[U1MB, Incognito, 1088XEL/XLD, SIDE, SIDE2 firmware 4.2 released]

44 minutes ago, patjomki said:

Hi. Today I succesfully flashed my u1mb to version 4.2 of the firmware.

 

Afterwards I also flashed one of the roms to qmeg os. I am so glad I have it back as I missed the monitor and mini-freezer a lot.

 

Because I have a sophia2 I also flashed a new plugin as it is recommended by @flashjazzcat I had VXS2STCO installed so I flashed the file with the same name from the plugin folder.

 

First of all it shows VBS2STCO on the System information tab but I guess this is just a typo.

 

The biggest problem is that now I cannot control several of my devices any longer.

 

I have the following installed in my 800XL.

 

u1mb (obvious)

PokeyMax3 (this isn't available any longer in the System Clock and features tab, instead there is now Stereo POKEY (greyed) and Covox)

VBXE (available in System Clock and Features)

Rapidus (this isn't available any longer)

Sophia2 (this isn't available any longer)

 

Is there any solution to that?

You installed VBXE plugin instead Sophia2. From README.txt file:

 

SOS2P2.ROM    Sophia 2, SIDE2, PokeyMAX plugin
SOS3P2.ROM    Sophia 2, SIDE3, PokeyMAX plugin
VBSOX3.ROM    VBXE (PAL palette), Sophia 2, XEL-CF3 plugin (for 1088XEL/XLD)
VXS2STCO.ROM    VBXE (with PAL/NTSC palettes), SIDE2, Stereo and Covox plugin
VXS3P2.ROM    VBXE (with PAL/NTSC palettes), SIDE3, PokeyMAX plugin
VXS3STCO.ROM    VBXE (with PAL/NTSC palettes), SIDE3, Stereo, Covox plugin
VXX3.ROM    VBXE (with PAL/NTSC palettes), XEL-CF3 plugin (for 1088XEL/XLD)

[Finally gathered nerve and mounted Gotek Oled screen below cursor keys on my STE]

4 hours ago, remowilliams said:

Heh, pretty much my thoughts.  A clean job even if it does make me 😬a bit : )

 

Having the displays on the side is definitely not optimal, but I went with solutions like this where required.

 

 

 

On Amiga you can level it with that case notch, on Atari it just sticks out like an ugly zip. It looks really great without any case modification.

[Finally gathered nerve and mounted Gotek Oled screen below cursor keys on my STE]

5 hours ago, bfollowell said:

Personally, I'm a big opponent of any case modifications. Still, it's your machine, so you can do as you please. That being said, you did a really great job with it and it looks really nice. I figure I can appreciate it even if I wouldn't want to do it personally. Great job!

 

Yeah, I had the same feelings, so I tried non case altering methods fist. I found them all clumsy and very limited, OK for a occasional use. 

[Finally gathered nerve and mounted Gotek Oled screen below cursor keys on my STE]

I think it turned out really good, Gotek is actually pleasant to use now. I really hated looking at screen through floppy hole, so I decided I'll put it front and center below the cursor keys. Buttons are still in the old place, I don't mind them since the USB stick is also there. I'll probably replace buttons with rotary switch next.

[Atari 130XE keyboard rebuild: vintage keycaps on modern switches]

Sound difference from low-profile Kailh Chock and Cherry blue switches.

 

[Atari 130XE keyboard rebuild: vintage keycaps on modern switches]

47 minutes ago, ScreamingAtTheRadio said:

Glad you like it! They both look awesome.

 

I'm curious about your mods. What's the white rectangular part on the vintage keeb? I'm guessing it's pressing down on the keyboard from the top of the case? Also, that wire on previous to last photo?

 

I like your corner parts, care to share them on the GitHub repo?

Yes, rectangular part is for the case to press down on the keyboard, it mimics the thickness of the original keyboard.

Wire is for the LED lights.

Here are the STL files, I've printed then with a 0.3 layer height.

key_bump_modern.stl key_bump_low_profile.stl

 

I made them in Tinkercad, here are the links.

https://www.tinkercad.com/things/9RW5NuF4Pru

https://www.tinkercad.com/things/8lY3fDNroIp

[Atari 130XE keyboard rebuild: vintage keycaps on modern switches]

Finally put them all together. One with modern keycaps and the other with original keycaps. Original keycaps keyboard is made from the original pretty 130XE version (from 2022) with low profile Kailh switches.

