The interface board I have also looks like it has an option to use a serial interface and possibly use a Sony proprietary interface instead of the Panasonic. The Sony parts aren't stuffed and I'm not going to bother trying to trace those out. My PCB will be Panasonic only.

I plan on getting a external IDE case with a parallel port interface and replace the parallel port interface board with the CD7 interface.

This message is a reply to To: The Dumper CD7 posted from De posted at July 05, 2001 at 20:16:46
> Hi

> I finally got the old used CR-563b cdrom, octal buffer IC and external case.

> I would like to build the CD7 on this July. Would you mind to sent me more information you got to start building the unit, such as schematic traced, pictures and etc.

> I decide to put the PCB board into the external case or put it into the SFII unit (relocated the printer's pin).

> Thanks

I've been swamped lately. I've been meaning to do something with this. What I can do for you is post my Eagle project file containing the schematic and board layout. I think the board layout should work but I wanted to make it pretty, add ground and 5v power planes, etc. Maybe you can do that. You can download a freeware version of Eagle for non-commercial use that will let you view what I have done.

This message is a reply to Just got the CR563 40pins connector signal posted from De posted at July 07, 2001 at 23:27:46

> That cd rom is not standard ATAPI interface(need spical or creative SB16 interface card to run), so it is much harder to covert to ATAPI CD rom. I will keep working on it tomorrow.

Sweet Jesus De don't try to hook up the CR563 to an IDE interface, you might blow out something. It's not an IDE drive.

I'm really busy lately. Maybe someone can take this over and drive it? Get a quality PCB produced?

Go to http://www.cadsoftusa.com/freeware.htm and download the freeware Eagle PCB program.

Get my cd7 schematic and preliminary board layout (you'll need to autoroute it).

cd7-10.brd

cd7-10.sch

This message is a reply to Re: Get my schematic files before you hurt yourself posted from Mark posted at July 08, 2001 at 12:20:34

> > > That cd rom is not standard ATAPI interface(need spical or creative SB16 interface card to run), so it is much harder to covert to ATAPI CD rom. I will keep working on it tomorrow.

> > Sweet Jesus De don't try to hook up the CR563 to an IDE interface, you might blow out something. It's not an IDE drive.

> Of course that's true. But it is possible to convert a Panasonic-interface drive to IDE. I have a small converter board which does just that. I don't remember exactly which ICs it contains, but there were at least two PALs/GALs, so it is not trivial.

> The converter is almost certainly not bidirectional, so could not be used to connect an IDE CD-ROM drive to a GDSF 7 or Professor SF II. (Admittedly I didn't try, but I am not going to risk damaging the converter board -- or an old PC sound card with Panasonic interface -- by trying.)

> -- Mark

The idea here is to build a PCB that allows you to connect up a CR-563 CD-ROM drive to a Game Doctor SF7. This is the PCB that is inside the CD7.

[Additional note by The Dumper, 8/03:  Converting a Panasonic CD-ROM interface to an IDE interface will prevent you from using the drive in a CD7.  The thing that might be useful is to convert an IDE CD-ROM interface to a Panasonic interface -- as far as I know no one has done this]

This message is a reply to Re: The Dumper - CD7 posted from De posted at July 20, 2001 at 01:44:25

> I am still working on it, but i want to know what is C1 and JP2 on the schematic diagram

> I almost finsih and connect those together follow you schematic diagram.

> - PC Board (with 417 indexed holes)
> - 5pin male IDE connector
> - SN74LS244 buffer
> - external printer port with 26 pins
> - 26 pin connector
> - SB16 CD rom (CR563)

> Thanks

I don't know if it's clear from the board layout but the db25 connector is installed from one side of the board and the CD-ROM header connector (and everything else on the board) is installed from the other side.

This message is a reply to Re: The Dumper - CD7 posted from De posted at July 20, 2001 at 01:44:25

> I am still working on it, but i want to know what is C1 and JP2 on the schematic diagram

> I almost finsih and connect those together follow you schematic diagram.

> - PC Board (with 417 indexed holes)
> - 5pin male IDE connector
> - SN74LS244 buffer
> - external printer port with 26 pins
> - 26 pin connector
> - SB16 CD rom (CR563)

> Thanks

C1 is just a bypass capacitor. It's like 0.1uF and goes right next to the IC between power and ground. JP2? Don't have it in front of me but it's probably the connector where the power comes into the board (5V and ground).

First, Thank you very much The Dumper. Without his help I can't make it because I finally built the cd7's interface board yesterday. It works really well.

I spent almost 2 hours to built that board.

I bought a very small PC board and use thin wire (size 30) to connect each pins. It looks ok. Actually, it is not that hard to create the board but hard to find a correct cd-rom drive ( CD563-B).

I also took some pictures and hope people want it.

Finally, I want to get the permission from The Dumper to redesign the schematic!

De

This message is a reply to I built my own CD7 and work great. Thanks The Dumper !! posted from De posted at August 02, 2001 at 22:17:46

> First, Thank you very much The Dumper. Without his help I can't make it because I finally built the cd7's interface board yesterday. It works really well.

