TI-H: 8-Pin SPinTerface: Not realy THE SPinTerface!

To: ti-hardware@lists.ticalc.org
Subject: TI-H: 8-Pin SPinTerface: Not realy THE SPinTerface!
From: "Richard Piotter" <richfiles1@hotmail.com>
Date: Tue, 11 Nov 1997 22:06:19 PST
Reply-To: ti-hardware@lists.ticalc.org
That's correct, but my orriginal design used the 10-pin connector 
because it was easier for me to find. I lived in a rural area, so i 
assumed most people would be able to find it.

There is a design flaw which I just considered. The ground and 5V+ pins 
should be horizontaly connected rather than verticaly connected as they 
are

5 G  Is how they are now
5 G

5 5
G G Is how they should be, but it is too late.

The modified design would allow 8 pin and 10 pin carts to be used in any 
10 pin port.

Too many people have the thing built already, meaning it would be nearly 
impossible to get them all changed. It may not be too important for 
people who build their own stuff, but what about those who had it 
installed for them???

I realize it could be made better, but we must consider all the people 
who have followed the original instructions???

Also, I have a new port, The MMOD port that will allow memory expanders 
to have interchangable Memory MODules (MMOD). They WILL have 8 pins, and 
it would help to leave the SPinTerface with 10 pins and MMODs with 8. 
Your SPinTerface Port does the same job, but technicaly is not A 
SPinTerface port because it isn't compatible, KInd of like Macs and PCs 
both have Serial ports that do the same thing, but are incompatible 
because of different connectors.

Your Serial/Powered Interface port is not PHYSICALY compatible, even 
though it is FUNCTIONALY compatible. I would change it, especialy if you 
intend to use other carts, because right now, you have a lonely single 
port like no other.

I do like your creativity though. I wish I would have thought of that 
ground/5v+ pin flip before though! It's too late to change it.
>
>
>Matrix Phantom wrote:
>
>> The unit (I think) also has 2 power lines.  One direct from the
>> batteries at 6 volts and anothr regulated from the low-dropout 5v
>> regulator from national, that brins the count up to 7 I belive.
>>
>> Your comment regarding the ground lines is questionable, as well.  I 
am
>> not an electronis genus or anything but I belive it would at least be 
a
>> good idea to keep the lines for calc data seperate from the powered
>> lines (correct me if I'm wrong), bringing the count up to 8.
>
>I replaced the 10 pin on mine with 8, leaving one spare totalling 7 
pins
>needed.... if the ground/- line was used? then you could even knock it 
down
>to a 6 pin connector, but then you lose the one-way-only feature. Check 
the
>orig.....
>
>


Richard Piotter

E-Mail:
richfiles1@hotmail.com
richfiles@usa.net

The Richfiles:
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