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FlashAdapter CF Springboard instructions online!


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argent
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Registered: Jan 2000
Location:
Posts: 391

I have some spare hotsync connectors, *and* the MAX232 chips you need to use to make a serial cable... I decided my soldering skills aren't up to the job (or at least I don't have the patience any more to mess around in hardware). Ten bucks a set, including postage in .us .

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10-18-2000 10:12 PM

claudacate
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Registered: Oct 2000
Location:
Posts: 6

Just got my CF to PCMCIA adaptor. I look at the PCB and it looks pretty simple (two layers with some drill holes that connect some pins on both sides). So I am wondering besides being time-consuming and eye-straining, is there any reason why I shouldn't cut the PCB out and reconnect every pin by soldering a short piece of wire, thus shorten the adaptor?

10-19-2000 12:36 AM

argent
Member

Registered: Jan 2000
Location:
Posts: 391

OK, I have three sets of MAX232 chips and hotsync connector plastics. These are the "hard to find" parts for Visor serial port hacking... the rest you can get at Radio Shack. I'll throw in the RS232 (DB25, or DB9 if I have any in my box of tricks) connectors and the Radio Shack perfboard* and sell them for $10.00 each set, including shipping in the US. If you want to experiment more aggressively, I have a couple of breadboards I could add for $5.00 (first come, first served)

* The ones recommended on the web page.

[Edited by argent on 10-19-2000 at 09:37 AM]

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10-19-2000 12:48 PM

dkessler
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Registered: Jul 2000
Location: Plant City, FL
Posts: 385

quote:
Originally posted by claudacate
So I am wondering besides being time-consuming and eye-straining, is there any reason why I shouldn't cut the PCB out and reconnect every pin by soldering a short piece of wire, thus shorten the adaptor?

Well, the biggest problem with that approach is the chance of making a mistake. For every connection you make, there's a chance of something going wrong. Multiply that by 50 connections and the odds of getting it right on the first try are not great. If you are very methodical and test extensively with an ohm-meter, you could get a working adapter that way. But the time required might make purchasing a short TDS adapter much more cost effective. It all boils down to how much your time is worth to you

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10-19-2000 02:00 PM

MPM
Member

Registered: Jun 2000
Location: Sunnyvale, CA
Posts: 216

Loss of mechanical support...

quote:
Originally posted by dkessler
quote:
Originally posted by claudacate
So I am wondering besides being time-consuming and eye-straining, is there any reason why I shouldn't cut the PCB out and reconnect every pin by soldering a short piece of wire, thus shorten the adaptor?

Well, the biggest problem with that approach is the chance of making a mistake. For every connection you make, there's a chance of something going wrong. Multiply that by 50 connections and the odds of getting it right on the first try are not great. If you are very methodical and test extensively with an ohm-meter, you could get a working adapter that way. But the time required might make purchasing a short TDS adapter much more cost effective. It all boils down to how much your time is worth to you

Another problem is the loss of the mechanical support of the CF connector from the PCB. Plugging in and removing the CF card from the adapter requires some force. With the PCB sliced in half, and just held together by wires, you would likely break the wires when inserting - or certainly - when removing the CF card.

10-19-2000 08:49 PM

dkessler
Member

Registered: Jul 2000
Location: Plant City, FL
Posts: 385

Re: Loss of mechanical support...

quote:
Originally posted by MPM
[QUOTE]Another problem is the loss of the mechanical support of the CF connector from the PCB.

True, but that's nothing that a healthy dose of epoxy couldn't cure. On Automotive electronics, it's not uncommon for the assembled PCB to be installed in a case which is then filled with epoxy and allowed to harden. There's no reason that a "wires only" FlashAdapter couldn't be epoxied into a Springboard housing the same way. Just gotta make absolutely certain that it works first ... once the epoxy sets, it's game over

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10-19-2000 09:24 PM

Hoser_back_home
VisorCentral Staff

Registered: Nov 1999
Location: bright side of the moon.
Posts: 996

Just got back from vacation and my friend has all the pieces...he's cut boards and used wires to re-attach in the past so he seems to be pretty confident that this shouldn't be a problem. Once we get the first 2 modules made up i'll post some pictures and hopefully we'll have a springboard where the CF card sits flush and a 'thumb slot' is cut into the side of the springboard casing....

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10-19-2000 10:10 PM

argent
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Registered: Jan 2000
Location:
Posts: 391

quote:
Originally posted by Hoser_in_USA
...hopefully we'll have a springboard where the CF card sits flush and a 'thumb slot' is cut into the side of the springboard casing....

I'd be a bit wary of that. I believe you'll find the little "ridge" you need to use to lever the card out with your thumbnail with is on the wrong side.

