#FujiNet Hardware Discussion

[Faicuai]

1 minute ago, mozzwald said:

The front looks boring now

Believe it or not... I kind of like it, as well.

 

For conciseness:

 

1. Personally, I really don't see any problems with the current case's design, concept, volume, etc... As long as we are always free to choose to connect it directly to host's SIO port OR do it via SIO-to-SIO extension. This is very important.

 

2. Consider keeping the bottom SIO connector (front-and-back) as CLOSE as possible to the bottom-edge of the case, without compromising case integrity. This will allow to a direct-plug on SIO ports that ride pretty low / close to desk-surface (if those are the only ones available in a give setup).

 

3. Have you tried operating it with POKE 710,2 and 710,4 and checking for any visible trace of noise ingress on screen, during IO operations? What will be the maximum SIO speed supported?

[+Spancho]

1 hour ago, DrVenkman said:

Of course, what I like even better is a board that will fit inside a useless 1030 modem. I had one as a kid for use with my 800, and repurposing one for this would be pretty great. 

I like the idea too to reuse a 1030 or XM301 Modem for the FujiNet. Just would look much more authentic.

Maybe Dropcheck’s Atari SIO2IO fits into a 850 that would be then the ultimate 850 ?

 

[tschak909]

2 minutes ago, Faicuai said:

Believe it or not... I kind of like it, as well.

 

For conciseness:

 

1. Personally, I really don't see any problems with the current case's design, concept, volume, etc... As long as we are always free to choose to connect it directly to host's SIO port OR do it via SIO-to-SIO extension. This is very important.

 

2. Consider keeping the bottom SIO connector (front-and-back) as CLOSE as possible to the bottom-edge of the case, without compromising case integrity. This will allow to a direct-plug on SIO ports that ride pretty low / close to desk-surface (if those are the only ones available in a give setup).

 

3. Have you tried operating it with POKE 710,2 and 710,4 and checking for any visible trace of noise ingress on screen, during IO operations? What will be the maximum SIO speed supported?

3. This is complicated. I am running disk emulation at divisor zero, but I am plugged directly up to my 1200XL. Others mileage may vary. High speed on the N: device will depend on me basically modifying the CIO handler to detect for Mathias's HSIO code, and using the entry point that bypasses the device check. any direct SIO access would have to do the same.

 

 

[Faicuai]

9 minutes ago, tschak909 said:

3. This is complicated. I am running disk emulation at divisor zero, but I am plugged directly up to my 1200XL. Others mileage may vary. High speed on the N: device will depend on me basically modifying the CIO handler to detect for Mathias's HSIO code, and using the entry point that bypasses the device check. any direct SIO access would have to do the same.

 

 

Are you testing with U1MB / Incognito PBI-based SIO acceleration? Or would it be completely transparent for the transceiver?

Edited May 17, 2020 by Faicuai

[tschak909]

Am currently using the U1MB's high-speed SIO code.

 

[StickJock]

34 minutes ago, mozzwald said:

The front looks boring now

I think that has a very 800 flavor now.  You could always go crazy and start adding angled surfaces & bevels like the 800.  ?

 

Maybe run the "racing stripes" down the front as well as an optional front shell?  Of course, on an 800, they would be mostly covered.

 

If you add one more fin, then maybe the middle button would only block out two grooves instead of three?

 

Is there a filament that matches the 800 case color, or would this need to be painted?  If painted, maybe an orange peel paint to give it some texture?

[jamm]

5 minutes ago, StickJock said:

Is there a filament that matches the 800 case color, or would this need to be painted?  If painted, maybe an orange peel paint to give it some texture?

*perks up* I'd never heard of "orange peel paint".  I'll have to add that to my list of things to experiment with!

[+DrVenkman]

47 minutes ago, StickJock said:

Is there a filament that matches the 800 case color, or would this need to be painted?

Well, @Mr Robot created an awesome 810-inspired case for the SDrive-MAX that seems to be generally the right color.  I think @Gavin1968 has modified those with little LED activity lights and whatnot as well.  

