New Nowind interfaces expected in December!

It's quite some years ago already when one could buy a new Nowind interface. It took even so long that its maker Skyhawk already started thinking producing a new batch himself. Finally there will be a new batch of Nowind interfaces as Sunrise and Nowind teamed up again to create a new batch of 50 pieces.

Obtaining the needed parts turned out to be the biggest party pooper this time as parts manufacturers no longer create 5 volt logic ICs. They even had to order straight from Hong Kong to obtain GAL and flash ICs for a somewhat reasonable price. Therefore team Nowind/Sunrise has a hard head in the thoughts of being able to be able to deliver more pieces without redesigning the device.
Since the parts are harder to get and it's hard to predict how many of the cartridges will be sold, the only way to order your Nowind will be by payment in advance.

The new batch of Nowinds, housed in the Konami cartridge case is to be expected next December, so maybe Santa can bring you this long wanted, but never obtained goodie.

News and facts can soon be found on the relevant link.

Relevant link: Nowind

Comments (44)

By syn

Prophet (2123)

08-10-2013, 09:07

Great news! I'll probably get one

Is there a closing date for the "pre-order"?

By WORP3

Paladin (864)

08-10-2013, 09:36

The big question is, will you re-design it so it will fit inside the low profile housing ?

By Marq

Champion (387)

08-10-2013, 10:59

The previous batch of Nowinds was already designed for the small Sunrise module cartridge model, if that's what you're asking.

By WORP3

Paladin (864)

08-10-2013, 14:52

Indeed, that was what I asked for. Didn't know that the previous batch was already inside the small cartridge.
Also got the same answer from Rob a few hours ago, send him an order for one

By Lord_Zett

Paladin (807)

08-10-2013, 15:13

whats the cost i need to pay? i reacted on the mail but no price there

By Akiguchi

Hero (623)

08-10-2013, 18:17

Lord_Zett wrote:

whats the cost i need to pay? i reacted on the mail but no price there

It says on their newspage 69 euro + postage. http://www.myquest.nl/nowindusb/?q=node

By yzi

Champion (444)

08-10-2013, 18:23

So after this new batch, there will be a total of... 150 Nowind cartridges in the world? Still not too many...

By meits

Scribe (6544)

08-10-2013, 18:31

I'd like to know as a megaflashrom owner, what's the benefit for me getting one of these?
Right now I play most DSK/ROM files from a cartridge without a USB cable attached to it...

By yzi

Champion (444)

08-10-2013, 19:00

You can easily transfer new stuff from Linux/Mac/Windows to your MSX. Especially if you do any sort of software development, the Nowind cartridge makes it very easy to use your real MSX instead of an emulator for testing. You can have disk images, including hard disk images, on your Linux/Mac/Windows, and the MSX sees them as a disk drive.

By WORP3

Paladin (864)

08-10-2013, 19:15

@Yzi, that's exactly the reason I like to have one. I'm now transfering the msx software using a sd-cart but that's a pain in the but
So I hope this cartridge can ease up the transfer between de pc en de msx

By meits

Scribe (6544)

08-10-2013, 19:51

I understand the developers side of it... I can store 8GB on my megaflashrom sd, and that's more than I think there is interresting software for it
But not everything runs. Runit and the DSK flash with opfxsd don't cover every DSK. What about Nowind?

By Marq

Champion (387)

08-10-2013, 20:11

Most disk-based stuff has worked fine so far, with a few quirky exceptions that probably barf because of some memory layout issue. On an MSX1 Nowind is comparatively even more useful than on MSX2, since you can't have subdirectories with DOS1.

For developers: Compile on the PC - automatically start nwhostapp with a generated disk image - press reset on the MSX. Doesn't get much cleaner than that

By snout

Ascended (15187)

08-10-2013, 20:13

Marq - but it could be just a tad more convinient with some sort of dirasdisk functionality, so that you don't even have to generate a disk image or even reset the MSX anymore. IMHO what would be development walhalla.

By Sky_hawk

Champion (267)

08-10-2013, 22:15

The is no more 'pre-ordering' only real order now... there is not really a 'period' for ordering, but it looks like we will be out of stock pretty fast. I've updated the pictures on nowind.nl to 'V2' onces in the small konami box so you can take a look...

By Manuel

Ascended (19467)

08-10-2013, 22:34

The Nowind is basically the most used MSX peripheral I have. I have a shitload of MSX software on my PC (mostly used with openMSX), which I can very easily find. To run it on my turboR is a matter of pointing the usbhost program to the disk image and reset the turboR...

