I just got three boards from OSH Park and have all the parts. The WiKi was awesome taking care of the hardest bit of sourcing all the parts. Other than that it doesn't look like too awful of a job. I'd be happy to take some photos during the construction to add to the cause.
I have a few ideas on some programming jigs and reflowing the boards but I hadn't really considered making more than a few. If it goes well maybe I'll make a couple of runs. I've had a really bad experience in the past making RS232 Boards for the C64 that started out fun and turned into a nightmare quickly though so not really that ambitious about being a "supplier". I have the utmost respect for all the guys in this group who have built these projects and distributed them. But maybe the documentation will help make them more prolific. Brian - KW4KB On Sep 20, 2017 5:55 AM, "Brian White" <[email protected]> wrote: > Thank you for spotting that. I have found it and uploaded a copy to the > linked google drive folder. > > Just for the record, it was still there in the form of the reference links > to the original files from Steven's upload folder on club100 and the rex > page on bitchin100. > So, the "sources and support files" link on the bottom under "references" > had it. > > Yes, that is exactly my aim was to take the raw data from Steven and > digest it some more. Like looking at the eaglecad files to deduce some > things that aren't otherwise documented or explained explicitly. Figure out > what is the minimum software required and the minimum hardware required to > program the cpld. If you just google normally, you might think you need a > $250 programmer, when you only need a $25 one. > I'm trying to make a recipe that can be followed, so that "build your own" > does NOT translate as "figure it out". > > It IS still a pretty ambitious build even with full hand-holding. I had > done a few FigTronix boards before trying the rex, and maybe that was the > perfect ramp-up/practice project. Simpler easier soldering, simpler easier > programming. > > There is a lot of more improving to do still. > > I could use some more pictures to go with some of the directions. > > I could also separate out the few files that are actually used, and retain > everything else separately off to the side as reference. I could expand the > directions for bootstrapping dlplus & teeny, and add Windows-based > directions since everything I have now is just linux based. > > I need to write something clearer about the roms too. There are a few > different places to get copies of various roms, but for rex, I think you > want to use specifically the ones in the roms.zip that Steven put on the > rex documentation on bitchin100. But there are a few others. For one thing, > roms.zip includes mforth, but now there is a newer version of mforth than > the one in roms.zip, and I've dumped a couple roms myself that I haven't > seen anywhere else. (Disk+2.0 and OWL) > > I think there must also be some work-alike flash memory chips available > from DigiKey that could be added to the digikey cart so you can get > everything at once instead of having to do that annoying special order from > Verical. > > But, as you say, it was a lot to get it this far, so I figured get what I > had up there in any fashion, and then improve it over time. And being that > it's a wiki, it would be easy enough to improve a little here & there over > time, or someone else could. > > -- > bkw > > On Wed, Sep 20, 2017 at 4:04 AM, Jim Anderson <[email protected]> wrote: > >> > -----Original Message----- >> > >> > Steven has published the files and info needed to make them yourself. I >> > have proven that nothing was missing by doing it and making a few, and >> > writing up the steps, parts, and tools, and filling in some details into >> > a more explicit recipe that more people should be able to follow, and >> > put that on a wiki so that anyone else can improve the recipe even >> > further. >> > >> > If you want to buy a rex, instead of build one for yourself, first you >> > have to find someone who wants to build them for you. They need to be >> > able to follow this: >> > >> > http://tandy.wiki/REX >> >> When I saw this I have to admit I initially had the same letdown reaction >> I've had in the past when I've asked about REX and been told 'go build your >> own'. It seemed like a project that was totally out of reach for me - a >> bit like your average home PC user would feel after being told 'tired of >> windows? Go install Linux!' >> >> In all the reading I have done on REX, I have never run across this wiki >> before. I immediately went and read through your whole writeup a couple of >> times. This is fantastic. In the space of time it took to read and digest >> this, I went from feeling like this is an out-of-reach project to feeling >> like this might actually be doable, and in fact might be something the kids >> and I could do together. (I'll have to see how I handle SMD soldering >> before trying to teach them, of course, heh.) >> >> A couple of questions, if you don't mind: >> >> - Your instructions reference a .jed file, which seems to be the code to >> be programmed into the Xilinx chip, but I don't see a .jed file in any of >> the resources linked off the wiki page... did I miss something? >> >> - Is the REX board different for the T200 vs the M100 or is the >> difference only in the files you load on the machine to set up the flash >> memory after the Xilinx chip is programmed? I'm asking because I'd want to >> build several for M100 and at least one for T200. >> >> > and not enough people responded, and now time is short. So I did order >> > the parts to make 3 rex's and maybe I'll build those or see if anyone >> > else wants to build them at TA. I'm going away on vacation tomorrow and >> >> (raises hand, waves it wildly...) >> >> >> >> >> >> >> >> jim >> > >
