Does anyone have anything like the MacClip Jr.?

[Nathan_A]

I'd like to take a whack at recreating some of these "clip-on" variable speed overclocking devices. They seem like a very good candidate for 3D printing a very, very simple circuit design. I used to have one from "XLR8" in a 6100/60 about 25 years ago that clocked the machine to 80+ MHz.

I just have no sample to work from anymore, unfortunately.

 

[cy384]

I had one before I gave it away, so I can at least describe it. The circuit is iirc a clock, multiplier, and divider, with DIP switches to pick the exact multiply/divide values.

Here's a pic from this site,


Basically, it's three PCBs, with a spring in the middle that very slightly pushes the sides apart. The contacts, which you can't see in that pic, are kinda funky, there's a cutout in the PCB and a little piece of metal soldered on with a bump that touches the legs of the oscillator on the board.

See this highly technical diagram I just fingerpainted:

 

[jessenator]

FWIW there are projects elsewhere that are a modern-day interpretation of the concept. It's not a "clip-on" solution, but a solder-on solution.
This one, for example: https://ameblo.jp/keroxiee1016/image-12707256744-15024022337.html

This is, clearly, a much more permanent solution, but for the able-handed with soldering, it also has the virtue of not popping off (a phenomenon I have yet to witness in operation with a properly seated device; though others have offered their own experiences to the contrary).

 

[jessenator]

Here's a gallery of snapshots from the MacClip Jr

https://imgur.com/a/qdMwczy

(And then a link directly to it, because the Xenforo imgur API thingy can be wonky)

 

[jeremywork]

Here's some pictures of the XLR8TOR (same as XLR8?) WarpFactor 135.

Haven't had a chance to test this, but seems relatively simple.

 

[Nathan_A]

That's exactly the kind I used to have! The XLR8TOR one. I had it as part of a bundle that included an L2 cache module and a 601 heatsink w/ peltier plate on it (seemingly the same as the one that comes stock on an 8100/100. Though in a 6100 case the peltier hurt more than it helped unless you really rigged up an improved airflow solution.

The MacClip Jr. is different than I imagined it, but also pretty tractable as a project. Definitely going for the solderless approach for this thing, I like that they're trivial to install and remove when they just clip onto the surface mount clock IC.

Great context and photos! Thanks everyone!

 

[Nathan_A]

My current thinking is that the sweet spot might actually be a blend of the XLR8TOR approach with the approach @cy384 took in the Ultimate Centris 650. Basically a little fitted block that grounds the stock chip's enable pin and exposes a socket on the other side to swap and plop in different speed cans.

The MacClip Jr. is comparatively involved in terms of fabrication.

 

[Nathan_A]

@jeremywork what's the underside of the XLR8TOR look like where it makes contact with the onboard chip?

 

[jeremywork]

@jeremywork what's the underside of the XLR8TOR look like where it makes contact with the onboard chip?

Oops, forgot to include that angle.

 

[Nathan_A]

Yeah, that sort of thing with @cy384's socket design converted to a super simple little PCB would be very straightforward. Socket on PCB, through pins pressed into mold w/ metal contacts in it.