[Gamestation Pro]

In case anyone is in the Austin area. The Cedar Park costco has a full pallet of them.

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

2 hours ago, ScreamingAtTheRadio said:

It's a little unclear what you're referring to. In early stages of the project, you had to replace the stems of Kailh Box switches with 3D printed ones. This required disassembling every switch and gave results that were good but not perfect. Now, if you want to use vintage key caps, you should use adapters that sit between a low-profile switch and the key cap. Make sure to select the file corresponding to your low-profile switch type and key cap type nfrom this directory: 3d-junkyard/Atari130MX/Stems at main · bleroy/3d-junkyard · GitHub

JLCPCB has very competitive prices on 3D printing now, especially if you use one of the STL files that put 10 parts in a single model. It's ~10c a part (plus shipping), so I wouldn't recommend anyone print those at home now, even if they have a 3D printer, it's just not worth the trouble.

The readme for the project should already be giving all this information. If you already read that and felt something was unclear, please let me know and I'll do my best to improve it.

Thank you! I have been using JLCPCB but never knew they did 3D printing( I guess i never checked!). I really appreciate you help.

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

Thank you!  I have the regular switches but soldering the low profile switches for those keys would not be a problem at all.

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

Does anybody have extra stems that convert from the new switches to the OEM atari keycaps?  My 3d printer doesn't do a good job and I am not really wanting to spend money for a resin printer right now.  I only need 5 or 6(for the reset, help, etc).  I would be willing to pay for the cost of the materials, labor and shipping.  Thank you.

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

9 hours ago, ScreamingAtTheRadio said:

Yes, that’s correct.

Thank you very much!

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

Sorry in advance if this sounds stupid.

 

I ordered the PCB and forgot to have the components soldered.  Not a big deal now that i have all the components.  I just wanted to clarify that the LED SMT goes "within the keycap border" and the resistor on the pads just outside?  The diodes are easy to figure out since they are the different size pads.  Just wanted to ask all of you before i solder them.

 

Thank you in advance.

[XF551 is not working]

7 minutes ago, kheller2 said:

Matt, please see my previous comment about testing the XF and 1050 at the same time as unit #1.

At this point I think we have a component failure on the XF (and probably not the drive mech).

I am sorry I did not respond.  I did that and the 1050 booted up a disk with no problem.

[XF551 is not working]

11 hours ago, Senior Tech said:

Okay, then the J4 connector soldering particularly pin 10 and 16.  Or something with the cable crimping to the connectors.

 

Thank you.  I had re-flowed all the solder at the j4 connector.  I checked the continuity of out the ribbon cable and all is good.  I also checked the continuity of the J4 connector to its next solder point on the board.

[XF551 is not working]

1 hour ago, kheller2 said:

If yours are C1740, then you have rev 2 of the XF.  3rd PIC:

 

 

This is extremely helpful! 

 

I received 74LS373 and SN74L38 today. The 74LS14 is on backorder.  I will be installing sockets so I can test out these( and other chips) as I continue with the trouble shooting.

 

I will also switch out those transistors when they arrive.

 

Again, Thank you!

 

[XF551 is not working]

1 hour ago, Senior Tech said:

On the Disk Drive Mech. it's self:  Make sure it is still patched for D0.  Look down through and "L" shaped opening in the shield, a double row of 4 pins marked 0-3.  The two pins for D0 should have a jumper on it.  Every thing being said sounds like th drive is not patched or patched as some other drive.

Thank you.  I checked the jumper and it is set to 0.  

 

This has definitely been a challenge.  I am hoping to avoid have to look at the PCB on the actual drive itself as that looks like quite a bit of work.  

[XF551 is not working]

just a quick update.

 

I reflowed every solder joint on the mother board.  Still no luck.

 

I will replace some transistors when they arrive.  I will also be removing the chips and installing sockets so i can check to see if it is a bad chip.

 

Other than that.  Anyone have any other ideas?  Everyone's help has been much appreciated.

[XF551 is not working]

15 hours ago, tjlazer said:

Try to reseat the SIO connector on the back of the 130XE, and also be careful of the port on the XF551 as it's very fragile.  I just leave the SIO cable plugged into my XF551 when I put it away to minimize damage!

Thank you.  I have already used multiple cables with no luck.  The 1050's on the same cables and SIO port work fine.

[XF551 is not working]

1 hour ago, BillC said:

When there is no communication on the SIO bus these pins will remain in their default state.

 

There are only signals on DATA OUT and COMMAND when the computer is transmitting to a peripheral, these signals should pass through the transistors and be received at pins 1 and 39 of the 8040 processor. If the ID of the command matches the XF551 it should respond on pin 34 of the 8040, the signal then passing through the 74LS38 on the way to SIO pin 3/DATA IN.

 

 

First of all, thank you very much..this has been very helpful.

 

I used the logic probe and noted that signal that is different is at the 74LS38.  Pin 6 is High, Pin 4 is High but Pin 5(to pin 34 of the 8040) is Low. That makes sense since Pin 34 is Low

 

the 8040 is

  Pin 1 is Hi

  Pin 39 is Low

  Pin 34 is Low

 

SIO pins 3,5,7 are low when everything off and Hi when turned on.