> I spent almost 2 hours to built that board.

> I bought a very small PC board and use thin wire (size 30) to connect each pins. It looks ok. Actually, it is not that hard to create the board but hard to find a correct cd-rom drive ( CD563-B).

> I also took some pictures and hope people want it.
>
> Finally, I want to get the permission from The Dumper to redesign the schematic!

> De

You're welcome. I'm glad someone got some use out of it.

What would you redesign the schematic for? It matches the CD7 PCB and it's simple. What more could you want?

Now if you're talking about the board layout then I'm with you. I was just thinking that I'd try to finish a PCB for the CD7 even if it wasn't as flashy looking as a professionally designed PCB it should work and save me from all the tedious wiring.

TD

This message is a reply to I got question? The Dumper posted from De posted at August 03, 2001 at 18:41:02

> Most 4 MBit and 8 Mbits rom run perfect from CD to SF7.

> However, some got error message "Disk format error" when it was loading on the half way throught.

> For example , 32Mbit game, 4 disks - Finish loading disk A 100% and loading disk B up to 30% or 50 % ...error message appear.

> Do you have same problem ? Any idea how to fix it?

I had many problems figuring out how to get this to work initially (since no directions came with the CD7 and the PSF2 manually barely touched on the subject).

I did get it to work but my CD7 is apart right now so I can't verify how. As I recall you need a header on the ROMs, a Game Doctor header of course, not an SMC header. I think you can either split the ROM into pieces or you can have an entire 32Mb ROM in one file and the GDSF7 will split it as it loads (but it has to have a GD header). If you split the ROMs I think the first part had to have a header and the rest of the parts must not have a header.

The CD7 is VERY picky about the file names. If you don't follow the CD7 naming convention for files it won't work. I think it was something like SF32023. The first two characters must be SF the next two are the rom size and the next three identify the specific ROM. SF32023 would be for a 32Mbit unsplit ROM (or was it SF32023.1 or SF32023.A, can't quite recall). If you split it it's something like SF32023.A, SF32023.B, SF32023.C, SF32023.D.

If you can't figure it out I'll put the CD7 back together and check it out.

TD

This message is a reply to Building a CD-7----how do you do it ? (nt) posted from MrVCD posted at August 28, 2001 at 05:37:23

> please post how

De built one of these based on my tracing of the schematic. Look for his posts.

You need a CR563 CD-ROM drive (Panasonic proprietary interface), my schematic and few other parts.

The PCB will be pretty simple. One IC, one capacitor, a couple of connectors. At first I couldn't believe how anyone could make such a simple interface board for a CD-ROM and have it work but after taking the unit apart it all falls into place. It doesn't use an IDE CD-ROM drive! It uses a Panasonic (Matsushita) proprietary interface (MKE). The drive is a Panasonic (Matsushita) CR-563-B 2x unit. Some of you may even have one of these laying around because they shipped a lot of them with Creative Labs SB16 CD-ROM kits. There is also a CR-562 that is basically the same drive without the digital audio out on it.

The interface board I have also looks like it has an option to use a serial interface and possibly use a Sony proprietary interface instead of the Panasonic. The Sony parts aren't stuffed and I'm not going to bother trying to trace those out. My PCB will be Panasonic only.

Go to http://www.cadsoftusa.com/freeware.htm and download the freeware Eagle PCB program.

Get my cd7 schematic and preliminary board layout (you'll need to autoroute it).

I don't know if it's clear from the board layout but the db25 connector is installed from one side of the board and the CD-ROM header connector (and everything else on the board) is installed from the other side.

cd7-10.brd

cd7-10.sch

This message is a reply to Is a CR-563-B CD-Rom model similar to CR-563? I want to build a CD7 ! posted from mE posted at September 03, 2001 at 08:57:21

> Is a CR-563-B CD-Rom model similar to CR-563? I want to build a CD7 !

As far as I know they are functionally interchangeable. Creative doesn't make a distinction on their web site. I think the difference might be that one is an OEM version and the other has a SoundBlaster label on the front.

You can also use a CR-562 which is the same drive without the digital audio out.

There are also some Panasonic OEM drives branded by other companies that will work. The important thing is that it needs a MKE proprietary interface. In a pinch you could even use a 1x MKE drive.

This message is a reply to 74244N for CD-7, does any online store have any in stock? -nt- posted from Tommmmy posted at September 03, 2001 at 14:57:12

> !

Sorry for the confusion. I've posted the parts list before with the 74LS244 but the schematic program I used didn't have a symbol for a 74LS244 so I used a 74244 symbol on the schematic which is pin compatible with the LS version but has different ratings. I'd use the 74LS244 when building it.

Specifically the part in my CD7 is a DM74LS244N. You can order this online from Digikey, http://www.digikey.com/scripts/us/dksus.dll?Detail?Ref=25193&Row=98458

Another important note I've made in the past that you may have missed is that the 25 pin connector plugs onto the back side of the PCB. Everything else plugs on the front side.