Omega-TI Posted September 1, 2016 Share Posted September 1, 2016 I want to be clear, this is a 32k ram expansion for the side port that replaces the need for 32k in a PEB or replaces the 32k internal ram mod correct? No other bells whistles features or doodads right? Correct. 2 Quote Link to comment https://forums.atariage.com/topic/254502-32k-expansion-for-the-side-port-released/page/5/#findComment-3585148 Share on other sites More sharing options...
+jedimatt42 Posted September 1, 2016 Author Share Posted September 1, 2016 I may have gotten confused with several projects around here. I want to be clear, this is a 32k ram expansion for the side port that replaces the need for 32k in a PEB or replaces the 32k internal ram mod correct? No other bells whistles features or doodads right? An amazing accomplishment for sure, just trying to set my expectations properly, it can not; for instance, core a apple. No doodads. If you have 32k in your PEB, you do not need this. I love PEBs. PEBs are awesome, I have 2. Everyone should have at least one. But they are a pain to buy and ship and take up a lot of space. This memory board is targetting those that want their TI to stand on its own, without hacking on the insides, and to enable playing all the nice cartridge games that require 32k expansion ram. -M@ 3 Quote Link to comment https://forums.atariage.com/topic/254502-32k-expansion-for-the-side-port-released/page/5/#findComment-3585325 Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sinphaltimus Posted September 1, 2016 Share Posted September 1, 2016 No doodads. If you have 32k in your PEB, you do not need this. I love PEBs. PEBs are awesome, I have 2. Everyone should have at least one. But they are a pain to buy and ship and take up a lot of space. This memory board is targetting those that want their TI to stand on its own, without hacking on the insides, and to enable playing all the nice cartridge games that require 32k expansion ram. -M@ You are going to fill a much needed gap. Quote Link to comment https://forums.atariage.com/topic/254502-32k-expansion-for-the-side-port-released/page/5/#findComment-3585330 Share on other sites More sharing options...
LASooner Posted September 2, 2016 Share Posted September 2, 2016 I may have gotten confused with several projects around here. I want to be clear, this is a 32k ram expansion for the side port that replaces the need for 32k in a PEB or replaces the 32k internal ram mod correct? No other bells whistles features or doodads right? An amazing accomplishment for sure, just trying to set my expectations properly, it can not; for instance, core a apple. I'm sorry, if this doesn't core fruit, I'm out. Quote Link to comment https://forums.atariage.com/topic/254502-32k-expansion-for-the-side-port-released/page/5/#findComment-3585517 Share on other sites More sharing options...
+jedimatt42 Posted September 2, 2016 Author Share Posted September 2, 2016 I'm sorry, if this doesn't core fruit, I'm out. Well, if you jam it into an OS X machine, it might create a core-dump ( or the Apple equivalent ) However, I'm not going to guarantee that behavior. -M@ Quote Link to comment https://forums.atariage.com/topic/254502-32k-expansion-for-the-side-port-released/page/5/#findComment-3585521 Share on other sites More sharing options...
00WReX Posted September 3, 2016 Share Posted September 3, 2016 This memory board is targetting those that want their TI to stand on its own, without hacking on the insides, and to enable playing all the nice cartridge games that require 32k expansion ram. Yes, this is me 100% I'm not against an internal mod, but for me a memory expansion that can easily be moved between TI's, this is the perfect solution. Also, with the couple of TI's I have fixed recently, having an internal mod with wires going everywhere would make fixing / troubleshooting harder if the TI happens to die on me. So please keep me in mind for a couple please Cheers, Shane 1 Quote Link to comment https://forums.atariage.com/topic/254502-32k-expansion-for-the-side-port-released/page/5/#findComment-3586255 Share on other sites More sharing options...
Omega-TI Posted September 3, 2016 Share Posted September 3, 2016 Well, if you jam it into an OS X machine, it might create a core-dump ( or the Apple equivalent ) However, I'm not going to guarantee that behavior. -M@ So it will core (fruit) an Apple? Quote Link to comment https://forums.atariage.com/topic/254502-32k-expansion-for-the-side-port-released/page/5/#findComment-3586272 Share on other sites More sharing options...
+jedimatt42 Posted September 9, 2016 Author Share Posted September 9, 2016 Have you got a schematic? I started with the schematic for 32k PEB card from Thiery's TI Tech Pages. Adapted it down for sideport ( removing only the concern of enabling the flex cable buffers, I believe? ) That schematic is much earlier in this thread. Then I've been working on how much I can remove from that. The following is working as well as I can expect from a breadboard. I just need to tweak my pcboard layout a little bit and I'll go get a sample made. 32k-compact.pdf -M@ 7 Quote Link to comment https://forums.atariage.com/topic/254502-32k-expansion-for-the-side-port-released/page/5/#findComment-3590849 Share on other sites More sharing options...