[Mr Robot]

eSun

[Mr Robot]

On 5/14/2020 at 7:11 PM, Mathy said:

Hello jammies', guys

 

Or somebody could come up with a new 3D-design that looks like one of the devices you show, but smaller in size.  Something like the mars-bar mentioned way back when, but looking kinda like the 850 and intended for use with two SIO-cables.

 

Sincerely

 

Mathy

When @mozzwald has finalised the design and has made back his costs on the development I'm going to make a few of these in a more marsbar (but much smaller) form factor as an alternative option.

 

If I sell a few I might make back my costs on the first marsbars!

[_The Doctor__]

lol orange peel is an undesired term in the automotive painting industry...

surplus messy paint makes the equivalent of an orange peels surface on the car... terrible actually...

[Gavin1968]

On 5/17/2020 at 1:06 PM, DrVenkman said:

I think @Gavin1968 has modified those with little LED activity lights and whatnot as well.  

Yes sir I did. I tightened up the hole for the SIO cable and added lights and stickers to both the 810 and 1050 drives. Thanks for the shoutout. 

 

[+Stephen]

1 hour ago, Gavin1968 said:

Yes sir I did. I tightened up the hole for the SIO cable and added lights and stickers to both the 810 and 1050 drives. Thanks for the shoutout. 

 

I cannot stop myself.  <beavis mode>You said tightened up the hole, lights and stickers.  hmmmm - hmmm - hm </beavis mode>

[mozzwald]

On 5/17/2020 at 2:15 PM, StickJock said:

I think that has a very 800 flavor now.  You could always go crazy and start adding angled surfaces & bevels like the 800.  ?

 

Maybe run the "racing stripes" down the front as well as an optional front shell?  Of course, on an 800, they would be mostly covered.

 

If you add one more fin, then maybe the middle button would only block out two grooves instead of three?

I made a few minor changes to make it 'less boring.' The user facing side needed a little something there besides a flat wall of plastic with 3 holes in it. The back side still has the same flashy stripes.

On 5/17/2020 at 1:45 PM, Faicuai said:

1. Personally, I really don't see any problems with the current case's design, concept, volume, etc... As long as we are always free to choose to connect it directly to host's SIO port OR do it via SIO-to-SIO extension. This is very important.

You can plug it in where ever and however you want. Both ports are SIO, as long as the plug fits ... it works  

On 5/17/2020 at 1:45 PM, Faicuai said:

2. Consider keeping the bottom SIO connector (front-and-back) as CLOSE as possible to the bottom-edge of the case, without compromising case integrity. This will allow to a direct-plug on SIO ports that ride pretty low / close to desk-surface (if those are the only ones available in a give setup).

The SIO Plug is as low as it can be. The Receptacle is also as low as possible so that it does not interfere with the pins of the Plug.

 

The intent for this particular hardware design is to plug directly into the back of the console and chain the rest of SIO devices off of it. You will likely want the FujiNet front and center so you can access the buttons when needed and see the status LED's. I had maximum physical compatibility with the console in mind when making it this way. If you don't want it on the console, you can use a cable or try plugging it into some other random Atari peripheral and hope it fits. I do know it fits on the 1050 and 850, but I cannot fit test every device (I don't have an Atari Museum).

[tschak909]

[_The Doctor__]

A stylized FujiNet logo with some sort of lightning bolt etc. would really set it off... It's so pretty we really needs it's name. Hey FujiNet how ya doin'? Come ovah here...

It's nice to see form and function come together in a wonderful way. Watching the Atari's underlying layers used as they should be. I just wish the old crew would come back and join in, they thought all there was to touch was done... and remnants keep proving that notion wrong.

Once this is darn near completed, maybe a shout out across all the old accounts, email addresses, and social what have you can bring folks along. After all there will be a whole new venue of programs to make now...

Edited May 23, 2020 by _The Doctor__

[StickJock]

18 minutes ago, _The Doctor__ said:

A stylized FujiNet logo with some sort of lightning bolt etc. would really set it off...

