INFO: The Sony DTL-H2040

Discussion in 'Industry News' started by ASSEMbler, Apr 7, 2005.

  1. ASSEMbler

    ASSEMbler Administrator Staff Member

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    [​IMG]

    The unusual device you see before you is the SONY DTL-H2040 Memory card unit, used in the earliest playstation development days way back in 1994. Long before the final hardware designs, these units were shipped to trusted early developers. These units were replaced only a few months later with a break box that combined the controller and memory ports, replacing the then non standard ports with retail style ones.

    [​IMG]

    I don't have exact production numbers, but in the early days playstation was far from the behemoth that it is today. Surely the very early dev kits that this device was part of shipped in the low hundreds before the revised break boxes were introduced making this device obsolete.

    [​IMG]
    [​IMG]

    The DTL-H2040 and serial style playstation pad were soon replaced by this interface box.
     
    Last edited by a moderator: Apr 7, 2005
  2. AntiPasta

    AntiPasta Guest

    Pretty cool. Mind opening the memory card thing up?
     
  3. SuperGrafx

    SuperGrafx Guest

    I agree, this is pretty fascinating stuff.
    Photos of the innards please?
     
  4. Calpis

    Calpis Champion of the Forum

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    Wonder if it's serial, if so where does it get power?
     
  5. AntiPasta

    AntiPasta Guest

    From the serial port?
     
  6. Calpis

    Calpis Champion of the Forum

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    Nah, serial doesn't provide power
     
  7. zappenduster

    zappenduster Familiar Face

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    hmm found some data specs

    Data:
    - logical "1" (Mark) is represented by a negative voltage of -3V to -25V
    - logical "0" (Space) is represented by a positive voltage of +3V to +25V

    no info on how much mA or A or whatever but that could be enough power for a memory emulator since memory doesnt need much power (but i dont know whats in the box to emulate a memory card but memory at least for data storage in this way shouldnt be very power hungry)
     
  8. ASSEMbler

    ASSEMbler Administrator Staff Member

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    I've found an even earlier one of these, it's not even labeled as sony with a serial number, it's just in a plain blue sony box that says "memory access unit".
     
  9. hl718

    hl718 Site Soldier

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    You should sacrifice a standard memory card and try to hack together a serial -> PSX mem card interface for that thing. Would be quite the conversation piece if the emulation is done purely in hardware -- have that big ass box hooked up to store your save games. :)

    -hl718
     
  10. I didn't see a picture of the complete memory box. It comes with a blue box as well. I just got a brand new sealed one and I had to open it up to see it.
     
  11. madhatter256

    madhatter256 Illustrious Member

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    Well it probably gets its power from the serial ports. My Dexdrive works without the AC adaptor and can read Sony memcards if I mess with the settings in windows.
     
  12. Wow, I didn't know that. That's nice to know. But what settings do you mess with?

    BTW, the pictures posted here make the box look big. It's actually quite small and light. I wish someone would open it up and show us inside.
     
    Last edited by a moderator: Mar 27, 2006
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