Re-writable cartridge for ColecoVision?

[Pixelboy]

Hello all.

 

I know next to nothing about electronics, so please forgive me if I sound like a total noob: When a homebrew author makes a console game and wants to test his game on the real hardware, he has to transfer the ROM file to a PCB, right?. Are such PCBs rewritable? If so, what kind of support hardware does one need to transfer ROM files, and where does one buy PCBs 100% compatible with the ColecoVision? Is all this stuff expensive?

 

Thanks in advance for any info.

[panamajoe]

Hello all. 

 

When a homebrew author makes a console game and wants to test his game on the real hardware, he has to transfer the ROM file to a PCB, right?. Are such PCBs rewritable? If so, what kind of support hardware does one need to transfer ROM files, and where does one buy PCBs 100% compatible with the ColecoVision? Is all this stuff expensive?

 

 

1011936[/snapback]

 

well you transfer the Rom file to an EPROM (an erasable and programmable chip) and then you put this EPROM into an PCB like these: http://www.atariage.com/store/index.php?cPath=41_71

to program the Eprom you´ll need an EPROM-BURNER of course (they´ll cost you 60$+...)

[Bruce Tomlin]

Yep, that's basically it.

 

Though some of us lucky ones have an In-Circuit Emulator (ICE). That's lucky as in even having the chance to buy one. At the very least they let you do single step and breakpoints. I have one which can overlay any and all 4K blocks in the Z80 address space with RAM, and which can be write-protected from Z80 accesses. So while I have to upload stuff as Intel Hex files at 9600 baud, which is a tad slow but faster than erasing an EPROM, I can even load custom BIOS ROM code if I set the switches right. The only down side is that I can't bank switch the RAM overlay.

[+FujiSkunk]

Isn't classics working on a USB flash cart for the ColecoVision?

[Pixelboy]

well you transfer the Rom file to an EPROM (an erasable and programmable chip) and then you put this EPROM into an PCB like these: http://www.atariage.com/store/index.php?cPath=41_71

to program the Eprom you´ll need an EPROM-BURNER of course (they´ll cost you 60$+...)

1011951[/snapback]

So I'm guessing you just unplug the EPROM from the PCB and plug it in the burner when you want to reprogram it, right? Sounds easy enough, although I think the term "burner" is somewhat misleading for uninitiated guys like me. It sounds like a write-once device.

 

And what's this I see in the AtariAge store about PCB boards with "sockets"? What is this "socket" used for?

[panamajoe]

So I'm guessing you just unplug the EPROM from the PCB and plug it in the burner when you want to reprogram it, right? Sounds easy enough, although I think the term "burner" is somewhat misleading for uninitiated guys like me. It sounds like a write-once device.

 

And what's this I see in the AtariAge store about PCB boards with "sockets"? What is this "socket" used for?

1012331[/snapback]

 

not quite, if you want to reprogram an EPROM you have to unplug it from the PCB, put it into an UV-Device that will erase it, and then you can put it into the burner again...

 

You can use socketed PCB-devices if you want to be able to remove your programed EPROM from the PCB, otherwise you have to solder it to the PCB - making it quite difficult to be removed, erased and reprogramed.

[Pixelboy]

not quite, if you want to reprogram an EPROM you have to unplug it from the PCB, put it into an UV-Device that will erase it, and then you can put it into the burner again...

 

You can use socketed PCB-devices if you want to be able to remove your programed EPROM from the PCB, otherwise you have to solder it to the PCB - making it quite difficult to be removed, erased and reprogramed.

1013130[/snapback]

Thanks a lot for the info. I'll go to bed a little less stupid tonight.