Kjmann's Atari XL/XE Power Converter - Pictures

[Kjmann]

As I Promised a few people Here are pictures of the Actual Unit

 

 

 

Use almost any Generic power supply to run your Atari XL or XE

 

These Converters have been tested on The XL/XE Computers using power supplies from the following units with Great Results:

 

The Cord is 4 inches long including the Plug.

 

• 
   
  
• Sega Genesis Model 1 (9v DC / 1.2A)
  
• NES (original Nintendo) (9v AC / 1.0A)
  
• Atari 810 or 1050 (9v AC / 1.5A)
  
• Atari 400/800 (9v AC / 1.5A)
  
• Atari 5200 (9v DC / 1.5A)
  
• Atari 850 interface (9v AC / 1.5A)
  
• and many others (12v DC / 2.0A, 12v DC / 1.0A, 9v DC / 1.0A)
  

 

 

Use Any power supply that has at least the following Specs:

 

• 
   
  
• 9 to 16 Volts
  
• 1 amp (1000mA)
  
• 15 Watts (15 VA)
  
• 2.1 x 5.5 mm Jack (NES/Genesis 1 Style)
  
• Any Polarity
  

 

No More Buying High Priced Power Supplies.

No More High Shipping Costs for Big Heavy/Bulky Power Supplies.

[griz]

Man that thing is ugly.

 

The Cord is 4 inches long including the Plug.

 

Does that mean it has to be 4 inches away from the computer? Why so short?

 

Use Any power supply that has at least the following Specs:

 

Is the cpu fan/cooler there to cool down a big voltage regulator? Isn't that inefficient? What about the added noise?

 

No More Buying High Priced Power Supplies.

 

These things are $15 to $27 from Atari dealers. How much does it cost for this unit, plus the requirement of having another power supply?

 

I've seen big PSUs on ebay for a Commodore 64 + 1541. Have you considered something like this? An A8 + 1050 for example.

 

No More High Shipping Costs for Big Heavy/Bulky Power Supplies.

 

This costs less to ship than an official Atari power pack?

 

Please take no offence, I'm only trying to understand and am being honest/frank.

[Kjmann]

Man that thing is ugly.

 

as opposed to these Big heavy things? =)

 

 

 

 

 

Does that mean it has to be 4 inches away from the computer? Why so short?

 

 

To Eliminate Resistance for a clean, constant power signal.

 

 

Is the cpu fan/cooler there to cool down a big voltage regulator? Isn't that inefficient? What about the added noise?

 

a voltage regulator is necessary to make something that it very versatile to what it can accept.

There is no added noise. The prototype was tested running an 800XL with SIO2SD (Running lode runner off the Disk version) for 5 days straight with no loss of the constant 5 volts to the system or interference/Noise.

 

 

No More Buying High Priced Power Supplies.

 

These things are $15 to $27 from Atari dealers. How much does it cost for this unit, plus the requirement of having another power supply?

 

B & C Computer Visions lists the 1.5 amp (PRA006 - POWER XL/XE 1.5 AMP) for $20.00. Shipping not included.

Best Electronics Lists the same power supply for $27.00, not including shipping

 

Don't forget, these things weigh a ton.

 

The Idea is not just about the immediate cost. it's also about future cost. once a person buys this converter, they will never have to go buy another power supply online again. They will be able to go to their local electronics store and buy a generic Power supply to use that will cost much less and they won't have to wait for it.

 

They Sell for $34.95 with no power supply or $39.95 with a power supply included (Those Prices include free shipping within the USA) Most people wont need a power supply because the likely already have one that will work (EX: Atari 810/1050 power supply).

 

 

I've seen big PSUs on ebay for a Commodore 64 + 1541. Have you considered something like this? An A8 + 1050 for example.

 

I have considered it and I decided not to do one. I don't want something that big to deal with Personally. The Idea was to keep this Small for shipping reasons and Room on a persons desktop. The Unit comes with a piece of Double sided foam tape to stick it to the side of their atari if they want.

 

 

 

I don't remember the last time I used a disk drive anyway. I use my SIO2SD or SIO2PC for everything these days. These seem to be the way of the future for most atarians. The SIO2SD is small, you can put all your software on them and they don't cost much.

 

No More High Shipping Costs for Big Heavy/Bulky Power Supplies.

 

This costs less to ship than an official Atari power pack?

 

I can Ship one of these for $5.00 or less.

 

Here is a pic showing it in the palm of my hand to give you an idea of the size of it.

 

 

 

Please take no offence, I'm only trying to understand and am being honest/frank.