No need to maintain a directory structure on a large harddisk like in the past... saves a lot of double work!

The only disadvantage: my MSX can't live without the PC anymore ;-)

Seriously, I can really recommend the Nowind. Very useful tool.

By WORP3

Paladin (864)

08-10-2013, 23:39

Is it possible to change files on the disk while the msx is still running, or should you always have to reset the msx when something has changed ?

By meits

Scribe (6544)

09-10-2013, 07:04

And what about a multiple disk game?

By Lord_Zett

Paladin (807)

09-10-2013, 08:04

lets pay the thing and wait long

By Marq

Champion (387)

09-10-2013, 08:28

At least the command line -based nwhostapp can be restarted with a new disk image even when the MSX is running. The MSX will then see a new disk.

By snout

Ascended (15187)

09-10-2013, 09:40

That's very good to know, Marq. Very good indeed.

Updated the newspost with a picture of the v2 nowind interface.

By Manuel

Ascended (19467)

09-10-2013, 14:08

As Marq wrote. It's just like changing a normal disk, but then in software on the host PC

By WORP3

Paladin (864)

09-10-2013, 15:18

Great ! I like it already

By Retrofan

Paragon (1339)

09-10-2013, 19:00

Meits wrote:

You also could consider the Padial SD interface which also support multiple disk images (without the need for flashing) even with saving mode in SD Snatcher for datadisk! Most diskimages do run with it. I like it very much. I also use MegaFlashROM for ROMS. I do have two of them both containing 2 x 512kB = 1024kB flash in one cartridge with the real SCC chip and switch, no FPGA. Best part is that those cartridges run very well from my slotexpanders which isn't the case with MegaFlashROM SCC+ (SD). But I just do have the MegaFlashROM SCC+ for spare or if I want SCC-I sound for (SD) Snatcher.

By enribar

Paragon (1209)

14-01-2014, 14:30

any progress?

By Sky_hawk

Champion (267)

15-01-2014, 21:17

Well, The minimal amount of orders has been reached, so we ordered the pcbs, that was before christmas, since then I have heard no updates. I will inform to see where we stand.

Greetings,

Jan

By o.geerdink

Hero (588)

16-01-2014, 13:23

Great mate

By edoz

Prophet (2482)

16-01-2014, 14:54

Ah cool! I was already wondering today There was something in my mind ".. I ordered something and send money for it .. but what was it... "

By Sky_hawk

Champion (267)

19-01-2014, 18:59

If all went well, all you guys that ordered (and paid) got an email today, we are shipping nowind's starting on the 28th of januari 2014! There are 18 pieces left as we speak so order while their hot

By Manuel

Ascended (19467)

19-01-2014, 20:10

Sky_hawk: no booth for you at Nijmegen?

By BurningFarm

Supporter (3)

20-01-2014, 03:39

I ordered back in October and paid via Paypal.
Never got an confirmation email or such and haven't heard anything yet..

By Sky_hawk

Champion (267)

20-01-2014, 08:47

BurningFarm: then you should certainly send rob an email and let him know you didn't get confirmation!

By Sky_hawk

Champion (267)

20-01-2014, 08:48

Ok, ok, I'm going to be there anyway I might as well have a booth! topic: 'Programming and fun with a nowind interface'

By snout

Ascended (15187)

20-01-2014, 13:44

Would it be possible to pay & pick up a NoWind at the Nijmegen fair? Or would that be cutting it close?

By Sky_hawk

Champion (267)

20-01-2014, 13:54

snout: I will inform @ sunrise, but I fear not...

By snout

Ascended (15187)

20-01-2014, 23:43

would be awesome if it was possible. Thanks for asking!

By Sky_hawk

Champion (267)

24-01-2014, 23:35

Snout: i can confirm that unfortunately, no nowind interfaces will be available for pickup at nijmegen, on the bright side, they will most likely start shipping very soon afterwards...

Sorry to disappoint you...

Greetings,

Jan

By Prodatron

Paragon (1843)

25-01-2014, 18:35

Jan, was good to meet you in Nijmegen! Now I am waiting even more impatient for my Nowind interface Looking forward to try out some interesting stuff with it

By BurningFarm

Supporter (3)

25-01-2014, 19:12

@ Sky_hawk : I emailed Rob on monday, no reply yet

By Lord_Zett

Paladin (807)

26-01-2014, 13:09

hope full after the mail last week we get the nowinds soon.

By BurningFarm

Supporter (3)

22-02-2014, 16:26

Sadly, I still have had no reply from Rob. Still in the dark on what's going on with my PayPal order...