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SIO2SD/XM301 Case Conversion


flashjazzcat

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Yeah the skill part is what I'm missing... I did all that and mine looks like crap LOL (well apart from the acetone - how does that work)

Acetone or acetate - I forget which. Anyway, it's nail polish remover. Gently dissolves the plastic when applied with a cotton bud then dries immediately, giving a smooth, glossy finish to the cut and sanded edges.

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Yeah the skill part is what I'm missing... I did all that and mine looks like crap LOL (well apart from the acetone - how does that work)

Acetone or acetate - I forget which. Anyway, it's nail polish remover. Gently dissolves the plastic when applied with a cotton bud then dries immediately, giving a smooth, glossy finish to the cut and sanded edges.

 

 

So that's how you get the smooth edges :)

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Are you a good cook too?

Not to save my life; however, my operation of the microwave oven is pure artistry. icon_smile.gif

Henry Rollins calls the Microwave "The Man Oven" I find that pretty apt!

I think I have to buy a microwave (or ask Jon to design one XL style).

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  • 2 weeks later...

Nice! :)

 

Glad to report the two units in the photos are nearing completion. The astounding delays have been caused by rip-off far-eastern eBay sellers not sending out the SD card sockets paid them for. Those things are damned hard to get hold of.

 

Since those two will be shipping within the week, I'm accepting orders for conversions again, subject to the stipulation that I'm sent ALL parts (case, SIO2SD, molex if applicable). Sourcing PCBs and ordering XM301 cases from the US to order is more hassle than I can stand. :)

 

I'm gonna have a go at an XL version shortly, just as I get hold of the sheet alminium I require to replace the 1040 badge I ruined when removing it. Pictures to follow soon, hopefully.

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I'm gonna have a go at an XL version shortly, just as I get hold of the sheet alminium I require to replace the 1040 badge I ruined when removing it. Pictures to follow soon, hopefully.

 

You are not only kick-ass at what you do, but quite motivated and tireless! Talk about a source of inspiration.... You get a free "atta boy." This will be very interesting stuff! Can't wait for pics!!!

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You are not only kick-ass at what you do, but quite motivated and tireless! Talk about a source of inspiration.... You get a free "atta boy." This will be very interesting stuff! Can't wait for pics!!!

Thanks man! :D

 

SD card slots arrived today (as did EPROM eraser)... fun times ahead!

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Phew... 6 and 7 are finally finished!

 

post-21964-127965704089_thumb.jpg

 

I'll start the XL version at the weekend. I have enough silver buttons left for two more conversions...

 

As an aside... I've also modded the molex connectors on these two so that +5v is theoretically always the last pin to make contact when the plug is pushed in. Hopefully this will prevent unearthed=corrupted ATMEL problems when accidentally plugging in the devices with the power on.

Edited by flashjazzcat
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Phew... 6 and 7 are finally finished!

 

post-21964-127965704089_thumb.jpg

 

I'll start the XL version at the weekend. I have enough silver buttons left for two more conversions...

 

As an aside... I've also modded the molex connectors on these two so that +5v is theoretically always the last pin to make contact when the plug is pushed in. Hopefully this will prevent unearthed=corrupted ATMEL problems when accidentally plugging in the devices with the power on.

 

 

As I have only recently become SIO2SD owner, I was not aware of this. You mean if you plug it in with the power on, it will corrupt the ATMEL chip programming, or something like that? Yikes! I don't generally do that sort of thing anyway, but it certainly is good to be reminded of the dire consequences of doing so. I gather the Sdrive may suffer the same thing?

 

Your XM301 conversions are smashing! What to do about the buttons? Maybe you can do a cheaper/easier version by just mounting buttons directly in the case? I mean, some buttons that have a "finished" look about them, but not necessarily below-surface-mount? That's kind of what I was thinking about, although I do not know what is available.

 

I have my 2 new XM301s, SIO2SDs, and SIO ports sitting here.