My 130XE's just jumped from retros with 2nd worst keyboard to the best keyboards place. Thank you @ScreamingAtTheRadio for this awesome project!

After I printed couple of simple small parts the keyboards fit very snugly into the case.

[1090XL remake]

I guess my 64KB card is working. Tested with 800XLF.

[1090XL remake]

4 hours ago, reifsnyderb said:

I just found the schematic.  It looks like @ClausB dropped in a 74LS153 and grounded pin 1.  This makes sense and I believe would extend the bank selection capability at $D1FE.  It's almost as though Atari was thinking the same thing but forgot to ground out pin 1.  Also, there would be some sort of banking possible through the 40 pin connector, at the top, as well.  It probably wouldn't hurt to ground out pin 1 to add that option, anyhow, while keeping the original design for reference.

 

 

 

Thanks, 74LS153 added to order.

[1090XL remake]

5 minutes ago, reifsnyderb said:

I just looked up the schematic of the 800XL and 1066 card's U23.  The pinout to that delay line is identical to that of an 800XL.  So a 600XL/800XL delay line, or modern equivalent, should work.

Awesome, thanks!

[1090XL remake]

2 minutes ago, reifsnyderb said:

Here's the manual for that card:

 

1090_64K_ram_card_owners_guide.pdf 723.21 kB · 1 download

 

 

Thanks!

[1090XL remake]

Jumper J1 (CARD1/CARD2), what is its function?

Switch (Bank switch mode), what kind of switch is suggested and what purpose does it serve?

U23 (EP8212) is this a delay line chip? https://www.ebay.com/itm/125803129826?hash=item1d4a736be2:g:B-IAAOSwNgVgqpJl&amdata=enc%3AAQAIAAAA0EZRj1jZAgDGPVcAIwtTxEbbc9RRxK%2BU28LPC1anp%2BfT7qLsF5tqbGINwLK0d%2F5eWaCC1bCTAZVfhhoKGqPnPPmtTFdY7rcgdOplcrA2JK0M30OWczScohstfuwlXUf3BRqliDByLGXgDW5PafOpZWMyrXpznKlOfpnTvVMatd%2BQwnS9vX8YFdZPBZN71j77RCWTEiKkJPkIgnGFIj1hmU26f2aA0NnoGmQ8i9kd9URYMhYKLq2GHz%2BgOx4ifdhgSZqN4UCUi3qSEkfqhqz7BTw%3D|tkp%3ABk9SR5zN37L8YQ

[1090XL remake]

40 minutes ago, kenames99 said:

you can leave that blank and the 64K will work. atari had future plans I guess but clausb stepped in and filled in the blank. he posted a schematic that populated that location and then swap the ram for 256K chips and you have a 256K ram board. I never tested that tho but will sometime in the future.

 

Ken

 

 

 

Thanks!

[1090XL remake]

I'm building 1066 (64KB memory expansion) and I have a problem with U20 (IC?). Anyone knows what is it?

 

U20 -- Conn_02x08_Counter_Clockwise

[Atari with U1MB, SIDE3 loader boots into memory test]

As a last ditch effort, I flashed JED 1.3 and 0.69 once on my 65XE. SIDE3 is still broken, it doesn't work on my NCR Sally 130XE, Mexico Sally 65XE, Mexico Sally 800XLF and MOS Sally 130XE with U1MB.

Downgraded it to 0.39 on my 800XLF and it works again on all 4 machines.

 

Are the chances for SIDE3 to work really so brutally low?

[Atari with U1MB, SIDE3 loader boots into memory test]

Alrighty, I got a partial star alignment.

1. SIDE3 doesn't produce Birdies anymore.

2. SIDE3 version 0.39 actually works, it load games and was able to upgrade it for the first time from 0.39 to 0.69 on this machine

3. SIDE3 version 0.69 crash at load

So Antic from 65XE works better. They are identical, both from Philippines, same model and same year.

[Atari with U1MB, SIDE3 loader boots into memory test]

Besides Antic, I already did everything else, so what the heck I'll do that next since my 65XE's Antic is already socketed. Perhaps the stars will align after that and SIDE3 will start working.

[Atari with U1MB, SIDE3 loader boots into memory test]

A short video with S3 connected, you will notice blinking cursors.

[Atari with U1MB, SIDE3 loader boots into memory test]

Final report, after even more tinkering. No improvement.

