Breakout option for Mk2 board in store

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Don't Panic. Please wash hands.
  • Hi,

    I want to purchase 2 boards with IEC breakout installed as well as power for internal SD2IEC adapters. If this is possible, can you show me how to add those details to order?

    I also have a board I would like to send in for repair, please let me know how to proceed with that as well.


    Thanks


    RS

  • I want to purchase 2 boards with IEC breakout installed as well as power for internal SD2IEC adapters. If this is possible, can you show me how to add those details to order?

    This would be a custom change, and that's not possible to add in the store, especially because custom-built means that you need to waive your right of revocation.


    Also, please elaborate on the "IEC breakout" - do you mean the pin header that is prepared on the board, but not assembled? To be honest, I haven't seen a version of SD2IEC for that header, but only the blog post on breadbox64 from early 2019. If you're referring to that, then yes, we can add a box header as shown there, but it can't be ordered like that in the online shop. We'll have to handle this manually.

    I also have a board I would like to send in for repair, please let me know how to proceed with that as well.

    This article summarizes everything you may need to know.

  • BTW, just got a failure-message from our eMail server that your eMail forwarding does not work properly. You either forward from gmail to dreamhost.com or vice versa (didn't investigate), and the forwarder attempts to re-use the from: address, failing on our SPF records. Please use an eMail address in thie forum that is not forwarded 1990s style - thanks.

  • I'm sorry if I did something to anger you, that remark about 90s seem like underlying anger towards me for some reason. Maybe lost in translation.

    I will re register with Gmail account if that works better for your forum, not a problem.

    I'm am just trying to buy something from store, not trying to upset anyone.

    I will repost under new registered account, when you reply can you include the steps required to make such an order?


    Regards


    Rs

  • hopefully this address works better in forum.


    Are you saying that adding breakout won't work because there are no internal sd2iec boards that would work with that motherboard? If so, can you recommend a procedure to install internal sd2iec's with your boards?

    I have 3 orders for custom systems and I want to use the reloaded boards for that, but orders call for internal sd2iec, not 3xternal.


    Thank you.


    Regards,

    RS.

  • Quote

    Are you saying that adding breakout won't work because there are no internal sd2iec boards that would work with that motherboard? If so, can you recommend a procedure to install internal sd2iec's with your boards?

    What he is saying is, that we have not yet seen a sd2iec that actually uses that pin header. When the board was designed sd2iec wasnt as popular and widely available as it is now, and that optional pin header was added so whoever wants to build a sd2iec that uses it can do that - but so far it looks like noone actually did so.


    Of course that does not mean those sd2iec would generally not work with the c64rmk2.

  • history... I run vfx facility and artist have been asking me to make them custom c64 like the ones I have on my desk.. so now I make custom c64s with mechanical keyboards, custom cases painted in proper paint booths etc.. your boards fit nicely into that workflow.

  • ah I see.

    OK well I have one and it worked fine and I connected my own breakout that I soldered in. Now you know someone!!

    Only problem was getting 5v so I had to pull from the 12v input solders and take power down to 5v using my own little board to power my internal sd2iec. As I didn't want to mess with 5v power supply on board.

    That led me to handing board to someone who said they knew what they were doing and in turn destroyed the board somehow and now it won't even power on. I will send this one in for repair.


    What I wanted along with the breakout was a clean power line as well

    This way I can order 2 new boards and keep warranty as the mods would be done in factory.


    I'm by no means an engineer, so I would much rather have these tweaks done at factory

  • I'm sorry if I did something to anger you, that remark about 90s seem like underlying anger towards me for some reason.

    Definitely not towards you, and I'm not even angry. It's just that the whole eMail system worldwide is "broken by design", and it breaks a little bit more everytime they attempt to implement another feature to make spamming more difficult.


    If large corporations then work against that by still using way outdated methods of forwarding eMails, my life doesn't get easier. I'm aware that 99.999% of eMail users don't know the details behind it and only do what the web interface of the eMail provider offers. And I'm not expecting you or other users to learn about this, but at least the big eMail providers should be up to date when it comes to eMailing details.


    If you can, please forward this to your eMail provider: He's about 20 years behind on the method of forwarding eMails.


    OK well I have one and it worked fine and I connected my own breakout that I soldered in. Now you know someone!!

