Can you use this instead?

[Duce]

http://www.microbarn.com/USBAdapters_ADA-U...source=gadwords

And only $11.99, what do you guys think?

 

[runderwo]

Instead of what? A comms link card? No.

 

[antime]

The linked cable is for connecting to RS232 devices, so it's not suitable for connecting to the Saturn's link port either - RS232 uses voltage levels of up to ±25V for signals while the link port uses TTL levels (0V and +5V).

 

[Duce]

Thanks antime, I'm still a bit of a noob and it shows....

Got any ideas though? I don't have an ISA slot in my current pc and I would like to be able to connect to my Saturn through some type of commslink.

I know you can rig some things up, and while I'm technically inclined, I'm not that much.

Please, help a noob out.

If not, cool, you're probably busy anyway.

Thanks again though, regardless.

 

[antime]

Until Pinchy starts selling his USB cartridge solution I think the simplest way is to wire an USB to serial interface to the Saturn's link port. With something like this you only need to solder three wires, which is not difficult. You will however still need a way to get the transfer software running on the Saturn, currently this means loading it from CD which in turn means you need a modchip.

There are certainly other methods (eg. the parallel port FreeWing interface), but they will almost certainly be more difficult to make.

 

[Duce]

Show me how to solder that in(via a pic) and I'll be ready, willing, and able to do it.

As far as data transfer, what software do you use?

 

[antime]

You will need the cable's schematic and the Saturn link port schematic. In the link port schematic, note the boxes marked "TPnn". These are test pads found on the underside of the Saturn's motherboard, by the link port. The pads are marked on the motherboard with the same numbers as in the schematic.

The connections you need to make are:

Cable GND - Link port GND (TP18)

Cable TxD - Link port RxD1 (TP16)

Cable RxD - Link port TxD1 (TP15)

AFAIK, no ready-made software exists for this particular combination, so you'll have to make your own. The Saturn side is pretty straight-forward (the SH7604 manual will help you here), but on the PC side you will have to decide whether to treat the cable as a normal serial port or use direct-access drivers. The difference between the two has been discussed in this thread.

 

[ExCyber]

The Free Wing I/F isn't difficult as such - you can work with full-size DIP packages and connectors. It's just a lot of work because you're wiring two 8-bit buses and one 4-bit bus.

 

[Duce]

Thanks again antime! I think I'll be able to do the rest, just have to wait to get the part.

My saturn is going to be a modded nightmare if I keep going about it.

I'm not much of a programmer yet to program for this setup though, that's why i asked for software....

I guess maybe I should hold off for now and get the money(which isn't much) and the experience of programming more with it so that I can work with it.

By then, Pincy should be done, right?

Will he sell those units with the usb port or what?