Bally Astrocade on FPGA

[DanP]

Im confused, Marco your Gorf would require a Mister and additional PCB to run?
Maybe an idiotic question; but why does it require an additional PCB? I don't have a mister but my understanding that games ran on the mister alone.

The additional board(s) are needed for the IO functions. The connections to the controls, monitor, speakers etc. Also I believe Macro is planning to work with the lighting circuits (the rank lights and joystick light) as well. You can't just plug all that into a raw MiSTer board. As said you want this to be able to plug into an original cabinet using its wiring harness and all it's many different connectors. Ideally it will just drop into an original cabinet and replace the flaky board stack.

DanP2020-11-10 09:01:53

 

[Bishop]

Im confused, Marco your Gorf would require a Mister and additional PCB to run?
Maybe an idiotic question; but why does it require an additional PCB? I don't have a mister but my understanding that games ran on the mister alone.

The additional board(s) are needed for the IO functions. The connections to the controls, monitor, speakers etc. Also I believe Macro is planning to work with the lighting circuits (the rank lights and joystick light) as well. You can't just plug all that into a raw MiSTer board. As said you want this to be able to plug into an original cabinet using its wiring harness and all it's many different connectors. Ideally it will just drop into an original cabinet and replace the flaky board stack.

OK, thanks for the explanation!

 

[Macro]

news report, laid out some of the PCB, discovered my way to drive the lights didn't have enough outputs, so now trying plan B (and ordered some more chips), so getting there slowly.

hope to order first batch of PCBs for testing before end of November (through hold component version, it's easier to change things around when something doesn't work!)

oh, and it's MACRO (I'm not italian as far as I know although I do have a roman nose!)

Macro2020-11-10 16:16:47

 

[ataridude74]

The perfect Christmas present for Gorf owners everywhere!!!

Are you planning to make a batch of PCBs and can we put our names down on your Santa list? I have been nice this year.

(I know, not likely to be ready by then, but amazing progress already)

 

[Bishop]

news report, laid out some of the PCB, discovered my way to drive the lights didn't have enough outputs, so now trying plan B (and ordered some more chips), so getting there slowly.

hope to order first batch of PCBs for testing before end of November (through hold component version, it's easier to change things around when something doesn't work!)

oh, and it's MACRO (I'm not italian as far as I know although I do have a roman nose!)

Amazing!! I have a Gorf cabaret that did not come with a PCB. So I'm happy to read about your work Macro. Thank you friend!

 

[Macro]

First PCB is now laid out, this one connects to the Mister and then the 'Personality PCB' connects to the 40 pin connector on the lower half. This will be a 40 pin female (so you cannot accidentally connect it to the MiSTer instead of the top one). The bigger 'IC' is a leornardo programmed up with Deamon Bytes interface code.

The personality board will add any extra components (such as resistors, capacitors and driver transistors for Gorf) and the connectors to connect the loom to. At the moment 5V is only used from the game for the pull-up resistors, power for the MiSTer is separate.

 

[Hurray Banana]

Looking good Mike

 

[bonehead]

Would it be possible to buy the complete unit with mister so it’s plug and play with this pcb once you have finished your magic?

Thanks
Steve

 

[Pinge]

Correct me if Im wrong, you can not simply use this to get a nonworking GORF board-set work?

I got lost in all the technical stuff

 

[DanP]

Correct me if Im wrong, you can not simply use this to get a nonworking GORF board-set work?

I got lost in all the technical stuff

No you can’t. This is to replace the original boardset with a modern FPGA based set.

 

[Macro]

Question time again, trying to sort out the 'Personality board' for Gorf, but the different variants have different wiring (sort of), but one has me puzzled.

from the schematics, for the mini machine, it has pin 18 (12v) of the 28 pin connector going to pin 8 of the driver PCB, but on the cocktail version (which uses same driver PCB) it has pin 11 (GND) going to pin 8 (oh, and they both use same colour wire)

now I could just put 12v to pins 17+18 as per schematic, but it seems odd (to me) that the same board would have GND or 12v to same pin depending upon cabinet type. (and schematic for driver board has it as GND)

can someone with a mini please check if this is (another) error in the schematic

Thanks

 

[DanP]

I can check this out on my cabaret for you Mike. I do have a cocktail loom somewhere, I'll see if I can dig that out and compare.

Dan

 

[Macro]

Cheers, trying to make sure that the interface will work on all models but without connecting up pins that are not actually used.

space zap could be fun, as I want to allow both monochrome and colour outputs! (still, should just be a few resistors / capacitors etc to make a composite signal)

 

[Arch]

Will this eventually work with Wizard of Wor? Fingers crossed.

 

[Macro]

Yes, plan is to do PCB's for Gorf, WoW, space zap and Roby Roto - especially if I can get a cab for it

I can test Gorf, but don't have any of the other cabs - may have to pop up to Arcade Club once I have those ready to test. Do arcade club have a robby roto as well - I can't remember playing that one there.

not sure Extra Bases and Seawolf II will have much of an audience though

 

[Arch]

That is great news! Thanks so much for your effort, Macro!

 

[Macro]

needs double checking, plus maybe an extra link depending upon the answer to the earlier question, but here is the Gorf personality board. It plugs onto the lower connector of the previous board to give the necessary links to connect Power, RGB, J1 and J2 onto and hopefully (along with some more changes to the mister core) will plug into the cab.

at the moment the actual MiSTer needs it's own power, not tried taking it off of the PCB yet, but may investigate it when everything else works (linear PSU on original Gorf, so don't want to risk frying £140 worth of dev board just yet)

 

[Macro]

Double checked both PCB's, fixed some DRC errors (switched who I was ordering from because of black Friday deal and they had different constraints), fixed one wrong pin connected up, ignored the 12v to pin 18, since it's easy enough to add a wire or sort it later.

so now just have to wait for the postman to deliver and see if I need to hit ebay for any parts, although I think I have most of them.

better test the DE10 I bought about 3 months ago, it's still in the box!

 

[Hurray Banana]

Exciting progress Mike

 

[bonehead]

Brilliant work Mike. Looks like my gorf may live forever with this pcb kit.
Thanks