warbo

I've got a 3.58/6.00mhz serial reader from sattronics and I want to replace the 3.58mhz crystal with the 8.00mhz one in the photo.

I'm armed with a fine tipped sodering iron and multi-meter and next to no knowledge about modifying readers. I'd like to have a go myself but if it's all going to end in tears then I might have to try and get someone else to do it.

Would like to know how easy this is going to be and do I have the right stuff for my reader. Any tips? Cheers...

RSA

I say go for it!!

warbo

Well RSA, you spurred me on in another thread about your smartreader+ running at 8hz and I'd like to see if I can duplicate it with the serial reader and a 8mhz crystal. So if it all goes terribly wrong I'll blame you

Seriously, I have very little skill in this area and am far better on a keyboard than a soldering iron. So any assistance would be great.

To start with I'm looking at a 2 pronged 8.00 mhz crystal to replace what looks like a 4 pronged 3.58mhz crystal, so I'm not sure where to start.

Have I just totally shown my newbness to electronics lol?

Moof

Do you have any old electronic boards at home? it might be worth doing a little practice on them first. Try removing a few components and resoldering them. Once you think you can do it good enough do the real thing.

Moof

It seems that the original is a complete oscillator and you are trying to replace it with just a crystal. I dont think it will work

z80

It will be interesting to see what happens.

If it stuffs up just claim warranty, noone will know...

__________________
On vacation....

warbo

Awww damn it, and I was over the moon when it was the last crystal they had in stock!

Could someone link the exact component required. Hopefully from Jaycar or DSE?

I actually have done a little bit of soldering so I'm not too phased about that. More so my lack of knowledge about what it IS I'm soldering.

warbo

z80 if it stuffs up, I won't admit it here. I'll buy a new one and sneak it off to the local electronics guy and then pretend I did it lol

warbo

Ok - looks like this is what I want

ECS-100AX-8.0MHZ

A quick search doesn't show any in australia. Do you think I can get them to send me just one? It does say minimum order is one @ $1.73

TurnKey

You can make a complete oscillator with the crystal you have and a cheap CMOS buffer/inverter IC. Find a schematic for a phoenix or smartmouse interface & copy just the bit that goes to the clock pin on the smartcard socket. You just need the IC, 2 x resistors, 2 x ceramic capacitors & your crystal - that's it!

BTW, what type of card are you hoping to overclock? Some of the common types won't cope with 8MHz.

sandery

This looks suitable from farnell.

RAKON | LF X352A | Frequency Control | Passives | Farnell AU

warbo

It's a n*s card. Another forum member has stated he has it running at 8mhz.

The software I want to experiment with only works with 3.58mhz or apparently 8mhz. I currently have it running at 6mhz.

TurnKey

Ok, I understand!
Go with sandery's Farnell part suggestion for a nice neat replacement, otherwise I can show you a little circuit you can whip up with Jaycar etc. parts.

warbo

Yeah I will do that. That looks far simpler, even for me to solder up.

Kavakid

I have been down this road with a 10mhz 4 pin oscillator inserted into the same cardreader but it didn't work with bluey and newcs set to >10< or >1000<.

The green led only flashes when you insert the card.

I thought maybe other components on the board need to be replaced to drive the oscillator @ 10 mhz over the designed 6mhz original.

@RSA what is your setup with 8mhz?

Any other overclockers reading this?

KK

warbo

While I'm waiting for the oscillator to arrive I've put the card into the dreams slot and overclocked the card in cccam to 7.8 and it's cranking along.

Art

Sounds a bit weird since the card comms at 9600 baud at 6MHz,
and at 8MHz it will be wanting to talk at 12800 baud which is not a standard baud rate.
Serial Baud Rates
But if you're trying to copy some proven setup that already does this,
with the same smartcard, host, and all, then I see no problem if the card can handle it.

RSA

its not quite 8Mhz I run NDS card(s) at 7.8Mhz either in the dreambox card readers sci0 or sci1 or in a USB Smargo SmartReader +

sandery

I think it's 8MHz in the smargo?

According to the smartreader + docs:

* Available frequencies

3.20, 3.43, 3.69, 4.00, 4.36, 4.80, 5.34, 6.00, 6.86, 8.00, 9.61, 12.0 and 16.0 MHz

The user can select any frequency. The Smartreader+ will select the nearest available.

Selecting 7800000 in CCcam means the smargo will set itself to 8 MHz (nearest available) ??

RSA

Correct