    So you did use the small connector on the C64 Reloaded MK2 before? I'm talking about this one, as documented in the Wiki. It does provide Vcc, and since it's unfused, I decided that it's safer not to assemble the pin header by default.

    What I wanted along with the breakout was a clean power line as well

    This way I can order 2 new boards and keep warranty as the mods would be done in factory.

    Like I wrote, I can do that, but you really need to know what you're doing: The power line on the auxilary IEC connector is unfused, and if your cable is wired wrong, you'll cause damage that won't be covered by warranty. This is why Tobias and I have been asking for a pre-made version of SD2IEC that takes advantage of the aux connector, which I have designed specifically for powering and connecting an IEC device.

    I'm by no means an engineer, so I would much rather have these tweaks done at factory

    You will at least have to do the level of modification that this person has done:

    https://www.breadbox64.com/blog/c64r-mk2-sd2iec-mod/


    ...minus the part where you need to solder on the C64RMK2 board :-)

  • Interesting stuff, thanks so much for in-depth reply.

    I completely understand now regarding the 5v unprotected input. I never gave that consideration, but ironically I ended up not using it and powering 12v down to 5 and made my own 'power board'. I was planning on adding a fuse to it and printing the board to look like an old commodore motherboard for fun (artist again..)

    My goal here is to not void warranty as the people buying from me are artist that trust me, friends and co-workers and I am doing this out of great joy and love for community with zero profit margin as you can imagine. The painting processes alone is very involved.

    Maybe you can recommend a procedure for me that will allow me to provide internal SD2IEC for the units without voiding your warranty? Maybe can agree on specs for a small power board as buffer to protect the main board? Or perhaps I can make a tap for the cassette port that leaves the port open but just draws the 5v from it? Maybe there is a product here... and internal connector board that is just another serial DIN internal connector with power that lets us plug any 'external' SD2IEC internally?
    The internal storage is key to the 'self contained' commodore experience I want people to have. I'm in processes of redesigning the case so it flips open like hood of car to show off the internals, maybe a little LED lighting to show it off as well (breadbin cases only!) I don't get the nostalgic feeling from the C and the extra space I get from this board allows for fun stuff to be put in that space.


    Please let me know your thoughts when you have a moment, no rush but I am open to anything including producing a new product for your boards that solves this for end users (plug tap into tape port, and plug your storage external storage into the din.. ? maybe?


    thanks again for taking time to help me out with this.


    Rony

  • Maybe can agree on specs for a small power board as buffer to protect the main board?

    I don't see a need for "protection" - the 5V rail on the C64 Reloaded can provide quite some juice: 4A instead of max. 1.7A that the original PSU of the C64 can supply. This is orders of magnitude above the requirement for the SD2IEC.


    Or perhaps I can make a tap for the cassette port that leaves the port open but just draws the 5v from it?

    No need for that, as the auxilary IEC connector of the C64 Reloaded MK2 provides everything: Not just the IEC signals, but also power. Back when I designed the board, I was hoping that one of the SD2IEC guys would design a circuit board that would plug directly on that connector, and semi-expose the SD card slot through the uppermost part of the datasette opening. This would let you use the datasette port if you want to, but also replace the SD card without opening the case. Your fundamental idea of having a self-contained C64 with mass storage would also be fulfilled with this, and it would be universal in terms of case: It would fit in both the breadbox and the C64c case.

  • I was hoping that one of the SD2IEC guys would design a circuit board that would plug directly on that connector, and semi-expose the SD card slot through the uppermost part of the datasette opening. This would let you use the datasette port if you want to, but also replace the SD card without opening the case

    wouldn't that have been perfect! Your making my head spin, now I want that spot.

    I wonder why I was having issues with 5v power. It was a used board I bought out of curiosity, so no idea what went on beforehand.

    In meantime I will build these 2 units with method described in the tutorial.

    Is there a charge putting the tap in?

    I want to order 2 boards and I'll ship mine for repair as well. Set that one straight.


    If no charge, I'll just place order on site once I hear back from you.


    You have been so helpful in ways you don't know. We are switching dreamhost because I am now convinced that's why we have unreliable email on Mac products in our house, while pc mail clients don't seem affected, the other side is always missing emails, bounces, undeliverable messages etc.. 😀

  • I didnt mean to imply I wouldn't buy it if there was a charge..just let me know how to proceed for order.

    Thanks

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