Jump to content

Nolium

Members
  • Posts

    79
  • Joined

  • Last visited

Posts posted by Nolium

  1. 3 hours ago, zzip said:

    Was it illegal to own one if imported?    What I've gathered from talking to people who lived in the Soviet Union and Eastern bloc countries was that there was a massive "gray market",  with things that weren't exactly illegal, but not commonly available in the state-sanctioned shops either.

    No totalitarian regime can't function without black market, it's a very important part of the system. Without one, ruling elite wouldn't be able to enjoy their wealth, common people would rebel if only they would have access to western stuff. Only companies that exported were able to import stuff from the west, but with a closed market, state was limiting what and how much they were able to import. Convertible currency was hard to get by, Yugoslavian currency was worthless outside it's borders and state needed convertible currency for importing of important stuff. That's why every imported thing cost a fortune, greasing officials was not cheap and the only other way was smuggling. If caught while smuggling, stuff was confiscated usually without charges, mostly because policeman would keep the stuff. Corruption.

    So yeah, it wasn't legal, but everybody was doing it it.

    • Like 3
  2. I've bought my Atari 800XL with 1010 tape recorder and two Atari joysticks in 1985 at the start of the 8th grade of elementary school. I got half the money from my godfather uncle as a gift for confirmation (catholic thing) and worked for a month during summer vacation. For 400 DEM (German marks) a smuggler smuggled the computer from Germany to Yugoslavia, since there were no computer shops allowed in socialism at that time, and importing was very, very expensive.

    • Like 2
  3. 23 hours ago, Nickolasgaspar said:

    I think the SIO2PC solution has rendered this switch a nonessential feature but I really enjoyed the article!(thanks for sharing!). I wonder if the phone number and charging fees are still valid lol.

    Having a backup on a pc  is the best way to protect our drive case from permanent holes and our precious files from being erased...;)

    Well I've made this mod on my 1050 so that I can use both sides on my floppy disks. Granted, I don't use it very much, but now and then is simply great to use my stock 800XL like the "god" inteded it. Also, my local Atari "software dealer" had this mod ~35 years ago, but I could only afford tape drive back then.

    I also used RGB LED for this mod, since putting RGB in your computer makes it, by default, at least 10% faster.

  4. On 2/23/2022 at 3:21 AM, darwinmac said:

    Unfortunately, I could not get this version to work on my MiST core either. Sorry, I do not have a MiSTer. I will see if @eightbit has any luck with this XEX file on his system. 
     

    Bob C

    F10 is Reset and F8 is Option key. After you mount XEX, press F10 while holding F8. Game won't run with Basic in this case.

    https://github.com/mist-devel/mist-binaries/tree/master/cores/atari800

     

    Same on both, Mist and Mister. Almost everything (if not all) should work, even ATX files.

  5. Another PCB, specifically designed for mounting under the Atari motherboard. This would require drilling 15 holes in Atari PCB and removing part of the ground copper area around pins. This should provide sturdier connector since it would not be glued but soldered. PCB thickness 0.6-0.8mm recomended. SMB parts height is 1.7mm, so there should be enough clearance under the motherboard.

     

    board_view.png

    Gerber_PCB_VBXE_1.1_2022-02-20.zip Schematic_VBXE_connector_1.1_2022-02-20.pdf

    • Like 2
  6. 7 hours ago, Mathy said:

    PS how did you mount it inside the computer?  In your posting (just above this one) you mention the PCB, 3 capacitors, a voltage convertor, a DIN connector and an 8 pin header.  That's also what I see in the picture (I guess), but I don't see how the PCB and/or 13 pin DIN connector are connected to the motherboard of the computer.

     

    Connector is glued upside-down to the Atari motherboard (hot glue), PCB is soldered to the 13pin connector. 8pin right angle header also soldered to the PCB on the bottom side like 13pin connector. Pinout is directly compatible with Atari ST Scart cable, that's why no stereo. I guess with if one modifies ST Scart cable any unconnected pin on 13pin connector could be used for 2nd sound channel.

    5 wires are connected to the VBXE, 3 wires are connected to the 5pin header where RF modulator was connected to the motherboard (sound, composite and +5V), all with dupont connector cables.

     

    Under the motherboard is around 5mm clearance. 1.0mm PCB and SMB parts 1.7mm this would make less than ~3.0mm thick populated board so I guess it would be possible to fit this PCB under the motherboard. You would have to drill 15 holes in Atari motherboard for 13pin connector and grind away ground copper around holes, like @flashjazzcat mounts 13pin connector for VBXE. This way connector wouldn't be hot glued but soldered and connector would be oriented the proper way. Another hole in Atari board for 8 wires and Bob is your uncle.

    • Like 1
  7. 15 minutes ago, Mathy said:

    Hello Nolium

     

    What's that little green PCB?  Did I miss something?

     

    Sincerely

     

    Mathy

     

    It's convenient for cable management, soldering wires directly to connector pins is pain in the ass, but also converts 5V to 10V for Scart input detection signal. TV's can switch automatically to AV Scart input where your Atari is connected if there is a 9-12V signal on pin 8 (Atari ST also provides 12V on pin 8), so you don't have to manually switch inputs with remote. After you switch Atari off TV switches back to manually set input.

    I belive this should also work with Lotharek's Hydra.

  8. I have both Mist and Mister. If you are NOT interested in NeoGeo and upcoming Saturn and PlayStation 1 cores and don't mind manually configuring arcade cores and roms Mist is a good choice.

    Main difference between Mist and Mister:

    - Mister have much more RAM

    - Mister have HDMI, VGA, Scart output while Mist have only VGA

    - Mister can play MIDI music without any additional device, Atari ST, Amiga, PC and X68000 cores supports this

    - Mist provides classic 5pin MIDI ports and USB MIDI while Mister provides only USB MIDI connection

    - Mister have built in Linux OS and is automatically updated with scripts, for Mist you need to setup your SD cards manually

    - Mister have network and with it internet connectivity

    - Mister is harder to get now and more expensive

    - for Mist, If you don't have VGA monitor/TV, you will also need HDMI-to-VGA converter, preferably gaming upscaler like OSSC which also can be very expensive

    - Mist is probably better solution for Atari ST musicians, you just connect and are good to go (after you manually set up SD card, which is really easy for Atari)

    - Mist have 2x 9pin joystick ports, for Mister you'll need USB joystick/gamepad or adapters

     

    Atari 8bit works great on both. On Mist Atari ST and Amiga core even supports direct, RAW SD access for hard disk storage emulation (faster HD), but you can't load floppy images then (FAT16/32 partition on SD is needed for that).

     

    If you are interested in Mister, then I would recommend this:

    https://rmcretro.store/multisystem-board-only/

     

    As you can see, it gets quite pricey.

    • Like 1
×
×
  • Create New...