Beginning of very long journey

[mpattonm]

Out of curiosity, what's the form factor of the board ?

Thank you. By the way, I have added motherboard 3D models to Github, if you want to have a look at it
https://github.com/salacpavel/F030NG

[sqward]

I truly don't understand the use of a different DSP. This will immediately make it NOT compatible with Falcon and there will be hardly any software for it.

[christos]

I truly don't understand the use of a different DSP. This will immediately make it NOT compatible with Falcon and there will be hardly any software for it.

Well if it is in the same family it should be code be compatible (according to NXP), but i am pretty sure that incompatibilities will arise. How much incompatible it will be, i don't know.
I am also worried about the removal of the ejp's. That would make most games unplayable.

Anyway, assuming you can still find CPU and dsp in the market, as well as many of the peripheral chips, what would need to be recreated in order to have a new falcon without needing to find broken ones to canibalize?

[mpattonm]

Anyway, assuming you can still find CPU and dsp in the market, as well as many of the peripheral chips, what would need to be recreated in order to have a new falcon without needing to find broken ones to canibalize?

SDMA, Combel, Videl. Everything else is generic and available.

[shoggoth]

The DSP is a bit worrysome tbh

[alienkidmj12]

this is so awesome, im glad the board is being recreated, such an awesome machine, if more people have one, then maybe more software development, its all looking good.

[alienkidmj12]

what happened to the external scsi connector

[mpattonm]

what happened to the external scsi connector

Replaced by an internal 50pin, but I plan to make plugin add-on with Falcon HD DSUB.

[swapd0]

What about using a fpga as cpu and use the 68080 core?

[swapd0]

I could be nice to use a fpga with the 68080 core as CPU...

PD: sorry I for the double post.

[iceman]

You guys do not cease to amaze me with your ingenuity.

[catmando]

Will it be possible to add jag pad support somehow?

[dbsys]

I do not see the ROM port. Is there an internal connector I can use to attach my Cubase dongle?

[mpattonm]

No. ST ROM port edge board connectors are not possible to get _anywhere_ and I have spent quite a long time searching for them.

[mpattonm]

USB: Phillips ISP1160

Just be warned that you'll encounter some supply-chain issues with the ISP1160. It's long discontinued, hence it is only available at more or less dubious obsolete parts dealers. During manufacture of the Lightning VME we encountered among other things: 1. ISP1160s where the leads were corroded to such a degree that -- even though we extensively cleaned them -- we suffered a huge yield loss due to poor solderability. 2. A shipment of ISP1160s -- claiming to be new-old stock -- in which more than half of them were basically dead, one of the power pins being shorted to ground. They must have been used and severely mistreated during their previous life to fail in such an obvious way. 3. Some random faults within the chip that are fortunately caught during our end-of-line test.

All I want to say: Be sure not to buy from the cheapest source and prepare to have some issues with that chip.

Fun fact: I have bought a few sets of both chips off eBay and while ISP1160 were all OK (some needed their contacts to be cleaned in IPA), none of RTL8019AS worked. Luckily, these are still available at Mouser.

[dbsys]

No. ST ROM port edge board connectors are not possible to get _anywhere_ and I have spent quite a long time searching for them.

Thanks for making it clear that the "new" Falcon will not have ROM Port support.

You could at least have provided the functionality on board, using some sort of multipin connector for future or third party use.

[Cyprian]

+1 dbsys
would be cool to have possibility to use Cubase Audio

[PeterS]

Could an alternative connector be used allowing cartridges to be modified ?

[dhedberg]

No. ST ROM port edge board connectors are not possible to get _anywhere_ and I have spent quite a long time searching for them.

Would it not be possible to harvest connectors from existing ST, STE, TT, Falcon motherboards? I bet there's quite some non-functional boards in people's possession.

[TheNameOfTheGame]

Exactly, we can source our own if necessary. I have more than a few donor boards I could use.

[mpattonm]

You could at least have provided the functionality on board, using some sort of multipin connector for future or third party

Yes, that's happening. Internal expansion 20/50 connector has been expanded with cartridge port signals.

[mpattonm]

+1 dbsys
would be cool to have possibility to use Cubase Audio

If you can find a source for ST ROM port connector, I will be happy to add it. Really.

[mpattonm]

Could an alternative connector be used allowing cartridges to be modified ?

Whats the point? All current cartridges would be useless anyway.

[frank.lukas]

All the Midi/Music Stuff need the Romport. So a 40pin connector (IDE Like) would be nice ...

BEST have it I think.

[Cyprian]

Could an alternative connector be used allowing cartridges to be modified ?

Whats the point? All current cartridges would be useless anyway.

it the worst case, an user can reuse a connector from dead ST