Announcing the Snark Barker MCA - finally, an open source Micro Channel Sound Blaster

[ejs]

Yep, after months of work, I've finally managed to get it working!

I'm happy to announce the release of my latest sound card, the Snark Barker MCA! This is a Sound Blaster compatible card designed for Micro Channel bus computers, including the IBM PS/2 family.

The design files can be found here: https://github.com/schlae/snark-barker-mca.

And you can also follow the Twitter thread https://twitter.com/TubeTimeUS/statu...23576346468352.

[pinkdonut666]

YESSSSSSSSSS I have been anxiously awaiting! that rocks dude!

[bladamson]

Good work, man.

[dorkbert]

surely you had more than one pcb board fabricated?

[ejs]

surely you had more than one pcb board fabricated?

Yep! Those are going off to other beta testers. MCA machines are tricky beasts and I don't have too many representative examples.

[RadRacer203]

Yes!!!!

[ardent-blue]

"When ordering the board, you may want to specify a card edge bevel of 20 degrees (details of the bevel are included in the Dwgs.User layer). This is optional but makes the board much easier to insert in the bus slot. If you want to save money, you could order without the bevel and add a bevel yourself using a file."

http://ps-2.kev009.com/ohlandl/RS600...-K.html#ECA265

Folks, do not FUTZ with not having a card edge bevel!!!

If there is no bevel, it is VERY likely you will bend an MCA slot contact, as the flat board edge catches the top of the slot contact, and crushes it downward, bowing the contact all to heck. Very fiddley in reforming that spring finger back into a useable shape...

I had a 7012-397 that had one of those 9-K with the non-beveled edge installed. Luckily, there was only ONE turbo dorked contact, but it could be a LOT worse.

You have been warned...

[VERAULT]

Im so glad i sold off my mca soundcards last year for top dollar (sealed in box) as these will brimg down the value!

But so glad they were made! Keep up the good work.

[ejs]

"When ordering the board, you may want to specify a card edge bevel of 20 degrees (details of the bevel are included in the Dwgs.User layer). This is optional but makes the board much easier to insert in the bus slot. If you want to save money, you could order without the bevel and add a bevel yourself using a file."

http://ps-2.kev009.com/ohlandl/RS600...-K.html#ECA265

Folks, do not FUTZ with not having a card edge bevel!!!

If there is no bevel, it is VERY likely you will bend an MCA slot contact, as the flat board edge catches the top of the slot contact, and crushes it downward, bowing the contact all to heck. Very fiddley in reforming that spring finger back into a useable shape...

I had a 7012-397 that had one of those 9-K with the non-beveled edge installed. Luckily, there was only ONE turbo dorked contact, but it could be a LOT worse.

You have been warned...

Ouch! This is good to know, thanks for bringing it up. I'll go update the instructions to warn about that.

[Chromedome45]

Nice board! How much to order one? Now if we could get an MCA IDE made that would be great.