[Video] A look at the (alpha) STE PLCC to DIP CPU relocator

[Badwolf]

Here I have a nosey at the 'plug style' DIP64 breakout board for the STE that Exxos started developing for the TF536.

Tricky this. Tight tolerances. Does it have legs?



See: https://www.exxosforum.co.uk/forum/viewt ... =90&t=4921

BW

[exxos]

Don't think the TF536 would fit either with the keyboard, but wasn't really thinking that far ahead

IMG_6442.JPG (466.49 KiB) Viewed 3338 times

[Badwolf]

Don't think the TF536 would fit either with the keyboard, but wasn't really thinking that far ahead

Top banana.

Just musing now...

What's the top speed of a genuine 68k before we get into SEC territory? Was 16MHz the limit?

How long do you think one could go with flatflex or ribbon cables to displace the CPU even further at those speeds? I know the STE is marginal with signal integrity at the best of times, so I presume the answer is 'none', but with so little space in the STE, I was eyeing the top of the gotek!

BW

[exxos]

What's the top speed of a genuine 68k before we get into SEC territory? Was 16MHz the limit?

Not really sure as there was a lot of problems back then as I was using sync clocks.. I think some would push 28MHz. But I have a feeling they started to struggle at 24MHz.

How long do you think one could go with flatflex or ribbon cables to displace the CPU even further at those speeds? I know the STE is marginal with signal integrity at the best of times, so I presume the answer is 'none', but with so little space in the STE, I was eyeing the top of the gotek!

The pullups would help a lot, but nothing I ever tested. Normally once you get like a inch of track length your already into problem territory. Think I would be surprised if you even get to 32Mhz on a ribbon cable. I would actually expect more like 16Mhz or just not working at all.

I may port the SEC booster to the STE one day. But theres never enough interest in the STFM one to really produce them. Fast-ram makes it more attractive of course, but the price of SRAM "back then" was adding up to like £100+ just in parts. We all really need is a 68K footprint SDRAM board *hint*

The Veloce fitted in the STE case. That was a fairly large board. https://www.exxosforum.co.uk/forum/viewt ... loce#p6483

Think I was mostly plotting the TF536 being solder directly into the CPU relocator. So not sure if it would fit that way or not. Mostly I was trying to keep the processor at the back (towards the simms) as that is where there is more height, in particularly for placing a heatsink etc. but there was really not any other choices on how to fit the board.

Possibly if you soldered the 68K into the board instead of the socket, I would assume the keyboard would fit then ?

If you want to cause yourself more pain, you can remove the black plastic spacers from the header pins, and cut the pins down and then the whole board would probably fit flush on top of the socket then.. But cutting the pins all perfectly level without bending them..

Incidentally, you probably know why I am spending so much time in creating a 3-D printer which actually is accurate now

[Steve]

Since the board has its own pull ups are you supposed to remove the standard ones on the motherboard, similar to the 32mhz booster? I assume

[Darklord]

Not sure if the Turbo boards were "true" 68000's or
not but they ran in 25, 28, and 36mhz varieties...

Here's a picture of a T-25 I had and an ad...

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T-board ad.jpeg (35.42 KiB) Viewed 3289 times

[sporniket]

A little question : what is the meaning of "SEC" ?

[HigashiJun]

Thank you Badwolf for this video.

I now have a more accurate idea of what to expect and do with this relocator (I am still waiting for btw).

[stephen_usher]

It looks like the keyboard may just fit if you remove the IDE header.

[exxos]

A little question : what is the meaning of "SEC" ?

https://www.exxosforum.co.uk/forum/viewforum.php?f=82