BLASTERBOARD : A new SB 2.0-compatible ISA sound card

[root42]

Just finished drawing the bracket, hope to get them manufactured during next week

1.jpg

Where do you get them made? Any chance to also make some for the Snark Barker?

[Fagear]

If anyone is interested and wants to build the card yourself - DIY kits will be available soon for about 85 EUR (estimated)

Definitely want one. Put me in the list!

[Mihail1810]

Just finished drawing the bracket, hope to get them manufactured during next week

1.jpg

Where do you get them made? Any chance to also make some for the Snakr Barker?

Yes) and for other cards in my collection.

[LABS]

Definitely want one. Put me in the list!

Done

If not a secret, where you want order brackets?

Where do you get them made? Any chance to also make some for the Snark Barker?

It is a local metalwork factory, minimum order is 50 pcs.

[Jo22]

Hi, just want you to tell that I'd love to support this project if I could.
Unfortunately, I can't at the moment since I'm very short on money right now.
If you still need some tests for comparsion against a SB2, SB16, PAS16 or ThunderBoard, please let me know.

[LABS]

Hi, just want you to tell that I'd love to support this project if I could.
Unfortunately, I can't at the moment since I'm very short on money right now.
If you still need some tests for comparsion against a SB2, SB16, PAS16 or ThunderBoard, please let me know.

Thanks for your support!

[LABS]

Ok, this is how the assembled board looks like without a bracket:

Measured the noise - compared to a prototype's -94dB this has around -90dB, still good, but must be better. I use an output relay with a delayed (2 sec) switch to eliminate speakers pop on power up, its coil is powered from an unfiltered 5V rail, probably there is interference and I should fix it.
Now there is a led near the output jack which lights up when the relay clicks - really cool
The PB1 pin of the atmega is routed to H6 header now, it can be used for firmware debugging etc.
I wanted to use custom cables at first for PC SPK and CD IN, that is why these are 2 and 3-pin. But now I dropped it in favor of standard cables.
Putting voltage regulators between 2 rows of electrolityc caps was a bad idea too
After making final corrections I will order 20pcs in ENIG finish for the kits. Brackets are still in production.

The list is opened, if anyone else wants the kit - you are very welcome.

Happy holidays everyone!

[hard1k]

Ohhh, looks cool. One for me, please

[MJay99]

Already an awesome result! Definitely still interested and cannot wait to start soldering
Happy holidays to you, too!

[Fagear]

Wow, that board look awesome! Want one badly...

[LABS]

Ohhh, looks cool. One for me, please

Reserved!

[zoinknoise]

put me down for a bare board. (if you only will sell them as kits, that's fine too)

[lvader]

Is this still available? How much for an assembled unit and delivery to the UK? Great project BTW!

[Salient]

How much would a complete kit (unsoldered) cost with shipping to the Netherlands?

[kazmat]

One kit for me.

[mil]

I will take a kit as well.

[dogchainx]

You guys really are messing up my retirement plans....How much for a kit shipped to USA, how much for a kit assembled shipped to USA?

Looks pretty simple to solder (just time consuming?), as there's no SMT/SMD, correct?

[MrSmiley381]

Another day, another eBay auction with another classic computer I want to push to the limit, and another search for the perfect parts. The DMA and IRQ selection options on this card look like they'd be perfect for adding Sound Blaster support to a Tandy TL, so put me down for one. Would prefer a prebuilt one, but a kit is fine if it has everything necessary.

[LABS]

Hello boys and girls!

Today I received a first batch of PCBs for the kits in ENIG finish!

The hardest part was (of cause) making the metal brackets. It took about a month to find a proper solution, because the factory I was hoping for at first, made a sample which was unacceptable. They cut the form somehow ok, but were unable to bend it well:

I tried other local factories, but some agreed to make only 1000-2000 pieces min, some had problems with bending as well, some wanted like 10 euros per one piece
Then I tried to adapt several pre-made brackets from Keystone, Muco and other brands, but their mount configurations did not fit BlasterBoard's tightly populated controls area.
But once, desperately browsing for a solution, I bumped to this neat nylon holders, which fitted perfectly! It was a bliss! So I acquired standard blank brackets to drill them to my needs and mount them on a board using just 4 M3 screws. These holders are very strong and hold the bracket tightly with the board.

The drilling is in progress right now and the brackets will be ready in 2 days

So, the plan is. When the brackets are ready, everyone who asked me about acquiring the kit on this thread will get them in chronological order. I will send PMs with required details soon. The unassembled kit price at the moment is 85 euros (for those who order on this thread) + shipping to your country. For those who want the kit assembled - I can solder and check it for you for extra 40 euros as it has a lot of parts and takes a lot of time. I already have more orders than manufactured PCBs, so later requests will be shipped with about 2-week delay.

zoinknoise, lvader, Salient, kazmat, mil, dogchainx, MrSmiley381 - you are added to the waiting list, I will get back with details asap and yes, the kit includes all parts to build a working soundcard.

[keropi]

^ those "ears" as we call them here that this factory did not bend correctly are a huge PITA
Some months ago I was discussing this with marmes and dreamblaster and the later had a great idea: these 90 degrees screw terminals - more or less the same idea you had using those nylon holders but they require some pcb rework to be soldered on.