 

No offence Taken. =)

[griz]

Thanks for explaining. It actually is smaller than I thought. I imagine the amount of waste heat generated would depend on the source power supply voltage? In other words with a supply voltage similar to the output voltage of the regulator there wouldn't be much? How necessary is the fan? Have you considered a larger case that could act as a massive passive heatsink?

[griz]

as opposed to these Big heavy things? =)

 

Okay, they're ALL ugly!

[Kjmann]

Thanks for explaining. It actually is smaller than I thought. I imagine the amount of waste heat generated would depend on the source power supply voltage? In other words with a supply voltage similar to the output voltage of the regulator there wouldn't be much? How necessary is the fan? Have you considered a larger case that could act as a massive passive heatsink?

 

 

 

I considered that, but if we are going to allow people to plug in a 9volt minimum up to a 16volt Max, then the fan does have to be there. Also, The Amp rating of the power supply seems to have an even bigger affect than the voltage on the amount of heat it produces. This unit is capable of producing up to 1.5Amps after that, it just bleeds off any extra through the regulator.

 

I've used a 12volt 3.5 amp power supply on it, as well as a 16volt 2amp supply and they both worked great. =)

 

 

And yeah. the old power supplies are all pretty ugly. LOL

[Syfo-Dyas]

Looks...

 

...interesting. I like it!!!

[Kjmann]

Bump

[Kjmann]

Bump

[MEtalGuy66]

1. You cant patent that.. Just like you cant patent the wheel..

 

2.

To Eliminate Resistance for a clean, constant power signal.

Dude.. 100 feet of 18ga wire has like 2 ohms of resistance.. Its not enough to make a damn bit of difference..

 

 

3.

This unit is capable of producing up to 1.5Amps after that, it just bleeds off any extra through the regulator.

Ok.. The regulator does not "bleed off" extra current.. heh. The regulator maintains the voltage at 5 volts, and the current depends ENTIRELY on the load (the atari) and how much it draws.. You could have a 100amp supply, and still the atari is only going to draw less than one amp. The more of a load you put on it (eg. if you tried to run more than one atari off of it)the more current is DRAWN through the regulator, and the more heat must be dissipated.. If you exceed the max current capacity (or operating temperature) of the regulator, most have built in "thermal cutoff" features that will shut down the regulator to prevent damage..

 

I=E/R... Basic electrical theory...

 

 

4. This thing is an incredible ripoff.. You can buy the exact same thing, pre-made much better for a fraction of the price from many overstock electronics vendors.. It's quite a common application for a very rudimentary circuit.. Quit "bumping" it.. Noone wants it.. Especially at that price, and looking that ugly..

Edited May 6, 2010 by MEtalGuy66

[tregare]

Are you using a linear or switching regulator? I would guess linear since it needs the heatsink/cooling fan?

[Kjmann]

1. You cant patent that.. Just like you cant patent the wheel..

 

2.

To Eliminate Resistance for a clean, constant power signal.

Dude.. 100 feet of 18ga wire has like 2 ohms of resistance.. Its not enough to make a damn bit of difference..

 

 

3.

This unit is capable of producing up to 1.5Amps after that, it just bleeds off any extra through the regulator.

Ok.. The regulator does not "bleed off" extra current.. heh. The regulator maintains the voltage at 5 volts, and the current depends ENTIRELY on the load (the atari) and how much it draws.. You could have a 100amp supply, and still the atari is only going to draw less than one amp. The more of a load you put on it (eg. if you tried to run more than one atari off of it)the more current is DRAWN through the regulator, and the more heat must be dissipated.. If you exceed the max current capacity (or operating temperature) of the regulator, most have built in "thermal cutoff" features that will shut down the regulator to prevent damage..

 

I=E/R... Basic electrical theory...

 

 

4. This thing is an incredible ripoff.. You can buy the exact same thing, pre-made much better for a fraction of the price from many overstock electronics vendors.. It's quite a common application for a very rudimentary circuit.. Quit "bumping" it.. Noone wants it.. Especially at that price, and looking that ugly..

 

 

You know something, I've kept quiet through most of you're ramblings and potshots you take at others. but I've about had it with you. people like you are the reason that some people should be sterilized. You never have anything constructive to say and your a constant irritant when it comes to Legalities concerning intellectual property rights. You seem to have plenty to comment on in those sort of Conversations but you're are seldom correct in your Statements of law.

 

 

 

You are a moron and a waste of skin. Anal Retentive Huns Bitch Less than you do.

 

For Your Information, I have sold 6 of them and Given 2 of them to friends of mine with no complaints.

It's a Solid Design. It does it's job Well. I have tested it thoroughly and I would not sell something that I thought would damage someones computer in any way.

 

Also, I have the right to patent any design I want. It's called an application design patent you moron. I have done so many times. It is for a specific application and that is what it's patent is for.

