2 layers54 × 66 mm
Vectrex cartridge-8k gce
hugonl31/Vectrex_Cart_PCB
Homemade Vectrex cartridges: KiCad boards (64K, 8K GCE, 512K flash) with Gerbers, renders and schematics, and a 3D-printed shell
11 parts
2 layers54 × 66 mm
Vectrex cartridge-512k
hugonl31/Vectrex_Cart_PCBHomemade Vectrex cartridges: KiCad boards (64K, 8K GCE, 512K flash) with Gerbers, renders and schematics, and a 3D-printed shell
- Size
- 54 × 66 mm
- Copper layers
- 2
- Thickness
- 1.6 mm
- Parts
- 18
- Nets
- 40
- Pads
- 125
- Tracks, vias
- 352, 48
- Pours
- 4
- Routed
- Yes
- KiCad
- KiCad 9.0 (file 20241229)
- Created
- 23 Oct 2026
- Updated
- 24 Oct 2026
Overview
Vectrex cartridge-512k is an open-source printed circuit board by hugonl31, from the hugonl31/Vectrex_Cart_PCB repository on GitHub. It is a 2-layer board of 54 × 66 mm with 18 parts on 40 nets, routed with 352 tracks and 48 vias.
It is built around the 74HC00D, 74HC1G32GV and 74HC377D. Its parts include 4 capacitors, 4 ICs, 1 resistor and 1 connector. It belongs with the retro computing and games boards of this library.
Main components
3
74HC00D
SOP-14-40℃~+125℃ 1.5V、3.15V、4.2V 1.9V、3.7V、5.9V 100mV、400mV、400mV 2 2V~6V 4 40uA 5.2mA 5.2mA 500mV~1.8V 74HC Series 7ns@6V,50pF NAND Gate SOIC-14 Logic Gates ROHSNexperiaLogic Gates
74HC1G32GV
SOT-23-5-40℃~+85℃ 1 1.5V、3.15V、4.2V 1.9V、4.4V、5.9V 100mV、260mV、330mV 10uA 2 2.6mA 2.6mA 21ns@6V,50pF 2V~6V 500mV、1.35V、1.8V 74HC OR Gate SOT-23-5 Logic Gates ROHSTECH PUBLICLogic Gates
74HC377D
SO-20-300mil-40℃~+125℃ 1 12ns 16ns@4.5V,50pF 2V~6V 3.5pF 3ns 4mA 4mA 74HC Series 77MHz 8 8uA D-Type Enable Rising Edge SOIC-20-300mil Flip Flops ROHSNexperiaFlip Flops
README
boards/v1_28c64_8k_gce/README.md8K cartridge for the original GCE games - 28C64 EEPROM
A board for the original GCE releases: they are 4 KB or 8 KB, so one 28C64 (8 KB, electrically erasable, 5 V only) holds any of them. 54 x 66 mm, 2 layers, 1.6 mm, ENIG, bevelled edge fingers - the same outline as the 64K board.
Schematic: images/schematic.svg (drawn from the board's own connections) - copper: front, back.
| File | |
|---|---|
vectrex-cartridge-8k-gce.kicad_pcb / .kicad_pro | the board (KiCad 9) |
vectrex-cartridge-8k-gce-gerbers.zip | Gerbers + drill files |
images/ | renders, copper layers, schematic |
Parts
| Ref | Part | |
|---|---|---|
| U1 | 28C64 (DIP-28), e.g. AT28C64B | the game |
| C1 | 100 nF, 1206 | decoupling |
| JP1 | solder jumper, 3 pads: WE / WP | the 28C64's /WE (below) |
How it works
A0-A12, D0-D7, /CE and /OE come straight from the cartridge port. An 8 KB game repeats through the 32 KB cartridge window - the Vectrex doesn't mind, the original cartridges do the same.
The write protection matters. A 28C64 is writable in place: its /WE pin (27) writes the chip whenever it goes low while the chip is selected. JP1 connects it:
- WP (/WE to +5 V): write-protected - keep it here. The game can never change the chip.
- WE (/WE to the port's R/W line): any write the game makes into the cartridge area would land in the EEPROM and corrupt the game. Only for experiments; check the routing first (KiCad's design check reports the R/W track at edge finger 33, normally A14, instead of finger 30).
Programming
Any programmer that does 28C64s (TL866 / T48...): 5 V only, no erase step. Program the 4 KB or 8 KB image as it is.
Parts
18| Qty | Value | Footprint | References |
|---|---|---|---|
| 4 | 100nF | vectrex-cartridge:C1_hand_1206_3216Metric_Pad1.33x1.80mm_HandSolder | C1, C2, C3, C4 |
| 2 | 3.7mm | vectrex-cartridge:Mounting_Hole_D3.7mm | H1, H3 |
| 2 | 4.2mm | vectrex-cartridge:Mounting_Hole_D4.2mm | H4, H5 |
| 1 | 3.3K | vectrex-cartridge:R1_1206_3216Metric_Pad1.30x1.75mm_HandSolder | R1 |
| 1 | 5.2mm | vectrex-cartridge:Mounting_Hole_D5.2mm | H2 |
| 1 | 74HC00 | SOIC-14_3.9x8.7mm_P1.27mm | U3 |
| 1 | 74HC1G32 | SOT-23-5 | U4 |
| 1 | 74HC377 | SOIC-20W_7.5x12.8mm_P1.27mm | U2 |
| 1 | FLASH /WE | SolderJumper-3_P1.3mm_Bridged12_RoundedPad1.0x1.5mm_NumberLabels | JP2 |
| 1 | LOGO | vectrex-cartridge:vectrex-uk-soldermask | G3 |
| 1 | LOGO | vectrex-cartridge:vectrex-us-soldermask | G1 |
| 1 | SST39SF040 (PLCC-32 socket) | PLCC-32_THT-Socket | U1 |
| 1 | vectrex-edge-connector | vectrex-cartridge:vectrex-edge-connector-thinner-no-soldermask | CON1 |
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Questions
How big is the Vectrex cartridge-512k PCB?
It measures 54 × 66 mm and has 2 copper layers, 1.6 mm thick.
What parts does the Vectrex cartridge-512k use?
18 parts, built around the 74HC00D, 74HC1G32GV and 74HC377D. The full list of its parts is on this page, with links to each part's symbol and footprint where PCBKit's library has them.
Where can I download the Vectrex cartridge-512k KiCad files?
From the hugonl31/Vectrex_Cart_PCB repository on GitHub, at the commit this page was made from: the board is boards/v2_512k_flash/vectrex-cartridge-512k.kicad_pcb. PCBKit opens the board in the browser, with nothing to install.
Can I use the Vectrex cartridge-512k design in my own project?
Its repository states no licence, so its author keeps all rights: ask hugonl31 before reusing the design.