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10-19-2000 11:07 PM

mnartker
Member

Registered: Sep 2000
Location: New Jersey
Posts: 100

Flush Flash

quote:
Originally posted by dkessler

Well, the biggest problem with that approach is the chance of making a mistake. For every connection you make, there's a chance of something going wrong. Multiply that by 50 connections and the odds of getting it right on the first try are not great. If you are very methodical and test extensively with an ohm-meter, you could get a working adapter that way. But the time required might make purchasing a short TDS adapter much more cost effective. It all boils down to how much your time is worth to you

If I were to deem my time fairly worthless, and I decided to wire two of the appropriate sockets together, and avoid the board altogether, does anyone know where to find those types of sockets? how about plans for which pins connect to which pins on a normal card (which would then be modified like the pre-made card directions.) If it's true like argent said, that the ridge would be on the wrong side to easily pull out the card with your thumbnail, couldn't you just as easily (or should I say that it would be no more difficult to) reverse the CF socket and put the ridge on the proper side if you were starting from scratch? like dkessler said, the whole thing could then be covered in epoxy.

Just a few thoughts I was having about this project. Maybe I'm getting myself in over my head. A completely flush card would be so sweet though. Any thoughts?

10-20-2000 01:58 PM

MarkEagle
VisorCentral Staff

Registered: Dec 1999
Location: Connecticut USA
Posts: 2682

quote:
Originally posted by mnartker
Just a few thoughts I was having about this project. Maybe I'm getting myself in over my head. A completely flush card would be so sweet though. Any thoughts?

I agree... a flush card would truly make this great. I like the idea about reversing the CF card as it just makes more sense (we humans are hard to train

) to insert the card with the front facing forward.

As easy as it was for me to build (the original design), I really wish someone would make these commercially (in a forward-facing, flush design). With the appropriate software, this module would be a big hit.

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10-20-2000 02:09 PM

dkessler
Member

Registered: Jul 2000
Location: Plant City, FL
Posts: 385

Re: Flush Flash

quote:
Originally posted by mnartker
If I were to deem my time fairly worthless, and I decided to wire two of the appropriate sockets together, and avoid the board altogether, does anyone know where to find those types of sockets?

If you thought getting individual Springboard housings was tough, just wait until you try to get small quantities of CF and PCMCIA connectors. AMP is one of the larger manufacturers and I've actually had some success getting engineering samples from them, so you might start there (but don't tell them I sent you).

quote:
how about plans for which pins connect to which pins on a normal card (which would then be modified like the pre-made card directions.)

That's a little easier. That info is in the CompactFlash specification which you should be able to download from the CFA website.

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10-20-2000 04:17 PM

brijoco
Member

Registered: Aug 2000
Location: Indy
Posts: 38

Wow. 4 pages and over 90 posts. What's the record for longest (informative) thread? This one MUST be close to the top!
Shouldn't such obvious interest in the topic (and product) be a clue to commercial programmers to come up with a mass-market version? I love the do-it-yourself tinkering, but someone should be catching on by now.

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10-20-2000 05:25 PM

dkessler
Member

Registered: Jul 2000
Location: Plant City, FL
Posts: 385

quote:
Originally posted by brijoco
Wow. 4 pages and over 90 posts. What's the record for longest (informative) thread? This one MUST be close to the top!

I guess that depends on whether you consider the great screen protector debates "informative"

quote:
Shouldn't such obvious interest in the topic (and product) be a clue to commercial programmers to come up with a mass-market version? I love the do-it-yourself tinkering, but someone should be catching on by now.

Trust me, they are

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10-20-2000 05:45 PM

yardie
Member

Registered: Feb 2000
Location:
Posts: 1571

Uses

dkessler:

Can programs run off a CF module or is it just for storage? What are some of the potential uses?

10-20-2000 08:54 PM

Hoser_back_home
VisorCentral Staff

Registered: Nov 1999
Location: bright side of the moon.
Posts: 996

Re: Uses

quote:
Originally posted by yardie
dkessler:

Can programs run off a CF module or is it just for storage? What are some of the potential uses?

i was going to ask the same thing...would any of the TRGPro software be applicable? This question may have already been asked in this thread...call me lazy.

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10-20-2000 09:11 PM

tyler
Member

Registered: Sep 1999
Location: Midland, Texas
Posts: 231

Here are the detail's on the CF card functionality:

http://kopsisengineering.netfirms.c...hadapter_5.html

tyler

10-21-2000 03:14 AM

HostileJava
Member

Registered: Sep 2000
Location: Nazareth, PA
Posts: 99

Any advancements on software to store programs on the cf cards yet?

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10-23-2000 09:43 PM

dkessler
Member

Registered: Jul 2000
Location: Plant City, FL
Posts: 385

quote:
Originally posted by HostileJava
Any advancements on software to store programs on the cf cards yet?

Work is progressing and Kopsis is still aiming for an initial release the first week of November. And let me just say that we really appreciate the patience and support that we've been seeing! Writing an MS-DOS compatible filesystem for the PalmOS from scratch is not an easy task, but we're doing everything we can go get something out there that you (and I) can use

Hang in there just a little longer.

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10-23-2000 10:02 PM

jmascio
Member

Registered: Feb 2000
Location:
Posts: 63

Pics of Completed Unit

This is to anyone really, not just dkessler...

does anyone have completed pics of the unit mounted in the visor?

Particularly, Pics viewing the springboard port with the unit in it, with and without a CF Card in it. Also, a pic of the CF Card itself, in relation to the Module.

I've been looking through the pics on the Instructions page and what not, and there isnt really a pic of it.

thanks much...

Justin