 

I really don't care whether or not you consider it ugly or not. That's your opinion. You're welcome to voice that opinion if you like but it won't stop me from selling it or Advertising it.

 

If you don't want to hear about it then READ ANOTHER THREAD. Are you so one track minded that you can't move on to another subject? Do you lack common sense so much so that you are unable to keep from posting Garbage like this?

 

I've given you the benefit of the doubt many times figuring you were just having a bad day at the time of your past statements, but now I see that you just have nothing better to do in your useless, boring, waste of time that you call a life that you have to invent things to bitch about.

You're just an Ass and I will not waste anymore time responding to your petty little tirades.

 

Say what you want and it will be ignored from now on. =)

 

Have a nice day. =)

[Kjmann]

Are you using a linear or switching regulator? I would guess linear since it needs the heatsink/cooling fan?

I'm using a linear Regulator. =)

[spookt]

Hmm, slight over reaction Sal?

 

TBH I wish you'd stop bumping this too. Surely if you're trying to sell something that's what the marketplace forum is for? You've announced your product and that's great but the bumps get pretty annoying since the thread looks to have new content and it's just a bump.

 

Anyhow just my 2 cents

[jaybird3rd]

You know something, I've kept quiet through most of you're ramblings and potshots you take at others. but I've about had it with you. people like you are the reason that some people should be sterilized. You never have anything constructive to say and your a constant irritant when it comes to Legalities concerning intellectual property rights. You seem to have plenty to comment on in those sort of Conversations but you're are seldom correct in your Statements of law.

 

You are a moron and a waste of skin. Anal Retentive Huns Bitch Less than you do.

 

For Your Information, I have sold 6 of them and Given 2 of them to friends of mine with no complaints.

It's a Solid Design. It does it's job Well. I have tested it thoroughly and I would not sell something that I thought would damage someones computer in any way.

 

Also, I have the right to patent any design I want. It's called an application design patent you moron. I have done so many times. It is for a specific application and that is what it's patent is for.

 

I really don't care whether or not you consider it ugly or not. That's your opinion. You're welcome to voice that opinion if you like but it won't stop me from selling it or Advertising it.

 

If you don't want to hear about it then READ ANOTHER THREAD. Are you so one track minded that you can't move on to another subject? Do you lack common sense so much so that you are unable to keep from posting Garbage like this?

 

I've given you the benefit of the doubt many times figuring you were just having a bad day at the time of your past statements, but now I see that you just have nothing better to do in your useless, boring, waste of time that you call a life that you have to invent things to bitch about.

You're just an Ass and I will not waste anymore time responding to your petty little tirades.

 

Say what you want and it will be ignored from now on. =)

 

Have a nice day. =)

If Ken is such a "moron," it should be easy for you to offer intelligent counter-arguments explaining why he's wrong. You haven't done that. Instead, all you've offered is an angry rant full of snarling insults and belligerent assertions that your opponent "doesn't understand intellectual property rights." You're being as much of a bully as your friend Lance Ringquist. I'm starting to understand what you see in each other.

 

The closest thing to a defense in your "petty little tirade" was your statement that it worked fine when you tested it and that the handful of people who bought it haven't complained. For all we know, the thing might work by accident and the people who bought it just don't know any better. Some of your questionable statements earlier would seem to support that conclusion. A puny four-inch power cord to "eliminate resistance"? Really??? Exactly how much resistance would there have been if you had used a six-foot cord like everybody else, and why would that have been too much for the unit to handle?

 

And yes, the unit is ugly and I'm the third one to say so, so it isn't just "one person's opinion." I don't know why anyone would think that one of these things sitting on their desk right next to the machine--fully exposed fan blades and all--would look better than a plain, unobtrusive black brick sitting on the floor where you can't even see it.

[MEtalGuy66]

Hey dude, I wasnt trying to make an ass of you.. You shouldnt try so hard to "help me do it"..

 

i was just pointing out the fact that by your own statements, you have zero understanding of the most basic electrical theory, and have just had this "major revelation" on grade-school-project level power-circuit design, and now you think everyone should buy it from you..

 

You really can buy REALLY SOLID 5volt regulated PSU devices these days that are much more compact than yours, have zero "noise" on the output lines, have plenty of current capacity, and cost a fraction of what you are charging.. That's a fact, dude..

[flashjazzcat]

Hmm, slight over reaction Sal?

 

TBH I wish you'd stop bumping this too. Surely if you're trying to sell something that's what the marketplace forum is for? You've announced your product and that's great but the bumps get pretty annoying since the thread looks to have new content and it's just a bump.