Your stuff looks so good I don't even want to try my own now, because it would be comparatively disappointing at best, and a complete disaster at worst!

Edited by wood_jl
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As I have only recently become SIO2SD owner, I was not aware of this. You mean if you plug it in with the power on, it will corrupt the ATMEL chip programming, or something like that? Yikes! I don't generally do that sort of thing anyway, but it certainly is good to be reminded of the dire consequences of doing so. I gather the Sdrive may suffer the same thing?

My knowledge being murky at best, I don't want to start talking technical, but almost all the dead ATMEGA32s I've seen or heard about displayed the fatal row of blocks on the screen shortly after someone plugged them in while the machine was switched on. I've fixed several, including my own. I'm assuming it's because the circuit isn't completed when the +5v makes contact before the ground pin, causing corruption of the EEPROM/flash memory on the chip (?). Failures can't always be explained away by this happening, however. Fortunately I made an AVR programming cable the other week: just as well, since my SIO2SD went t**s-up this very evening while I was testing the other two. The SIO2SD boards are complete AVR programmers in their own right (they have a header on the board): I'd advise any owner to make themselves up a simple parallel cable as per the instructions in the manual. See also the SIO2IDE distribution package for AVR programming software.

 

Often, a corrupt ATMEGA32 can be recovered with a firmware upgrade. They can always be recovered with an AVR programmer.

 

Not sure about SDrive...

 

Your XM301 conversions are smashing! What to do about the buttons? Maybe you can do a cheaper/easier version by just mounting buttons directly in the case? I mean, some buttons that have a "finished" look about them, but not necessarily below-surface-mount? That's kind of what I was thinking about, although I do not know what is available.

There isn't much available. The best I found were smaller button tops which clipped right onto the momentary switches. I have a few in red...

Edited by flashjazzcat
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As an aside... I've also modded the molex connectors on these two so that +5v is theoretically always the last pin to make contact when the plug is pushed in. Hopefully this will prevent unearthed=corrupted ATMEL problems when accidentally plugging in the devices with the power on.

 

That is quite cool. Never thought of doing that with the +5v pin before....

 

Often, a corrupt ATMEGA32 can be recovered with a firmware upgrade. They can always be recovered with an AVR programmer.

 

Not sure about SDrive...

 

The SDrive NUXX at least has the built in programmer if such things happen. (If you have a finished unit, it's inside the spiffy case, so you'll need to take the board out).

 

But c0nsumer did set those flags such that it shouldn't be a problem. (I've hotplugged mine more than once and not had a problem).

 

--Kurt

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The SDrive NUXX at least has the built in programmer if such things happen. (If you have a finished unit, it's inside the spiffy case, so you'll need to take the board out).

 

But c0nsumer did set those flags such that it shouldn't be a problem. (I've hotplugged mine more than once and not had a problem).

 

That's good news! The Sdrive NUXX is the easiest one to use, and I find myself reaching for it almost all of the time I'm going to use the A8. The Sdrive fellow (CPU) really had it together when creating this, and c0nsumer's version is a cherished part of Atari history.

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If you set two fuses, hot-plugging shouldn't be a problem. Take a look at what Hias said about BODEN en BODLEVEL here.

That discussion seems to focus on the SDrive's ATMEGA8. Do the same fuse bit addresses also apply to SIO2SD? On the ATMEGA32, I've been setting the fuse bits at FF and D1 as recommended with a prior release of the SIO2SD firmware. My own (pre-built) unit was meant to have had the fuse bits set, but it's still crapped out on me a couple of times. Irritatingly, my own unit has the harder-to-modify molex plug. icon_sad.gif

 

The pin modification seems to me a useful fail-safe. Won't work 100% of the time, but it may prevent the odd dead SIO2SD...

Edited by flashjazzcat
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Got myself one in the mail today (and XM301 case too).

 

Not totally sure what I'm going to do... I'm thinking here that I'll also build an APE interface into the thing as well.

 

All right! Now, you know you **MUST** post pictures, right? [please?]

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