A600 port relocator - interest?

[aeberbach]

The A600 has joystick and mouse ports on the right where the cables are going to get in the way of where most people want to roll a mouse around a desk. Also the ports are obstructed - all but molded cable heads will not fit into the side of the A600 because the case molding gets in the way of the flange on a standard D-Sub (like my mouse has )


I have been thinking about making a port relocator for it. I have sourced female D9 connectors with a construction that will let me cut off the corners that obstruct the A600 case without damaging their integrity. They sit on a small PCB which then mounts to a longer PCB that runs under the floppy drive assembly to a stacked pair of D9 sockets that you will be able to access just to the right of the disk drive connector - no cables in the way of your mouse hand and, and clearance to plug in any D9 device. The whole thing would plug into the A600 moving port access to the rear.



This would cost around $10 for PCB, $10 for connectors and probably another $10 worth of 3D printing, headers and soldering time. What kind of interest would there be?

[idrougge]

Why not use Dsub/IDC crimp connectors and flat cable and tape it to the bottom?

[Jolabandola]

Interesting. I could really use something like that.

[Nobby_UK]

Originally Posted by idrougge

Why not use IDC crimp connectors and flat cable and tape it to the bottom?

That's what I have on my 1200

[KONEY]

Great idea! any chances to see a full assembled photo?

[aeberbach]

Well, the idea behind the post is to see if it is worth spending the money on a PCB - so I haven't done it yet. But here's the papercraft version. The PCB version would have considerably thicker (2.4mm) substrate because that's the height that fits well. No traces are exposed to view, they mostly under the board (and would be covered by a 3D printed cover anyway.

Connect mouse and joystick at the rear.


Side view - two boards are necessary because the board that the connectors solder to is higher than it must be to proceed to the rear (under that floppy drive bulge) for the stacked connector. Using 2.4mm substrate and a header with 2.54mm spacer in the connection the height is just about perfect.




Notice these connectors are crimped all around - even removing the right lug entirely does not compromise the assembly. Many connectors use the screw holes in each lug as rivets, and cutting one of those would basically make the connector fall apart.

[Solo Kazuki]

Isn't easier buy cable extender for a couple of $? There are lots of them on some Chinese sale portal.

[KONEY]

I'm not sure getting rid of cables just to put an external PCB in place would be a comfortable option.

I'd go for an internal solution or some kind of very thin wiring running underneath the case.

[alexh]

The simple solution has been around since day one, a pre-requisite for Atari ST owners who didn't want to break their mouse ports... the dual 9-pin cable extenders.

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/323359885563

Moulded so they fit. Allow full size connectors the other end. Flexible enough to tuck away leaving room for the mouse.

[Jope]

Got to go with the short extender cable crowd here. That PCB solution seems quite fragile, unless you add a lot of plastic.

[aeberbach]

Glad I checked before making any PCBs then :-)

[Ernst Blofeld]

I've been looking at reproing A1000 mouse plugs but haven't found a connector that doesn't fall apart when you cut the sides off. Would you mind sharing where you found yours?

[scu98rkr]

I think this is a very good idea.

I've been looking for some way to tidy up this part of the amiga 600.

For me the problem is I end up with a lot of messy USB convertors and extension cables/switchers.

So I really think it needs to be combined with something like this.

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Commodore...UAAOSw6SNd7QqI
and this.
https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Best-Amig...oAAOSwZVlXpIms

What would be perfect for me would be 1 USB from joystick port 2 and a USB with Atari switcher for Joystick port 1.

I can see definitely see where your going though.

[aeberbach]

Originally Posted by Ernst Blofeld

I've been looking at reproing A1000 mouse plugs but haven't found a connector that doesn't fall apart when you cut the sides off. Would you mind sharing where you found yours?

https://www.digikey.com.au/product-d...771-ND/1536372

You can find the whole project at https://github.com/aeberbach/A600-side-port-relocator

[toyot123]

Project for Amiga 600
https://allegro.pl/oferta/amiga-600-...ry-10609025006

[KONEY]

I'd buy one but I can't understand a single word Is there an English version of the website?

[Torti-the-Smurf]

Originally Posted by Solo Kazuki

Isn't easier buy cable extender for a couple of $? There are lots of them on some Chinese sale portal.

Exactly, i always used extension cables.
You get them so easy, even to this day.

Very neat, especially if you have a second joystick, so you can hide the "Jopad/mouse/automatic splitter".

I always rocked this setup, even back in the days

Nerver got cables in the way. The A600/1200 Case "holds" the cables.
Pretty much everyone i knew had them like this.

Man, if i see some those pictures obove....

Funny and kind a ugly (But thats just my oppinion of course; i like it clean)




PS:Why you guys rip out the Floppy Drive ?... and cut things into the Amiga´s case. YOU MONSTERS !!!

[KONEY]

Extensions replicate the main problem with connectors: leverage on the port. At this point I have some LEGO piece between my desk and the mouse connector to make sure I don't accidentally make lever, this extension "fills" completely the empty space preventing leverage.

Just hope they do something about the website, PL is like ancient Egyptian to me

[Torti-the-Smurf]

Nahhh, just get the right ones Those cables i use have the exact same plug as a Competition Pro;
And my setup is so clean so i cant drop over cabels
Even someone who is clumsy as me never had issues with the Plugs or cables

But people are different, and thats not bad at all.

On the contrary.

Much love,Torti

[Lord Aga]

Originally Posted by KONEY

I'd buy one but I can't understand a single word

You really only need to know one Polish word
Somehow, everything becomes clear after you learn it.