+jedimatt42 Posted September 15, 2016 Author Share Posted September 15, 2016 So, I want to write a memory test program because the ones I have ( Corcomp Diagnostics in the XB2.7 Suite ) and the one I've written already all pass, and that is not correct. With my mess of jumper wires the breadboard prototype works, but it fails under certain programs... most obviously the parsec flashrom99 image that runs out of the 32k. Many other games work just fine, including things that undoubtedly run out of the 32k expansion such as the Mars Attack compiled basic program. So, I want to produce a memory test that also exposes this. Any advice? Note, I had similar issues with the earlier schematic on breadboard, and it works very well once solder is applied to a pcboard. So I have every reason to believe the same will be true once OSHpark ships me my board for the new compact schematic. 1 Quote Link to comment https://forums.atariage.com/topic/254502-32k-expansion-for-the-side-port-released/page/5/#findComment-3595018 Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tursi Posted September 16, 2016 Share Posted September 16, 2016 I've always got by with basic memory tests - write a different value to each address in the first pass, then go back and see if you read the same values back. Doing it in two passes like that will catch mismapped address lines and stuck bits (shorted or open), which is most cases. For added fun you can do it twice, once straight up and once inverting the values, that way you test all the bits. There are more complex tests intended to catch less straight-forward or more intermittent issues, but even something this basic will catch a hell of a lot. I've used it numerous times on bringing up new hardware (some of it even shipped with the code still in there ). 1 Quote Link to comment https://forums.atariage.com/topic/254502-32k-expansion-for-the-side-port-released/page/5/#findComment-3595254 Share on other sites More sharing options...
+jedimatt42 Posted September 16, 2016 Author Share Posted September 16, 2016 I've always got by with basic memory tests - write a different value to each address in the first pass, then go back and see if you read the same values back. Doing it in two passes like that will catch mismapped address lines and stuck bits (shorted or open), which is most cases. For added fun you can do it twice, once straight up and once inverting the values, that way you test all the bits. There are more complex tests intended to catch less straight-forward or more intermittent issues, but even something this basic will catch a hell of a lot. I've used it numerous times on bringing up new hardware (some of it even shipped with the code still in there ). Thanks! -M@ Quote Link to comment https://forums.atariage.com/topic/254502-32k-expansion-for-the-side-port-released/page/5/#findComment-3595290 Share on other sites More sharing options...
+arcadeshopper Posted September 19, 2016 Share Posted September 19, 2016 so.. you gonna have this ready for the shows? G Quote Link to comment https://forums.atariage.com/topic/254502-32k-expansion-for-the-side-port-released/page/5/#findComment-3597199 Share on other sites More sharing options...
+jedimatt42 Posted September 19, 2016 Author Share Posted September 19, 2016 (edited) I've got the revised / hopefully final / board out at OSHPark for initial samples.. went out last weekend. So I should be building the first 3 next weekend.Which reminds me, I need to order dip sockets....Man, how the time flies...I'm still going with upright layout, and header instead of edge card pass thru.I've worked up as good as I can get on this memory test ROM. It'll run out of FlashRom99, or earlier rom boards. It is just an 8k bin. Makes 10 passes at about 5 testing patterns against all of the 32k expansion memory.-edited- ver 1.1 with some cosmetic tuneup: 32kexptest.bin Final message doesn't write over screen footer. Default screen is cyan (cause I like it) Successful completion screen turns green. version banner changed to 1.1 -M@ Edited October 12, 2016 by jedimatt42 4 Quote Link to comment https://forums.atariage.com/topic/254502-32k-expansion-for-the-side-port-released/page/5/#findComment-3597208 Share on other sites More sharing options...
+Ksarul Posted September 19, 2016 Share Posted September 19, 2016 This shall be added to my test toolbox as a physical cartridge. That way I can test with no hardware dependencies. 1 Quote Link to comment https://forums.atariage.com/topic/254502-32k-expansion-for-the-side-port-released/page/5/#findComment-3597327 Share on other sites More sharing options...
+jedimatt42 Posted September 19, 2016 Author Share Posted September 19, 2016 This shall be added to my test toolbox as a physical cartridge. That way I can test with no hardware dependencies. A dedicated cart would be nice. I hate to use a bank switching board for something as little as this... Although I do have a black cartridge board I haven't found a use for yet. -M@ 1 Quote Link to comment https://forums.atariage.com/topic/254502-32k-expansion-for-the-side-port-released/page/5/#findComment-3597483 Share on other sites More sharing options...
