MEtalGuy66 Posted April 12, 2011 Share Posted April 12, 2011 They never produced it.. It was going to use the same display chip as the Bit3 and Austin Franklin 80 Column cards for the 800... So just go find one of those rare cards for you 800, and you've got the same thing.. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fibrewire Posted April 12, 2011 Share Posted April 12, 2011 MEtalGuy66: when you reproduced the MIO, did you notice anything besides the video connector that is present on the PCB not used by the MIO's normal operation? * Also, my MIO didn't come with grills on either side - can you help me? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fox-1 / mnx Posted April 12, 2011 Share Posted April 12, 2011 It was going to use the same display chip as the Bit3 and Austin Franklin 80 Column cards for the 800 Are schematics of the Austin Franklin 80 out there somewhere? Is this a thing worthwhile to build (if possible) ? (Like: Compatibility issues? Obsolete components? Or maybe the thing just sux? I have some info "Warerat" posted in 2009 but did anything happen after that? Just curious. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MEtalGuy66 Posted April 12, 2011 Share Posted April 12, 2011 MEtalGuy66: when you reproduced the MIO, did you notice anything besides the video connector that is present on the PCB not used by the MIO's normal operation? * Also, my MIO didn't come with grills on either side - can you help me? You mean the end plates are missing? or it just has the solid ones instead of the "grills"? If you want the "grills" they are just pieces of (.25" pattern) expanded metal that ICD bought from the local hardware supplier, cut out with tin-snips, and then spraypainted black. (I think you should chrome plate yours though.. And order a cadillac emblem for the top.. get dat fly-ass pimpadelic bling goin on.) No, theres absolutely nothing on the MIO that could be used to generate 80 columns. That would have been done completely on the 80 column upgrade board.. The Video jack on the MIO just goes straight to a completely discrete 5x2 pin header. There is an extra decoded signal that goes to the internal expansion header, that would probably have been used to enable/disable the 80 column board, but that's all there is. You'd have to start from scratch to design an 80 column board, and it doesnt even make sense to do so, as the MIO's video port is a 9-pin (made to be used with old TTL monochrome monitors like the ones sold with early 80s IBM PC/XT machines). And in this day/age it wouldnt get any software support to speak of because people have come up with extrememly optimized software 80 column routines (flashjazzcat's are awesome) and theres the VBXE (which already has a relatively good sized user base) for those who want a REAL hardware based solution. Lastly, the 80 column chip used in the Austin Franklin 80 column board, the Bit 3 80 column board (and would have been used in the MIO 80 column board) has been obsolete for several decades and would be near impossible (and very expensive) to source in any quantities. A few years back, Warerat did experiment with an FPGA based solution for this, but for the reasons listed above, we determined there was not nearly enough demand for YET ANOTHER 80 column device. So, we have concentrated our efforts in other areas (increasing the functionality of the MIO, itself.) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fibrewire Posted April 13, 2011 Share Posted April 13, 2011 I see... What about MIO2VBXE Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pilsner73 Posted April 13, 2011 Share Posted April 13, 2011 Thanks for the scan, took me down memory lane. Any chance anyone have a scan of the Atari 8bit power supply pdf that works with the currenty version of adobe acrobat? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
+bob1200xl Posted April 13, 2011 Share Posted April 13, 2011 The 80-column card: As MG states, oddball controller, although I think some of the other 80-column adaptors used a 6545. If you were going to do something like this, try a 6845 - that was in a million PCs. The 6545 works well internally, though. Bob I have the ICD Flashback disk - will put up an ATR when I get a SIO2PC someday. Also, is there any technical information regarding 80 col video on the MIO? I read that ICD was to produce an add-on module that would enable the video port of the MIO. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
+orpheuswaking Posted April 13, 2011 Share Posted April 13, 2011 Thanks for the scan, took me down memory lane. Any chance anyone have a scan of the Atari 8bit power supply pdf that works with the currenty version of adobe acrobat? I second that request. Adobe will not open the Power Supply PDF on that page and I'm interested in reading it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
