AcidInside Hardware Project

[Bryce]

Hi All,
      as I don't have a lot of time for developing new hardware at the moment, I thought I would upload some of my other stuff that I never got around to releasing. The AcidInside project was one of my first CPC+ mods and has been sitting on my hard-drive collecting digital dust for several years now. Someone asked me lately to publish it (as usual I can't remember who it was, sorry that person).
      The idea is not exactly rocket science, it's a simple circuit to mount an ACID inside the CPC+, that way you can use home made ACIDLess cartridges and cartridges where the ACID has died or whatever. You can find all the details and a few pictures here: http://www.cpcwiki.eu/index.php/AcidInside

Bryce.

[SyX]

Really interesting

[TotO]

I'm not fan of this dirty hack.
It's was as simple as replacing the full cartridge riser with a new one including the ACID support.

[Bryce]

@TotO: I would have preferred to replace the entire riser with an "ACID Riser", but unfortunately all 3 connectors on the riser: The Cartridge connector and the two connectors to the main PCB are no longer available. So I was left with no choice, but to add a small PCB. It might be possible to remove the connectors from the old riser, but this would not be easy and would risk damaging the connectors, leaving you with a CPC without a cartridge port. This is a risk that I don't think many users would want to take.

Bryce.

[TotO]

I would have preferred to replace the entire riser with an "ACID Riser", but unfortunately all 3 connectors on the riser are no longer available.

OK, I understand.

[beaker]

Awsome, thanks Bryce,

Hope you don't mind my ignorance but never having made a PCB, would it be simpler for me to use a bit of vero board containing the socket, ACID chip and capacitor then connect the relevent pins using insulated wire (and maybe use a switch mounted on the case to turn it on and off without having to take apart the machine - would I then need a resistor? It's seems to be an optional step but would be quite good to have)?

I look at your mouse interface and think there is no way I would have the skill, nor the tools to do that sort of thing...

Beaker

[TFM]

Looks good, but need a closer look l8er, don't see which pins must be connected right now, but lack time to study in detail right. However: Excellent work! Thanks' a lot!!!

[Bryce]

The circuit is so simple that you could easily make it on a vero board. I will add a small table to the Wiki page showing which pins go to which cartridge pin. Then you can make it without a PCB. The resistor is only needed if you want to switch it off, but as I mentioned on the wiki page, the CPC doesn't seem to mind having two ACIDs in parallel, so there is no reason to switch it off. Without the switch you only need the IC socket and the capacitor (no resistor or jumper).

Bryce.

[Bryce]

Ok, I've added a small table to the Wiki page of which connections need to be made if you just use a vero board.

Bryce.

[beaker]

Thanks for doing that Bryce, I'll give that a go once I've finished my HxC case and installing your mouse adapter (once the USB extension finally turns up - ordered it on the 27th December from Hong Kong so I am thinking it's gone AWOL...)

[RockRiver]

Great!!!
Then how we could put CPR file software on a generic cartridge without a ROMburner or EPROM chips?
Maybe a Flash reader cartridge ? CPRs on SD or USB attached to a cartridge?   

[steve]

You could use a battery backed RAM chip instead of the rom and maybe connect a write signal to the cartridge port so you can write to the RAM cartridge.

[Bryce]

There's an easier way With no mods to the CPC required.... But more about that when I have time

Bryce.