That probably does represent the best way to deal with the main rom, go ahead and solder a chip to a module, and just use a programming adapter to re-program. I wanted the replacement rom to be programmable without a special adapter later, so I went the other way, and I was able to desolder the original sockets in a pretty well damage free way on all 3 machines I did that to. Didn't cut the legs or overcook the pcb. I could actually put everything back to stock, even with the original sockets. But I can't recommend desoldering the original sockets as a general rule.
The ideal would be if a module could have thin legs that wouldn't deform the original socket, and was shallow enough to have room for a socket on the adapter. On Sep 20, 2018 12:44 PM, "Mike Stein" <mhs.st...@gmail.com> wrote: Interesting and convenient but at 10 cents apiece I'll stick with the pins from DIP plugs/transition connectors that I've mentioned here several times and that I use to plug into an IC socket; same thickness as IC legs, $.0175 ea. I sent Greg a sample back in June when he was building a batch of adapters but I don't know whether he actually used them; they took so long to arrive that I think he used something else in the meantime. How would these pins allow adding a socket to a main ROM? You'd still have the thickness of two sockets, the (E)EPROM and the circuit board, no? But since you essentially get a free programming adapter with the DIP main ROM adapter on Oshpark I haven't seen the lack of a socket as a real problem. m ----- Original Message ----- *From:* Brian White <bw.al...@gmail.com> *To:* m...@bitchin100.com *Sent:* Thursday, September 20, 2018 4:59 AM *Subject:* [M100] diy pins Holy cow cool... One of the significant challenges developing new devices to put into the old devices is simply the physical pins. Standard common pins, whether square or round, are usually too big to work (without damage) in most chip sockets, and in several instances there is not enough vertical space available to remove a normal dip andnput in a pcb with pin headers with shoulders. We resort to measures like: http://tandy.wiki/Model_200_RAM I don't know how long these things have been around but, but just now is the first time I ever saw them... https://www.sparkfun.com/products/14086 Dang that's a problem solver. For one thing I'm imagining a tweaked version of REX where these are soldered to the top surface pointing straight out parallel with the pcb, and after you remove the jigs you bend the pins down 90 degrees and put the pcb right in to a real molex carrier (or a 3d printed copy, the files for 2 versions are available, and at least one service, Shapeways, can produce prints that work, so it's not limited to my supply of original ones). REX in a proper carrier. Polarity-keyed. No extraction ribbon. No spacer. No risk of mangled socket pins from getting the spacer wrong. No flapping copper flags possibly shorting between pins from the router cutting the castellated half-holes. Same goes for the simpler Figtronix eprom adapter boards. These would also be useful for a main rom adapter that can still have room for both a socket on the adapter and still keep the original socket on the motherboard. And of course the example I mentioned above with the Model 200 ram where there is just no extra vertical space available between the socket and the enclosure door. Biggest problem is... how long will these actually be available? Those edge clip-on dip legs were pretty cool too, but all I can do is look at pictures of obsolete items you can't actually buy any more. Ok I guess you can get them, or something similar again... http://www.solutions-cubed.com/products-page/connector/dip10/ Not sure, maybe you could get that to work for a REX too. The option to solder parallel to the top surface and then bend down really makes a difference though when vertical room is tight. -- bkq
