New batch of pdp8 OMNIBUS to USB interface! Please Read and react!

[Jay Jaeger]

First of all THANKS. I hope this works out.

Some thoughts:

It looks like you have a JTAG connector on there - please keep that.

The CPLD you had on the last board, XC9572XL is a bit long in the tooth,
perhaps?   Would you expect to use that one again, or a newer chip?

An area with place to mount, say, a 40 pin header (2x20) or the like, on
one edge of the board, with a set of places where one could jumper those
pins to a set of I/O pins of the CPLD/FPGA would be really cool.

A spot where one could mount an Arduino compatible shield - again with
no actual connections, but a place where one could jumper them to some
I/O pins on the CPLD/FPGA might be really cool.  (e.g., using the CPLD
to run an SPI bus connection to a shield).

In short, ways that folks could take your basic board and make it
possible to do other things with it could increase the value of the
board enormously.

But, these are JUST SUGGESTIONS / THOUGHTS I am throwing out.  I would
not be at all disappointed if such things were not done.

You might consider KiCAD as an alternative to Eagle.  It works pretty
darned well.

JRJ


On 2/13/2017 9:00 AM, Philipp Hachtmann wrote:
> Hi folks,
> 
> it has taken a while but I'm now actively planning to shift out another
> batch of OmniUSB boards. The last batch is sold out for a long time and
> I've been asked for more from time to time.
> 
> As some of you might remember, it's a cool device to connect your
> pdp8/f/a/m/e to the modern world using lightning fast USB.
> 
> The originial board has it's website here:
> 
> http://pdp8.hachti.de/projects/omni_usb/
> 
> The new board will do the same, perhaps even more.
> 
> - the USB connector will be replaced by a mini (NOT micro!!) USB connector.
> - The connector position and cable routing will be improved.
> - The board will be shorter. But it will come by default with a laser
> cut acrylic extension that makes it full size again.
> 
> There will be at least those options to buy:
> 
> - Kit (board + all parts)
> - Kit+ (board + all parts, SMT already assembled)
> 
> Possible:
> - complete version - Everything soldered and tested.
> - discount for omitting acrylic extender
> 
> I cannot guarantee that I can deliver fully assembled boards
> (regulations) and would be able to do that only if there's a reasonable
> number of interested buyers.
> 
> If have set up a doodle poll to get a realistic picture of the interest
> in the board/kit/device:
> 
> http://doodle.com/poll/d7y524mvyfezqp9w
> 
> PLEASE take the minute and fill in your name (ideally that I can
> recognise you) and check the options which most precisely match your
> demands.
> 
> PLEASE be as honest as possible as I will base my decisions IF and for
> which PRICE I can run the show.
> 
> Thank you!!!
> 
> Kind regards
> 
> Philipp :-)
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
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