Today's project: Hack an Indivision into a CD32!

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Burned out of eBay a little bit, taking a Saturday for something fun :-D Today's project? Hack an indivision to work in a CD32.

Think I can make it work :-?

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tonyyeb wrote:
Nah. The chip has too many components that are too close to it IMO.

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alexh wrote:
What is that in the photo? A clip for a Lisa with two rows of inline pins? You took the crystal off the board (that's the component most likely to get in the way)

Bet ya that either A) you've got a short or B) you've got an unconnected pin.

The surface mount components are incredibly close to the Lisa chip reducing clearance of the clip.

It fits, though I've moved the crystal to the bottom. I've also shaved the plastic of the connector in a couple spots to clear SMD resistors. I could have gotten fancy and relocated the resistors to this board, but why when this is just a hack? :-D



One of 2 things is going to happen.
1) I turn it on and it works like a charm the first time.
2) I screw something up and a small mushroom cloud comes from the CD32.

 :lol:

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alexh wrote:
Interesting... if this works and doesn't short what are you planning to do? Shave a real Indivision 1200's socket and moving the crystal away from that area perhaps out on wires?

No, wire wrap. A lot of wire wrap.

The indivision will never mechanically work in the original confuration with an expansion like the SX32. It physically obstructs it and would not fit in the case.

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You guys crack me up!  :roflmao:

After driving to 3 different Radio Shack stores I am unable to source any wire wrap locally  :angry:

Soo... This complicates things a bit, I have to make my own wire wrap by separating individual wires out of some twisted pair ribbon cable I have on hand :crazy: We'll see how much patience I have tonight. I may shelve it until next weekend so I can order some proper wire wrap online.

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@alexh

BTW, you may have missed some of my previous projects. I can have stupid patience soldering when I want to.



That's an expansion port extension cable I made for my Commodore 128 Tower project. Now that one got me cursing :lol: It works, actually it works like a champ!

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mongo wrote:
How much room is there between the motherboard and the bottom of the case in a CD32? Enough room for a crystal by any chance?

No, there isn't...

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WIP



About 1/4 done with the wiring. Done for today, maybe until my wire wrap order comes in next week. Slow going this way..

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recidivist wrote:
 Can you not just build/buy a TALL socket extender,rather than all those long wires?

 Put CD32 in new case or make  filler pieces to go between original case top and bottom ?

Go any taller and you obstruct expansion hardware (ie SX32)

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Almost there...

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Bzzzz.. first test is a big fat failure. I suspect wire length / cross talk is the primary issue.



Some start up tests I actually get the Individual Computers splash screen, but it is somewhat garbled and the CD32 just sits there at it.

Gonna take some more work, but it is getting shelved for a while.