Uzebox enters the matrix!

[D3thAdd3r]

MIDI interface sounds cool, so if you think to trash it, think it twice.

I have a strange feeling Alec has been back and forth on the MIDI port more than twice

[Speeddemon]

Az long he dont blow hiz fuze.zs..... Itz all goodz!!! Lol!!

[uze6666]

Yeah, i checked a lot of modules, wired and wifi, including wiznet, wifly,gainspan etc. This one seemed to offer the best balance of feature/price/ease of use. I guess a "rise card" could also do the job...but all components would need to be surface mount or else it would be somewhat bulky.

I have a strange feeling Alec has been back and forth on the MIDI port more than twice

Aaah you have no idea how it's bugging me. Seriously is there anybody on this board who actually used it?? Yeah I did to compose all music but It was only because I was too lazy to learn how to do a VST instrument plugin that would have implemented the uzebox sound engine...eh if anyone is interested, that would be a good challenge.

[DaveyPocket]

Yeah, i checked a lot of modules, wired and wifi, including wiznet, wifly,gainspan etc. This one seemed to offer the best balance of feature/price/ease of use. I guess a "rise card" could also do the job...but all components would need to be surface mount or else it would be somewhat bulky.

Here's what I'm trying to convey (Excuse my laptop trackpad drawing skills):


Make a riser card containing ONLY the expansion header for the purpose of providing Uzebox's that don't have an expansion header the ability to have an expansion header.

Make the network module a module that plugs into the expansion header to be used for all Uzebox's versions. I realize this is two pieces of hardware and may not be desirable in terms of cost and possibly size, on the other hand I can guarantee that there will be other expansion modules in the future that will utilize the expansion header so it could benefit those who don't currently have the expansion header.

[uze6666]

Make a riser card containing ONLY the expansion header for the purpose of providing Uzebox's that don't have an expansion header the ability to have an expansion header.

Ahhh, now I get it...great idea! The expansion header was something I wanted all clones to have since the beginning, but somehow Clay and Ladyada decided to left it out back then. Only the AVCores won't work but I'm willing to live with that. Now...how do we make such a "raiser card"? Is there special pins for such usage?

[DaveyPocket]

Now...how do we make such a "raiser card"? Is there special pins for such usage?

We can use something like this: https://www.sparkfun.com/products/8118

A 40-pin DIP wire-wrap socket. The legs are long enough to go through the PCB and into the socket on the Uzebox main board. You can find different types of these that also provide dual-wip sockets and such. Then all you would need to do is run traces from the socket in the right location for whichever ports and pins are used on the AVR to an expansion header on the side of the PCB.

Only the AVCores won't work but I'm willing to live with that.

Like I mentioned before, there's about 5 or so pins on the AVcore's package that share the same pins/ports as the "standard" expansion header. Maybe make a special riser card for the AVcore to connect these to an expansion header and only set up the wireless module to those 5 or so pins.

Also, watch out for PD5, I decided (not a good decision) to connect the Uzebox JAMMA coin counter to that pin. So if you send data on that pin it will make the mechanical coin counter inside a cabinet the Uzebox JAMMA is plugged into go nuts!

[uze6666]

Based on your idea, I sketched something about what it could be. A board with a DIP-40 socket plus the header protruding or a version where the header could fit within the footprint if we use the tqfp-44 mega644. The latter would be the only compatible way for both the Fuzebox and EUzebox.

exp-board.gif (9.9 KiB) Viewed 7617 times

.

We can use something like this: https://www.sparkfun.com/products/8118

Wire-wrap pins are perhaps a tad too long, but yeah, that's probably the best way to do it. Digikey has a regular DIP socket but with extended pin lenght, which would be perfect: http://www.digikey.ca/product-detail/en ... -ND/260657.

Also, watch out for PD5, I decided (not a good decision) to connect the Uzebox JAMMA coin counter to that pin. So if you send data on that pin it will make the mechanical coin counter inside a cabinet the Uzebox JAMMA is plugged into go nuts!

No risk, it was already reserved just for the Jamma.

[DaveyPocket]

Good idea! For those going the surface mount route, may not be best to waste a socket and not have anything go instead. Rather, use two these on each side to create a 40-pin DIP package: http://www.digikey.com/product-detail/e ... ND/2039520

There may have to be some testing done. Hopefully the oscillator won't be "too far" from the ATmega. There needs to be a clean and strong signal. If it ends up failing an oscillator might need to be added to the expansion board

[D3thAdd3r]

Expansions will have whatever they need. The Uzebox is still the Uzebox.

Totally agree with that thought.The riser seems like a pretty good idea to me. So I will play the devil's advocate here.

The price for a riser socket seems about the same as just using an mcu(tiny or whatever)+plug to translate commands from controller port. The mcu could handle a lot of additional tasks also: like parsing a master server game list for active games, or interfacing with different controllers, etc. And finally, we wouldn't have to worry about fitting in a case.

[uze6666]

Totally agree with that thought.The riser seems like a pretty good idea to me. So I will play the devil's advocate here.

The price for a riser socket seems about the same as just using an mcu(tiny or whatever)+plug to translate commands from controller port. The mcu could handle a lot of additional tasks also: like parsing a master server game list for active games, or interfacing with different controllers, etc. And finally, we wouldn't have to worry about fitting in a case.

I guess we should do a poll then...who's for a "raiser card" and who's for a controller "dongle"? And what's your Uzebox flavor?