Asteroids high score save kit -- update (long)

I have finally completed the Asteroids high score save kit.
The kit saves all 10 scores and initials and has code modifications
extending the maximum score from 99,990 to 9,999,990.
The kit installs in minutes and does not require any soldering.
See http://www.brasington.org/arcade/hs2/asteroids/?v
(install instructions still under construction).

While I'm very pleased with the overall kit and extended
scoring code modifications, I am not totally satisfied with
the mechanical aspect of how the kit installs into the
Asteroids 6502 CPU socket.

>From a high level the installation involves removing the
6502 CPU from the Asteroids pcb and moving it to the high score
save kit daughter card. Then installing the daughter card
into the vacant 6502 socket on the Asteroids board. Opionally
if your board does not have a Rev 2 vector ROM you will need
to replace it with a Rev 2 vector EPROM (provided).

In the past with my other high score save kits, I've been able
to use standard IDC header headers posts (25mil square). These
posts would fit snug into most of the games sockets and worked
particular well with the Nintendo boardsets. In the few cases
where these headers did not fit well, I was able to use an
adapter socket (A simple 40 pin dual wipe socket) to adapt
the IDC header posts to fit into smaller sockets.

With the Asteroids high score save kit, this approach has not
met with my level of expectations. The IDC posts are too
large to fit into a typical Asteroids CPU socket, and when
a dual wipe socket is used as an adapter is not as snug as
I would prefer. With the current implementation it is possible
the daughter card my fall out of the socket if the game is
heavily jared (eg. say while moving the game) or if the daughter
itself card is bumped.

This problem is partly caused because my design does not easily
allow the header to be in the center of the daughter card
because it cannot interfere with the test points on the main board,
and that the same daughtercard is used as part of my Multipede
(Centipede/Millipede multigame) which also has test points that
restrict the size and layout of the daughter card. So for now,
the header is on the edge of the daughter card causing there to
be more leverage on the connection.

I have tried various different types of headers, wire wrap sockets,
machine sockets, etc, and none seem to work well. Even the pins
of a wire wrap socket are too large to fit into the typicaly
Asteroids CPU socket. I have one type of (machine) SIP pin
connector that seems work OK. But this header alone is over $4
and I'm not sure if I can get them in any type of quantity.

So with all of that said, I have decided I will initially
sell my Asteroids *prototype* high score save kits at a REDUCED
price while I evaluate different kit assembly alternatives.
These kits are fully functional and tested. They make use of
the 25mil IDC post headers and come with a 40 pin dual wipe
adapter socket. Depending on your tolerance for how snug you
like the card to fit, you may need to get creative and use some
double sticky tape or some other form to secure the daughter
card better to the main Asteroids board.

I have 12 of these kits to sell, which I will let go for
$25 each (normally $45) plus $4 shipping. It is not known
when or how much the production Asteroids high score save
kits will sell for, this is still pending. It may be possible
that I can use the existing mechanism but that I simply need
to provide a way to hold the daughter card in place better,
or it may be that the kit will need have a different more costly
header. Selling a limited number of kits also allow me to get
some good early release feedback.

At this point I'm only offering these domestically in th USA
until I can get some feedback just to be double safe that
there are no other issues. At some later point I will offer
them internationally, so hang in there just few more weeks.

If you are interested if purchasing one of these proto kits,
and/or have suggestions to help solve the assembly issues,
please email directly at mailto:arcade@brasington.org

I also offer high score save kits for Donkey Kong, Donkey Kong Jr,
Mario Bros. and Zaxxon. Free shipping if you buy more than
one kit. http://www.brasington.org/arcade/?v

Thanks for your time, sorry about the long post.

-Scott Brasington
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Received on Tue Feb 19 08:15:53 2002