   SIO Pin 3(Data In)-High to pin 6 of LS38 which was high

   SIO Pin 5(Data Out)- High to 8040 Pin 1 High

   SIO Pin 7(Command)- High to 8040 Pin 6 High 

 

 

[XF551 is not working]

1 hour ago, BillC said:

I checked one of my XF551 drives and confirmed that Q2 is a C1740, I found a datasheet for the 2SC1740 transistors that states they can be manufactured in different pin configurations on request so the pinout could match a 2N3904, the actual pinout can be determined with a multimeter. 

 

An oscilloscope, logic probe, or possibly even a frequency counter could be used to determine if signals are passing through the transistors/74LS38 logic chip.

 

2SC1740 transistors are obsolete, but Jameco does list a large number in inventory if needed:

https://www.jameco.com/shop/KeywordSearchResultView?langId=-1&storeId=10001&catalogId=10001&search_type_c=jamecoall&freeText=2sc1740

 

EDIT:  I checked the datasheets at Jameco and found these are 2N3904(CBE) pinout instead of CEB. Transistor leads can probably be bent to compensate, 

the issue is finding a transistor that is compatible other than pinout if replacement is needed.

 

I also found listings for 2SC1740 transistors on eBay, whether original/remark unknown.

https://www.ebay.com/sch/i.html?_from=R40&_trksid=p2047675.m570&_nkw=2SC1740&_sacat=0

 

Thank you the transistor follow up.  I ordered a few just in case.  I did remove Q1,Q2 and Q3.  I tested them with a multifunction tester, which they came back with no obvious faults.  

 

I re-installed them and checked Pin 6 on the 8040.  The logic probe came back as "low".  I also checked pin 34 which comes off the SN74LS38 and it came back as "low".  I am not very good with a logic probe so not really sure if that is normal for those pins.

 

I did replace all the resistors that are connected to Q1,Q2 and Q3.  I will probably replace the transistors when the shipment arrives and I may also socket the S38 and try another chip to see if that changes anything.

 

Any other suggestions?

 

Thank you very much for your help!

[XF551 is not working]

7 hours ago, erichenneke said:

Check the solder joints on those long elbow shaped leads for the power switch to the board, and also for the power connector, etc. I read that solder joint cracks at those locations can be a common issue is XF551 drives and might just need to be reflowed. In my case, when I was checking for that I actually determined the power switch itself had worn out and needed to be replaced completely though. Worth checking, just to rule out something simple like connector joints.


Sent from my KB2005 using Tapatalk
 

I did reflow the joints for the power plug and switch, no changes.  Thank you.

[XF551 is not working]

7 hours ago, kheller2 said:

Take a look at the schematics and make sure proper voltages are on the 8040 pins 37 and 38 when set to drive select 1.

I think they should both be high; assuming these schematics are correct.

Command comes in via Q3 and then Q2 to pin6 of 8040

 

 

Thank you.  I check pins 37 and 38 when the drive is set to 1.  I am getting around 5 volts on each   I also checked pin 6, no voltage but logic probe said "low".  I am not very good with a logic probe so not sure if that was correct.

[XF551 is not working]

1 hour ago, BillC said:

According to an XF551 schematic there are 3 discrete transistors for the inputs(DATA OUT & COMMAND) and a gate of what I believe is a 74LS38 on the output(DATA IN).

 

A similar schematic is available on Atariage:

 

I took a look at the transistors.  They are C1740 transistors and the schematic states 2n3904.  I took a quick look and noticed the base and collector are reversed.  They are still BJT-NPN.  I am not well versed enough in transistors to know if this would be a problem.  Any help is appreciated.

 

Thank you

[XF551 is not working]

3 hours ago, Peri Noid said:

Does the drive respond in ANY way when it's connected to a computer, powered on and with a boot disk in and locked, when the computer is powered? You mentioned, you get the READY prompt - but after a standard procedure like without a drive connected or it behaves differently?

The computer acts just like if there was no disk drive attached.  If I attached a 1050 via the XF551 SIO ports, the computer does acknowledge and boot up the 1050.

[XF551 is not working]

13 hours ago, erichenneke said:

Does the light come on and does it spin when powered up?  I had one that suffered intermittent issues and it turned out to be a bad power switch of all things.  I replaced the switch and all has worked perfectly ever since. 

Yes, the light turns and and then the motor spins/heads sets to zero. I will take a look at that but it does power on and maintains steady voltages

[XF551 is not working]

I was hoping to get some feedback on an issue i am having with my XF551.

 

My atari 130XE will not boot from the XF551.  I only get the "Ready" screen.  It also is not visible(or working) from any DOS menu. 

 

1. I have confirmed that it turns on and the disk head "sets". 

2. I did check and made sure that I am getting 12V and 5V at the connector from the PCB to the drive itself.

3. I did connect other drives thru the SIO ports on the drive and the other drives worked fine.

4. Just to make sure, I removed and applied fresh solder to the SIO ports and toned out the ports to the ribbon cable.

5. I did try various power supplies and SIO cables....I even tried another 130XE

6. I did reset the ROM chip.

7. I tried various setups as drive 1,2,3 and connected the XF via my other 1050's.

 

No luck with any of the above.  Does anyone have any other ideas? 

 

Thank you in advance.

 

["Dragonfly" preorder]

1 dragonfly cart-Red

With the PokeyOne and YM2151