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| TashIO: Clone of BeeHive Technologies's ADB I/O |
Posted by: Tashtari on 2022-12-04 08:35:56
Designed some nice front & back inserts for the box. Very nice! I'm hoping I can buy the requisite parts for this when all is said and done, I'd like to add it to my collection of Mac hardware that I had some part in creating... |
Posted by: Phipli on 2022-12-08 04:39:32
Got a chance to build mine today. Not tested yet.
I lazily reused the ADB port footprint that has too narrow side tabs and the TVS diodes were a tight fit, but otherwise things are looking OK.
If I do a rev 2 I'll stretch the board to putvthe ADB ports further out.
I haven't done the cutouts yet 🙂 and I clearly should have got the black smoked cases like @aladds because yours looks amazing 🙂 |
Posted by: Phipli on 2022-12-08 06:02:04
View attachment VID_20221208_135448.mp4 |
Posted by: Phipli on 2022-12-08 07:19:21
And also using an external power supply on Port A. I had some trouble with this, I don't understand why because it is working absolutely fine now, but before the chip wasn't getting high enough logic to drive its outputs. I'll try to understand it better.
View attachment VID_20221208_150621.mp4
With this side you can even drive a small stepper motor - the chip is an array of transistors that switch the connection of each output to ground, so if you supply 12v to "clamp", then wire a bulb from 12v to PA1, you can swich the lamp by connecting and disconnecting it to/from ground. Only the ground is common with the rest of the circuit, but it is not as isolated as it would be with an optoisolator or a relay.
Until I used the software today I hadn't realised that Port A can be used as an input. I didn't account for this in my design because I just saw the relays and made an assumption. Thankfully, my board can still use these as inputs by bridging 1 to 18, 2 to 17, 3 to 16 and 4 to 15. The disadvantage of this is that there is no protection! No optoisolators and no TVS diodes! So this would be done at your own risk.
I'm happy with it as it is though. It will switch up to 50V at low current.
Oh curses! I just worked out a way to double the current it can handle! The datasheet for the chip says wire two channels in parallel to switch higher loads, I didn't think, I'm only using half of them, I could have just done that by routing them in pairs. The way they're arranged it would have been easy. |
Posted by: aladds on 2022-12-16 11:58:29
Just in time for the festive season 😊
Aside: if anyone else is considering doing something like this, don’t modify a set of Poundland lights, it took way too long. Just buy a few sets and accept that the colours will be mixed up! Or find a set with a controller and just replace that |
Posted by: olePigeon on 2022-12-16 12:20:26
Yaaaay! 🤣 |
Posted by: Phipli on 2022-12-16 12:34:33
Just in time for the festive season 😊
Aside: if anyone else is considering doing something like this, don’t modify a set of Poundland lights, it took way too long. Just buy a few sets and accept that the colours will be mixed up! Or find a set with a controller and just replace that Excellent. That it 100% the epitome of what retro computing is about.
Hats off. I meant to do something similar but I'm more easily distracted. Plus my house keeps breaking. |
Posted by: Tashtari on 2023-02-17 11:31:38
Just want to shake the tree here since it's been a while. @Phipli / @aladds - any news? |
Posted by: Phipli on 2023-02-17 12:45:31
Just want to shake the tree here since it's been a while. @Phipli / @aladds - any news? I haven't done much lately - I did an updated layout with some improvements but don't have reason to order any so left it. |
Posted by: aladds on 2023-02-27 01:32:09
I also admit I've not done much lately, been distracted with other projects (and I was sick for a week!)
If people are interested in me putting together kits or having assembled boards available for them to purchase then I am certainly able to do something along those lines! |
Posted by: Tashtari on 2023-02-27 08:32:25
If people are interested in me putting together kits or having assembled boards available for them to purchase then I am certainly able to do something along those lines! I'm definitely interested in one - preferably assembled, but would do a kit. |
Posted by: pfuentes69 on 2023-03-05 12:50:09
I also admit I've not done much lately, been distracted with other projects (and I was sick for a week!)
If people are interested in me putting together kits or having assembled boards available for them to purchase then I am certainly able to do something along those lines! Hello. I'd be very interested in a kit, but I'd prefer to know (approx.) the price. I'm in Europe. |
Posted by: aladds on 2023-03-05 13:53:01
Hello. I'd be very interested in a kit, but I'd prefer to know (approx.) the price. I'm in Europe. Based on what it’s cost me to put together Scuznet kits, and the fact that this has a lower component count but longer construction time (plus some 3D printing for a nice case) I could probably do a fully assembled unit for somewhere in the region of £40 + shipping. EU would probably be relatively straightforward, at a guess postage would likely be between £10 and £15. |
Posted by: pfuentes69 on 2023-03-05 14:36:12
Based on what it’s cost me to put together Scuznet kits, and the fact that this has a lower component count but longer construction time (plus some 3D printing for a nice case) I could probably do a fully assembled unit for somewhere in the region of £40 + shipping. EU would probably be relatively straightforward, at a guess postage would likely be between £10 and £15. Would that include the case? If so that's pretty reasonable, although I'd still prefer a kit and assemble it myself... just to enjoy a bit more the project. |
Posted by: dochilli on 2023-03-06 02:35:48
I am interested in a fully assembled unit (+ shipping to germany). |
Posted by: paws on 2023-03-13 14:43:59
Would this work on an ADB->USB adapter like an iMate? I realize that something that attaches directly to USB is probably more sensible, but I like the software support this seems to have. |
Posted by: Phipli on 2023-03-13 14:52:37
Would this work on an ADB->USB adapter like an iMate? I realize that something that attaches directly to USB is probably more sensible, but I like the software support this seems to have. I'd recommend getting an RS232 Interface box. They're generally easy to control from any language and RS232 to USB adapters are cheap and common. |
Posted by: aladds on 2023-03-14 05:46:51
Would this work on an ADB->USB adapter like an iMate? I realize that something that attaches directly to USB is probably more sensible, but I like the software support this seems to have. I would be very surprised if it doesn’t work, since the iMate supports software dongles and the like. But I don’t have one so I can’t say for sure!
As @Phipli says, though, a serial interface does help mitigate compatibility issues. |
Posted by: aladds on 2023-04-01 08:27:01
I’ve got a few boards working now. I can indeed set 4 of them to different IDs and control each one individually, as should be the case. Notably the AppleScript Scripting Extension used by RealBasic either isn’t being used correctly or has a bug, so that doesn’t work properly. But the HyperCard XCMDs are fine!
Also interesting was playing with toner transfer via. OHP sheets to make nice front and back plate labels. For a first attempt I think this came out pretty well!
Of course what this means is that I’m a step closer to having a few fully assembled and tested units for those interested 😊 |
Posted by: Phipli on 2023-04-01 08:41:42
I’ve got a few boards working now. I can indeed set 4 of them to different IDs and control each one individually, as should be the case. Notably the AppleScript Scripting Extension used by RealBasic either isn’t being used correctly or has a bug, so that doesn’t work properly. But the HyperCard XCMDs are fine!
Also interesting was playing with toner transfer via. OHP sheets to make nice front and back plate labels. For a first attempt I think this came out pretty well!
Of course what this means is that I’m a step closer to having a few fully assembled and tested units for those interested 😊 Hum, I think you can use XCMDs with RealBasic BTW.
What was happening with AppleScript? I've only messed with HyperCard. |
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