+warerat Posted April 13, 2011 Share Posted April 13, 2011 As MG states, oddball controller, although I think some of the other 80-column adaptors used a 6545. If you were going to do something like this, try a 6845 - that was in a million PCs. The 6545 works well internally, though. Bob Fantastic! This confirms why I always wondered why the ICD "Version 2" sources for the 80-column card included an Austin Franklin font ROM. The design is almost 1:1 to the AF80, down to the same oddball SMC9007 controller! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
+warerat Posted April 13, 2011 Share Posted April 13, 2011 Are schematics of the Austin Franklin 80 out there somewhere? Is this a thing worthwhile to build (if possible) ? (Like: Compatibility issues? Obsolete components? Or maybe the thing just sux? I have some info "Warerat" posted in 2009 but did anything happen after that? Just curious. I've never seen schematics for this design as I think these boards are less common than the Bit-3 (come to think of it, I've never seen Bit-3 schematics either). It would be fun to source the obsolete controller and rebuild one but I think the VBXE provides an excellent all-in-one alternative. But here they are: eBay Auction -- Item Number: 370286787372 I'd bet the reference design from the datasheet isn't too far off from what they were producing. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
IndusGT Posted April 13, 2011 Share Posted April 13, 2011 Metalguy: If one ordered an MIO from you, could you make a bigger RAMdisk, say 4MB, if firmware allows it? If not, are there plans to have that supported in the future? I know you said in another thread that you have a 16 MB MIO, are you able to use it all in one partition? Thanks Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fibrewire Posted April 13, 2011 Share Posted April 13, 2011 That is simply amazing! How many of those 80-column boards are floating around - or were they never mass produced? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MEtalGuy66 Posted April 13, 2011 Share Posted April 13, 2011 Metalguy: If one ordered an MIO from you, could you make a bigger RAMdisk, say 4MB, if firmware allows it? If not, are there plans to have that supported in the future? I know you said in another thread that you have a 16 MB MIO, are you able to use it all in one partition? Thanks Yeah 16meg (or actually any size 30pin SIMM from 256k to 16meg)support is comming soon, and yeah you can use it as one big ramdisk, or several smaller ones. The firmware has a menu that lets you create ramdisks and assign them to drive numbers.. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
IndusGT Posted April 13, 2011 Share Posted April 13, 2011 Metalguy: If one ordered an MIO from you, could you make a bigger RAMdisk, say 4MB, if firmware allows it? If not, are there plans to have that supported in the future? I know you said in another thread that you have a 16 MB MIO, are you able to use it all in one partition? Thanks Yeah 16meg (or actually any size 30pin SIMM from 256k to 16meg)support is comming soon, and yeah you can use it as one big ramdisk, or several smaller ones. The firmware has a menu that lets you create ramdisks and assign them to drive numbers.. Great, keep us posted... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
+bob1200xl Posted April 13, 2011 Share Posted April 13, 2011 I don't know - it isn't hand-built, so I would expect that a few dozen or more would be out there. From what I understand, they shelved it when the XEP80 appeared. Bob That is simply amazing! How many of those 80-column boards are floating around - or were they never mass produced? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mathy Posted April 13, 2011 Share Posted April 13, 2011 Hello guys Austin Franklin sent me one part of the schematics several years ago. Couldn't get the other part. I have NO clue where I left the schematic and if I only have it as a print out or maybe even in electronic form. sincerely Mathy Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
spookt Posted April 13, 2011 Share Posted April 13, 2011 I don't know - it isn't hand-built, so I would expect that a few dozen or more would be out there. From what I understand, they shelved it when the XEP80 appeared. Bob That is simply amazing! How many of those 80-column boards are floating around - or were they never mass produced? Any idea how it compares speed wise to the XEP80? Still trying to lay my hands on one but I remember reading a few threads / reviews which lamented it's speed. I guess ICD thought the market was too limited for it to succeed. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fox-1 / mnx Posted April 13, 2011 Share Posted April 13, 2011 It would be fun to source the obsolete controller and rebuild one but I think the VBXE provides an excellent all-in-one alternative. I think it'd "nice" as an external/plug-able device, like a kind of XEP80 alternative, but (likely) faster. Since it seems complicated and requires some redesigning (obsolete parts) I don't think it's "nice" anymore. