exxos's Atari, Amiga & retro forum

To change a little from the ST world, I started to convert into Kicad the Thomson MO5 computer, for now the v1 board (there are a v2 and v3 boards, that I plan to do later provided I am able to get one of those)

For now the schematic is done, and like the ST, I plan to remake the PCB. (This is one of my summer projects, along with the remake of the 260/520ST).

People can get the schematic in a nice PDF here : https://github.com/sporniket/kicad-conv ... .0.0-alpha

Last month, I finished to replicate the PCB ( see there : https://github.com/sporniket/kicad-conv ... 0.0-beta-1 for all the files), and I received it today.

There are some little details to fix, but mecanically, it perfectly fit inside the case, and the mounting screws are at their expected locations. I need to do further check on the electric and mecanical side now.

Well done !

Just kidding, but Fabius would be proud of you.

:lol:

HigashiJun wrote: 03 May 2024 13:10 Fabius would be proud of you.

:lol:

So true :D

This summer, I try to do an assembly, the goal is obviously to have a working computer as a proof of a correct remaking. The original computer will serve as donor board for the ICs, and especially the gate array (this is a Motorola MC1300 on a custom support, I will have to desolder it ; later iterations use an EFCIS gatearray in PLCC package put in a socket, more friendly).

Thus I ordered a big set of components :


Then I grouped them by type :



And now I have started, first with most of diodes (the small ones, there is a power diode that will be put later, as it is big and have to stay at least 1cm above the PCB).


Then the resistors



To be continued...

Done installing IC sockets.

Looks good !

(And probably better than the original...)

Thanks :)

The original board shows its age, espacially the underside where large copper pours have a wavy texture.

But the traces follow a quite clean orthogonal routing.

Now if you find a mechanical keyboard for your machine (instead of the ugly chiclet keyboard...) and a good case, you will have a nice retro in your collection.

:D

This build will just use the case and keyboard of the donor computer. The rubber keyboard is not the best, but it's part of the nostalgia :) . I did not know about the "mechanical" keyboard version until I rekindled with that family of computer.

Today's progress : first adding the non polarized capacitors, as well as the cristal and the coated inductance :


...then adding the transistors and the electrolytic capacitors...


And the next step will be pulling all the chips from the donor board.

I have also prepared (not soldered yet) a socket for the gate array by hacking some DIP double-swipes sockets (get individual rows and sanding the ones that are on the inside.


It would be nice if the gate array is happy with it. I also have turned pins stripes, but it is more a hassle to use, so it's my fallback plan.