Cleaning out the Attic...

[Mirage]

PM sent!

[19Echo]

pm sent as well

[+wood_jl]

Uh, PM sent, after you two guys.

 

heh heh.

[+bob1200xl]

Oh, darn... Garcia got the last one.

 

 

 

 

No... kidding! We have lots.

 

 

Bob

 

 

 

 

 

Uh, PM sent, after you two guys.

 

heh heh.

[AtariGeezer]

PM sent also

[19Echo]

Oh, darn... Garcia got the last one.

 

I LOL'D

 

Thanks Bob

[Fox-1 / mnx]

Just received mine, shining as it was a new one, both the outside and the inside (yes, I'm one of those who opens up everything that within reach).

 

 

I had the idea to add an extra (DC) power connector to make it also run on my switched power supply but it looks so new that I'll leave the innards as it is. (Now I want a second one too, only casing and keyboard, to build an 800XL in it).

For now I powered it with a 1050 brick (hope it's enough VA, didn't check faq yet) and to my surprise the Atari logo and selftest came up in full color on my PAL TV when using composite video. Makes me want to recheck my 5200 too as that one didn't show colors using the added video outputs but I'm not sure if that was on this same TV.

[Havok69]

(Now I want a second one too, only casing and keyboard, to build an 800XL in it).

 

Just get this instead:

 

http://atarimax.com/warpos/documentation/

[+bob1200xl]

Well,,, you ordered it with upgraded video...

 

The 1050 power supply is fine.

 

Why in the world would you want an 800XL m/b in a 1200XL case?

 

(yes, even the screws are new)

 

Bob

 

 

 

Just received mine, shining as it was a new one, both the outside and the inside (yes, I'm one of those who opens up everything that within reach).

 

 

I had the idea to add an extra (DC) power connector to make it also run on my switched power supply but it looks so new that I'll leave the innards as it is. (Now I want a second one too, only casing and keyboard, to build an 800XL in it).

For now I powered it with a 1050 brick (hope it's enough VA, didn't check faq yet) and to my surprise the Atari logo and selftest came up in full color on my PAL TV when using composite video. Makes me want to recheck my 5200 too as that one didn't show colors using the added video outputs but I'm not sure if that was on this same TV.

[Fox-1 / mnx]

Just get this instead:

 

Not interested. I rather burn a big EPROM with 4 o.s' inside. Don't need 32.

 

 

Why in the world would you want an 800XL m/b in a 1200XL case?

 

To hack a PBI on the back as on a real 800XL, but I'm not going to sacrify a working 1200XL for this. I also have a few empty 800XL cases laying around in a really bad shape with a lot of holes in the top but the back and right side are usable (PBI and joy-ports).

 

Besides of that, the European 800XL board is already PAL and not that difficult to get over here. One thing less to modify. For more space inside a 600XL may be a better choice but the 2 I have are too nice to use for this. I'm not in a hurry so who knows what comes by.

 

I do have some 65XE systems laying around. Most are new and only opened once to rip the keyboard to put it in my 130XE's. Those things keep failing! But those XE's are a bad choice for mods and also have the faulty GTIA.

 

 

(yes, even the screws are new)

 

I noticed that :-)

[MEtalGuy66]

The PBi is much nicer out the side, where the cart slot is, if you ask me. Puts your hardisk interface right there where you can actually REACH it.. and as a bonus, you wont have to have a desk that's 1/4 mile deep!

 

Do I need to make some more 1200Xl PBI extenders?

[+orpheuswaking]

The PBi is much nicer out the side, where the cart slot is, if you ask me. Puts your hardisk interface right there where you can actually REACH it.. and as a bonus, you wont have to have a desk that's 1/4 mile deep!

 

Do I need to make some more 1200Xl PBI extenders?

 

And it doesn't destroy the 1200XL... Dem be nice and I need another so YES make some MORE!!!!!

[Fox-1 / mnx]

The PBi is much nicer out the side, where the cart slot is, if you ask me. Puts your hardisk interface right there where you can actually REACH it.. and as a bonus, you wont have to have a desk that's 1/4 mile deep!

