Space Harrier /OutRun DX Motor OpenBoard Project

[NaokiS]

It's pretty amazing that it works fullstop giiven it was built from scratch!

The lengths we ended up going to in counterfeiting the original visually, helped as every track route was copied, which helped spot where I’d misinterpreted the ropey schematic. Naoki’s the one who led us down that route, but glad we did as it looks the part and I’ve enjoyed the retro engineering.

Naoki - we could offer plastic connector covers as an optional extra? (Can be added at a later date). Not quite sure what to do about the plastic keyways on the bottom of the plugs though - I’ll see if the connector can be shimmed a bit higher before soldering down, but otherwise we need something that sits a bit raised, or we put cutouts in the PCB profile for the plugs.

Thanks for the nice comments, everyone

Yeah the connector only needs shimming up by 1-2mm so a couple of metal rulers under the pins would do that.

As for the connector housings, I'm down with the extra.

 

[tin]

So tried it in A mode today and would say it was pretty much perfect!

I think the whole setup struggles a little which I think I can put down to aged motor and mechanism, but after some more liberal greasing and a little bit of maintenance on the motor (not confident how far I can go with that yet!) it seems pretty bob on.

The main area where it struggles is getting the carriage fully centred when it intends to centre and stop. It buzzes away barely moving (clicking over a digit or so on the pot postion in test mode every couple of seconds) until it finally gets centred. Could be a weak motor or could be that the A mode is less powerful? Perhaps the A version is for a different motor? No idea just pure conjecture on my part.

Will be interesting to see how it goes in non-A mode with the reprogrammed GAL. I'm not sure if I have a programmer that will work on a GAL, will have a look at what I have and what it can do.

I think that can be considered fully functioning on the first revision? Pretty seriously good!!

tin2018-08-27 18:06:12

 

[J69]

Jealous. No cheap broken deluxe outruns anymore!

 

[tin]

LOL! That is an unfortunate side effect of this project! However I think we're at the stage where even the broken ones go for good dollar and there are too many of them around with this vital piece missing!

Maybe, maybe it will create one or two for sale.

 

[John Bennett]

Yaay

Somewhat relieved as I was pinning it all on that. Your mission now is to enjoy it and see if it breaks.

Should be another 16%(ish) speed increase when you swap the GAL.

Hopefully we don't encounter much flipping/profiteering, as this isn't done for any profit. Not much you can do though, although if someone asks for 10 PCBs, it might need a bit of scrutiny

John Bennett2018-08-27 19:43:17

 

[clarkey]

Fantastic stuff,clarkey2018-08-27 19:29:59

 

[Fredo]

Amazing!! My Outrun is wating in south america for this board

. ¿Any plans for making some boards for sale?.

Regards

 

[John Bennett]

Amazing!!   My Outrun is wating in south america for this board

.  ¿Any plans for making some boards for sale?.

Regards

Of course

Soon. Got a bit of boring planning/finance stuff to plan (plus a little more testing), then I'll start adverting, so in the next few weeks I hope. It's little bits like ensuring you've got part numbers for every resistor, cardboard boxes, static bags, factored-in bulk-discounts etc.

Trying to aim for zero profit is harder than I thought

.
I'm thinking I'll aim to utilise bulk part costs to get a very small profit, but still keep it cheaper than a person could manage if buying the bits for themselves.
Any surplus after the batch could repay donations (something else to sort) and could go back to the club.
As for assembly/testing costs, we'll have to decide on that too. Could also offer unassembled kits.

Lots to think about anyway.

 

[tin]

A quick update I tried the board with updated GALs this afternoon and it's even better (kind of as forecast, but also quite surprising that that extra 16% speed made so much difference)

I'd say it's perfect. Certainly a very acceptable replacement.

Fed back in more detail to John and we'll see what's next!!

 

[tgates]

WHAT no video !

 

[Fredo]

Yes!!! we want a video.

 

[AnDyC]

Video was posted in the ukvac slack chat room.

Looks good @Tin

 

[tin]

:AnDyC careful you'll tip everyone off that the Slack channel is the happening place.

I didn't post it cos I thought what's there to see about a moving DLX vs a stationary one? The videos a bit poo as well.

But I'll dig out the link when i get home and slap it on for those that are keen.

<edit> et voila.. it's totally not exciting. Funny angle is so you can see cab and motor..

tin2018-09-06 21:54:32

 

[J69]

Nice! Creaky though, get some grease on there!

 

[AnDyC]

Nice! Creaky though, get some grease on there!

That's Tin creaking not the cab.

 

[tin]

LOL it developed a rattle since the last time I took the motor out, I think something's not tightened properly. There's tonnes of grease in there bloody everywhere.

I'm under no illusion it's not a tatty old cab. Gotta decide what I'm fixing next now that's done.

tin2018-09-06 23:12:30

 

[John Bennett]

I’m travelling at the moment, but things are still in motion (in addition to James’s creaky cab).

Apologies if I’ve overlooked a previous offer, but would anyone be able to try a board in a Space Harrier and give feedback (within the next week)? The 2 things untested are dual-motors and 60Hz, so would be good to at least try dual motors ASAP. As with other protos, the option would be there to buy it (about £50) to replenish the costs. There’s negligible changes from proto to the next version and it’s ‘limited edition’

 

[J69]

LOL it developed a rattle since the last time I took the motor out, I think something's not tightened properly. There's tonnes of grease in there bloody everywhere.

I'm under no illusion it's not a tatty old cab. Gotta decide what I'm fixing next now that's done.

Id kill for that tatty old cab! Best cab ever made

 

[karlcdoe]

I’m travelling at the moment, but things are still in motion (in addition to James’s creaky cab).

Apologies if I’ve overlooked a previous offer, but would anyone be able to try a board in a Space Harrier and give feedback (within the next week)? The 2 things untested are dual-motors and 60Hz, so would be good to at least try dual motors ASAP. As with other protos, the option would be there to buy it (about £50) to replenish the costs. There’s negligible changes from proto to the next version and it’s ‘limited edition’

I never bothered screwing down the access panel (or the pcb!) on my cab after I fixed my original motor drive pcb so if nobody else wants to throw their hat in the ring I'll give it a whirl if you like.

Cheers

Karl.

 

[tin]

Id kill for that tatty old cab! Best cab ever made

Suppose so! It literally came in 1000 bits, so reassembling and it working was the first goal. My excuse anyway