SCSI cart slot help

sglider2 · Post by **sglider2** » Sat Jun 02, 2007 9:17 pm

I'm going to relocate the cart slot on my n64 using scsi. I've read a few topics on how to do this all of them mentioning something about SCSI cable and headers, but they're all confusing me. Can someone help me by telling me what exactly it is that I need and how to do it correctly so I don't fry my n64? thanks

timmeh87 · Post by **timmeh87** » Sun Jun 03, 2007 8:04 pm

SCSI cable is like IDE cable (the grey ribbon cable for older hard drives) except it has 50 pins instead of 40. this is convinient, as the n64 cart slot is also 50 pins, and (if you havent found out yet) is easily removable, just gently yank on it.

when you have it out, there are 50 little pins sticking out that magically fit right into the end of a scsi cable. pretty convenient eh? so all you have to do is install a pin header into where the cart slot used to be (ie. convert the female holes into male pins, since a scsi cable is female on both ends), and you can connect your cart slot to your board with a scsi cable and thus move it somewhere else/change the angle.

this has the advantage that it is removable, which is very handy when you are working on other parts of your portable, and also the connectors are factory-made, you arent dealing with the often weak and poorly executed solder joints that rip off and cause you headaches.

theres just one catch... the way scsi connectors are made, they actually hook your cart slot up backwards. every time, no matter how you rotate the parts in different combinations, its not possible to hook it up forwards.

so i guess theres two routes to take in that case.

1) solder one end on permanently in the right way. its still removable and also not backwards.

2) use TWO connectors on the one of the ends of the ribbon cable, and use one row from each. its kind of hard to explain, but it works, its kind of like creating a 'backwards' connector.

if you search around, you will find you arent the first person to ask about this, and other members have even done it and taken pictures or drawn diagrams.

good luck.

Bibin · Post by **Bibin** » Sun Jun 03, 2007 9:23 pm

...Or just plug in your cart 180 degrees differently than you did before?

sglider2 · Post by **sglider2** » Sun Jun 03, 2007 10:43 pm

i agree with bibin..you could just turn the cartridge around instead of using two right?

reliant · Post by **reliant** » Mon Jun 04, 2007 8:18 am

Honestly, i have dealt with this same problem, soldering or trying to plug crap in, and it really isnt all that hard to solder the 48 wires to the cart slot and board, it just takes patience and an hour or so, its best to strip all of your scsi wires first and then tin them so you can just go boom boom boom just keep soldering, and i reccommend going pin for pin, soldering 1 wire on the mobo, then that wire to the cart slot, its much easier and you dont have to worry about hooking up the wrong pins, but remember about the pins that are skipped, and make sure you skip them on the cart connector.

sglider2 · Post by **sglider2** » Mon Jun 04, 2007 4:31 pm

will this work for the cable? http://www.cablesunlimited.com/products ... LT-2100-24

and will these work for the headers, considering i'm using right angle?
@ www.futurlec.com part#: HEADRAD50
(it won't let me link it)

Kurt_ · Post by **Kurt_** » Mon Jun 04, 2007 5:30 pm

24 inches is long. You'd want something that's shorter, unless you plan on wrapping it around everything first. But that's the right stuff. I'd aim for 5-10 inches, depending on your parts layout.

sglider2 · Post by **sglider2** » Mon Jun 04, 2007 5:51 pm

yeah i was gonna go with something smaller..i was just making sure i got it right. thanks

timmeh87 · Post by **timmeh87** » Tue Jun 05, 2007 2:15 pm

Bibin wrote:...Or just plug in your cart 180 degrees differently than you did before?

no thats my point. it dosent work.

one way it is oriented correctly but the front and back rows are swapped
the other way it is backwards but the front and back rows are correct.

sglider2 · Post by **sglider2** » Tue Jun 05, 2007 5:34 pm

timmeh, is this what you meant by putting two headers on one end to make it work right? (my paint skills are horrible)

timmeh87 · Post by **timmeh87** » Tue Jun 05, 2007 8:44 pm

as i recall it went something like this.

the connectors that are on IDE and SCSI cables just clamp on to the ribbon with metal teeth, so you can move them around however you please.

sglider2 · Post by **sglider2** » Tue Jun 05, 2007 8:59 pm

oh ok..so what you're saying is to use ribbon cable with two connectors, not two scsi headers, right? and use a double male scsi header on the mobo?

sglider2 · Post by **sglider2** » Sun Jun 10, 2007 9:05 pm

-BUMP- I'm still wanting to know if I understand what you said correctly...

oh ok..so what you're saying is to use ribbon cable with two connectors, not two scsi headers, right? and use a double male scsi header on the mobo?

is that correct?