SmartBoard STE

[Arne]

As already announced two weeks ago I finally had some time to populate and test some PCBs.
viewtopic.php?p=428073#p428073



SmartBoard STE is an extension for Atari 520/1040STE. No other machines!
It fits between the floppy disk drive and the mainboard. The TOS ROMs on the mainboard need to be removed.
SmartBoard STE extends the STE by:

• one Atari Falcon030 compatible IDE port
• FlashROM for 3 (up to 4) TOS/MagiC compatible operating systems
• Atari Mega ST/Mega STE compatible, battery backed RTC

Switching the operating system is solely done via the STE's keyboard. No mechanical switches or jumpers!
If you want to use the FDD LED in the right top corner of the keyboard for FDD and IDE (HDD) activity then there is a solution. SmartBoard STE is already prepared for that task.
You need some soldering skills and equipment to connect the cables.

I hope to find some time to assemble HD-Kit PCBs for Atari 520/1040STE the next days. These can be used in conjunction with SmartBoard STE!

[mikro]

The image is broken (not visible) + the link in the other thread is dead. This is the correct one: http://atari.team-yankee.net/pages/bake ... ste-41.php

Btw, I must say, a pretty novel idea with the keyboard handler. I've been hating the present jumper-based solutions quite a lot, it is the #1 reason why I didn't upgrade to any of those TOS switchers. MonSTer got away because of the other nice features but still, I hate that freakin' jumper!

[Arne]

The image is broken (not visible)

Depends on your browser. Palemoon shows it, Opera does not.

[joska]

Btw, I must say, a pretty novel idea with the keyboard handler. I've been hating the present jumper-based solutions quite a lot, it is the #1 reason why I didn't upgrade to any of those TOS switchers. MonSTer got away because of the other nice features but still, I hate that freakin' jumper!

You can do this with your MonSTEr too, mikro: viewtopic.php?p=269753#p269753

I have not done this on my MSTE, I have physical switches in a 3D-printed VME-slot cover instead. But I'm using this method in my STM with my homecooked flash-ROM and also in my Falcon/AB/Nova where I use it to switch between Videl and Nova video.

[RA_pdx]

Very interesting board and i would like to buy it but my problem is that i almost have no soldering skills.

[DoG]

Very interesting board and i would like to buy it but my problem is that i almost have no soldering skills.

Maybe this is not for you then, as Arne said in the OP:

Code: Select all

...
You need some soldering skills and equipment to connect the cables.
...

So either you get someone to do it for you (hard to find these persons now a days) or not buy it is my recommendation. Do you have someone that can do soldering for you?

[Mark_G]

I'm quite a hardware novice.

That's why I always wondered why you always have to solder to the original motherboard, and you can't use IC hooks.
The use of IC hooks seems to me to be a very neat solution.
I've also seen this on an Amiga expansion project.
http://eab.abime.net/showthread.php?p=1328458

Can someone with a technical background explain this to me please?

Mark

[stormy]

I'm quite a hardware novice.

That's why I always wondered why you always have to solder to the original motherboard, and you can't use IC hooks.
The use of IC hooks seems to me to be a very neat solution.
I've also seen this on an Amiga expansion project.
http://eab.abime.net/showthread.php?p=1328458

Can someone with a technical background explain this to me please?

Mark

Those hooks take up a lot of space don't they? And there seems to be a lot of cables to connect for this project. So of course, providing cable hooks, many of them, is going to add to the cost. It is also less reliable and probably not enough space inside the machine.