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fibrewire Posted April 13, 2011 Share Posted April 13, 2011 Thats too bad, because the XEP80 video looks like crap compared to the Austin Franklin board (ICD 80 Column Board) XEP80 here Austin Franklin here You know, there is no 8-bit computer section on AtariAge. A section as well organized as the 2600 stuff would eliminate 3/4 of my questions and thread hijacking. Just take a look at the top right of this page, and browse the information contained within the 2600 link. Schematics, part listings, expansion information, history, even clone systems are listed in detail. And what do we have? A forum where soon searching for anything will result in fibrewire being listed as the top poster Searching this forum is painful, to say the least. When i'm not posting, I'm traversing thread after thread after thread... Just ask MEtalGuy66 or Warerat if they like reposting links to discussions repeated several times in the past. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
+Stephen Posted April 14, 2011 Share Posted April 14, 2011 I hate to say it, but I find the XEP80 is best described as a steaming pile of shit. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
+bob1200xl Posted April 14, 2011 Share Posted April 14, 2011 Yes, the XEP80 had a number of disadvantages. (but one huge advantage - it was Atari and it worked on anything with no mods) That's why I did an internal 6545 80-column adaptor. It was fast (refresh @ 60fps) and overlaid the stock Atari screen. (colored characters and such) But, like a lot of these projects, you need software to drive the hardware. Finding a place for code and making it useful takes a lot more than just cranking out a circuit board. Claus has his cartridge-based LEM module that can output 80 columns. Atari has the XEP80. MIO has its adaptor. Lots of hardware solutions... how to do the software? Bob Thats too bad, because the XEP80 video looks like crap compared to the Austin Franklin board (ICD 80 Column Board) XEP80 here Austin Franklin here You know, there is no 8-bit computer section on AtariAge. A section as well organized as the 2600 stuff would eliminate 3/4 of my questions and thread hijacking. Just take a look at the top right of this page, and browse the information contained within the 2600 link. Schematics, part listings, expansion information, history, even clone systems are listed in detail. And what do we have? A forum where soon searching for anything will result in fibrewire being listed as the top poster Searching this forum is painful, to say the least. When i'm not posting, I'm traversing thread after thread after thread... Just ask MEtalGuy66 or Warerat if they like reposting links to discussions repeated several times in the past. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fibrewire Posted April 14, 2011 Share Posted April 14, 2011 bob1200xl: do you have a link to your 6545 80-column adaptor? Thats the trouble with computers in general. If you have an idea, you: a) have to be reasonably smart b) know digital circuit design c) know a computing language Since I'm lacking in any two of those three departments, I'll do the only thing I can - write an Atari 800 demo for the program recorder. My idea can be seen Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sloopy Posted April 14, 2011 Share Posted April 14, 2011 bob1200xl: do you have a link to your 6545 80-column adaptor? Thats the trouble with computers in general. If you have an idea, you: a) have to be reasonably smart b) know digital circuit design c) know a computing language Since I'm lacking in any two of those three departments, I'll do the only thing I can - write an Atari 800 demo for the program recorder. My idea can be seen dude... WTF??! maybe lacking in 3 depts? sloopy. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
+bob1200xl Posted April 14, 2011 Share Posted April 14, 2011 The 6545 was detailed in the 1991 SLCC Journals, our club newsletter. This is the schematic, for the most part. Doing one now would be a lot simpler as far as hardware goes, but there is still the software issue. Bob bob1200xl: do you have a link to your 6545 80-column adaptor? Thats the trouble with computers in general. If you have an idea, you: a) have to be reasonably smart b) know digital circuit design c) know a computing language Since I'm lacking in any two of those three departments, I'll do the only thing I can - write an Atari 800 demo for the program recorder. My idea can be seen Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mathy Posted April 14, 2011 Share Posted April 14, 2011 Hello guys I found the print out of the part of the schematics I talked about a few messages ago. Tomorrow, the NOMAM 2011 starts, so I don't have time to scan it or look for the digital version (and I'm not even sure that I have it) until somewhere next week. sincerely Mathy Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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