ICD AdSpeed ST: 16 MHz accelerator

[Awol]

I just bought a brand new boxed "ICD AdSpeed ST" 16 MHz accelerator on eBay for $30 shipped. Was that a good deal?
What I really want to know though is: will it work with my STE? If not, it's no big deal because I can just stick it in my plain ST instead. I'd rather focus on upgrading a single computer though (already done my STE's RAM, next up: TOS).

[joska]

I just bought a brand new boxed "ICD AdSpeed ST" 16 MHz accelerator on eBay for $30 shipped. Was that a good deal?
What I really want to know though is: will it work with my STE? If not, it's no big deal because I can just stick it in my plain ST instead. I'd rather focus on upgrading a single computer though (already done my STE's RAM, next up: TOS).

£30 is a good deal. It will work with your STE if you can find a suitable adapter - which is highly unlikely

[wongck]

It plugs into the CPU, so you need to get the correct version for your CPU - either then longish one or the squareish one.

[puppetmark]

I got one too. I am anxious to see what it can do in my 520ST.

[Awol]

It plugs into the CPU, so you need to get the correct version for your CPU - either then longish one or the squareish one.

Oh. I didn't realize the STE's CPU was shaped differently.
Now I've Googled a bit and found out that although the STF and STE both have a Motorola 68000 CPU, the STF's is in DIL/DIP form, and the STE's is in PLCC form.
How many pins do each have?

£30 is a good deal. It will work with your STE if you can find a suitable adapter - which is highly unlikely

An adapter like on this page? Again, how many pins to how many pins? Although, one of those will cost me more than I paid for the accelerator itself! XD

[wongck]

It plugs into the CPU, so you need to get the correct version for your CPU - either then longish one or the squareish one.

Oh. I didn't realize the STE's CPU was shaped differently.
Now I've Googled a bit and found out that although the STF and STE both have a Motorola 68000 CPU, the STF's is in DIL/DIP form, and the STE's is in PLCC form.
How many pins do each have?

Off hand I do not know the pin counts. Check out the documentation at motorola (Freescale now I think).

[wongck]

Just open up your Atari & see which one is yours. On my 520STFM, it the longish one.

[joska]

£30 is a good deal. It will work with your STE if you can find a suitable adapter - which is highly unlikely

An adapter like on this page? Again, how many pins to how many pins? Although, one of those will cost me more than I paid for the accelerator itself! XD

Wow, I didn't know that these were still available! I think the 68 pin version would do.

[Awol]

£30 is a good deal. It will work with your STE if you can find a suitable adapter - which is highly unlikely

An adapter like on this page? Again, how many pins to how many pins? Although, one of those will cost me more than I paid for the accelerator itself! XD

Wow, I didn't know that these were still available! I think the 68 pin version would do.

Hm... I think what I need is the "DIP to PLCC adapter" and they don't have a 68-pin version of that. They do have a 68-pin version of the "PLCC to DIP adapter" but I think that's the wrong thing. I could probably make one. 68-pin DIP socket + 68-pin PLCC plug + DIY etched PCB = Atari CPU adapter. It should be fairly straightforward, right? Just connect each pin on the DIP socket to the corresponding pin on the PLCC plug?

[Awol]

Hm... I think the DIP version of the CPU has 64 pins, while the PLCC version has 68. What do I do about those 4 pins that get lost in translation?

[Awol]

Check out this link. Looks like that company sells the right kind of adapter, but I don't see how to order it online. Might be easier/cheaper to make one.

[wongck]

Check out this link. Looks like that company sells the right kind of adapter, but I don't see how to order it online. Might be easier/cheaper to make one.

Easier - no, Cheaper - yes.

[coze]

not really sure about the cheaper bit also, esp if you don't have the material to etch pcb at home in hand.

[Awol]

not really sure about the cheaper bit also, esp if you don't have the material to etch pcb at home in hand.

I've actually already ordered some copper clad board from eBay because I wanted to try DIY etching for some other projects I'm doing. Cost me $8 shipped for a 12" x 12" double sided board. I can cut it up into smaller boards.I've read that you can make a good etchant out of hydrogen peroxide and muriatic acid, and we've already got both of those around the house. Also, I've etched copper plates for printmaking before. Pretty much the same process.

