40 pin cartridge connector (for Atari ST)

[[email protected]]

I'm looking for a cartridge connector that fits the Atari ST computer.

It's got 40 pins (2 rows x 20 pins) with 2mm spacing between each pin
and 5mm spacing between each row. Anyone know where these can be
bought or who makes them?

 

[[email protected]]

It's got 40 pins (2 rows x 20 pins) with 2mm spacing between each pin
and 5mm spacing between each row.

Note: as I measured this with a ruler on a damaged connector from an
Atari ST I could be mistaken about the exact measurements. For all I
know it could be imperial measurements. Hard to tell when using a
ruler.

 

[Homer J Simpson]

I'm looking for a cartridge connector that fits the Atari ST computer.

It's got 40 pins (2 rows x 20 pins) with 2mm spacing between each pin
and 5mm spacing between each row. Anyone know where these can be
bought or who makes them?

Are you sure it isn't 0.1 inches pin to pin? Best to measure the 20 pin
spacing and divide by 20.

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[Hal Murray]

Are you sure it isn't 0.1 inches pin to pin? Best to measure the 20 pin

spacing and divide by 20.

How about dividing by 19 rather than 20 since he's only got
20 pins in a row. Or measure 11 and divide by 10.

 

[Homer J Simpson]

How about dividing by 19 rather than 20 since he's only got
20 pins in a row. Or measure 11 and divide by 10.

I'm assuming he can make the necessary calculations.

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[[email protected]]

I'm assuming he can make the necessary calculations.

Thanks, though I have been known to make mistakes now and then ;-)

It looks like the spacing is 2mm because I have a cartridge expansion
board with the connector soldered on the board (easier to measure than
a ripped-off connector with bent legs on its own) and I measured just
over 38mm from pin 1 to pin 20.
That should mean a pin spacing of 2mm:

38mm / 19 pins = 2mm

I don't know why I measure just over 38mm (I don't have anything more
accurate than my 2mm ruler, and I would guess around 38.25mm as 38mm
is a little to the left of the end pin's center).

The pin spacing can't be 0.1" which translates into 2.54mm because:

2.54mm x 19 = 48.26mm

 

[Homer J Simpson]

The pin spacing can't be 0.1" which translates into 2.54mm because:

2.54mm x 19 = 48.26mm

OK. That's too bad because 0.1 is pretty common. You're down to wading
through the Mouser catalog and the like I guess.

 

[[email protected]]

OK. That's too bad because 0.1 is pretty common. You're down to wading
through the Mouser catalog and the like I guess.

Are there any other alternatives close to 2mm or 0.1" spacing?
Or should I just assume that the slightly bigger spacing is just
inaccuracy, bent pins etc?

I'll have a look through Mouser and Digikey's catalogs, but I have
another question while I'm here: are there other connectors around
with the same pin-spacing as this cartridge connector? I'm planning to
replace some of those cartridge connectors with a more permanent
connection as I don't need them to be detachable.

 

[Homer J Simpson]

Are there any other alternatives close to 2mm or 0.1" spacing?
Or should I just assume that the slightly bigger spacing is just
inaccuracy, bent pins etc?

I'll have a look through Mouser and Digikey's catalogs, but I have
another question while I'm here: are there other connectors around
with the same pin-spacing as this cartridge connector? I'm planning to
replace some of those cartridge connectors with a more permanent
connection as I don't need them to be detachable.

Have you tried on eBay for (cartridge connector Atari ST)?

 

[[email protected]]

Have you tried on eBay for (cartridge connector Atari ST)?

Haven't had a look, although that's probably a source for these kind
of things.
However, I found out that I really don't need the Atari cartridge
connector because I'll have several when I've desoldered the ones
already existing on my various expansion boards.
What I need much more however are connectors that go in place of those
cartridge connectors. In other words, I want to desolder the existing
cartridge connectors, then insert a reliable connector such as an IDC
ribbon-cable connector or something. That way I can connect those
expansion devices together without the unreliability of the cartridge
"card-edge" connector.

So is there something that will fit the 2-row, 2mm spacing, 5mm row
spacing size?

I've taken a few pictures of my cartridge connector and an expansion
device which attaches to it:

http://img476.imageshack.us/img476/1483/ataricartridgeconnectorqo8.jpg
http://img509.imageshack.us/img509/6880/cartridgedevicelc2.jpg
http://img476.imageshack.us/img476/8164/cartridgecloseuplj9.jpg

http://img454.imageshack.us/img454/4427/disconnectedof5.jpg
http://img454.imageshack.us/img454/195/connectedaw0.jpg

 

[Homer J Simpson]

What I need much more however are connectors that go in place of those
cartridge connectors. In other words, I want to desolder the existing
cartridge connectors, then insert a reliable connector such as an IDC
ribbon-cable connector or something. That way I can connect those
expansion devices together without the unreliability of the cartridge
"card-edge" connector.

Can't comment as to size, but many people used a printed circuit card edge
as a connector. There also were purpose made male connectors, but I can't
point you to a source for the size you want.

Have you downloaded the Mouser catalog pages?

 

[[email protected]]

Can't comment as to size, but many people used a printed circuit card edge
as a connector.

The problem is that the cartridge connector is the weakest link on the
Atari ST. It's a known fact that contact problems often occur, which I
want to eliminate once and for all by removing this type of connector
and using something else instead. Then on the other side (the mating
card-edge) I need so solder the wires directly to it. A flast cable
would be ideal for this, at least for the card-edge side, but the
question is what to use for the cartridge connector side.

There also were purpose made male connectors, but I can't
point you to a source for the size you want.

I've hear others point out that these connectors were custom made.
That might make things hard. If I can't find any suitable connectors I
assume the only way to go about this is to solder each strand of a
flat-cable into the connection holes on the PCB where the 40 pin
cartridge connector previously was. Any better ideas?

Have you downloaded the Mouser catalog pages?

I've had a browse through Digikey's catalog, in the connector section,
but not found anything yet. Haven't had a look at Mouser yet.

 

[Homer J Simpson]

I've hear others point out that these connectors were custom made.
That might make things hard. If I can't find any suitable connectors I
assume the only way to go about this is to solder each strand of a
flat-cable into the connection holes on the PCB where the 40 pin
cartridge connector previously was. Any better ideas?

The Radio Shack Color Computer used similar connectors (as did the Model 1)
but they were standard, off the shelf parts and you could buy all sorts of
after market parts inc. gold plated.