What is the expansion port on the back for?

[Lynxpro]

 

Apparently the Famicom stereoscopic 3D shutter glasses plugged into the expansion port. Also the Famicom Disk System plugged into the cartridge slot, now the expansion port.

Wasn't there a Nintendo joystick that plugged into the Famicom expansion slot?

[bohoki]

 

Apparently the Famicom stereoscopic 3D shutter glasses plugged into the expansion port. Also the Famicom Disk System plugged into the cartridge slot, now the expansion port.

wow rad racer would have been more rad

[kensu]

Wasn't there a Nintendo joystick that plugged into the Famicom expansion slot?

Any joystick (third party or otherwise) would need to have used the port; the Famicom's controllers were hard-wired into the console!

[high voltage]

Wasn't there a Nintendo joystick that plugged into the Famicom expansion slot?

Yes

[Koa Zo]

Wasn't there a Nintendo joystick that plugged into the Famicom expansion slot?

There are at least a couple dozen controllers which plug into the Famicom external port.

One point of potential confussion is that the Famicom had that external port for accessories, which was largely used for controller since the stock controllers are hardwired to the console,

while the NES had an extension port underneath the console.

I do not think that these ports are the same.

 

In regards to the 5200, I'd have sworn I once read that a Laser Disc attachment was planned for the 5200.

[CPUWIZ]

You are thinking of the 7800, it's expansion port was supposed to get a laserdisc add-on.

[Koa Zo]

You are thinking of the 7800, it's expansion port was supposed to get a laserdisc add-on.

I'm definately thinking of the 5200.

 

Though, where I read this bit of info is entirely up in the air.

I may have very well read it on a forum 10 years ago. Even if I did read it in an old magazine, it just as well was likely conjecture.

Edited January 16, 2014 by Koa Zo

[CPUWIZ]

Can you find that info? I have never heard of this before and looking at the 5200 expansion port capability, I kind of doubt it.

 

https://sites.google.com/site/atari7800wiki/laserdisc-add-on

[ricortes]

Can you find that info? I have never heard of this before and looking at the 5200 expansion port capability, I kind of doubt it.

 

https://sites.google.com/site/atari7800wiki/laserdisc-add-on

 

I've been looking at the expansion port as of late: Why I asked for which carts took EPROMs in another thread which of course was answered by the knowledgeable folks here.

 

At least one Atari insider I know posted some speculation/facts. Been to long to remember, something like a disk drive was planned or could have been added since the POKEY sio is essenially the same as the computer line. I think there isn't support for the command line, if so it would have had to be a fairly dumb device just sitting there polling the input. I really need to look at the schematics again.

 

Anyway too busy to do more then start assembling parts. Got some 36 pin edge card connectors, the aforementioned cart, handful of MC1489 chips and a couple of serial to USB converters.

 

*HUGE IF* is I haven't run my 5200 in 20 years! If it doesn't work it could be NEVER before I get something done.

 

Master plan is to go through a few simple stages to keep it simple for my simple mind. I'm pretty sure it has both in/out serial. I just want to echo input on the serial in to the screen like a simple terminal.

 

If that works out I may add a small monitor to the cart code. Nothing fancy, just be able to load memory from the serial input and jump to an address.

 

http://old.pinouts.ru/Motherboard/ExpansionAtari5200_pinout.shtml

 

Seems like it is a pretty capable expansion port. I'm guessing the 'Enable E0-EF' is a !CS line but no matter. Everything you would want to do can be done between the serial I/O and cart. Within the constraints of the system, 32k vanilla cart space and 16k RAM, should be able to do something mildly interesting.