As a tube user I need the quarter mile anyways :-)

 

I only use Black Box' and plugging them in at the left side just won't do. When placing the monitor on a shelve-like stand the Black Box fit's perfectly underneath and there's still enough room to reach the switches and buttons and to put a cartridge in. Stacking carts won't work but sliding the set-up a little bit towards the chair even that will work up to 1 stacked cart. More will block the screen.

 

 

Do I need to make some more 1200Xl PBI extenders?

Not for me but one thing I want in some time (not now, no Atari money left :-) ) is an XE-2-XL PBI extender with dual cart. slots. Makes using multiple carts a bit "cleaner" and allows me to use a flat cable to connect my Black Box to the 130XE at the same time, making it a bit more flexible.

[flashjazzcat]

...one thing I want in some time (not now, no Atari money left :-) ) is an XE-2-XL PBI extender with dual cart. slots. Makes using multiple carts a bit "cleaner" and allows me to use a flat cable to connect my Black Box to the 130XE at the same time, making it a bit more flexible.

I saw the adapter which came with Spookt's MIO and it looked damned useful.

[Fox-1 / mnx]

I saw the adapter which came with Spookt's MIO and it looked damned useful.

 

I have one with space for only 1 cart. connector but no connector. That is, I know I have one, somewhere, but it's not on that PCB :-)

[MEtalGuy66]

The PBi is much nicer out the side, where the cart slot is, if you ask me. Puts your hardisk interface right there where you can actually REACH it.. and as a bonus, you wont have to have a desk that's 1/4 mile deep!

As a tube user I need the quarter mile anyways :-)

 

I only use Black Box' and plugging them in at the left side just won't do. When placing the monitor on a shelve-like stand the Black Box fit's perfectly underneath and there's still enough room to reach the switches and buttons and to put a cartridge in. Stacking carts won't work but sliding the set-up a little bit towards the chair even that will work up to 1 stacked cart. More will block the screen.

 

 

Do I need to make some more 1200Xl PBI extenders?

Not for me but one thing I want in some time (not now, no Atari money left :-) ) is an XE-2-XL PBI extender with dual cart. slots. Makes using multiple carts a bit "cleaner" and allows me to use a flat cable to connect my Black Box to the 130XE at the same time, making it a bit more flexible.

 

Naah. You are wrong.. Youve used the blackbox with 800Xls and 130Xes.. Not with a 1200, which is almost twice as deep. The fact that you use a CRT (so do I. I hate LCDs) makes it even MORE necessary to have a ton of desk space front-to-back..

 

Think about where the hardisk connects on the blackbox.. Ive used it both ways and it works a hell of alot better out the side.. Having it crammed under a monitor is just crazy.. The blackbox has 4 switches you need to access on occasion, and any changes to your physical drive configuration are gonna be a ROYAL pain in the ass.. Having it off the the side makes everything naturally end up to the side of both the machine and the monitor, with all 4 switches within arms reach..

 

There really is no good reason to carve up a 1200XL case.. (well, I take that back.. Beetle's 1200XLD is awesome..)

 

The 800XL would work in the configuration you are talking about MUCH BETTER with it's original case.

[Fox-1 / mnx]

Naah. You are wrong.. Youve used the blackbox with 800Xls and 130Xes.. Not with a 1200, which is almost twice as deep.

Nope, I'm right. Test-fitted it and no problem at all. Only exception is stacking a cart, which is still possible but less comfortable.

 

The fact that you use a CRT (so do I. I hate LCDs) makes it even MORE necessary to have a ton of desk space front-to-back..

True, but my desks are about 1M/40" deep which seems to be enough. The space the monitor needs is limited as my desks are not placed against a wall and the tube can stick out at the back.

 

Think about where the hardisk connects on the blackbox.. Ive used it both ways and it works a hell of alot better out the side.. Having it crammed under a monitor is just crazy.. The blackbox has 4 switches you need to access on occasion, and any changes to your physical drive configuration are gonna be a ROYAL pain in the ass..

In my case the harddisks, together with the power supply, are connected to the back, which is perfect as they're placed under the desk at the right side of where my feet are, so the flat cable and power cables are at the right place. And it has to be placed there as to this same external case with power supply is also my other XE w. Black Box and harddisk set-up connected, which is placed directly above it.

