, but it may end up messing with the signaling to the PEB, as it might not fully shut down if it can pull any power from the splitter. There is no problem on the PEB side--when it is shut down, the CF7 or NanoPEB will work fine (when properly powered). It does make it relatively easy to swap between the two modes though, as you remove the CF7 to run the PEB (and if it does work fine just by turning it off, switching between them would be a snap). One other possibility is that you put cards in the PEB that use CRU addresses in addition to those used by the CF7/NanoPEB. It might actually be possible to use crazy things like RAM Disks, Hard Disks, P-System, SID Master, or other interesting PEB cards with the CF7. . .I wonder if the second RS-232 card would work with it. . .but that would depend on how far the DSR for the CF7 has been changed from the TI version.

 

Oo that would give us the HDX mod AND the nano..

[Omega-TI]

Diodes?

[Labtech1]

I did this 25 years ago using a Y cable I built ... Why bother with BOARDS ?

[+Ksarul]

Boards are the way to go now primarily due to the non-availability of the 44-pin male connectors. Female connectors can be found everywhere. . .males are a bit like hens-teeth. The boards are also nice and stable once connected,

[Omega-TI]

I still think it would be nice if a 3D printed enclosure could be made for your board...

[+arcadeshopper]

btw these are at arcadeshopper for purchase, or direct through Jim

[PeBo]

Has anyone tested this with a nanoPEB connected but shut off (or unplugged) when using the PEB. Saw the scenario mentioned above, but not sure if it was finallytested. Sure would make switching between them SOOO much easier than swapping them.

 

The boards are cheap enough that I'll probably order one this week anyway...sure to come in handy someday in either case (and if the nanoPEB question remains untested, for $30 (200 million Canadian?)) I'm happy to be the guinea pig.)

[mnbvcxz]

Here in Portland Oregon Terry Priest would daisy chain using 1 slot PEB cablecards to hook 12 PEB to one TI for printing with 4 modified RS232 cards per box and 2 printers per RS232.

 

He was doing this for the store he worked for, and did this for years.

What was he doing with 96 printers?

[RXB]

LOL he was printing out inventories for a yearly taxes on inventory of each department.

[+FarmerPotato]

The connectors I'm using now cost just about as much as the boards do (and are difficult to find unless bought in bulk, as the parts houses don't usually stock them and need a large enough order to make it worth their time), so the end price will be $28 each, assembled and shipped to US addresses. For sales outside the US, additional shipping would be based on the cost to ship to the desired country. I'll try and put up a picture of the current version of the assembled boards this weekend.

Which connector is hard to get?

 

I noticed our friend at UnicornElectronics has some 44 pin female card edge connectors and thought of this thread.

 

I can appreciate why Jamie used a 44 pin punch-down block on some CF7+ models, cabled to a commodity 40-pin IDE connector.

 

http://www.unicornelectronics.com/Connectors/coce20pc.html

[+Ksarul]

This type of application requires the straddle mount type of 44-pin connector for strength and mechanical stability. They are not easy to find. It is also possible to take the wire-wrap type and form them to fit (giving equivalent stability), but they are just as hard to find. The 44-pin right angle and the 44-pin straight through types with short pins are easy, I can get those from several sources--but they don't work well (or at all in the case of the ones with short, straight pins).

[PeBo]

While I'm sure I would have found the answer if I had taken the time to go through this and other threads on the splitter boards, I still would have probably wanted to have tried it myself (nothing ventured nothing gained), since it would have been so damned handy.

 

Unfortunately as others had suggested, the boards do not allow a nanoPEB and a PEB to be connected simultaneously, even if the nanoPEB is disconnected from a power source. I just get Tursi's F18A green screen.

 

Now, that is not to take away from the usefulness of the boards for folks with more cards than a single PEB can accommodate, and using a nanoPEB was never an intended function. Unfortunately for those of us who would prefer not to continually swap between a nano and an actual PEB (it's gotta be wreaking havoc on the connectors) there still remains no solution besides a second console (or just dumping the nano for an HxC or HDX storage solution).

 

I never expected to use them simultaneously, but hoped I could at least leave them both plugged in with only the active unit powered up. Since others had asked the same question, the can now know that it doesn't work.

 

Forgive the next question if it demonstrates a lack of hardware knowledge, but would it be possible to « barebones » a nanoPEB board, disabling the RS232 / 32K and, using the splitter, have it work simultaneously with a PEB as an additional controller and 3 additional drives??? (I warned it might be a stupid question).

 

Just buying an HxC would probably prove to be less hassle, but I already have a nanoPEB (and you don't want to know the price of a lothrek drive with the current CAD exchange rate!).

[+Lee Stewart]

Forgive the next question if it demonstrates a lack of hardware knowledge, but would it be possible to « barebones » a nanoPEB board, disabling the RS232 / 32K and, using the splitter, have it work simultaneously with a PEB as an additional controller and 3 additional drives??? (I warned it might be a stupid question).

 

I should think it easier to remove the 32K and RS232 boards from the PEB than to disable those same on the nanoPEB. Whichever way that is accomplished, the other conflict is the disk controllers. If you can change the CRU address of any controllers in the PEB to something other than 1100h (I think that's the normal address), you can likely have them both living in harmony.

 

...lee

[PeBo]

 

I should think it easier to remove the 32K and RS232 boards from the PEB than to disable those same on the nanoPEB....

...lee

Doh!

 

That was a slap myself in the head moment.