Piotr D. Kaczorowski

@AA_ron, Sometimes, for flashing VBXE, it's better to connect it with a short wire directly to pin #9 of the 74LS138, rather than via U1MB. After successful flashing, you can reconnect it to the VBXE. It is also possible that something is not okay with this particular unit. The vendor uses a pick-and-place machine with lead-free solder, which can make the connections more fragile. It happens. Sometimes, I have to resolder the FPGA under a microscope and clean the VBXE in an ultrasonic cleanser afterwards.

@scorpio_ny I'm not sure, but I have some spare cables like that from other Rapidus units because I always change this connector to ordinary gold pins. If you would like me to send it from Warsaw to NY, the cost will be approximately $7. BTW. On my YouTube channel, I will post some hints regarding the usage of Rapidus: www.youtube.com/@petertheatarian

For all non-VBXE installations will be better to use Sega Saturn to CVBS+S-video+stereo. EuroSCART by default can pass RGB or Composite/CVBS signal.

Hi @AtariPhreak, This is my last week build for the client. Videos on: If you want order this or similar configuration just write me priv.

Hi All! Recently in Poland, there has been pressure for new releases of floppy drive accelerators replica projects for the Atari 1050. We had fa ew weeks of IS PLATE soap opera for example At the moment, I see two independent groups, which gives hope that something will indeed come out of this. One is represented by Galtron, who as far as I know, has the blessing of ABBUC in this matter and works with the legendary hardware hacker in Poland, Zenon/Dial. The second faction is Pancio, who collaborates with the AtariOnline.pl portal. Pancio is the creator of several solutions including MIDICard, and lately has also been working on a version of this project for 1090XL. Meanwhile, on the AtariOnline.pl forum, the first of the colleagues has shared the entire project improved by his team: https://atarionline.pl/forum/comments.php?DiscussionID=7464&page=1#Item_0 The forum is in Polish, but it's easy to translate it into English or any other language convenient for you. Fingers crossed!

Finally, I have it

@electrotrains, I've checked my RP2040... It has Winbond Flash @133Mhz. I've checked also that ZB25VQ128 works @104Mhz not @133Mhz.

@electrotrains, "I think the on-board SPI flash is too slow to provide random access for the Atari." So... What would be the proper performance in nanoseconds to access memory on the cartridge from Atari's internal perspective? 70 / 100 / 200 ns ?

I really had to think for a moment about how to arrange the wires and where to place the Ultimate 1MB. I didn't want to place the U1MB at the back above the SAVO because the new HAVO boards with HDMI will have the modulator's height, so the Ultimate wouldn't fit there either. I was looking for a universal place and appropriate reference connections. Personally, I am satisfied with this project.

Atari XEGS with SAVO XEGS prototype.

This is my YouTube channel where I will present my projects as well as solutions to various Atari-related problems: https://www.youtube.com/@petertheatarian/featured

Short update. The SAVO XEc board project - SAVO XE board + trivial CBVS mixer (legacy mixer replica) has been suspended. This project has been replaced by the SAVO+ XE and SAVO MAX XE boards, which also include a Composite/CVBS video output.

@Beeblebrox, It's not exactly as you wrote. The current SAVO XE/XL boards do not pose any problem. This is because SAVO XE/XL are so-called "breakout boards" and don't have electronics. Whatever you connect to them will simply work. To be precise, the SAVO XE/XL board itself features a Sega Saturn socket, gold pins, and a jumper that allows you to connect audio channels. The board doesn't damage anything, nor does it fix anything. It is very precisely designed and solves the issue of cutting the Atari case. The SAVO+ and SAVO MAX boards have electronics that add new features and solve existing problems for the user. SAVO+ features: - SYNC/Fixer - 7 channel audio mixer (stereo pokey, stereo covox, gtia, sio, pbi/ext) - RGB to S-Video generator - RGB to CVBS/Composite generator SAVO MAX features: - all features of SAVO+ - RGB to Component Video YPbPr (dedicated to NTSC countries region that EURO Scart is not popular) - Sega Saturn to 6xRCA cable included (RGB/YPbPr, CVBS, Left/Right Audio)

Short update...

On Monday, I will verify the availability and send you the details. Best, Piotr

Sure. If still available. Send me priv to petertheatarian at gmail.com

Few days ago on Discord Pasiu said: "Widzę, że fabryka wciąż wrzuca stary wsad flasha do Rapidusa. A prosiłem wieki temu, by uwzględnić poprawkę..." (ang. I see that the factory is still using the old flash image for Rapidus. I asked ages ago to provide the correction... ). It was before I did the update that was described a few posts ago.. Is there anything else that can be done to ensure that everything is up-to-date?

You bought, at the moment, the last Rapidus in the world

I haven't checked this, but fortunately, everything went well. I think all the current white Rapidus units purchased from Lotharka.pl are compliant in this matter. I saw the PBI0.ROM files in the packages. Later, I also read that it should be done before any updates. How can I check if anything else needs updating?

@patjomki, I've just upgraded Rapidus firmware as well. Here is the ATR (SDX format) file with all tools up-to-date for Jan 14, 2024. A. Press INS+RESET and select Sweet 16 mode - 65C816 processor at regular Atari speed. B. Repeated procedure from SDX (in my case loaded from Ultimate Cart as ROM cart, ATR mounted as D1: via Fujinet): flnd6502 flashos xlos816.rom rclr rflash module.rom C. Check rapidus_14012024.atr

@joeatari Congrats!

@joeatari, Check the tutorial prepared by @Peri Noid:

"30°finger chamfered" - in JLCPCB.. Would be ok?

I usually carry out my projects with JLCPCB. They offer great prices, and currently, there's even a $5 promotion until the end of the year. You need to grab a coupon for that. Despite the popularity of PCBWAY, I think JLCPCB has significantly better prices. There are, of course, some differences, and here I wanted to ask people who can correct 3D STL projects. It works in PCBWAY, but maybe it could work in JLCPCB as well. I'm having trouble with the acceptance of the A8PicoCart logo specifically. Could someone take a look at this and help? The dimensions seem to be okay, but they are in reverse order.

To be honest, I haven't made cartridges myself yet. With a few original carts and the Ultimate Cart, SIDE3.1, and AVG, there hasn't been a need. However, the A8PicoCart project is particularly interesting to me due to the "software as hardware" approach and the use of MCU instead of FPGA. I've found some information online that in some cases, 1.2mm boards are used for Atari 2600 carts, hence the question about best practices.