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XTIDE tech support thread

How did you come up with this mod - is there another thread someplace about it?

Thanks, it was by looking through the five ATA specs in close detail whilst trying to understand first whether ATA drives will work with 3.3V logic and secondly the CF implementation. Quite a lot on it on the dangerousprototypes forum.

CF cards are more sensitive to it I think because the voltage levels aren't standard TTL per their spec.
 
There is a pull up on the device side for CSEL. I'm not sure who decided to pull it down on the host side, but they are just plain wrong following any version of the standard.
 
CF cards are more sensitive to it I think because the voltage levels aren't standard TTL per their spec.

I was thinking about the CF issue more, and maybe CF cards are more sensitive to it is that the internal pull-ups per spec are 50k (vs. 10k for ATA drives), hence with 10k pull-down the voltage at CSEL in this case would be 0.83V - neither high nor low. Whereas with a spinning disk, it would be 2.5V-ish which at least is high (allbeit that that is incorrect for the master of course).
 
yeah, this and about 1000 other things have been on my todo list. I need to make a new wiki account, scrape the old wiki page off some archive snapshot and re-apply it here, then do another page for the rev2 card when I build up some more of them. It'll happen, I just need to get out of holiday mode and back into work mode.
 
Thanks Hargle!

Is there a wiki archive online someplace or are they your local ones? Maybe someone can help out.

Have a happy holidays!

Andrew Lynch
 
Hi! Heads up!

I just received an email from the PCB manufacturer and expect their delivery on Tuesday 4 Jan 2012.

Based on the emails I've received so far, I anticipate these will go quickly so if you are interested please let me know soon.

Thanks and have a nice day!

Andrew Lynch
 
Hi! The XT-IDE V2 PCBs have arrived!

They are $12 each plus $2 shipping in the US and $5 elsewhere.

Please send a PayPal to LYNCHAJ@YAHOO.COM and I will send your board(s) right away!

Thanks and have a nice day!

Andrew Lynch
 
Hi,
1. its available
2. optional UART for remote boot over serial port
3. improved ROM sizing
4. "Chuck mod" for improved IDE performance

Thanks and have a nice day!

Andrew Lynch
 
Hi

Good news! Half of the XT-IDE V2 PCBs have gone to their builders in just two days!

If you are interested in one of the PCBs I recommend you get in quickly since they'll probably be gone in a couple days at this rate.

The PCBs are $12 each plus $2 shipping in the US and $5 elsewhere.

Thanks and have a nice day!

Andrew Lynch
 
Hi
As of last night the XT-IDE V2 PCBs are almost gone -- I have three PCBs left and some "maybes" nibbling about. These PCBs went out considerably quicker than I anticipated so if you are still looking for one or more XT-IDE V2 PCBs please let me know and I'll restart the waiting list. If/when the list gets large enough we can consider another group buy. We'll just have to see how this goes in the context of the other XT-IDE like boards that should be appearing soon.

Please let me know if you are interested in XT-IDE V2 PCBs. Thanks and have a nice day!

Andrew Lynch
 
Great to see plenty of interest in this. Can I ask, what you did with your v2 with CSEL and IORDY lines?

Also as an update, the Dangerous Prototypes "v2" board (full CPLD) is about to be sent off to the board house :) Thanks for input from eeguru, it should eventually support memory-mapped IO which should provide a speed-up for writes too, although the CPLD code to support that still needs to be developed.

Thanks!
 
Hi,
The schematic for the XT-IDE V2 is on the N8VEM wiki in the XT-IDE V2 folder if you'd like to check it out. The CSEL line is pulled to ground via a pull down resistor. I don't recall what is being done with the IORDY signal off the top of my head though.

Good luck with the DP board. We really need to come up with three distinctive names though for the three XT-IDE like boards so it is clear to everyone what's being discussed. I find it confusing myself! Thanks and have a nice day!

Andrew Lynch

PS, I just checked and CSEL and IORDY are both seperately pulled to ground with pull down resistors. Neither has an option jumper though.
 
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Hi! Thanks everybody! The XT-IDE V2 DIY PCB group buy was a big success! I am out of boards and will start compiling a waiting list for another order if/when there is enough demand.

Thanks and have a nice day!

Andrew Lynch
 
I've got two xt-ide v2 boards and I have a couple questions. I am novice when it comes to electronics engineering, but I'm pretty wicked with a soldering iron. If i can figure out what components I need and where they go, I can build this thing. The information I find for the V2 board is not as detailed as the V1 board. Does V2 use the exact same components as V1? Has anyone else finished their board? If so I can assemble mine by simply looking at a completed board because honestly schematics are a foreign language to me. I just need to know what components to buy.
 
Hi! The technical information on the XT-IDE V2 PCB is on the N8VEM wiki below. It contains all the information you need to assemble your own XT-IDE V2 board. However this is more along the lines of a home brew computer project rather than a kit or pre-assembled board. Hargle was making some kits and/or pre-assembled PCBs but I suspect those are long gone by now.

http://n8vem-sbc.pbworks.com/w/browse/#view=ViewFolder&param=XT-IDE V2

There used to be a vintage-computer.com wiki page on the XT-IDE V1 but it got badly munged during a wiki conversion a few months ago.

http://www.vintage-computer.com/vcforum/showwiki.php?title=XTIDE+project

If anyone is feeling particularly ambitious please edit the vintage-computer.com wiki page to fix its problems. Adding in the XT-IDE V2 material would be nice if possible.

Also if anyone has information on their XT-IDE V2 build such as parts lists, photos, helpful hints, jumper settings, etc please post here, send them to me by email, or upload to the N8VEM wiki. Your experiences will help future builders more easily overcome the challenges you've faced during your build.

There is a fairly steady stream of new builders requesting more XT-IDE V2 PCBs. However Hargle and my plan was that XT-IDE V2 as a temporary bridge to the more advanced XT-IDE designs in work not the end goal. I was not planning on another batch of PCBs but if the waiting list grows enough it may be worthwhile to get more for: 1) the low cost DIY PCB only home brew hobbyists, 2) get more time for the other XT-IDE like projects to settle, and/or 3) address the hobbyists who prefer the primitive all TTL PTH solution.

XT-IDE is fun and a nice project but it is outside the scope of the main N8VEM home brew computer project. My primary interest in it has been as a helpful way to find interested home brew computer hobbyists.

Ideas? Thoughts? Comments? Thanks and have a nice day!

Andrew Lynch
 
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