WTB Allied Leisure Hearts Spades MPU
- Thread starter daddy
- Start date
Just wanted to post to say I have been working on a Repro ALI MPU. It has reached the stage that the prototype has been produced and assembled and is running. Still more to do but a replacement main pcb is not far away.
Here is a little video of the prototype (ps the display digits are reversed left to right - its an error in the display pcbs).
Here are some of the changes:
Uses a 6502 (or you still can configure it to use a 6504 if you have a working one);
Single EPROM;
Replaces the no longer available 3 x 6530's with 2 x 6532's;
Replaces the jumper wires with much neater jumper blocks;
Replaces the less common lamp driver ics with more readily available ones;
Replaced the transistors with more common ones used today;
Footprint is smaller to reduce pcb cost.
Plug and play compatible with original pcb;
You can also see some test boards and displays that are early protypes and will be made available when they are ready to helpfix and service the boards and machines. Here are some pics of them.
Here is a little video of the prototype (ps the display digits are reversed left to right - its an error in the display pcbs).
Here are some of the changes:
Uses a 6502 (or you still can configure it to use a 6504 if you have a working one);
Single EPROM;
Replaces the no longer available 3 x 6530's with 2 x 6532's;
Replaces the jumper wires with much neater jumper blocks;
Replaces the less common lamp driver ics with more readily available ones;
Replaced the transistors with more common ones used today;
Footprint is smaller to reduce pcb cost.
Plug and play compatible with original pcb;
You can also see some test boards and displays that are early protypes and will be made available when they are ready to helpfix and service the boards and machines. Here are some pics of them.
Thanks, I am a late comer that original post, but making good progress on a solution.
Testing has been going very well. I still have to do another spin of the pcb and test it (hopefully as a release version).
After doing component pricing, originally using Digikey and an arcade chip supplier for the specialty ic's, the price was a little too high, so I repriced the parts using what I can source from LCSC and the remainder from Digikey and the specialty ic's still from the same supplier.
Here is the breakdown in groups, sourcing what I can from LCSC:
Standard IC's US$25
Semi's (Transistors, Diodes) US$15
Passives (Resistors, Capacitors) US$5
Hardware (Headers, sockets, Connectors) US$45
PCB, Assembly and Testing US$125
Special IC's US$80
Total US$295 for a complete, Assembled and Tested unit, ready to plug in and power on, shipping not included.
This lower price is based on using whatever brand component I can source from LCSC. I do not see any problems with using these chinese brand parts where possible to lower the cost. In fact, this is mostly what I have used in the prototype (together with parts I already had). The pricing above requires me to purchase up front enough components in 1 order to build at least 10 units in order to get some component price breaks.
The big-ticket items I could not find cheaper are the 3 pcb mount harness sockets and the specialty ic's.
If you have any interest in one, I would appreciate a post or PM. I will not be selling them until after I have tested the next spin of the pcb (if all goes well the MkI release version). I will be making the blank pcb, and various kits with parts available as well.
I do appreciate any comments, suggestions or questions.
There is now a daughter board available from John's Jukes that replaces all three of the obsolete 6530's on the MPU. With this item, most any ALI MPU should be repairable. The same MPU will work in pretty much any ALI game.
