Electron SD Interface & SW Ram Expansion

[Ramtop]

Hi all,

The sun rises, the Earth spins, and Ramtop is back with another Electron SD card interface

The ElkSD64 looks similar to my earlier Mk3 interface, but it is a complete redesign internally. It now comes with 32K of sideways RAM and uses the bootstrap version of MMFS, which copies itself from ROM into SWRAM on boot. This means games that require PAGE at $E00 will now run.

MMFS takes 16K of sideways RAM, with the other 16K available for use. Likewise, MMFS resides in one 16K page of flash ROM but the other 16K can be flashed with a user chosen ROM. The flash utility, user manual and some other stuff is on my wonderfully ugly web site at www.ramtop-retro.uk

Every interface ships in a 3D printed case as I'm now able to make these cheaply and in volume. The colour is 'pale ivory' which is really a kind of creamy white.

Cost is £30 per unit via PayPal, with delivery at £2.50 for the UK.

Please ask for EU and RoW prices, as deliveries outside the UK are a bit uncertain right now (22/05/20).

Update 17/08: I have now validated that ElkSD64s with the current HDL revision work fine on Electrons upgraded to an R65C02 processor.

[chrisn]

PM sent! Looking forward to getting my new Electron (bought from LordVaderUK) up and running...

[Falkayn]

Hello,

I'm interested, the elksd64 is still available?

Thanks

[Ramtop]

None available at the moment, I shipped off the last one today.

Should have another batch in about 3 weeks as I have to wait on the PCBs coming from China.

[Falkayn]

3 weeks will be fine for me.


Thanks,

[Methanoid]

Me too

[Ramtop]

A new batch is now available!

If you'd like one please PM me. (if you don't have PM access yet, click the 'contact us' button at the bottom of the page and ask the mods to give you access). I will start posting out orders on Thursday (1st).

[malcolm851]

Are there any still available, if so could I have one?
(Still waiting for moderators to enable PMing for me).


Malcolm.

[Ramtop]

There's plenty, I did a larger than usual batch this time.

When you get PM access just send me a message and I'll sort one out for you.

[Methanoid]

There's plenty, I did a larger than usual batch this time.

When you get PM access just send me a message and I'll sort one out for you.

I'm also awaiting access I messaged you via eBay anyway

[Ramtop]

Replied via email - ebay is pretty nasty, they scan messages for contact details and may charge me a fee if they find any.

[IanS]

While people may not be able to send PM's, they can still receive them. Send a PM with your email address. No scanning on Stardot.

[Ramtop]

Good to know. That didn't used to be the case. Some months ago I sent a PM to someone who didn't have access and they never received it.

[IanS]

Sent PM's sit in yout Outbox until they are read by the recipient, at which point they show in your Sent Messages folder. So if never recieved (and read) it should still be in your outbox. (I still have an unread PM from Feb in my Outbox, not expecting that to ever get read)

By default PM's don't appear to trigger an email (they can turn it on in the settings), so posting in the thread that you've sent a PM can be useful.

[vanekp]

thank you Ramtop,
Mine arrived safely yesterday, and works well, only tried it with a few games so far

[Ramtop]

That's good to hear.

[Hawk3y3100]

Hi Ramtop

Count me in for one...can't pm you, requested pm access from the moderators ages ago... still waiting!!

Hopefully you won't run out before I get pm access!

[Colday]

I will likely have one of these at some point.

Holidays loom though so will be back in touch soon.

(Yes, I've asked for PM as well, but though I could post randomly until I make it to PM worthy)

[DaveLecky]

Hi Ramtop

Count me in for one...can't pm you, requested pm access from the moderators ages ago... still waiting!!

Hopefully you won't run out before I get pm access!

Welcome 3 more people to the forum in , introduce yourself, 25 posts gets you your trophy.....

Dave

[Stevenbanner]

Hi everyone,

I'm new to this forum. Really interested in 8bit computers. The acorn electron was my first computer back in the day. I have got one again recently. Would love an SD card solution.

Thanks

[Mince]

There's a new version of MMFS — 1.42 (1.43 also, but nothing affecting the ElkSD64) — that fixes an annoying bug I've been having (first drive access is always :0, regardless of selected one). Is there any way to flash the MMFS version, rather than the secondary area?

I realise that, if it goes wrong, I might not be able to access the SD card, but do have a tape recorder and a handy BBC to save stuff and rescue it, if it goes wrong!

Thanks for a great product.

[Ramtop]

I'm currently finishing work on the updater that will flash the main copy of MMFS, hopefully it should be available some time this week. It works, but I want to test it to death because of the potential for bricking the card if it goes wrong. There should also be, fairly soon-ish, a recovery utility that is supplied as WAV file that can be played through the tape port to reload MMFS in the event of a failed flash.

[0xC0DE]

Just want to say I'm very happy with your product and the great service you're giving. Thanks!

[Ramtop]

Thanks for the kind words, 0xC0DE

The updater is delayed until next week, life is kicking my backside in terms of free time at the moment.

[vanekp]

OOOh a recovery option is always good to have
Would it not be an idea to release it as a .uef file as you can always play it back with PlayUEF save having to shunt huge wav files around.

[Ramtop]

I'll do a UEF as well, yes. The WAV file is included simply because it plays back on pretty much anything.

The updater will be posted at the weekend, I'll include the recovery files as well if by that point I'm happy there are no major bugs in it.

[vanekp]

PlayUEF can create (or save) a WAV file from a UEF file.

[Ramtop]

The MMFS updater is now available. Instructions are included in the zip file. If anyone uses it, please let me know how you get on!

[0xC0DE]

will try it later

[Mince]

I just tried the updater and it worked a treat: MMFS has updated to 1.43 and the drive 0 bug is no more!

Thanks very much!