18 replies to this topic

[erazmus]

Does anyone have the correct installation instructions for the Lotharek SDX board found here:

http://lotharek.pl/5/product/info/19

I just received one, but the documentation is very sparse. The docs talk about connecting wires to p7, p8, p12, etc on the SDX board, but the board I have has two connectors labelled J1 and J2. I've emailed Lotharek for more information, but thought I'd check here to see if anyone else has successfully installed one.

[flashjazzcat]

I've fitted several of these, but of the old design (it's changed). The docs he's hosting on his site refer to the old design. Without a schematic of the new board, I can't really advise. I suggest you lobby Lotharek to make some up-to-date documentation available for his products.

[erazmus]

flashjazzcat, on Tue Nov 30, 2010 11:04 AM, said:

I've fitted several of these, but of the old design (it's changed). The docs he's hosting on his site refer to the old design. Without a schematic of the new board, I can't really advise. I suggest you lobby Lotharek to make some up-to-date documentation available for his products.

Once I get a response from him, I'll post the details here (because this forum comes up in Google searches for all sorts of Atari stuff). I'll even write up some nice English installation instructions for him to post on his site. The product is wonderful, just lacking a bit on the documentation.

I have a question for you. The multi-OS-ROM option - are you using the ROM image that he provided? Wouldn't I have to replace the ROM (I assume his ROM image is PAL) with an NTSC version?

[flashjazzcat]

erazmus, on Tue Nov 30, 2010 11:09 AM, said:

Once I get a response from him, I'll post the details here (because this forum comes up in Google searches for all sorts of Atari stuff). I'll even write up some nice English installation instructions for him to post on his site. The product is wonderful, just lacking a bit on the documentation.

That would be really useful and appreciated by all I'm sure. Lotharek sells some great products (both my 1MB upgrades are his, plus the IntSDXs and a stereo board), but it sometimes takes him a while to put the documentation together. It once took me about a fortnight to fit a 1MB upgrade to my 800XL, drip-fed instructions (to supplement the half-finished docs) on the forum.

Quote

I have a question for you. The multi-OS-ROM option - are you using the ROM image that he provided? Wouldn't I have to replace the ROM (I assume his ROM image is PAL) with an NTSC version?

Well, I'm PAL anyway but surely the Atari OS is universal, i.e. it senses PAL/NTSC from the custom ICs on the machine.

[erazmus]

I heard back from Lotharek. Here's the pin-outs for the J1 and J2 connectors on the new SDX board.

The connections are listed from left to right as they appear on the board. The right-most pin is pin 1.

J1

8. H7
7. P7
6. H8
5. P8
4. H12
3. P12
2. H19
1. P19

J2

4. RW
3. 02
2. T3
1. CCTL (pin 10 of 74LS138)

With this wiring, I was able to install the SDX board. I'm very impressed. Works very well, and comes already flashed.

[Almost Rice]

How much was it shipped to you. I should have gotten this before the dollar became weak against the euro

[erazmus]

Almost Rice, on Sat Dec 4, 2010 10:49 AM, said:

How much was it shipped to you. I should have gotten this before the dollar became weak against the euro

31 euro including shipping to Canada (didn't look at my Paypal account to see the exchange rate). Arrived in a week. No additional customs or duty.

[Louis]

erazmus, on Sat Dec 4, 2010 3:26 AM, said:

J2

4. RW
3. 02
2. T3
1. CCTL (pin 10 of 74LS138)

With this wiring, I was able to install the SDX board. I'm very impressed. Works very well, and comes already flashed.

I already got this board from Lotharek, but I have no clue what a RW, O2, T3 is.
Although I have no problems finding the CCTL on pin 10 of 74LS138

Can someone point me to the right direction?

Louis

[flashjazzcat]

Excerpts from the manual:

O2 – 39th pin of processor (6502, CO14806)
RW – 36th pin of processor (6502, CO14806)
10 – 10th pin of 74LS138 on ATARI mainboard

Find GTIA (U17 - CO14889). Desolder only leg 11 and bend it up slowly ! Connect with T3 on SDX board.

If you're looking in an XE, CO14806 is the 40 pin chip at the back-centre of the board. GTIA is the third and last 40 pin IC from the back of the machine in the same column of chips.

If you need any more help, let me know, since I've installed three of these in various machines.

Edited by flashjazzcat, Tue May 17, 2011 12:50 PM.

[Louis]

great (and fast) help! thanks!

[Louis]

ok, maybe too soon

I managed to do all the above.

I ran the SDX flash utility (SDX443_intsdx128flash.atr).
I'm getting: SDX is off, and Warning: Flash not found.

I used different OS jumper settings...

Any ideas?

[flashjazzcat]

Hmmm... that's one thing I don't do: I program the EEPROMs using a programmer. I often experienced trouble with the flash utilities before that. Does it work with the pre-installed SDX?

IIRC, I used to do a "COLD /N" with the flasher in the drive, then push the jumper on the "Flash" pins while the computer was rebooting. Something like that...

[Louis]

It doesn't do anything special.
I mean... It doesn't boot to SDX.

That's why I thought it was not programmed at all.

When should it boot to SDX?

[flashjazzcat]

It should boot to SDX when the "Off" and "Flash" pins aren't jumpered. Sounds like something's not right here.

[Louis]

erazmus, on Sat Dec 4, 2010 3:26 AM, said:

J1

8. H7
7. P7
6. H8
5. P8
4. H12
3. P12
2. H19
1. P19

I should probably wire these too right?
I was under the impression that this was only necessary with the memory upgrade...

Were can I find the these pinouts?

[edit]

Connect with thin wires:
p7 on SDX PCB → bended up MMU pin7
p8 on SDX PCB → bended up MMU pin8
p12 on SDX PCB → bended up MMU pin12
p19 on SDX PCB → bended up MMU pin19
h7 on SDX PCB → hole in mainboard after MMU pin 7
h8 on SDX PCB → hole in mainboard after MMU pin 8
h12 on SDX PCB → hole in mainboard after MMU pin 12
h19 on SDX PCB → hole in mainboard after MMU pin 19

[/edit]

Edited by Louis, Tue May 17, 2011 2:13 PM.

[flashjazzcat]

Heh... no wonder it doesn't work. But the manual leaves a lot to be desired, so I can't blame you for being confused.

The numbers refer to holes and pins of the MMU, (U3 - CO61618), which on the XE is situated immediately to the left of where you've fitted the IntSDX board. "H" refers to the holes left in the PCB after you've lifted the relevant pins, and "P" refers to the lifted pin itself. You need to carefully desolder pins 7, 8, 12, and 19, and gently prise them out of the holes, bending them up so that you can make the "P" connections to the raised pins, and the "H" connections to the vacated holes. I can heartily recommend socketing the MMU (or getting someone to socket it for you). My personal preference is to socket the chip, and then run the "H" wires along the underside of the board. At the very least I would advise desoldering and removing the whole chip before bending up the pins, since it's all too easy to snap a leg off the chip if you don't make a good job of it.

Edited by flashjazzcat, Tue May 17, 2011 2:17 PM.

[Louis]

Still no luck.

I'm trying this on a 800XL Freddy PCB.
I had some trouble in the past with this board, so almost all the IC's are socketed.

I'm using old UTP-wiring which can be bend and pushed into the 'H'oles.

Maybe I shouldn't be using this kind of wire, since in the manual is stated "connect with thin wires".
I'm not exactly sure what "thin" is

Well, tomorrow is another day.

[w1k]

well, what is a end of your installation?

[Rybags]

UTP wiring should be fine for signalling. Just test the connection with a multimeter once installed.