Pleased you like it Majors!
AppleQueso - no, it is a board, that basically (from what I read a while back) uses a glob chip to process SMS games and then send the signals through the MegaDrive cart port to output. I've not opened up my unit though, bought it and will probably sell the converter unit sometime.
One bit of a set back - wired up the SMS to the Unity system, the A/V and also power lines, and .... my old television i've had for about 15 years decided to pack up. Tried changing the fuse but that hasn't made a difference, guess it's died. That means i'm going to have to spend some time seeing if an old PSone screen I have still works ok and assuming it does, wire it up to a female SCART connector so I can test my Unity system as before. Bit of a pain. When I get around to it, I have a couple of JoyTech PS2 screens, 8" screens 4:3 mode screens, might see if can rig one of those up as alternative.
When I go to a car boot sale at the weekend or following weekend, i'll see if I can get a replacement 14" television, with SCART input - they only cost about £3-£5 at car boot when you see them around, however not many have SCART input.
Bacteria's project: "Project Unity"
Re: Bacteria's project: "Project Unity"
I am the Bacman
-
AppleQueso
Re: Bacteria's project: "Project Unity"
bacteria wrote:AppleQueso - no, it is a board, that basically (from what I read a while back) uses a glob chip to process SMS games and then send the signals through the MegaDrive cart port to output. I've not opened up my unit though, bought it and will probably sell the converter unit sometime.
Ah, I'd always heard that the converter was almost entirely passive. Really has me wondering if the US and PAL versions are just different. Something to research sometime...
Re: Bacteria's project: "Project Unity"
Went to car boot sales today, first time for months as I wasn't well since the start of December, and before that the weather was rainy.
Went to two car boots, first one, there were two 14" old style televisions, with SCART connections, the first one was already sold, the second one at the sale I bought, they wanted £5 but I haggled to £3.50. The other car boot sale there were two more, so I would have been ok.
Just tested the television, it works fine. Most of these televisions are grey or black fascia, this one is a yellow colour, but as it is now placed on my desk, near the sandy and green curtains, it looks fine, and also quite retro - so nice! The television doesn't have a remote control but doesn't need one, all the buttons are at the front of the unit, and the ariel is bust which doesn't matter as TV transmission for these old sets was switched off a couple of years ago which is why these televisions are "junk" and skipped or car boot sale - however, ideal for me - SCART input, which is all I need, works fine, and also very cheap! Yay!
Went to two car boots, first one, there were two 14" old style televisions, with SCART connections, the first one was already sold, the second one at the sale I bought, they wanted £5 but I haggled to £3.50. The other car boot sale there were two more, so I would have been ok.
Just tested the television, it works fine. Most of these televisions are grey or black fascia, this one is a yellow colour, but as it is now placed on my desk, near the sandy and green curtains, it looks fine, and also quite retro - so nice! The television doesn't have a remote control but doesn't need one, all the buttons are at the front of the unit, and the ariel is bust which doesn't matter as TV transmission for these old sets was switched off a couple of years ago which is why these televisions are "junk" and skipped or car boot sale - however, ideal for me - SCART input, which is all I need, works fine, and also very cheap! Yay!
I am the Bacman
Re: Bacteria's project: "Project Unity"
So, tested my SMS for the first time, it's all connected to the Unity system, and worked first time, complete with the various modding I did on it without testing.
The picture shows the Master Controller on the shelf, the dual GameCube power supplies (powering the Unity system), my new "retro" looking retro television, with SMS game running; and LCD monitor i'm using for when do video chat, so I can mod and see what's going on at the same time in video chat. Quite a good setup! I need though to secure the cables better, the extension cables for the monitor, webcam and headphone unit were secured under the desk by duct tape, but that isn't strong enough, so i'll do it properly tomorrow with some bits of card or thin plastic, screwed to the underside of the desk - that won't detach.
Tomorrow i'll do the cartridge for the SMS controller (won't take long) then crack on with the Atari 7800 and try and get that finished tomorrow, if not, will certainly be done by Tuesday. By the end of the week, may well have another console system completed or certainly nearly done (Amstrad GX4000), however will take a little longer to complete the GX4000 as I want to try out my EPROM chips to see if those games work too. Making good progress.