 

Don't see the problem with the buttons. Once set up I mainly need 1 but the others are no problem too. Even setting the jumper of the FlashROM on the BB is no problem.

 

The 800XL would work in the configuration you are talking about MUCH BETTER with it's original case.

An 800XL would work as well as the 1200XL but the last one looks better, has a nicer keyboard and has more space inside.

 

And at last, I want to make a custom box for the Black Box too, probably by modifying 2 1050 casings I've laying around. When using this, with mounted switches, there are even less problems when placing it somewhere but have to find a good way to create 2 easy accessable cartridge ports while still keeping the wiring as short as possible.

 

Well, it ain't for tomorrow anyways and it's just an idea so it may turn out in something completely different.

[MEtalGuy66]

To each his own, I guess.. However, that sounds like a total ass-rig to me.. I try to keep my bus cables as short as possible for stability reasons.. ATARI systems with PBI devices need all the help they can get.

 

I also try to reccomend AGAINST cutting/drilling ATARI casework as much as possible. (especially 1200XLs) because they are becomming increasingly rare (except in Bob's basement) and the next guy to get it is not gonna appreciate the fact that you hacked it all to pieces..

 

There are like 8 or 9 different keyboards available for the 800XL. The Good ones rival the 1200XL in quality.. And PBI devices do not work well with extensive internal expansions due to the cummulative effect of bus capacitance on PHI2-to-bus timing, so "extra space inside" is kinda redundant. Theres a BIG difference between what "works" and what works 100% stable, without the need to mess with it constantly..

Edited March 16, 2011 by MEtalGuy66

[Fox-1 / mnx]

To each his own, I guess.. However, that sounds like a total ass-rig to me.. I try to keep my bus cables as short as possible for stability reasons.. ATARI systems with PBI devices need all the help they can get.

I wish I could place the BB's inside the external harddisk case, but unfortunately this will never be possible.

 

I also try to reccomend AGAINST cutting/drilling ATARI casework as much as possible. (especially 1200XLs) because they are becomming increasingly rare (except in Bob's basement) and the next guy to get it is not gonna appreciate the fact that you hacked it all to pieces..

 

I don't really care what others think of what I do with my own stuff but cutting up a mint piece of equipment is not what I want to do. That is, 8-Bit Atari's. Already hacked up 2 130XE's but these cases were in really bad condition. Also cut up several ST's (of which one even NIB) to pieces but these are readily available over here and you can't even get rid of these if you gave them away for free.

 

There are like 8 or 9 different keyboards available for the 800XL. The Good ones rival the 1200XL in quality..

The latest 800XL I "found" in my living room seems to have the good one, with "600XL" printed on the keyboard PCB. I have another laying around that someone has used for parts as some switches are removed from it. Besides of that there is a crack in the PCB. One thing I like about the 1200XL keyboard is the position of the function keys, especially the fact that the RESET key is placed further away and not directly next to the OPTION one as on XE and other 600/800XL.

[MEtalGuy66]

Yeah I tend to share your sentiments there.. I dont like the fact that the break and inverse keys are "console keys" on the 1200XL.. But thats about the only thing I dont like about it ergonomically.

 

 

Yeah good call on cutting up those STs.. They are pretty worthless here too..

 

Yeah.. Thanks to Bob Puff's wisom of making the Black Box shaped like a Giant letter "T", it's tough to come up with a decent case solution for it.

 

Ive thought more than once about sticking my BlackBox/Floppyboard combo inside a 1200XL case along with a 600XL motherboard, and just remote mounting ALL of the ports for both so that I dont have to cut the 1200XL case any more than necessary.. But, I already have 2 1200XL housed 130XEs. If had it to "do over" I would just ram-expand the 1200XL motherboards. (like I said, they are too deep for PBI use, in my oppinion. They do work great as MUX client machines though) I have 2 stock 1200XLs left, and Im not gonna hack them up at all..

[bandit]

Yeah.. Thanks to Bob Puff's wisom of making the Black Box shaped like a Giant letter "T", it's tough to come up with a decent case solution for it.

