(this is not a 'for sale' thread, its for feedback on a hardware project which isn't a kitsch-bent product but a gifted update to an open design)
everybody! i'm making this community a gift! because this week is really bumming me out and I've been planning this for a while and i think its a good moment to do this and start this conversation. and its the start of the weekend, i finally caught up to orders, and i've got the time for once to ramble. also, maybe this will help get group-buying going in this community a little more.
WELL, WHAT IS IT?
its an update to the ziegler-hosted project everyone has grown familiar with (GB Cart Flasher project)! this: http://www.reinerziegler.de/readplus.htm#GB_Flasher
essentially, this same level of technology with the addition of FRAM instead of the current SRAM design.
pretty straightforward. this is all tested and working fine (except for two fly wires i need to fix), I need to wrap up this PCB and get the deets released, hopefully it can be of some use to this community and help rebuild some of the lost DIY spirit (at least what i perceive as a dwindled element, much of that being my fault in a lot of ways).
WHAT I NEED FROM YOU:
-- any special features you MUST have on a minimalist cartridge? (nothing fancy… i can't think of anything really but you guys are smart)
-- anything you do NOT want on the cart?
-- LEDs…. OK, so, i put one on the PCB/schematic because it seems people really need their electronics to glow somehow. for whatever reason. if this must have more, talk me into it. the one is in the schematic even though its simply just ON (GND, resistor, voltage), but i'm happy to do whatever. (if you don't know how to add more, shame, and you should google that!)
-- i can't think of anything else, in terms of the schematic… can you?
HUH, WHAT IS IT YOU'RE DOING AGAIN?:
-- revised schematic with FRAM (instead of SRAM + battery, etc). it'll be PDF… i don't use EAGLE for projects like this anymore and without a license the proprietary .sch files are sort of useless. and they rely on my custom libraries.
-- this is non-USB, deal with it. however, it will be compatible with all programmers which are designed to work with this style cart + GB Cart Flasher.
-- the PCB layout is up to you guys, although i'll keep PCBs (my layout) and ICs (parts to make this) in stock, and would like to do some group-buys and keep it low cost. in the long run, the PCB layout is the only thing I think i'm not spoon-feeding you, just like the existing project.
-- this is MBC5 based now, not a CPLD or FPGA or anything fancy. i can find them NOS still, they can be pulled from the tons of games out there, and this skips having to worry about everyone buying a usb-blaster just to get their DIY cart programmed the first time. to avoid one-use-purchases, basically.
-- as of right now no changes to the software are required, but if so, i'll release that under the same license as the original GB Cart Flasher software (which is required anyways, just fyi).
so, please talk to me, and give me your thoughts! this truly is for you guys, its such a helpful project and it deserves to be brought into modernity somewhat, at least to drop the battery, its something i've been playing around with since 2010/2011 too (with great success, just a dumbass mistake i made and sat on until the last couple months). and its improper trying to make it a closed redesign when its not even my work to begin with (thanks two polish students!). and like i said, it seems like we all need a little gift and a hug in a way, so its good timing.
hopefully herr ziegler hosts this too for the benefit of all. thats in the plans (at least to submit this to his site for hosting alongside the original project)
at the very least, let me know if there is something i should address in the schematic other than the obvious. i'm wanting to at least get feedback on this before finalizing everything and preparing this so its not messy, etc. and doing the BOM and stuff. the last things.
just fyi…. i'll be getting at least one PCB made with all of these last changes just to assure 100% the schematic is OK before anyone starts treating it like gospel and working off it. so there is still some delay, although not much of one. you get to chirp in right at the end, so please do!
(and, because i think it might come up, this is ENTIRELY separate from kk_gb_8m, which should be out any time now, so if you have questions about kitsch-bent business, please direct it to those threads. not this one, because this isn't a kitsch-bent project i just happen to be kitsch)
