Introduction

One of the biggest issues with MSXI's electrical system was its inconsistency in parts and pinouts. There were at least 3 variations of the CAN controller/transceiver circuit and which SPI bus they were connected to, making debugging difficult. Some used different footprints, while others used different parts. This also made inventory a challenge, as each board had its own very specific set of components.

To increase board consistency and ease debugging, we propose a controller board that consists of shared core components such as the microcontroller, CAN transceiver, and possibly some debug LEDs or IOs. These controller boards would likely use a mezzanine connector to allow breakouts to carrier boards, which should be much simpler.

Key Features

• Allows creation of a debug carrier board to allow self-test of the MCU and CAN
• Simplifies inventory management and software, allowing a single core config for all boards
• Simplifies board debugging - isolates issues to either the controller or carrier boards
• Reduces cost of bringing backup boards

Parts