wildstar87

What is the ROCKY palette in any case, I haven't heard about this? I know earlier in this thread, or another thread it was being discussed with Candle to use the NTSC palette that Altirra uses, which there seemed to be a consensus on, but nothing ever came of it. At some point I had decided to live with the palette issue, but had tried both GBS-8200, and other possible 15Khz compatible monitors, that could be had for less than a ransom price. I had some limited success, but nothing completely satisfactory, I recently got a Retrotink 5X-Pro, and will try one more time to get livable result with VBXE, but haven't yet thus far, as I have had other projects that I have been focusing on, as well as dreading another failure for time spent. If it doesn't work for me, I think I'm done with VBXE.

I was hesitant to comment on this, as I was basically bullied that last time I dared criticize VBXE, and gave details on the drawbacks, to someone who was ASKING for details on VBXE, but I appreciate you bringing this issue up again Piotr. I understand all the arguments about why these issues exist, I'm even accepting based on the development situation, that these are issues that are either not easily fixed, or can be fixed at this point. My bone of contention, is that this NTSC palette issue was well known long before I bought it, but unless you happened to run across this information in the many VBXE threads, there is no information regarding this issue, with the main vendor who sells this in the details of the product page, to this day. I had spent a large deal of time and money trying to "fix" this and other issues, without knowing that it was inherent to decisions of default palette. I can be impressed by the new capabilities of a device, but I think it is disingenuous at this point, that genuine criticisms are swept under the rug, by those that don't really care, or are affected by this issue or others, and that these are still not detailed to those would would be trying to purchase this on the product page. Note, at this point a lot of the issues could be avoided by the main vendor being upfront about these details, and let the customer make an informed decision, instead of having to discover these after the fact, after money and time has been spent. Also, no where am I saying that this device does not work, and some of the features are very desirable, and still have no equivalent even today in the other competing devices, but after all of this, it has left a bad taste in my mouth to this product.

How this guy is still alive is beyond me. lol..

Looking at doing this to my 1200XL, did read FJC's blog, but I'm not entirely clear on where the wires are going in the pictures (I'm not in front of the machine right now), and it doesn't look like there is any specific instructions, other than pictures and general wording (It's possible I missed something). Looking at the schematic (Jerzy Sobola), it would seem I need to: Remove the full bridge rectifier, and the C39 4700uf Cap Jump +5V after switch directly to output traces of removed 7805 regulators Jump GND from switch (outer ring) side, directly to GND traces of 7805 regulators I'm not sure removing C39 is strictly necessary if I do it this way, as it won't have any positive +5V connection, but removing it isn't a big deal Is it still recommended that I jump GND from power connector, even though regulators are most likely already connected to same chassis GND? I don't see any harm leaving the rest of the downstream caps, beads, inductors, as they seem similar to the filtering in the 600XL/800XL, but if anyone has any experience otherwise, please let me know. I did see mentions of this mod, and did a number of searches through forum search, as well as Google, but this thread was the only one that I was able to find that mentioned it directly, somewhat. Most of the 5V mods mentioned with 1200XL is the SIO mod, not the conversion of the power supply section. Since I already have a 1088XEL with a 5VDC barrel connector, I don't really see any point putting in the 7-pin DIN, especially since I'm already using that with a 7-pin DIN adapter with all the other 8-bits, and saves cutting on the case.

FYI, I tried your newest 6.1 OS, on this system, that I was getting garbage on OEM OS after a certain point in the Ram test (only w/extended memory enabled). Whatever the issue was seems to have been resolved, though did see a slight blanking flash once at the end of the first line of test, and believe I noticed the same issue that @deffroe was noticing on the second line, where 2-3 "P" were almost instantaneously filled in, then continued as normal. Also the 4th Ram line, was also all filled in, instantaneously, but not sure which part of the ram that was supposed to represent? Also not sure if you want to do this or not. I also use Altirra Basic just to see if it would work, in the onboard Rom, which obviously isn't recognized by OS, since it isn't an OEM version.

If you look at the Attachments for this thread (top of the page), you should find Video Conn Setup.png. It has a suggested VBXE setup, you can't run VBXE and composite/s-video at the same time, through the main connector. Have you populated the UAV section at all? The stock composite is going to be really bad, there isn't any reason to not use the UAV, for composite/s-video. There does need to be a wire run under the rom, there is a picture, also in the attachments that show you which pins.

I'll send a PM

How did you mount the keyboard? It's normally screwed into the top case.

@Peri Noid That is definitely unique! Where did you get the nameplate from, or did you make it somehow? Did you just buy all the other parts separately, curious how you put this system together.

Yeah, I know, but never hurts to ask.

If you have a non-yellowed, 1200XL Case in good condition, I'd be interested in acquiring.

Can I ask what you did with upgrading the power supply section? I see you changed over the rectifier diodes, and put in some different regulators, and the big cap. Edit: I went back and saw you did put some details on this, that I missed on first read, would be interested in which switching regulators you used?

I think you are going to need a replacement key stem as well, the one on your keyboard looks broken, probably why the 2 is missing.