 

Bob had a case for the blackbox, It was $40 extra at the time which I passed on it.

 

Drilling holes in cases... LOL! well my 800 has 5 switchs mounted outside and my 800xl also has extra holes. when Iam dead and gone if who ever gets it don't like it, I will care less LOL!! BUt I see your point from a collectors view.

[Fox-1 / mnx]

Yeah I tend to share your sentiments there.. I dont like the fact that the break and inverse keys are "console keys" on the 1200XL..

I agree with the "inverse" key but the "break" key position located on the console key row seems logical to me as it isn't a real "type writer" key (as in, it won't give out a character nor would it change character behavior).

 

Ive thought more than once about sticking my BlackBox/Floppyboard combo inside a 1200XL case along with a 600XL motherboard,

That's why I cut up the ST's. The STF/STFM have large cases. When using one and cut out the back, and then take a second one of which you only use the top flat part, it becomes big enough to fit an XE board with a BB attached. The back I/O panel of the XE can be fitted in the back of the ST one.

 

(some testing with only 1 "small" ST case to fit 130XE)

 

 

 

With such an expanded case an XF551 (with removed power components) will also fit and with some extra modding even a 5,25" mechanic can be used. When using an external power supply both a 3,5 and 5,25 can be done too. Besides the obvious ease of the numeric keyboard there are more key related benefits like the extra console keys which can be used as 1200XL F1->F4 keys and some others as the Black-Box push buttons. The arrow keys can be wired to both the joystick and the XE arrow keys, selecting mode with another console key.

 

The keyboard layout does look okay too. With a mixture of ST and XE keys caps it nearly looks as it was meant to be that way. Major letdown is that an ST keyboard itself just sux. I tried to modify an old VT terminal keyboard (with real switches) to fit in but it doesn't look that good so the project is on hold for years now :-)

[flashjazzcat]

Now I like that... something I've been meaning to have a go at for a long time. Looks really good, and finally provides a useful purpose for an ST!

[Fox-1 / mnx]

Looks really good, and finally provides a useful purpose for an ST!

 

That's what I was thinking.

 

Did this many years ago (pre- digi cam era :-) ) but still have all those pieces laying around in a box. Maybe I should take a look at it again to see if I can come up with a keyboard solution.

[BillC]

Yeah I tend to share your sentiments there.. I dont like the fact that the break and inverse keys are "console keys" on the 1200XL..

I agree with the "inverse" key but the "break" key position located on the console key row seems logical to me as it isn't a real "type writer" key (as in, it won't give out a character nor would it change character behavior).

 

Ive thought more than once about sticking my BlackBox/Floppyboard combo inside a 1200XL case along with a 600XL motherboard,

That's why I cut up the ST's. The STF/STFM have large cases. When using one and cut out the back, and then take a second one of which you only use the top flat part, it becomes big enough to fit an XE board with a BB attached. The back I/O panel of the XE can be fitted in the back of the ST one.

 

(some testing with only 1 "small" ST case to fit 130XE)

 

http://i49.tinypic.com/290pmjm.jpg

 

http://i48.tinypic.com/nd8top.jpg

 

With such an expanded case an XF551 (with removed power components) will also fit and with some extra modding even a 5,25" mechanic can be used. When using an external power supply both a 3,5 and 5,25 can be done too. Besides the obvious ease of the numeric keyboard there are more key related benefits like the extra console keys which can be used as 1200XL F1->F4 keys and some others as the Black-Box push buttons. The arrow keys can be wired to both the joystick and the XE arrow keys, selecting mode with another console key.

 

The keyboard layout does look okay too. With a mixture of ST and XE keys caps it nearly looks as it was meant to be that way. Major letdown is that an ST keyboard itself just sux. I tried to modify an old VT terminal keyboard (with real switches) to fit in but it doesn't look that good so the project is on hold for years now :-)

The ST keyboards suffers from the same problems as the XE keyboards, Best Electronics offers both "TT" Touch(Improved High Grade Replacement Internal Silicone contacts) and MEGA Touch(keyboard spring) upgrades.