 

I have increased capacitance on power rail, since the problem is obviously power, but the problem remains exactly the same. On Atari with U1MB and SIDE3 version 0.39 I have a constant screen artefacts, version 0.69 computer freezes as soon as I try to load anything if I'm not outright thrown into Atari's memory test. I'm using Lotharek's after market power supply (5V/3A), so power supply should not be an issue, besides, I get the same result with a bench power supply. I also get same screen artefacts without SIDE3, when I power U1MB equipped Atari with a phone USB power supply, no artefacts with a proper power supply. I've also did U1MB capacitor mod, it didn't made any noticeable difference.

[Atari with U1MB, SIDE3 loader boots into memory test]

1 hour ago, _The Doctor__ said:

some FPGA's boot too quick and need a delay to allow it to charge up it's input caps, others can have a split second inrush of current at up to 2 amps though it can be 1.5 A or less for many, you may have to shore the power up with a capacitor on Atari 5 Volt rail feeding nearest your upgrades using 330 or 680 cap.

This is usually due to weak caps and a lazy linear power supply. Give the Atari PCB's caps a look over and inspect power on a scope, both loaded and unloaded to see if it's clean or dirty. Artifacts and graphics glitches happen because of power issues as well as FPGA start stream interruption.

There a mentions of adding caps to U1M etc for problematic machine (usually a 1200XL etc). Caps are added to the upgrades and the reset circuits. Give the forum a look, several are outlined.

Thanks. By dirty you mean power noise? I'll look for U1M caps upgrades on forum.

[Atari with U1MB, SIDE3 loader boots into memory test]

Did some more tinkering, but no improvements.

 

I have replaced Mexico CPU with this one (I have no idea if the new one is also from Mexico) https://www.ebay.com/itm/115211634408. It was a long shot, since my other 130XE have NCR Sally and SIDE3 won't work either.

 

I have observed one interesting power related thing. When I connected my bench power supply and set it to 5.1V (same voltage output as 5V/3A Lotharek's Atari power supply) I have mild screen artefacts (small flashing cursors all over the text), but when I raise voltage to 5.2V artefacts vanish. This only happen with U1MB and SIDE3 both connected. With U1MB, VBXE and SIDE3 current draw is just over 1A. I have replaced electrolytic caps (again) but no improvements.

So something is wrong with voltage levels, it messes up logic levels.

 

I'll inform Lotharek about my case, perhaps we'll find some solution.

[Atari with U1MB, SIDE3 loader boots into memory test]

Thanks for explanation Jon. With a version 0.39 I can again use SIDE3.

[Atari with U1MB, SIDE3 loader boots into memory test]

Well I'll be damned. Just for kicks I flashed an old SIDE3 firmware 0.39 from 2021.

It works on all machines but the one with U1MB, I suspect because of the 4.2 firmware on U1MB.

 

@flashjazzcat do you have any suggestion what to test/flash next? This looks like an interesting case now.

[Atari with U1MB, SIDE3 loader boots into memory test]

Flasing version 0.69 from Sdrive-MAX worked as you described Jon, and I'm no longer thrown into Self Test.

BUT, it looks like SIDE3 is really fucked. Loader can't load ATR or XEX larger than 8KB from any of the 3 Atari's I have.

 

Interestingly, it manages to load 8KB or smaller XEX on my pristine 800XL, but after a while instead of loader I just get a dark red screen. XEX larger than 8K always fail.

 

Meanwhile SIDE2 works like a charm on all Atari's, on U1MB after I flash SIDE2 plugin naturally.

[Atari with U1MB, SIDE3 loader boots into memory test]

16 minutes ago, flashjazzcat said:

Sounds like something I alluded to in another thread, whereby the newer loader reveals stability issues with ROM bank-switching, etc. Replacing 74LS08 (with 74F08) on the host machine would most likely rectify the issue; you could verify that the loader is functional by testing it with a different machine if possible.

 

In any case, you can run S3LOADER.XEX (with the 'X' command) directly from the SDX command prompt (assuming you have some other storage medium to hand), or boot it with RespeQt's 'Boot Atari Executable' function via SIO2PC (disable SDX first or type COLD /N at the command prompt).

I have already replaced 74LS08 with 74F08. Will try loading S3LOADER.XEX from SDrive-MAX on un-upgraded 130XE.