No idea if this is your issue, but if your TV is like the LCD I just had issues with, if your Chroma signal isn't working, it won't display anything. Even if you are using composite, if the chroma isn't working, it won't combine in the composite signal. My issue was two things, the LCD didn't want to display even B/W picture, if Chroma signal wasn't there in the S-video connection, even using UGV didn't work. The second reason, was the cause of the no Chroma signal, the color adjustment pot wasn't working quite right, so wasn't putting out either the right voltage, or no voltage. Working it back and forth, caused it to start working again, and after putting some Deoxit and working back and forth again, it's working perfectly. Now the input to the LCD is working, but I had to plug it into another monitor (CRT) to see the problem, though the Retrotink that I literally just got, also showed the problem. I was just using the native S-video input on the LCD before. Though you say you hear some audio, but is it the standard Atari audio sounds during startup? Also on the LCD I had, it has a speaker bar on it, but if it doesn't actually display anything, it doesn't turn on the audio either. Also, was this machine verified working before? Is this the same one that you were modding the PAL board?

It was the god damn color pot.. Checked the color signal on a oscope, looked very different from the working machines, went through the Sams troubleshoting for color, which had me look at voltage while adjusting the pot, went back to the oscope signal, and looked very different from before, more like the signals from the working computers. Plugged it in, and damned if it wasn't coming up green. Sprayed some deoxit in it, worked it around, then adjusted it back to the standard blue background. That's all it was..

Not sure if you read the other thread, but long story short, the machine has an issue with the Chroma line that I have to figure out, but the LCD monitor I'm using, won't display without both signals present, so even though Luma was working, Chroma wasn't, so it refused to display, even in B/W. Chroma is mostly non-functional out of the UGV, I'm getting a repeating, momentary color flicker, so have to find out why it's doing that.

Well, I feel kind of stupid, but it wasn't exactly obvious. I didn't have a CRT handy, so was using S-video input on an LCD. Turns out there is a Sony PVM at work, so I plugged in my problem machine into that CRT, low and behold, I got a picture, only a B/W picture though. The LCD apparently doesn't display a picture, if it doesn't get both Luma AND Chroma signals, I verified this by removing the Chroma lead from the UGV (on a working machine) and it no longer displayed on my LCD. This machine still has a problem with the Chroma, it's definitely got an issue, since I also just got a Retrotink 5X Pro yesterday, which will function without a Chroma signal, and hooking up to that, with the UGV on the problem machine, the Chroma is mostly non-functional, but it is flickering on and off, so have to figure out why it's doing that, but at least I know the video isn't completely dead, just that my monitor has to have both signals.

No problem, just thought if it was something quick, you might know.

I'm guessing this is probably a long shot, but I'm looking for a 1200XL Case in good to excellent condition, and not yellowed.

Didn't have a lot of time to do stuff last night, forgot to take pictures. Tested continuity between Antic and GTIA, except for Address, and D# lines. Replaced LS08 with new F08, pulled the 4050, checked continuity between chip leg and back traces on GTIA and Antic, checked power/gnd. Everything looks to be ok, nothing immediately obvious is poking out. I'll have more time this weekend to look into it in a bit more depth. I'll be looking at signal lines for patterns/voltages out of Sams Computerfacts, any others you might look for?

Sorry should have mentioned, I have tried a different GTIA from a working machine, also the UGV that I have been swapping between machines, the GTIA has stayed in the UGV, so it is definitely working, just no picture when I put into this particular machine.

Yes, stock 800XL, fully socketed, had bad ram which had been replaced a while ago. I'm looking at 800XL schematics, and since UGV pulls signals directly off GTIA, wondering which transistors I should look at, since the 4050 isn't coming into play, unless possibly a failure in that section, is causing a feedback to GTIA, corrupting signals to UGV (just completely spitballing here..)?

@mytek, trying to track down non-working onboard video, in an otherwise working 800XL (can hear functional audio/SIO sounds). Have plugged in a known working good UGV/GTIA, into this 800XL, and am not getting video out of the UGV either, it is outputting directly to the S-video jack board, not to the Din5. I've tested this UGV/GTIA "module" in 3 other machines, and it works fine, but plugged into this 800XL, no video, and have re-verified it works in other machines. What would cause UGV to not output video in this machine, but otherwise work in others? Since the machine is booting, GTIA is working. I'm guessing this will be the source of the onboard stock video problem as well. It is an NTSC machine, and the Din5 video was definitely working in the past. I also swapped the Antic for a known working good. Any ideas off the top of your head?

4050 hasn't been removed on any machines so far, as I'm only using an s-video jack temporarily, until I finish mounting everything. UGV isn't mounted in 4050 slot, it goes under the GTIA. Literally, I have been popping the UGV/GTIA out as a module, and just pulling the GTIA on machines, and swapping. S-video jack is not mounted anywhere, just on the UGV S-video partner (Mytek designed) board, on the end of the cables coming out of the UGV, just kind of hanging out of the machine. The machine had been modified to bring out the Chroma signal to the Din5, and had worked just fine in the past. When I plugged it in recently to test it, didn't get anything out of the Din5, though I haven't tested the Composite connection yet, but since the UGV isn't working, my guess is that Composite won't work either. RF Modulator has been removed in the past as well. Initially thought the machine might be dead, but happened to have S-Drive Max plugged in, and it started loading Dos, so I suspected that the machine was working, and after hooking up audio, verified that it was. I can take pictures, when I get home later, but not sure it will tell you anything, other than the Chroma line on the bottom of the board, everything else is stock, other than the UGV, which has the S-video jack hanging off it. Can a machine boot w/o GTIA? I haven't had a chance to probe the board yet for voltages/signals.

Oh, forgot to mention that, the GTIA has stayed with the UGV as a module when swapped into other machines, so it definitely works. I'll give the transistors a check, luckily I have a bag of 2N3904s if necessary around here somewhere..