Shawn Posted January 20, 2018 Share Posted January 20, 2018 And hand solder any dip chips that need to be installed. The ROM chip in the photo isn't even soldered in yet! Nope it isn't. That is just a quick photo grab to show the chips the factory does, the eproms are done by hand. Similar to what would need to be done with the POKEY and HSC eprom on the XM board. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lynxpro Posted January 23, 2018 Share Posted January 23, 2018 Cool, is there any reason you would want to remove this module when after it's plugged in? At the rate 7800 cases fall apart this pretty shells will be sitting on board with PCB. I have two 7800s and both have cases that both on the verge of completely falling apart. Is anyone going to make a custom case/shell for their 7800 when this becomes available? Buy one of those Brazilian "Phantom" consoles off of eBay. It's a licensed 7800 case with a licensed NES mobo inside. Pop out the NES stuff and you have yourself a 7800 case with a long dust door on it too. Damn it, I just gave away my evil plan to have a unique 7800...too bad that pesky divorce killed my bank account...err...credit accounts. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lynxpro Posted January 23, 2018 Share Posted January 23, 2018 It would be so awesome to read some anecdotes about what it was like to work on that project . A YouTube vid would work too. Actually it would be very interesting to have both you (regarding the XM) and your friend (regarding the original MARIA chip) recount your experiences in a book or video or something. And/or have Steve on record as to how much was left to complete on GUMBY. I understand the latest word from one of the recent public events was that it was "almost" finished. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lynxpro Posted January 23, 2018 Share Posted January 23, 2018 The plastics I did from the original drawings from Tom Palecki of an early CPU add-on module design for the 7800 in spring of 84' before Atari canned that approach and went with the lower cost keyboard only through the joystick approach. Curt, you just dropped another historical bombshell on us and in a drive-by manner too! An early CPU upgrade? Was this going to be a Mickey module for the 7800? I would certainly hope that's what Atari Inc's strategists were getting at considering they were planning to release the 7800 for Christmas 1984 and the Mickey for Christmas 1985... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Usotsuki Posted January 23, 2018 Share Posted January 23, 2018 inb4 68K-on-a-cart Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Curt Vendel Posted January 23, 2018 Author Share Posted January 23, 2018 Received a little disappointing news from Mouser on the 36 pin edge connectors with the longer tails needed for the cartridge interfaces. They are back ordered until April 6th. I have enough for this first batch I'm doing now and may 2-3 more in the office, but I'll have to see if I can get them from another supplier for the other batches, I'm not deterred, I'll find them... 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Curt Vendel Posted January 23, 2018 Author Share Posted January 23, 2018 I wish it was something like that, but only in our dreams... This was the CPU design that was done prior to going to the lower cost keyboard-joystick port design. I have some memo's which discuss concerns about noise and such (always a HUGE concern with Atari to keep on FCC's good side) but sorry no Amiga chip upgrades for the 7800 :-) Curt, you just dropped another historical bombshell on us and in a drive-by manner too! An early CPU upgrade? Was this going to be a Mickey module for the 7800? I would certainly hope that's what Atari Inc's strategists were getting at considering they were planning to release the 7800 for Christmas 1984 and the Mickey for Christmas 1985... 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Blitter Posted January 23, 2018 Share Posted January 23, 2018 Wow. You wander in here every few weeks and good things happen. I need to dig up my receipt. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Curt Vendel Posted January 24, 2018 Author Share Posted January 24, 2018 Yeah, Im a gluten for punishment:-) Are you doing the solder work by hand? If yes, God bless you. That is a ton of work. 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Curt Vendel Posted January 24, 2018 Author Share Posted January 24, 2018 Yeah, this aint no Ataribox ?? Hey, look, something that isn't rendered! 6 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jinks Posted January 24, 2018 Share Posted January 24, 2018 (edited) Yeah, Im a gluten for punishment:-) Are any going to be gluten free? Edited January 24, 2018 by Jinks 4 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Andromeda Stardust Posted January 24, 2018 Share Posted January 24, 2018 Are any going to be gluten free? Just don't "eat" the xm module and it won't upset your tum-tum! 4 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Curt Vendel Posted January 24, 2018 Author Share Posted January 24, 2018 LOL... oooops... glutton.... Thanks Jinks, I deserved that! Are any going to be gluten free? 