An Atari Fuji with a wifi symbol arcs coming off of it?

 

Or, how about an Atari Fuji with the center line extra tall (like an antenna) with the WiFi arcs up off of it?

 

[jamm]

20 minutes ago, _The Doctor__ said:

A stylized FujiNet logo with some sort of lightning bolt etc. would really set it off... It's so pretty we really needs it's name. Hey FujiNet how ya doin'?

We were just having a little talk about this, and the way to go may be to leave a clean area on the case to allow for a label to easily be affixed later. That allows for some easy customization, and leaves the current clean design for those who prefer that look.

 

Personally, I'd like something very clean that looks like the Atari 400/800 case lettering, but I can see how others might want something fancier or nothing at all.

 

[Kyle22]

Has anyone thought about the SIO port on the back of the unit instead of the side (on the 800 version)?

A port (mounted vertically) on the back of the device would be great for those with limited desk space. Mount the port high enough so it is easily possible to reach under the cable to access the power switch.

This would be nice for my situation.

:)

 

[jamm]

24 minutes ago, Kyle22 said:

Has anyone thought about the SIO port on the back of the unit instead of the side (on the 800 version)?

A port (mounted vertically) on the back of the device would be great for those with limited desk space. Mount the port high enough so it is easily possible to reach under the cable to access the power switch.

This would be nice for my situation.

 

I guess I think of the current design as having the SIO port on the "back".  But if you want the cable to go out towards the back of the 800, I don't see how it would work: it would require a much thicker case, for one, and bending the pins going out from the PCB to the SIO port (they currently go straight into the PCB), adding a lot of complexity.  The other problem is that it would put a lot of added strain on the Atari's SIO port because you'd suddenly have forces pulling on the SIO port in the Atari sideways/clockwise as you look at the side of the computer.

 

Not to mention it would be problematic for all the computers that don't have the SIO port on the side.  The SIO cable would be in the way of other connectors on the back of the machine (e.g. the cartridge slot on the back of the 130XE).

 

 

 

[mozzwald]

9 hours ago, Kyle22 said:

Has anyone thought about the SIO port on the back of the unit instead of the side (on the 800 version)?

A port (mounted vertically) on the back of the device would be great for those with limited desk space. Mount the port high enough so it is easily possible to reach under the cable to access the power switch.

This would be nice for my situation.

This would be possible using the edge mounted SIO Receptacle used in the previous Ice Cream Sandwich design but I won't be designing it. It would be a lot of work to reroute the traces and move everything around to accomodate the receptacle. I suspect most users will be alright with having the port where it is.

[mozzwald]

On 5/23/2020 at 2:06 PM, mozzwald said:

I made a few minor changes to make it 'less boring.' The user facing side needed a little something there besides a flat wall of plastic with 3 holes in it. The back side still has the same flashy stripes.

I've made the Tinkercad project for the 400/800 style case available at https://www.tinkercad.com/things/em1ifQgQYaB

[Kyle22]

6 hours ago, mozzwald said:

I've made the Tinkercad project for the 400/800 style case available at https://www.tinkercad.com/things/em1ifQgQYaB

Nice, but is there a direct link to the STL file? I don't want to have to join TinkerToys.

 

[mozzwald]

9 minutes ago, Kyle22 said:

Nice, but is there a direct link to the STL file? I don't want to have to join TinkerToys.

 

At the moment, no. When all the designs are finished I'll put STLs in the github repo so you won't need an account just to download it.

[toddtmw]

On 5/25/2020 at 4:19 PM, mozzwald said:

I've made the Tinkercad project for the 400/800 style case available at https://www.tinkercad.com/things/em1ifQgQYaB

I printed this yesterday. While I understand the desire to have the Atari 800 lines, it actually makes it harder to get a decent print. You either need to hope your printer can do really good bridging or you need to print with supports and then removing the supports in. such a small space is challenging.

 

Other than that, the fit on this model is incredible. The connectors fit perfectly very tight tolerances all around, but enough to ensure it goes together. @mozzwald you did a great job on this! Very impressive!