Tapuino, the $20 C64 Tape Emulator

[spcbm]

Hi,

• I've got the USB port as close to the edge as I can, should be able to make a hole in a case and see it, won't be flush with the side though. The problem is the SD Card connector placement, I've tried some alternatives placings but it usually ends up messier.
• The Datasette connector was confusing... I had to mirror/rotate until it worked, specifically for single bottom layer placement.
• I could use 2 layer, but then I need two different designs for factory fabbed or home made PCBs, I'm trying to keep it to one so anyone can make one. Two sided would be a lot easier tho...

Also:

• I've seen that Nano library part before. I didn't use it for two reasons: firstly it has some incorrectly labelled pins IIRC and secondly I want the Nano to be socketed and there only seem to be 32 way sockets (not 30 way) so I've used that instead.

I have the files in github now, give it a go and see what you can come up with. The files are called Tapuino-with-mux.brd and .sch.
Please keep to single sided for now I'll route a two sided board tonight just to see for comparisons sake, maybe we'll just need to have 2 designs.
-(e)

I think the pins are correct for the nano.
You can use a female pin header socket like this by cutting two 15 pins pieces:

http://www.ebay.com/itm/271658325222


I will have a try next monday I'm installing Eagle in new computer. I think also we can make a single side version with some jumpers if needed for home made PCBs. I was making my PCBs for my Commodore stuff I'm selling on ebay, but when I discovered this manufacturer, I have not make them anymore.

[sweetlilmre]

Hi,

I think the pins are correct for the nano.

The Nano pins (at least in the schematic, I haven't checked the layout) are labelled incorrectly for all of the analogue pins: after +5V should be A7..A0, but the schematic part has A0..A7.
As I said this could just be schematic vs layout (I'll check just now), but it was 'wrong' enough initially that I was concerned.

[EDIT]: just checked and the pins appear to be incorrect in layout as well.

You can use a female pin header socket like this by cutting two 15 pins pieces:

http://www.ebay.com/itm/271658325222

I thought about cutting the pins off of a 32 way socket or using 2 single row headers.. that is possibly a good way to go about it.

I will have a try next monday I'm installing Eagle in new computer. I think also we can make a single side version with some jumpers if needed for home made PCBs. I was making my PCBs for my Commodore stuff I'm selling on ebay, but when I discovered this manufacturer, I have not make them anymore.

The current design is exactly that: it uses 0 Ohm resistors placed as jumpers (resisters in horizontal and vertical configuration are used for spacing! ).
Thanks for your input and interest! I am keen to see what you come up with.

I was making my PCBs for my Commodore stuff I'm selling on ebay, but when I discovered this manufacturer, I have not make them anymore.

Do you have some details you can share or PM to me? I'd be interested in this service myself, especially with such a good recommendation!

-(e)

[spcbm]

The Nano pins (at least in the schematic, I haven't checked the layout) are labelled incorrectly for all of the analogue pins: after +5V should be A7..A0, but the schematic part has A0..A7.
As I said this could just be schematic vs layout (I'll check just now), but it was 'wrong' enough initially that I was concerned.

[EDIT]: just checked and the pins appear to be incorrect in layout as well.

You are right, the nano pins on this library are labelled for versions prior to 3.0 , in earlier versions the analogue pins (A0-A7) are in the opposite order (A7-A0).
http://site.gravitech.us/Arduino/NANO30/ARD-NANO4.jpg
http://arduino.cc/en/uploads/Main/NanoFront.jpg

I was confused because in my schematic and pcb layout was OK and eagle pointed to jet-lib, but there should be different versions of the library with the same name. I can not find the one I used (It's a mess with the change of computer), but found this much better:
https://mega.co.nz/#!kwwGQY4I!MJ6Lg3...NLwJy2LAAr2iZA

Do you have some details you can share or PM to me? I'd be interested in this service myself, especially with such a good recommendation!

-(e)

PM sent

I noticed that you miss the 10K pull up resistor that goes to D4 and optocoupler, do you use internall pull-up?

For the manufactured PCBs it could be useful to add also the buttons and resistors, so you can make easier ther assembly.
They need to be placed also near the PCB edge, just to provide access.
The 31-XX on the switch-omron library could be good, I think this ones have the same layout, there should be the chinesse version cheaper.
http://www.ebay.es/itm/Right-Angle-T...item43c019ca16
http://www.digikey.com/product-detai...658-ND/1632544

[spcbm]

This is the first version, PCB is 2 layers, I need to check if the size is ok for this box: http://www.supertronic.com/files/a81...f460277074.pdf

I will buy the box to check and then will make a batch of 10.

[sweetlilmre]

That looks amazing! 2 layers certainly helps.

Why do you need a 10k pullup on the opto? IIRC I use internal pullup (will have 2 check the code, but should be the case)

Also, it would be better to change the code for the buttons to internal pullup and remove all the pullup resistors from the board for cost / simplicity sake. Very easy to code with #ifdef for both cases and backward compatibility.

-(e)

[sweetlilmre]

Can you send me the Eagle files to play with?

-(e)

[spcbm]

Can you send me the Eagle files to play with?

-(e)

PM sent

[ozayturay]

I will try to drive two leds (green for read, red for write) with transistors from the read and write signals. I'll let you know if i succeed.

I made it. I added read and write signals driven with transistors to your design and packed it to an old USB ADSL Modem Enclosure. Here is the result.

[sweetlilmre]

Oh my! That is a thing of great beauty!
Excellent work! So sorry I haven't replied earlier, spcbm and I have been hard at work on the schematic / layout for the board.

Once again WELL DONE! Amazing, I never thought that this project would result in such fantastic builds.
-(e)

[ozayturay]

Thank you, i'm glad you liked it.

Some pictures from what's inside. I didn't take detailed photos because it didn't run before boxing and because of that i lost my interest at first. Than i realized the problem was with my C64, a broken adapter that can't give 9VAC and a blown fuse actually.

Miniaturized Tapuino board and Arduino Pro Mini:



Cable donor broken tape (thanks once again to LW3D from commodore.gen.tr) and other parts:

The green and red leds are driven by two NPN transistors, bases are connected to read and write signals from the tape connector.


Our case and his brother USB ADSL modem:



And this is the last phase before everything (a big cable mess) gets in:

In the upper right corner is the transistors built in air and isolated with shrinking tube.