[simbo]

http://www.ironwoodelectronics.com/cata ... -01Dwg.pdf

here is the one you need but it costs wait for it 400 $ hahahahaahah



here is the pin outs
the board is easy to make provided you use two pcb bits joined as it gives you a bit of room for the tracking
expect to use thru's and via's and the dil board can be single sided with a groundplane if you like
http://www.xs4all.nl/~ganswijk/chipdir/giicm/68010.txt
just some small changes
there is 4 gnd pins in the plcc version
and 2 no connection

so just to wire it all up in an ecad like proteus vsm or better

[Awol]

Thanks for the pinouts Simbo!

I've just ordered a 68-pin male PLCC plug from here. Ended up costing me $30 shipped - the same price as the accelerator itself! Still, I suppose that's cheap for such a hard-to-find part, and that's the only place I could find to buy them. But the accelerator came with a 64-pin DIP socket, and I've already got etchant ingredients and blank PCB around the house, so I shouldn't have to spend any more money. Now let's see how long it takes for that little PLCC plug to arrive! It better come fast, considering they charged $8 shipping for a tiny little part. Anyway, once I've built the adapter and put the accelerator in my STE, I'll be sure to report back here on whether it works (how it cooperates with UltraSatan and various programs), and I'll post up photos as well as my circuit design in case anyone else wants to build one.

[simbo]

lets see sound a good fun project for sure!!!

[Awol]

The 68-pin PLCC plug came in the mail today, so I'll have a report soon.

[Awol]

The DIP chip has 2 ground pins, and the PLCC chip has 4. I assume I just connect 2 PLCC ground pins to 1 DIP ground pin?

[joska]

The DIP chip has 2 ground pins, and the PLCC chip has 4. I assume I just connect 2 PLCC ground pins to 1 DIP ground pin?

Yes.

Btw. I just got a very clean STE for free today. And I happen to have an ICD AdSpeed16 somewhere, as well as a PC emulator. It would be cool to get these working in the STE, so please let us know when/if the AdSpeed is up and running.

[wongck]

Btw. I just got a very clean STE for free today. And I happen to have an ICD AdSpeed16 somewhere, as well as a PC emulator. It would be cool to get these working in the STE, so please let us know when/if the AdSpeed is up and running.

What!!!!... for FREE!!
Lucky you.....
and I have to look into eBay.

[Awol]

I finished the adapter but I can't get it to work! I've unplugged and replugged it a few times, but every time I turn on the STE I get either a blank white screen or 20 bombs. I used my multimeter's continuity test to make sure each pair of pins is connected properly, and to make sure there are no short circuits between wrong pins. I'm sure each pin is connected to the correct corresponding pin too. I don't know what's wrong! Anyone have suggestions? Is there a way to test the accelerator to make sure it isn't broken?

Here are some pictures. Don't laugh! It's my first ever attempt at circuitboard etching, and I didn't have the patience to figure out a circuit design program, so I hand drew the circuits with Sharpie and nail polish. I'm not the neatest at soldering either.
The adapter:

1.JPG

Installed:

2.JPG

There's not a lot of room in the computer so I made 2 boards and connected them with wire. It didn't occur to me to use ribbon cable until afterwards.

So that's what it looks like... a little sketchy, but the important thing is that it should theoretically work (corresponding pins properly connected, no short circuits). The problem is that in practice it doesn't work for some reason. Maybe the accelerator just only works with STF's?

[joska]

My AdSpeed16 has a socketed CPU. If your adapter is OK, the STE should boot and function normally if you remove the CPU from the AdSpeed and insert it directly in your adapter. This will tell you if the problems is with the adapter or with the AdSpeed.

[wongck]

Here are some pictures. Don't laugh! It's my first ever attempt at circuitboard etching, and I didn't have the patience to figure out a circuit design program, so I hand drew the circuits with Sharpie and nail polish. I'm not the neatest at soldering either.

Nice one. Better than me, I will never able to do that!!

[simbo]

looking at the pitcure im pretty sure i see a short between two tracks in the right hand lower segment

where the tracks bend round track 2 and 3 there is a small blob of copper between them
also on the left hand side a track is open circuit


if you asked ... i would have made a pcb design for you
usualy takes me about 1hr or so to make a foil ....


advice is to use an lcd multimeter set beep test or low ohms / diode test range

and check track to track

ps ... slow down and move very slow around mpu
one mistake can fry the chipset a little and mpu setup