As I understand it, the NES Game Pak connector pitch is 2.50 mm from the center of one pin to another, while post-patent clone consoles and cart programmers (e.g. Kazzo) are more likely to have a connector with the more common 2.54 mm (0.100 inch) pitch. From the center to the edge of a 36-pin-per-side connector, this error accumulates 0.04 mm * 18 = 0.72 mm.
One solution that I've suggested a few times is to cut 0.7 mm out of the middle of a 2.54 mm connector, where the otherwise unused expansion pins go, so that the error accumulates only across the CPU half or across the PPU/CIC half. With less distance over which to accumulate, the error would reach only 0.36 mm. But that's not the solution I was planning to discuss in this topic.
Another solution that I thought of this morning is to make cartridge boards using a 2.52 mm pitch, splitting the difference between an authentic NES connector and a clone connector. How practical is it to design a board with 2.52 mm pitch?
One solution that I've suggested a few times is to cut 0.7 mm out of the middle of a 2.54 mm connector, where the otherwise unused expansion pins go, so that the error accumulates only across the CPU half or across the PPU/CIC half. With less distance over which to accumulate, the error would reach only 0.36 mm. But that's not the solution I was planning to discuss in this topic.
Another solution that I thought of this morning is to make cartridge boards using a 2.52 mm pitch, splitting the difference between an authentic NES connector and a clone connector. How practical is it to design a board with 2.52 mm pitch?