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Curt Vendel Posted January 24, 2018 Author Share Posted January 24, 2018 Hi, Another quick update, okay so the 84Pin PLCC sockets for the CPLD's have been ordered, also ordered were the 3 Pin Voltage resets for CPLD and the 3.58 Resonators for the Yamaha audio chip... So once these are in I have all needed parts to complete the assembly of this first batch... Will be soldering this weekend components I already have in stock and get what I can completed while waiting for the rest, will post photos of the WIP board assemblies to show how they are coming... 15 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gorfcadet Posted January 24, 2018 Share Posted January 24, 2018 Curt! Great stuff all around! Ive just recently started popping back in. Is your website going to have a change of address form? Mine changed by one digit! I also dont have the email I used back then, but I still know it if you need it for verification. Those boards are looking pretty! I am so glad youre back! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
+darryl1970 Posted January 25, 2018 Share Posted January 25, 2018 It's nice to see the XM module coming to light. I realize that there are many pre-orders to be filled, and I see there is a snag with the cartridge connector. Any estimate of when I should start saving and add myself to a list somewhere? I figure I'll be patient until then. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
+Defender_2600 Posted January 28, 2018 Share Posted January 28, 2018 Congratulations, Curt! I'm glad you're better and I wish you all the best for the future. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Zonie Posted January 29, 2018 Share Posted January 29, 2018 Yeah, this aint no Ataribox Probably not the forum for this, but do you have any detail on the ataribox? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Zonie Posted January 29, 2018 Share Posted January 29, 2018 Soooo... Who are the lucky first six? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Shawn Posted January 29, 2018 Share Posted January 29, 2018 Soooo... Who are the lucky first six? Hopefully Bill Loguidice is one of them. That lovely guy from Armchair Arcade would be a good guy to send to first IMO 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lynxpro Posted January 29, 2018 Share Posted January 29, 2018 I wish it was something like that, but only in our dreams... This was the CPU design that was done prior to going to the lower cost keyboard-joystick port design. I have some memo's which discuss concerns about noise and such (always a HUGE concern with Atari to keep on FCC's good side) but sorry no Amiga chip upgrades for the 7800 :-) Another CPU design? Pray tell what they were getting at? I mean, I can understand adding a POKEY and a PIA in that case so that the 7800 would have SIO properly done but they were going with adding another CPU? The slimmed down 7800 keyboard seems rather interesting....Somehow getting SIO to work and sending all the info through the joystick port seems, well, challenging. It would be pretty cool to see Atari 7800 BASIC, Video Writer, and AtariLab working on the 7800. I know you and Dan Kramer both have ROMs of all of those. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CPUWIZ Posted January 29, 2018 Share Posted January 29, 2018 Hopefully Bill Loguidice is one of them. That lovely guy from Armchair Arcade would be a good guy to send to first IMO Bill checked out, I think. Don't know what Armchair Arcade is. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lynxpro Posted January 29, 2018 Share Posted January 29, 2018 Are any going to be gluten free? The struggle is real. My daughter suffers from that. And she has it without Celiac. We had to have her biopsied from her GI tract back when she was 2. I'm so happy so many people have made gluten-free trend a popular fad because all of the new products out there is helping those with the real health issue. But back to all things Atari... 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Shawn Posted January 29, 2018 Share Posted January 29, 2018 Bill checked out, I think. Don't know what Armchair Arcade is. Bill sold his to me. Armchair Arcade is his website. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jinks Posted January 29, 2018 Share Posted January 29, 2018 (edited) The struggle is real. My daughter suffers from that. And she has it without Celiac. We had to have her biopsied from her GI tract back when she was 2. I'm so happy so many people have made gluten-free trend a popular fad because all of the new products out there is helping those with the real health issue. But back to all things Atari... I am glad they figured it out early. My aunt in the states went thru problaby 10 operations in the 70s and 80s till they figured it out. Today people know or should know more about gluten intolerance and its symptoms. Basically if you take all fast food and pizza out of your diet your headed towards gluten free. I laugh at marketing they put gluten free stickers on bottled water and rice.. Duh?! Edited January 29, 2018 by Jinks Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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