TF536 Dimensions

[Lemaru]

Hi all.

Does anyone happen to have a scan or good too down view photo of a TF536 board and the dimensions of it?

I was looking to create my own PLCC adaptor similar to Kludge's ice scraper, but relocating the DIP to a better location, together with a 3D printed bracket to support any cards. As it may be some time before we see these cards in the wild, I figure it would be beneficial to also accommodate this card.

Cheers all

lemaru

[terriblefire]

Hi all.

Does anyone happen to have a scan or good too down view photo of a TF536 board and the dimensions of it?

I was looking to create my own PLCC adaptor similar to Kludge's ice scraper, but relocating the DIP to a better location, together with a 3D printed bracket to support any cards. As it may be some time before we see these cards in the wild, I figure it would be beneficial to also accommodate this card.

Cheers all

lemaru

Dimensions are Dimension: 104mm x 101mm

There are OBV files here

https://github.com/terriblefire/terribl ... ster/tf536

Screenshot 2020-02-08 at 22.41.22.png

[Lemaru]

Excellent, that's perfect. Thanks!!

[kludge]

Do you have any thoughts on changes to the board to make it more compatible? The track record of the Ice Scraper is 50/50 for the TF536 if I remember correctly. And I think the TF534 boots diagrom (at least for some) but not WB.

Also, I would be interresting to see what you come up with! The space inside the A600 is truly limited, especially if the plan is to be able to close the case. I’ve been thinking of other layouts as well, but haven’t come up with anything that’s spot on.

Would your design be open sourced or closed?

[Lemaru]

My thoughts at present would be to have the DIP socket vertical rather than horizontal, and maybe either above or alongside the PCMCIA socket. It would make your design more of an L shape. That way you wouldnt be so limited by the size of the board hitting the back of the case (it would be more in a similar location to where it is in an A500 then).' I guess then the issue would be the height when the top of the case is fitted. (I will be using a Checkmate case so that wouldnt be an issue for me, but would for others).

You can then possibly use the two left most HD bracket holes to hold and support the adaptor with small standoffs.

The other thing I considered was using the HDD connector as a support, you can always relocate the IDE connector to elsewhere on the adaptor board itself so that it is still available for use. You could also possibly do this with the kickstart ROM socket too, as thats in the same location on all A600 motherboard revisions.

[Lemaru]

Regarding the actual compatibility. I have't thought much of that side yet. There doesn't seem to be much opensource A600 accelorator stuff out there to see how others go about the disabling of the CPU. Theres the original Furia design out there, and the original V1 vampire. The Furia looks like its using your method

When I get chance I may mock something up I will see what I can come up with for location. Then if I get chance to design something it will be opensource and stuck on GitHub.

[arkadiusz.makarenko]

I would love to stick tf536 into by A600.

[Aeberbach]

How did you go lemaru? I also really want a TF536 in an A600 - if you're not going ahead I may give it a shot.

[Lemaru]

I started looking at this but it doesn't look easy to fit it in an A600 and be able to close the case. I have a Checkmate A1500+ case I have now had for ages and not yet out anything in (undecided if to stick the A600 or a PC in it), so it's not so much an issue for me but probably will be for others.

I then noticed over on EAB that Kipper2k has designed an DIP to PLCC A600 adaptor for the FPGA project he's working on. I asked if he will make it open source and he said he sees no reason why not, so I was waiting to see what he come up with and what route he has taken to disable the on board 68k. Looking at other schematics, it appears people take different routes to achieve this, some (like the very early furia) take the same route as Kludges ice scraper, and just pull up BR and VPA, and others take the route of using logic of sorts to control this.

It's also probably cheaper for me to order 10 boards and build myself than it is to have one shipped from the US to be honest.

I have just got in the list for two boards (one for my A500 and one intended for one of my A600s) so not yet in any rush.

If you come up with something though, stick any ideas or anything up here, between us we can probably come up with something that works for all.

[Aeberbach]

I have an A600 on the way (so I can can fit my keyboards to one essentially) and was lucky enough to see the TF536 2nd batch announcements so that's on the way. Also I have a full set of Cherry MX keys on the way from Signature Plastics - you can do it selecting from the individual keycaps menu, choosing legend and size and they even have A keys in 1.25U for the bottom row. Given that I am going to have to try and put one inside. I think there is room in the stock A600 case and I'd like to make it neat with the mount ensuring the PLCC sits flat to the board and the whole assembly is held securely using the HD mounts. Will be shared of course.