Unusual Switched Top Slot Adaptor

[Martin]

Advice on an Unusual Top Slot Adaptor

Peter has loaned me the the Adaptor that he 'won' in the recent eBay auction. I'm interested to see if I can 'read' it with OPL. The images will show serial number SN 002, which begs the question 'how many?'

SWITCHED..
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Switched Top Slot Adaptor - Small.png

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INFORMATION
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The switch is 'sprung' and returns when released
The LED lights when the switch is 'ON'
The adaptor takes its power from the Organiser and works if the Organiser is ON (Active Mode) or OFF (Standy Mode)
It doesn't boot any item on to the main menu, and there is no evidence that there is any code on the unit and nothing to store anything on.
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05 Combined.jpg

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OBSERVATIONS
I found out what I could about the elements
The blue 'Trimpot' is a potentiometer (you can still buy them today) Manufactured by BOURNS

ICL8211 Programmable Voltage Detectors Intersil have the ICL 8211 marked as an Obsolete product with no recommended replacement
Description The Intersil ICL8211/8212 are micropower bipolar monolithic integrated circuits intended primarily for precise voltage detection and generation. These circuits consist of anaccurate voltage reference, a comparator and a pair of output buffer/drivers.
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QUESTIONS
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(1) Which Top Slot 'pin' provides the power?
(2) Given the PIN Assignment in the Comms Link manual - How do you identify each pin number?
(3) If I want to test it 'out of the Organiser' Is there any issues with me using a 9 volt battery and a bread board?
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Pin Assignments.png

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I'll see how I get on with these questions before asking any more.
Sincerely and in good faith
Martin

[Zenerdiode]

Hello Martin,

Very interesting.

The pin assignments in the CL manual look to be referring to the 25-way D-type - rather than the Organiser Top Slot. I’m pretty sure the little device is using TS pin 11 (SVB) for +Ve and pin 9 (0V).

The LED is at least a bi-colour.

Looking closely at the circuit board, it is single sided and only has connections to pin 9 and 11 of the TS. Therefore I think it is a sophisticated ‘Go No-Go’ tester for the Organiser’s 9V battery.

Do you have a bench PSU? You could power the Organiser with reducing voltages, flicking the switch to see if you can prove my theory.

[Zenerdiode]

I can’t attach a 100kB file; says the board’s attachment quota has been reached…

Looking at the Organiser Top Slot with screen uppermost:

Code: Select all

15 13 11 09 07 05 03 01
16 14 12 10 08 06 04 02

PIN Signal Description
01   SD7    Data Bit 7
02   SD0    Data Bit 0
03   SD6    Data Bit 6
04   SD1    Data Bit 1
05   SD5    Data Bit 5
06   SD2    Data Bit 2
07   SD4    Data Bit 4
08   SD3    Data Bit 3
09   GND    0 Volts
10   SCK    Clock
11   SVB    External Power in/Battery out (supplied over diode)
12   SS3    Slot Select 3
13   SCVV   +5 when Slot Selected
14   AC     External On/Clear
15   SOE    Slot Output Enable
16   SMR    Slot Master Reset

[Martin]

Hi Chris

Thanks for you help..

The pin assignments in the CL manual look to be referring to the 25-way D-type - rather than the Organiser Top Slot. I’m pretty sure the little device is using TS pin 11 (SVB) for +Ve and pin 9 (0V).

I'll try these pins first...

The LED is at least a bi-colour.

I'll experiment to see what makes it change colour

Looking closely at the circuit board, it is single sided and only has connections to pin 9 and 11 of the TS. Therefore I think it is a sophisticated ‘Go No-Go’ tester for the Organiser’s 9V battery.

Battery Tester!! - Interesting...

Do you have a bench PSU? You could power the Organiser with reducing voltages, flicking the switch to see if you can prove my theory.

I don't have a bench PSU; but I do have these Poover USB charging PP3's and a tester so I can 'wait' for one of these to need charging and use that as test.

Thanks for the pin assignment - I'll try it on the breadboard (ALSO) I couldn't find any reference to these assignments in the republished Technical Reference Manual so I'll add them if I can find an appropriate place... (Edit) DONE page 64 (here)

I can’t attach a 100kB file; says the board’s attachment quota has been reached…

That will be my images in the 'introduction' post.. Did you try compressing your pictures?

Again thank you for your help... I'll rig up a breadboard and 9 volt PP3 and if I can get it 'flashing' I'll hold it over until a battery needs charging

Sincerely appreciative
Martin

[Martin]

Hi Chris (and others watching)

Again thanks for the pin assignment above. I've created a circuit on a breadbaord...
9V+ ---> LED (off) ---> PIN(11 SVB) Top Slot device switch (off) and device LED (off) ---> PIN(9 GND) ---> 9v-

Flicking the switch on the device turns the breadboard LED (ON) so completes the circuit... But doesn't switch the device LED (ON). So obviously it needs another pin connection to complete that circuit.

In trying to determine which pins might complete the circuit to get both the LED's (ON) I'm trying to rationalise the information in the hardware and pack access sections sections of the technical reference manual (page 86 and page 76) and the table above (page 64).

Datatable
I can see the 8 data bus pins and ground (GND / SGND) and Clock (SCK and SCLK) etc..

Can I add a column to the table I've used on page 64 to include the abbreviations from the hardware and pack access sections? ...

Would this be it

Code: Select all

PIN	Signal		Description
01	SD7	SD7	Data Bit 7
02	SD0	SD0	Data Bit 0
03	SD6	SD6	Data Bit 6
04	SD1	SD1	Data Bit 1
05	SD5	SD5	Data Bit 5
06	SD2	SD2	Data Bit 2
07	SD4	SD4	Data Bit 4
08	SD3	SD3	Data Bit 3
09	GND	SGND	0 Volts
10	SCK	SCLK	CLock
11	SVB		External Power in/Battery out (supplied over diode)
12	SS3	SSS_B	Slot Select 3
13	SCVV	SVCC	+5 when Slot Selected
14	AC		External On/Clear
15	SOE	SOE_B	Slot Output Enable
16	SMR	SMR	Slot Master Reset

Page 76 also has..
SPGM_B Program
SVPP Program Voltage
these must be 11 and 14 but which is which?

PIN Selection
I could progress round the pins connecting them two or three at a time... But do you have any thougths on which three to use?

Again thanks for your patience and help
Martin

[Zenerdiode]

Ditch the breadboard LED. You’ve wired it in series with the rest of the pak tester; so will be limiting the current through the rest of the circuit.

SPGM_B Program and SVPP Program Voltage are only present on the DATAPAK slots, to set up that device for writing to the EPROM and the 21V to do it respectively. SPGM_B is used in some of the addressing that I’ll not mention here.

[Martin]

Following Chris's advice to remove the LED's I didn't get very far with the breadboard idea of tracking pin activity. He sees it only connected to pin 9 and 11 anyway so nothing lost...

Given his idea that in might be a "Therefore I think it is a sophisticated ‘Go No-Go’ tester for the Organiser’s 9V battery" I did though proceed with an 'old' battery test and it looks like he is right..

When the battery level is high the LED shows green when it is low is shows red and of course when dead no light at all. It is not ideal with these POOVER USB Rechargables as the 'drop off' is very steep and so only shows red for a second before the battery dies. I suppose back in the day with zinc chlorine or alkaline batteries the drop of was 'slower' and the tester more useful.

Thanks again for your pointers Chris
Sincerely and in good faith
Martin