First off, thanks to TotO for the X-MEM, it rocks ;D
All you need for this is the X-MEM, a 50-way ribbon cable with a female IDC connector and some means of mounting the X-MEM to the case. I used sticky pads. An easy way to get a ready-made cable is to buy a 50-way internal SCSI cable like this one: NEW! Quad SCSI I/II Cable 0.9m | eBay (http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/191601125839)
Unfortunately this method will only work with the V3 or cost-down 464 PCBs as the earlier versions don't have the holes by the edge connector.
First step is to clear any holes that came filled with solder from the factory. I used a solder pump for this.
(http://i.imgur.com/gJ8Ur51l.jpg) (http://imgur.com/gJ8Ur51)
(http://i.imgur.com/CAXJ14Nl.jpg) (http://imgur.com/CAXJ14N)
Then prepare the cable by removing the IDC connector from one end. I found that that IDC connector had scored the insulation at the end of the cable so I could strip it to a perfect length for soldering just by pulling the insulation off by hand.
I soldered the row of wires furthest away from the edge connector first, the second row then went much faster as the cable wasn't moving around as much. Nevertheless this part probably took a couple of hours with breaks. Be 100% sure your pins match up before you get too far along :-)
(http://i.imgur.com/ZMRrz5Xl.jpg) (http://imgur.com/ZMRrz5X)
(http://i.imgur.com/gboEG3Fl.jpg) (http://imgur.com/gboEG3F)
After some final multimeter checks the whole lot went back into the case without problems.
(http://i.imgur.com/EpSfKOhl.jpg) (http://imgur.com/EpSfKOh)
It's alive! I was able to flash BASIC 1.1 and I have level music in Hero Quest and speech in Chase HQ, so I guess it's working.
(http://i.imgur.com/x3Opcc5l.jpg) (http://imgur.com/x3Opcc5)
Really chuffed that the green-screen 464 I got as kid now has colour, 128k and a disc drive :P
It is really cool! Good that the old 464 has lots of free space inside! :D
Nice integration :)
It must have been a pain to sold all those wires ! :-\
Nice pics and good tutorial.
Bryce.
IMHO I would keep the 50 pole cable from expansion port shorter. The shorter the better. :)
Testing going well :-)
(http://i.imgur.com/fEkGUpOl.jpg) (http://imgur.com/fEkGUpO)
(http://i.imgur.com/6n5fADEl.jpg) (http://imgur.com/6n5fADE)
Cool! Look at that 464! :D
Good job! Loved the photo with the 3D bat, the colors..(nice screen)
@bjt (http://www.cpcwiki.eu/forum/index.php?PHPSESSID=u54m6r1etbrrdlq1aob0qvuo83&?action=profile;u=1364)
"" I found that that IDC connector had scored the insulation at the end of the cable so I could strip it to a perfect length for soldering just by pulling the insulation off by hand. """
Thanks for the tip.
Well done
Ray
I was thinking that your 464, as it is now, is exactly (more or less) what will be needed to run our text-adventure in an non 6128 machine. Maybe you will be able to give it a try and tell us how it feels! :D .
Nice work there bjt. That's an excellent project. Would I be right in saying though, that when you want to alter the X-Mem to boot from ROM or CPC, you have to open up your 464 to change the switch position on the X-Mem?
That's true, although I can't see why I'd need to. I guess it would be easy enough to extend the switch to one mounted on the case.