I have to agree there. The fact it's not the best looking device is by the way: everyone has a different aesthetic, as amply demonstrated by a comparison of two recent XM301/SIO2SD conversions. And nothing looks more bitingly ironic than peppering a post with misspellings and grocer's apostrophes while you're labelling someone else a moron. The bumps are annoying, especially when the forum's quiet anyway and you waste clicks hoping to see some new content just to find a topic pointlessly elevated. I wouldn't normally comment but I thought the "tirade" was completely over the top. If you're going to put a product of some kind out there, you need to be prepared to field criticism in a cohesive manner. If people think it's ugly, perhaps look at ways of making it less so. There's a lot of knowledge and expertise on this forum, and I would be inclined to make use of it rather than insult the people who are making suggestions.

[+orpheuswaking]

Hey dude, I wasnt trying to make an ass of you.. You shouldnt try so hard to "help me do it"..

 

i was just pointing out the fact that by your own statements, you have zero understanding of the most basic electrical theory, and have just had this "major revelation" on grade-school-project level power-circuit design, and now you think everyone should buy it from you..

 

You really can buy REALLY SOLID 5volt regulated PSU devices these days that are much more compact than yours, have zero "noise" on the output lines, have plenty of current capacity, and cost a fraction of what you are charging.. That's a fact, dude..

 

MG, tried to PM you but your mailbox is full... sent you an email instead...

[ApolloBoy]

A puny four-inch power cord to "eliminate resistance"? Really??? Exactly how much resistance would there have been if you had used a six-foot cord like everybody else, and why would that have been too much for the unit to handle?

I think the reason why the cord is so short is that you're supposed to plug another power supply into it, which reduces cable clutter. Had the cord on it been 6 feet, it would've made the entire setup unnecessary long (this is of course counting the PSU you plug it into), which is something I can't afford in a cramped setup like mine. Personally I've been waiting for something like this ever since I first owned an A8. I've always wanted to use generic power supplies with the XL/XEs, and up until now the only options were getting a another power supply or splicing together a modern power supply. Granted, it looks ungainly, but I'm going to hide it behind my A8 anyway, so I don't have to look at it all the time. Plus it'll save a ton of space in my cable drawer.

[+orpheuswaking]

A puny four-inch power cord to "eliminate resistance"? Really??? Exactly how much resistance would there have been if you had used a six-foot cord like everybody else, and why would that have been too much for the unit to handle?

I think the reason why the cord is so short is that you're supposed to plug another power supply into it, which reduces cable clutter. Had the cord on it been 6 feet, it would've made the entire setup unnecessary long (this is of course counting the PSU you plug it into), which is something I can't afford in a cramped setup like mine. Personally I've been waiting for something like this ever since I first owned an A8. I've always wanted to use generic power supplies with the XL/XEs, and up until now the only options were getting a another power supply or splicing together a modern power supply. Granted, it looks ungainly, but I'm going to hide it behind my A8 anyway, so I don't have to look at it all the time. Plus it'll save a ton of space in my cable drawer.

 

Personally I think this looks a lot neater... (5vdc 3a switching PSU) - This is not mine BTW, one of the euro atari users... HOWEVER I will be making one using this US version @ 5vdc 2a

eBay Auction -- Item Number: 260586951013

 

[Sleepy]

Okay, they're ALL ugly!

 

Hm, I like the power supply like the upper one in post #3. But unhappily the´re hard to find. I fortunately get one with a white upper case and a dark lower case which fits perfect to the XL-design.

 

I take the innards out and put a switching supply in which feeds a XL, a XF (modified for 5/12V) & a small 8"TFT.

 

 

The case is unmodified from the outside, except the hole for a power switch.

 

 

I use XLR-connectors and a "one-to-three" adapter to connect the devices with cables like this:

 

 

Sleeπ

[+Stephen]

Okay, they're ALL ugly!

 

Hm, I like the power supply like the upper one in post #3. But unhappily the´re hard to find. I fortunately get one with a white upper case and a dark lower case which fits perfect to the XL-design.

 

I take the innards out and put a switching supply in which feeds a XL, a XF (modified for 5/12V) & a small 8"TFT.

 

 

The case is unmodified from the outside, except the hole for a power switch.

Sleeπ

Very nice setup. That switching power supply looks like it was made for that case.

[Sleepy]

Thanks!

 

The psu is a XP POWER type ECM60UT31. It offers 5V/8A, 12V/3A & -12V/0,5A. Sadly not cheap, but it fits perfect in the housing.

 

Sleeπ

[Sleepy]

Thanks!

 

The psu is a XP POWER type ECM60UT31. It offers 5V/8A, 12V/3A & -12V/0,5A. Sadly not cheap, but it fits perfect in the housing.

 

Sleeπ

[flashjazzcat]

That looks uber-cool. I have one of those cases, and was wondering what to put in it. Problem solved.