Making PC Engine HuCards

[pbj]

Well, your December 24 revisions arrived and I tested them out.  No need for jumpers, works perfectly with 512 and 1024 chips.

I need to figure out how to bend the eprom legs to try your surface mount thing but got very good results with flush cutters.  I’ve got a piece of wood with two finishing nails for my glueing jig, which also performed very well.

[pdco_arcade]

Good News.  Any thoughts about changes / improvements?  Maybe an adapter to receive the PC Engine card and change to a 32pin DIP pattern to mate with the ERPOM programmer?   So can re-program them without unmounting the EPROM.  Really a problem if using the bent lead idea.

For the lead bending I have used small long nose pliers and work from both ends.  The ones with smooth internal surface on the jaws ( no teeth ).
https://www.harborfreight.com/5-34-in-needle-nose-pliers-63815.html

[lilshawn]

just throwing my 2 cents in...

the 27c801 can be found in a TSOP package (although it is one time programmable on not erasable so you'd have to make sure about your programming) ... but you could probably design a board set like what you have there to flush mount it upside down in a cutout and then slap a sticker over it and it would almost look stock.

[pdco_arcade]

I have been thinking about a similar solution but using the flash chip from that Flash HuCard project.  More readily available and re-programmable.  Not sure if having the chip suspended only by the package leads would be a failure point.  Used normally looks like the chip is slightly off of the PCB surface.  So supported by the package leads anyway.  Having label(s) covering it might reinforce the soldered leads.  Those chips cost $3.50 - $4.20 each though.    PJB has to comment if that is a budget buster or not. 

[lilshawn]

Not sure if having the chip suspended only by the package leads would be a failure point.

if it was a real concern, i would build it, test it, and then fill the void around it with epoxy.

[pdco_arcade]

Is there any reason could not add a contact in either of the the general areas depicted in the image?   Is there anything in the PCEngine / TurboGrafx card slot / connector to made adding a contact a bad thing?

[pbj]

Nope, shouldn't hurt a thing

https://jt-studios.com/product/38pin-pc-engine-connector/

[lilshawn]

Is there any reason could not add a contact in either of the the general areas depicted in the image?   Is there anything in the PCEngine / TurboGrafx card slot / connector to made adding a contact a bad thing?

i mean as long as you aren't using it as a solder pad that will increase thickness, as those 2 spots in particular, are within the "rails" that guide the card in.