The picture shows the Master Controller on the shelf, the dual GameCube power supplies (powering the Unity system), my new "retro" looking retro television, with SMS game running; and LCD monitor i'm using for when do video chat, so I can mod and see what's going on at the same time in video chat. Quite a good setup! I need though to secure the cables better, the extension cables for the monitor, webcam and headphone unit were secured under the desk by duct tape, but that isn't strong enough, so i'll do it properly tomorrow with some bits of card or thin plastic, screwed to the underside of the desk - that won't detach.
Tomorrow i'll do the cartridge for the SMS controller (won't take long) then crack on with the Atari 7800 and try and get that finished tomorrow, if not, will certainly be done by Tuesday. By the end of the week, may well have another console system completed or certainly nearly done (Amstrad GX4000), however will take a little longer to complete the GX4000 as I want to try out my EPROM chips to see if those games work too. Making good progress.
I am the Bacman
Re: Bacteria's project: "Project Unity"
Done a fair bit today.
Hot glued some posts around the MegaDrive board for the next layer to sit on. The MegaDrive board itself is on a piece of board that's screwed to the edge of the casing, so should be secure enough for more layers on top of it.
Completed the Atari 7800 board, ready to install in the Unity system.
It is placed into position, the cart slot is not secured in place, the voltages, ground, A/V and controller wires need connecting to the Unity system (job for tomorrow). To the left in the pic you can see the edge of the SMS board, which is working and ready to sit on top of the Atari 7800 board when that is working fine.
Hot glued some posts around the MegaDrive board for the next layer to sit on. The MegaDrive board itself is on a piece of board that's screwed to the edge of the casing, so should be secure enough for more layers on top of it.
Completed the Atari 7800 board, ready to install in the Unity system.
It is placed into position, the cart slot is not secured in place, the voltages, ground, A/V and controller wires need connecting to the Unity system (job for tomorrow). To the left in the pic you can see the edge of the SMS board, which is working and ready to sit on top of the Atari 7800 board when that is working fine.
I am the Bacman
Re: Bacteria's project: "Project Unity"
Have you ever considered using SCSI or some other ribbon cable instead of all those loose wires? It would be worlds easier to keep track of, not to mention a lot tidier 
Re: Bacteria's project: "Project Unity"
Didn't use those or IDE cables, as needed properly grounded shielded cables to prevent interference and cross-talk in the lines.
I am the Bacman
Re: Bacteria's project: "Project Unity"
How do you mean? Those don't appear to be any more shielded than SCSI ribbon. Is that not just 26-28G shielded wire? 
edit: I only meant for the cart ports, not everything. Didn't want to cause confusion there.
edit: I only meant for the cart ports, not everything. Didn't want to cause confusion there.
Re: Bacteria's project: "Project Unity"
Ah, yes could use SCSI / IDE cable for the cart ports as i'm using unshielded wires for them, i've tested the wires I use on various systems before and i'm ok for up to 7.5" without issues, 8" is pushing it. IDE cable tends to be more like about 6" from reports i've had with N64 cart relocations, so still better off with the wires i'm using. Being single strand wires means they are very flexible and movable, which is also handy as I need the flexibility for bending the wires, especially as the wires are pretty much at full stretch in my system as it is for the locations of the carts in the Unity casing.
For all the A/V and controller wiring though, i'm using shielded cable from controllers, typically they have metal shielding encasing the enclosed wires, which i'm connecting to ground on both ends of the cable. On my first revision of the Unity system I only connected ground to one end, and some systems gave diagonal lines on the television as a result (interference), grounding both ends stopped interference so I get a clear and pretty perfect picture image on all systems. If i'm using shielded cable with the metal foil instead, then i'm wrapping that around the central grounding wire, to just add more protection.
This is an illustration of the type of shielded cable i'm using:
For all the A/V and controller wiring though, i'm using shielded cable from controllers, typically they have metal shielding encasing the enclosed wires, which i'm connecting to ground on both ends of the cable. On my first revision of the Unity system I only connected ground to one end, and some systems gave diagonal lines on the television as a result (interference), grounding both ends stopped interference so I get a clear and pretty perfect picture image on all systems. If i'm using shielded cable with the metal foil instead, then i'm wrapping that around the central grounding wire, to just add more protection.
This is an illustration of the type of shielded cable i'm using:
I am the Bacman
Re: Bacteria's project: "Project Unity"
Check out SCSI ribbons. Over 2 feet if you need it