Re: TI-H: SPinTerface

[Prev][Next][Index][Thread]

Re: TI-H: SPinTerface


>One question, what is a SPinTerface? I have never heard of it.

Sorry, should have told in my mail first time.

A SPinTerface port is an extention of the serial link port and the 
batteries and stuff. SPinTerface is short for Serial/Powered Interface. 
I shortened the name into a single word though. Basicly, it's a 10-pin 
port that has a 5v regulated power supply with auto shutdown (when you 
remove cartridges) and the three pins of the link port. I create tiny 
cartridges without any power circuits or power supply that plug into it. 
The carts get power from a 5v voltage regulator connected to the 
calculator's batteries. I have created SF Expander cartridges (based on 
Mel Tsai's Expander). They hold 512K or a Megabyte just like his, but 
they're only 1.5 inches long, almost an inch wide and 1/8 of an inch 
thick (thin as a GameBoy cart, but half as wide and not as long). The 
power is turned on simply by plugging in the carts, and if they need it, 
they can still get the full 6v battery power through the activation 
pins. You can create speaker carts with a tiny amplifier powered by the 
calc. If someone makes an IR link, it could be made into a cart, even a 
modem, if made could be adapted to fit into a SPinTerface cart (it would 
be larger though, maybe have a ribbon cable with the plug at the end). 
The main advantage it that the power source is provided making the 
projects you build cheaper and smaller. You also don't need to cut your 
link port cable or buy an extra one from TI for <i>how</I> much!!! The 
10-pin male connector (used on the cart) can be made from 2 row PC mount 
ribbon cable headers (2 rows of 5. They can be cut too). Even your 
connector becomes cheaper!!! The instructions for assembly are on my web 
page and I also have a battery expander that allows you to use AA 
batteries in the TI8x calcs instead of AAAs. The advantage to this is 
that the AA batteries are sometimes cheaper than AAAs and they seem to 
have far more power than AAAs. If you do a lot of stuff involving the 
link port, and you need to do prototyping, this may also be a good 
extention to the calc, since you get a power supply and the link pins, 
all provided for you. you could even have a breadboard with a 
SPinTerface cable attaced so you can expiriment, I do! It's easier than 
using a link cable and powerpack. If you need other voltages, you can 
have tiny regulators or charge pumps inside the cart. You still don't 
need to carry around an extra set of bateries!

It's easy to build and you don't even get near the "sensitive" area of 
the main board. There are only 5 connections to the main board, and they 
are all at the battery posts and the link port jack.

If you need more info, check out my web page or ask me.

Richard Piotter

e-mail: richfiles@hotmail.com

home page: <A 
HREF="http://www.geocities.com/SiliconValley/Lakes/5081/Richfiles.html">The 
Richfiles</A>
     ____________________
    /      _______       \
   /       \  __  |       \
   |       | |  | |       |
   |       | |__/ /       |
   |  THE  RICH \ FILES   |
   |       | |\  \        |
   |       / \ \  \_      |
   \      |___| \___|     /
    \____________________/


______________________________________________________
Get Your Private, Free Email at http://www.hotmail.com
Follow-Ups: