C64-C128 CP-M Cartridge Interest
Jim Brain brain at
jbrain.com
<mailto:cctalk%40classiccmp.org?Subject=Re%3A%20C64-C128%20CP-M%20Cartridge%
20Interest&In-Reply-To=%3C4D1631AE.3080201%40jbrain.com%3E>
Sat Dec 25 12:02:22 CST 2010
[snip]
Yep. No offense to the list participants, but I gave up on selling
kits. Given the hobbyist nature of my work, kits required too much of
my limited hobbyist time. Given the assembled nature of the unit, I can
use extremely large density devices with no issues.
[snip]
I am not familiar with the SuperCPU but based on quick
web search it
appears
to be roughly Eurocard sized. Good luck with your
project.
It is rather large as well. Though, with today's integration options,
it too could be constructed in the smaller space of a CBM game
cartridge. In fact, it would have to be to bring the cost to something
reasonably. People was apprehensive about a $300.00 20MHz accelerator
in the late '90s, there's no way they'd pay that much now.
Jim
-----REPLY-----
Hi Jim,
I can certainly relate. For the N8VEM project, I have never offered kits
and probably won't ever. All I offer is the PCB, schematics, PCB layout,
and a parts list. I encourage people to make their own boards and only
rarely supply some hard to get parts on an exception only basis. Commonly
available parts are entirely up to the builder to source and supply.
If you have the pre-made PCB and a parts list what is the difference between
that and a kit? You get the PCB and then order the parts from Jameco. Dump
all the parts on your workbench and call it a kit! Read the schematic and
follow the PCB layout. It doesn't get much easier than that!
Making kits is going to eat up all of your time and money with little or no
return and huge frustration. It just isn't practical IMO and can scarcely
be called "homebrew computing" when all the parts arrive in one bag.
Admittedly, using a pre-made PCB is a bit of a stretch too but it is a
reasonable compromise to get more hobbyists involved. I think the PCB is
the biggest barrier to entry (perf board wire wrap, point to point
soldering, or pre-made PCBs) for new hobbyists to homebrew computing.
I certainly wish you the best of luck with your project if you decide to do
it. There doesn't seem to be a huge groundswell of interest here but it is
hard to make any reliable judgement based on comments on CCTALK though.
Maybe spin up a few prototype boards and sprinkle them to some experienced
builders and see what sort of reaction it generates would be a good market
research? That's what I do.
Thanks and have a nice day!
Andrew Lynch
PS, I just got word that one of the N8VEM builder who is lead on the S-100
68K CPU board has completed assembly of the first unit. No test yet but
things are certainly looking good. I am very excited about the S-100 68K
CPU board. Hopefully build and test goes OK and we can release that board
before too long.