+Ksarul Posted September 19, 2016 Share Posted September 19, 2016 I build and test 40-50 cartridge boards of various types in a dedicated hobby weekend. Using one of those boards for a test cartridge actually saves on the overall labor required--although I could put the EPROM into one of the boards I have with an installed ZIF socket if I really needed to. . .but doing it as a dedicated cartridge also lets the boys run the tests for me. Muuuuaaaaaahhhh! Quote Link to comment https://forums.atariage.com/topic/254502-32k-expansion-for-the-side-port-released/page/5/#findComment-3597503 Share on other sites More sharing options...
+jedimatt42 Posted September 22, 2016 Author Share Posted September 22, 2016 Just a teaser - I received the sample boards yesterday (rev1) - waiting on components to populate it and test (hopefully that is what happens Saturday) before ordering parts in greater volume. I already know of one issue, but I can revise that safely without a retest. The holes for the powerjack are too small. I'll machine some pins down to fit for testing, but make the holes larger for the rev2 board. -M@ 7 Quote Link to comment https://forums.atariage.com/topic/254502-32k-expansion-for-the-side-port-released/page/5/#findComment-3599581 Share on other sites More sharing options...
+jedimatt42 Posted September 22, 2016 Author Share Posted September 22, 2016 Oh, and I've ordered 74hc chips to try... my earlier work has all been with 74ls chips... Stuart measured a current load much lower than I've been able to achieve, and I'm hoping this will work off the sideport power. There is a jumper for selecting the powerjack or internal power. I'll measure and let us all know. -M@ Quote Link to comment https://forums.atariage.com/topic/254502-32k-expansion-for-the-side-port-released/page/5/#findComment-3599697 Share on other sites More sharing options...
+save2600 Posted September 22, 2016 Share Posted September 22, 2016 Your board looks sweet and like that you screened the part numbers/values/orientation on it too. Really looking forward to this! Will be available to purchase in kit form as well? Quote Link to comment https://forums.atariage.com/topic/254502-32k-expansion-for-the-side-port-released/page/5/#findComment-3599701 Share on other sites More sharing options...
+Ksarul Posted September 22, 2016 Share Posted September 22, 2016 Nice work. One other suggestion--you might want to make the holes for the mounting screws at the corners significantly larger as well. It will be a mighty skinny screw that fits through there now. . . Quote Link to comment https://forums.atariage.com/topic/254502-32k-expansion-for-the-side-port-released/page/5/#findComment-3599720 Share on other sites More sharing options...
+jedimatt42 Posted September 23, 2016 Author Share Posted September 23, 2016 Nice work. One other suggestion--you might want to make the holes for the mounting screws at the corners significantly larger as well. It will be a mighty skinny screw that fits through there now. . . Yep, those looked so much bigger on my 40" monitor... I was surprised about how small they turned out... But I can grow the boundaries without any redesign -M@ Quote Link to comment https://forums.atariage.com/topic/254502-32k-expansion-for-the-side-port-released/page/5/#findComment-3599727 Share on other sites More sharing options...
robbrouse Posted September 23, 2016 Share Posted September 23, 2016 I'm wondering if there would be anyway to add a pass though on this so other devices could be hooked up? Quote Link to comment https://forums.atariage.com/topic/254502-32k-expansion-for-the-side-port-released/page/5/#findComment-3599729 Share on other sites More sharing options...
+Ksarul Posted September 23, 2016 Share Posted September 23, 2016 getting mounting holes just right is a perennial problem on board designs. . .it is one of the hardest parts of the layout! Quote Link to comment https://forums.atariage.com/topic/254502-32k-expansion-for-the-side-port-released/page/5/#findComment-3599731 Share on other sites More sharing options...
+jedimatt42 Posted September 23, 2016 Author Share Posted September 23, 2016 Your board looks sweet and like that you screened the part numbers/values/orientation on it too. Really looking forward to this! Will be available to purchase in kit form as well? I hadn't thought about that... by kit form, you mean 'board plus components, assemble yourself?' At this stage, I can only say I'll keep that in mind. -M@ 1 Quote Link to comment https://forums.atariage.com/topic/254502-32k-expansion-for-the-side-port-released/page/5/#findComment-3599737 Share on other sites More sharing options...
Omega-TI Posted September 23, 2016 Share Posted September 23, 2016 Just a teaser - I received the sample boards yesterday... Looks great so far. I agree with the Ksarul on the screw holes. It might make it easier to put in the 3D printed case that will obviously be made for it at some point. 1 Quote Link to comment https://forums.atariage.com/topic/254502-32k-expansion-for-the-side-port-released/page/5/#findComment-3599742 Share on other sites More sharing options...
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