Open me eyelids!

[576XE]

Epigraph: "Open me eyelids!"
"Viy", N.V. Gogol

Hello, friends.

Until now we have not cristal clear colorized text screen output from Atari.

VBXE - is obviously perfect in it's way, but now I don't like surgical upgrades at all.

(Some years ago I soldered internal SIO2PC with RS-232 In/Out based on MAX233.
Now USB rules and I even can't find RS232 port on PC.

Today I can't look to RS232 hole in back side of my Atari without tears and Cries.)

 

The question arise. Is it possible to create a cartridge,

based on some development board (Beaglebone Black, RPi,Arduino etc.),

connected to Atari through ECI/CART and doing only one thing

- rendering colorized TEXTONLY screen into VGA output?

I think it's possible as 16-bit data may contain colorizing and textual
aspects simultaneously.
And it's Atari way, because ideologically it's a successor of XEP80.

 

So, Open me eyelids!

[candle]

you can connect your pc via sio2pc and send commands from atari

ie "play gta" - and you'll tell yourself this is atari playing gta..

 

all rubbish

 

vbxe doesn't make terminal from atari, just extends it capabilities, and this is still 6502 running the code

if you think you can cheat with 700mhz arm 11 processor - dream on, but but this is exacly as making a terminal out of atari and sending commands like "play gta" to pc

[Marius]

@candle

 

I think you are responding to another post or thread, but obviously not to the question of this topicstarter.

 

When I understand him right, he writes about 2 problems, and he writes one question.

 

Problems of topicstarter:

1) He invested years ago in a solution that seemed the best choice but now it is outdated since RS232 is not used anymore.

 

2) He 'killed' the case of his computer, and he thinks that is ugly and he wants to concentrate now on gadgets/upgrades that do not change the machine completely.

 

Question of topicstarter:

He asks whether it would be possible to redirect the S: and E: and that in a external (cart) solution.. He thinks in a way the XEP80 works.

[Rybags]

An external VBXE via PBI - possible but still some internal modding would be needed, and the overall cost would be more.

 

Additionally, you'd either have to have passthru of the PBI or terminate there which means no IDE +2 allowed.

At the end of the day, for a little bit less work, more expense you have less holes in the case but a board hanging off the thing in exchange.

 

A mod-less VBXE (disregarding adding +5V to 800XL PBI) - I think it's probably possible but would require Antic emulation.

 

Cartridge-based video - possible but you lose out on flexibility since the address window available is only a fraction of the overall 64K. Then you either have to make it passthru or take away ability to play carts with it. And again, cost factor not to mention size restriction.

[Rybags]

If you really want to, you can get away with VBXE and not modifying the case. Replace the normal monitor jack with an ST type like some have done.

You could also probably run a mini-DIN socket in place of the RF modulator.

 

Or for minimalist modification but dangly bits you could run a split ribbon cable through the vent holes then put the monitor socket inside a project box outside the machine.

[576XE]

Hello Candle.

All knows that you are one of the FATHERS of New Atari Era.

No Jokes. Only thanks.

 

And at first, I have the only one question - IS IT POSSIBLE?

I said only about partial objective - colorized text.

 

I know that VBXE is exhaustive decision anyway. Absolutely!

It can't be better at all!

And it's not terminal at all, but I need smart terminal using all smart work behind Atari.

Atari loves intellectual peripherals!

 

Anyway the question arises: Is VBXE - Atari?

Do you beleive that when you programming VBXE graphics you are programming Atari itself?

 

I sad, in second, that 8-bits had color text in their time but Atari NOT!

It hurts me. Really.

 

Let's program Atari in color!

[bbking67]

Most motherboards still have an RS232 header... you just need to add a little ribbon/backplate connector.

 

For laptops and crummier systems that don't have a hardware RS232 components, you can get a $10 USB-to-serial adapter. These work fine in most situations.

 

RS232 isn't quite as dead as you make it out to be.

[576XE]

bbking67

Really it's not a problem to get some serial signals from anywhere for example rs232 or usb.

 

The problem is that I never can have virgine atari anymore.

Edited March 2, 2014 by 130XE