Mounting a CT60 with ribbon cable?

[sety]

Hi there.

Just wondering, is there any reason why I can't move the CT60 away from the keyboard a bit just with some simple ribbon cable? It's a little hard to keep it cool where it is, but I haven't heard of anyone doing this before.

I just thought I'd better check to see if there's a reason it's not done, rather than learning the hard way.

Thanks!

Stuart

[mikro]

There's definitely one strong reason and that is that your CT60 wont be attached to the motherboard anymore. ;-) So unless you invest some time into custom brackets (or whatever), you would need to learn to live with not very pleasant look at your Falcon (open, full of insulation, ...)

There are other solutions to this problem, look at Nature's SuperVidel manual (their own expander) or Rodolphe Czuba's CTEX.

[sety]

Hi mikro Thanks.

I've looked at the expanders from both Nature and Rodolphe Czuba. The big problem being availability.

I do intend on making some sort or bracket (3D printing makes things easier these days!) perhaps even mimic something that fits like the original PSU so I finally have somewhere to mount my switches and get the RF shield back all without drilling any holes in the case!

I know that the etchable transfers for CTEX are publicly available, but home etching double sided boards with such a large number of fine traces is a frustrating, messy, expensive rabbit hole I like to avoid.

So from a technical standpoint it is doable? The frequencies aren't to high for ribbon cable? I don't want to move it far, just under the fins where it can get some air (the fan stalls with the cover on where it is now which is far too noisy for me!)

Thanks again!
Stuart

[mikro]

I don't see a reason why it shouldn't be doable, the CTPCI works exactly that way. IMHO it's more interesting to find a way to produce a correct CTEX PCB (so it's possible to mount more expansion boards on the CT60), with today's possibilities to produce basically anything for no cost in China & co all it requires is only proper routing in some (perhaps even free) PC software.

[sety]

mirko: You were absolutely correct. I was hoping to secure the CT60 to the original PSU frame, but no matter which way I look at it, it just doesn't fit...

AtariCT60.JPG

Even if I were to strip it down soldered IDC transition connectors (which would be madness) it still wouldn't fit.

I've only ever seen one CTEX for sale and you beat me to it! I could get CTEX made in China but it'll cost me 200-300AUD for a prototype which is a bit too much. If there are 10 people interested It'll be a bit more affordable. I'd still have to covert the PDF drawings to Gerber some how and clean them up.

But it's doable.

Cheers

[mikro]

I've only ever seen one CTEX for sale and you beat me to it!

See my "CTEX thread": http://www.atari-forum.com/viewtopic.php?f=97&t=34016 - I'll gladly let it go as there's very little use for it as is (you can't mount anything on top of the CT60 because one of the case's columns is in the way + there is a couple of other issues).

I could get CTEX made in China but it'll cost me 200-300AUD for a prototype which is a bit too much. If there are 10 people interested It'll be a bit more affordable. I'd still have to covert the PDF drawings to Gerber some how and clean them up.

Not anymore, I've published Eagle sources on the same site: http://powerphenix.com/ct60/english/CTEX.htm

So it's only about fixing the CTEX PCB and there we go. As I'm equally eager to have a proper CTEX-like solution in Falcon's standard case, I'm willing to cover up to, say, 100 AUD if it helps.

[joska]

The problem with CTEX and similar solutions is that they not only move the expansion slot towards the rear of the Falcon, but it also raises it ~10mm. I can't see how you can fit a CT60 inside a stock case then, considering how tight fit it is at standard height.
With ribbon cables you (mostly) avoids this, but as mikro points out, you need to fabricate some mounting brackets to secure the CT.
Another option is to remove the sockets on the CT and solder it directly to the CTEX. That would raise it only a couple of mm.

[mikro]

Another option is to remove the sockets on the CT and solder it directly to the CTEX. That would raise it only a couple of mm.

I think even removing the headers on the CTEX alone could be helpful (i.e. just solder-trough 'raw' long pins), something like this:

s-l1600.jpg

Funny trivia: I was going to do exactly that but then Jookie brought me standard connectors and I went with those instead.

But as I mentioned in my CTEX thread, this is all pointless unless the PCB is fixed so yes, I'm still in when it comes to pooling money.

[sety]

Not anymore, I've published Eagle sources on the same site: http://powerphenix.com/ct60/english/CTEX.htm

You, my friend, are a legend!

On the subject of reducing the height, I have somewhere an old Commodore modem board that I pulled out of landfill. It has some very interesting IC sockets, that have almost no noticeable hight profile. I think they're just PCB rivets soldered in. When I find it I'll take some photos.