New/Old Peripherals?

[ComSoft6128]

Hi,

Ran across this site:

https://www.seeedstudio.com/gallery-user.html?id=292951&user=richarde

Have these particular products been seen before?
Any thoughts?

Cheers,

Peter

[Bryce]

They seem to be boards done by @revaldinho , who is a member here.

Bryce.

[ComSoft6128]

Thanks,

Peter

[revaldinho]

Yes, they're mine!


The RAM expansion is an all 74 Series IC design for the CPC6128 and is the subject of this thread: http://www.cpcwiki.eu/forum/amstrad-cpc-hardware/open-source-diy-512kb-ram-expansion/msg159642/#msg159642. I still have a few of these boards left from the 1st batch BTW.


The expansion backplane is just another Mother X4-like expansion card. Mother MX4 has one more slot but uses diodes in the power lines to allow use of an external supply for the whole card. My card uses jumpers to select CPC or external power for each individual slot. So effective but pretty unremarkable. Cheap and readily available via Seeed and very easy to build though.


The SIXROM card is probably the least generally useful one. I wanted a ROM card and since I had a few XC9536's and tube of 28256 32K EEPROMs hanging around, this is what I ended up with. Sadly the XC9572/36 parts are no longer manufactured in the PLCC package. That was my favourite IC for retro projects with its 5V compatibility and easy to solder, through-hole PLCC sockets. For now you can still get them relatively cheaply from eBay or UTsource, but you are taking part in a bit of a datecode lottery there. If you're wanting to use classic 16K ROMs, then probably the Rombo Redux (http://www.cpcwiki.eu/forum/amstrad-cpc-hardware/rombo-redux-deluxe-new-romboard/) is your best bet, and if you need more ROMs then any of the flash based solutions are good. Still, SIXROM works well, the design is free and open source (GPL3) so if you have the XC9536/72's then this board's a pretty cheap and easy build too.




R

[ComSoft6128]

Thanks revaldinho,

I hope they have been successful for you.

Slightly off topic - It would be good if all currently available hardware was collected in one thread (or a separate Wiki page?) with links to each product. This would be advantageous to both buyer and seller.

Possibly it is already and I have missed it?

Cheers,

Peter

[LambdaMikel]

... it would be quite a large undertaking though. Not sure who would want to volunteer for this  I believe there is some CPC Wiki hardware list, but it is not clear who maintains that list, and what hardware gets included and what not, for what reasons and/or criteria.  Maybe moderators decision?

[ComSoft6128]

Yes, getting the time to do something like this is always the problem.
But.....What about an area in the Wiki (call it "The Market, The Marketplace" or whatever) where producers of current or new hardware (and software?) list their products and a short description of each. The onus is then on the producers/sellers to keep it up to date.


Gryzor what do you think?

[Bryce]

... it would be quite a large undertaking though. Not sure who would want to volunteer for this  I believe there is some CPC Wiki hardware list, but it is not clear who maintains that list, and what hardware gets included and what not, for what reasons and/or criteria.  Maybe moderators decision?

The Wiki is completely open, anyone can add / edit the contents. There's no Master / Council deciding what gets included, just the basic rules of stay on topic, stick to facts not opinions etc. I did the articles on my hardware and articles on original hardware have been done by multiple people who own(ed) or sometimes didn't own a particular device. Feel free to contribute.


Bryce.

[Gryzor]

As Bryce said. Anyone can start a page, anyone can continue editing, all belongs to all.

[GUNHED]

For 464 and 664 users, the RAM expansion is a must have, because it's the only one which enables proper use of RAM mode &C3 for example. 

[zhulien]

i know a couple of people sell on sellmyretro, why not everyone with a cpc hardware put it there? 

[GUNHED]

Because not everybody would like to sell. A Wiki-page would be better. And some years ago we had a great category called Hardware. Later on some people defined it differently, so today I wouldn't know in which category to look.

[Kris]

Because not everybody would like to sell. A Wiki-page would be better. And some years ago we had a great category called Hardware. Later on some people defined it differently, so today I wouldn't know in which category to look.

Totally agree, today, it's a big mess to find something (even with the search box).

[GUNHED]

Yes, the search box needs rather precise wording. I more often use Google to find a keyword in the wiki. Works.   
Moreover not all hardware has a own wiki page yet.

[rambler]

I have made a holder for the Computer Expansion Board.
You can 3D print it on Thingiverse: https://www.thingiverse.com/thing:3286285