waiting for fresh news of project... 😉

Well ... there's some partially bad news.

Currently the prototype is being delayed as the 90° SIMM slot would cause SIMM sticks to intersect and lie on the InterWave (hooray for paper prototypes once again). Something that can be "hotfixed" by either using smaller than usual or one-sided sticks ... or using straight slots blocking the nearby ISA slot, but that issue is certainly something I'd prefer to clean up first. The intersecting area is small (0.5mm at worst) but the corresponding signal areas also packed as tightly as possible.
Also fighting some motivation issues there as this would mean re-routing roughly 40% of all lines - so I got sidetracked a bit fixing a C64 and 2 Amiga600 computers ... the later also giving me a bit of a chance to train my SMD soldering skills. I got started on rearranging the ARGUS but maybe have 30% down so far yet.

I would suggest 22-degrees slots. Tyco Electronics (ex-AMP) keeps producing them, for example. I can mail you one free of charge so that you could try it with your own eyes.

those would work just as well as straight slots without needing to try them out.
BUT those are virtually impossible to get at a decent price/ammount. The 90° slots are $2 per piece for me, while the 22° ones would be around $10.

I guess it's more of a "you've challenged me? I'll show you" thing ... just with a motivational deep right now.
On the positive side I've completely cleaned up the schematic already - it's much nicer to read now.

shock__ wrote:

Currently the prototype is being delayed as the 90° SIMM slot would cause SIMM sticks to intersect and lie on the InterWave (hooray for paper prototypes once again).

Sad, but I hope that this issue will be fixed without causing other problems 😉

hard1k wrote:

I would suggest 22-degrees slots.

+1, but price...meh

What about rotating the slot 180º?

That would require the same amount of re-routing and might actually cause the SIMM to intersect with the side of the case in some configurations.

I'm afraid there is no easy way - but I'll get back onto that issue soonish.

The easy way out would be to use simple use the straight slots for your own tests, and give people an option to pay the difference and get the 22° slots if they so desire. But easy doesn't mean optimal.

Why SIMM slots at all? Could you just max it out with some soldered ram ?

Well ... the hard way also means ideal solution and free SIMM slots included with the boards 😉

So I guess in the end it will be worth the wait.

Just wondering how this project is going. =)

Gonna post a write-up soon-ish.

Things have been quite a rollercoaster ride, that's for sure 😀

Well, I look forward to seeing it when it's done. This is an amazing project and I'll definitely blow some money on a unit.

Bad news ahead.
Some may not like this, but I think it's only fair to keep you updated on why the project has been dragging along recently after starting off so fast.

Long story short: the last 3-4 weeks were a total mess for me with me "waking up" from a depression (in which this project was started ironically) after a paranoid episode that went over 6 days with a bit of an aftermath - not going into too many details, as I consider this extremely private and partially embarrassing, but on the positive side things never get boring during such an episode. Just so much: Things involved 16-hour cleaning marathons along with feeling physically sick to the point near dying - first time in my life I experienced something like that, so hopefully it was a one time thing.
Luckily I've been "clear" for a few days now and already have 2 appointments sheduled to have myself checked, so I'm on the way of getting better and resuming work on the ARGUS.

On the negative side: this also means priorities have severly shifted with the ARGUS being a project I definitely want to carry on with but am unsure when that will be (I currently have issues concentrating and slight fears I might get back into my manic depressive mode when working on it again for now [I've previously spent up to 14 hours per day working on the project]). Therefore I'm putting the project on an indefinite hiatus - which may last 2 more weeks or 12 months - it's extremely hard to estimate at this point.

On the positive side: the money and materials for the project are save and keropi has been named the co-leader of the project, recieving a copy of the current progress - just in case anything goes horribly wrong so nothing gets lost. Currently the progress would allow a first prototype with a limited selection of SIMM sticks (as bigger, double-sided sticks would physically interfere with the InterWave chip's solder joints) or alternative SIMM sockets and the schematic has been cleaned up as good as possible. If you have any further questions, suggestions, wishes or the like feel free to contact me or him any time.

Sorry I can't give you better news at this point, but I hope you can understand the point I'm coming from.

Let me wish you the soonest recovery!
If you ever need any help and/or assistance, feel free to ask me (not only about the ARGUS, but in general). I will be willing to help if I can.

I hope you get well soon. No need to worry, just focus on your own health and wellbeing. The best things in life are worth waiting for, so I think I speak for everyone when I say that we can wait as long as it takes and that we're all thinking about you.

Indeed, shock__ my friend take all the time you need to overcome your troubles, I know that after a little time things will start rolling again 😀
In the meantime anyone having any concern/issues with the project please feel free to contact me and I will do my best to help.

shock__ wrote:

Long story short: the last 3-4 weeks were a total mess for me with me "waking up" from a depression (in which this project was started ironically) after a paranoid episode that went over 6 days with a bit of an aftermath - not going into too many details, as I consider this extremely private and partially embarrassing, but on the positive side things never get boring during such an episode. Just so much: Things involved 16-hour cleaning marathons along with feeling physically sick to the point near dying - first time in my life I experienced something like that, so hopefully it was a one time thing.
Luckily I've been "clear" for a few days now and already have 2 appointments sheduled to have myself checked, so I'm on the way of getting better and resuming work on the ARGUS.

Been there done that (sad to say). Had a mental breakdown (aprox. 2 years ago), combined with my diagnose as atypical asperger and stress from finishing education as a web-programmer. Experienced a lot of panic-anxiety, and it allways shifted, what caused it to come forward. Hmmm... Feel for you, as I know what it is like. Nothing to be ashamed of though. You just have to learn some "tools" on how to combat it. Going outside with a cup of coffee is my way of dealing.

Just a bitch, when you go through that time of being a kind of Zombie/Living dead. Right.... Good it's over and through.
The positive thing is allways. That WHEN you hit bottom. You can ONLY go up. Heads up mate. 😀

Yep just take your time and don't stress over getting back to this project until you're up to it.

Hey, just take it easy, man. There's no point in overloading yourself with any sort of project. Hope you recover swiftly.