[EN] Mega-CD

[pancio]

Today I am presenting a very simple but also very useful interface, which was created most likely in 2014 and described in detail on the website: https://blog.3b2.sk/igi/post/Hardware-CD-LINK.aspx

The interface allows you to read programs from a CD/DVD in a system similar to Turbo 2000. To make it easier to navigate the CD, a dedicated cartridge was created.

Today's article was inspired by @Piguła (Marcin Prusisz), who showed me the schematic and asked me to design the PCB.

You can read about how Marcin meticulously developed the topic on the website: https://atarionline.pl/forum/comments.p ... 505&page=1

The original diagram presented by Igor Grambliček looks like this:

cd-link-original.gif (9.68 KiB) Viewed 4401 times

ans second version:

cd-link-original-v2.gif (8.96 KiB) Viewed 4401 times

In the second version there is a small error in the description of the inputs of the operational amplifier circuit, which may be misleading, but the connections are correct...

My version of the schematic redrawn in KiCAD:

cdlink-kicad-schematic.png (98.31 KiB) Viewed 4401 times

Note: Use R1 = 100Kohm resistor instead 1Mohm because sometimes signal from CD is too low!

PCB visualisation:

cdlink-PCB1.png (107.12 KiB) Viewed 4401 times

cdpinkPCB2.png (108.66 KiB) Viewed 4401 times

And final assembled by @Piguła MegaCD (CD-link):

MegaCD-assembled2.png (2.08 MiB) Viewed 4401 times

It's worth noting that the interface can be used not only with CDs or DVDs—it can be used with any other audio source!

You can find many details about how Mega-CD works on the website: https://a8.jindrou.sh/megacd.html

This website also provides modern tools for preparing your own files for compilation on CD.

If you want to build cartridge with Tools - all required information you may find on: https://tnweb.tode.cz/atari-cartridge-t ... -visicopy/

toolbox3.jpg (186.14 KiB) Viewed 2723 times

Several sets of programs and games have also been created for the interface, in the form of compilations on CDs. There's something for everyone

EDIT.
Because somebody may have an issue with attached archive (RAR) I added zipped versions.. Thanks @mega-hz for information.