bennybingo Posted June 7, 2015 Share Posted June 7, 2015 Why not just pick a Faceplant user and have that person copy & paste from there? Even better! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
7800 Posted June 8, 2015 Share Posted June 8, 2015 I was just thinking... ...If Curt were to report in every once in a while... and if each update was the same thing, "Still working on it, nothing to report" ... would that actually please people? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jaynz Posted June 8, 2015 Share Posted June 8, 2015 ...If Curt were to report in every once in a while... and if each update was the same thing, "Still working on it, nothing to report" ... would that actually please people? Frankly, it would look like he gave a damn... which is what I think most people have a problem with right now. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
toiletunes Posted June 8, 2015 Share Posted June 8, 2015 (edited) I was trying to be positive, helpful, constructive.Nevermind. You go have fun complaining back and forth. I BROKE! Thanks. Edited June 8, 2015 by toiletunes Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Andromeda Stardust Posted June 8, 2015 Share Posted June 8, 2015 (edited) You go have fun complaining back and forth.I'm staying out of this. FTR, I was referring to the idea of appointing a spokesperson. Curt can either report here himself or apoint someone to report for him. No need for a forum member to appoint someone on Curt's behalf. Edited June 8, 2015 by stardust4ever Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
7800 Posted June 8, 2015 Share Posted June 8, 2015 I seem to remember Curt actually posting here a while back to let everyone know that he will not be posting updates here, and for us to look for XM updates on his Syzygy facebook page. https://www.facebook.com/syzygycompany?fref=ts Not really taking sides since I'm in the camp that feels it would be nice to see him post updates here, but he did at least make it clear that he will not be frequenting this forum as much due to all the negativity and backlash. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jinks Posted June 8, 2015 Share Posted June 8, 2015 Benny put in a polite request for an update. Lets all wait for a response and leave it at that. Absolutely no reason for any drama whatsoever. Well this did not work. This site was where most of us probably heard about and purchased the XM. So I am not looking anywhere else than this pinned XM update thread. Also coming up with a solution for updates is (in russian voice)"Not my problem." So lets leave it at that. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lynxpro Posted June 8, 2015 Share Posted June 8, 2015 Curt Vendel May 30 at 11:03pm · Carmel, NY Need some help from anyone who may know where I can source very large quantities of these at a very reasonable price... My original source for Atari 13 pin SIO connectors can no longer provide me more than a few dozen, and I'm going to need several hundred for the 7800 XM units. Anyone with info on where I can buy several hundred dirt cheap, please let me know, thank you. 6 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jaynz Posted June 8, 2015 Share Posted June 8, 2015 I seem to remember Curt actually posting here a while back to let everyone know that he will not be posting updates here, and for us to look for XM updates on his Syzygy facebook page. Again, if he updated THAT page, at least news would filter here. If you'll note, however, the last update there was February. As I said to him personally, what's really hurting him and driving the backlash isn't so much the delays (though that's really not helping at this point), but that he has these long periods without any updates, then a rash of promises, then something happens, then another long period without updates. It's really hard NOT to be jaded at this point. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lendorien Posted June 9, 2015 Share Posted June 9, 2015 Curt Vendel May 30 at 11:03pm · Carmel, NY Need some help from anyone who may know where I can source very large quantities of these at a very reasonable price... My original source for Atari 13 pin SIO connectors can no longer provide me more than a few dozen, and I'm going to need several hundred for the 7800 XM units. Anyone with info on where I can buy several hundred dirt cheap, please let me know, thank you. Gosh. That's a tall order. Are those even made any more? Best I can tell, it's a connector that was only used on Atari hardware and doesn't exist any more. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Andromeda Stardust Posted June 9, 2015 Share Posted June 9, 2015 Gosh. That's a tall order. Are those even made any more? Best I can tell, it's a connector that was only used on Atari hardware and doesn't exist any more. Either he'll have to have tooling made, or get them from somewhere. BTW, Curt was selling replacement connectors online through his shop at one point, yes? Well at least a boot for cart loading that is more compatible with sharper edged 3rd party carts. My Best AV 7800 had a slight mold defect, an air bubble in the plastic I believe, and one of the small pegs broke the first time I ever inserted a 2600 cart. Now there's hesitation every time I insert a standard 2600 cart since the peg on the other side has to pry the cart door from one side only. If the other peg goes, that will make it difficult or impossible to insert standard 2600 games. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
+rdemming Posted June 9, 2015 Share Posted June 9, 2015 Curt Vendel May 30 at 11:03pm · Carmel, NY Need some help from anyone who may know where I can source very large quantities of these at a very reasonable price... My original source for Atari 13 pin SIO connectors can no longer provide me more than a few dozen, and I'm going to need several hundred for the 7800 XM units. Anyone with info on where I can buy several hundred dirt cheap, please let me know, thank you. Steven Tucker from AtariMax had made white SIO connectors for his SIO2PC interfaces. Maybe Curt can ask him if these are available. Anyway I would be happy with an XM without the SIO connector as I can desolder them from a broken 800XE board and put it on the XM myself. Robert Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lynxpro Posted June 9, 2015 Share Posted June 9, 2015 Steven Tucker from AtariMax had made white SIO connectors for his SIO2PC interfaces. Maybe Curt can ask him if these are available. Anyway I would be happy with an XM without the SIO connector as I can desolder them from a broken 800XE board and put it on the XM myself. Robert On the thread back at Facebook, a few people, including Joe Decuir, suggested he contact Lotharek about it since Lotharek supposedly commissioned a mold to be made for those purposes for all of his commercial wares. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Master Phruby Posted June 9, 2015 Share Posted June 9, 2015 Last I heard about Curt from the Antic podcast was all his time was being dedicated to the new Atari is War book. He never mentioned this project. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Trebor Posted June 9, 2015 Share Posted June 9, 2015 Last I heard about Curt from the Antic podcast was all his time was being dedicated to the new Atari is War book. He never mentioned this project. Antic Podcast. (Retrocomputing podcast about the Atari 8-bit line of personal computers) Made available on May 27, 2015: "This interview was conducted February 25, 2015 via Skype." Final PCB layout of the 7800XM - rev 3.4.3. Posted: April 18, 2015 Atari 13 pin SIO connectors in quantity of several hundred needed for XM units. (Previous source can provide only a few dozen) Posted: May 31, 2015 On the thread back at Facebook, a few people, including Joe Decuir, suggested he contact Lotharek about it since Lotharek supposedly commissioned a mold to be made for those purposes for all of his commercial wares. Regarding Lotharek, per his product page here, Atari SIO PLUG in quantities of 50+ costs 3.07 EUR (Currently $3.46 US); plus shipping, of course. 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tep392 Posted June 9, 2015 Share Posted June 9, 2015 Regarding Lotharek, per his product page here, Atari SIO PLUG in quantities of 50+ costs 3.07 EUR (Currently $3.46 US); plus shipping, of course. ATARISIOLOTH.PNG I thought Curt needed the socket, not the plug. 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Trebor Posted June 9, 2015 Share Posted June 9, 2015 I thought Curt needed the socket, not the plug. Yep...Hoping just a plug listing and pricing may provide a ballpark figure of what to expect in both quantity and price for a socket, if available. Though Lotharek may have nothing on hand respecting sales of sockets, as there does not appear to be a listing for them specifically. This may provide some reassurance, that if Lotharek does not work out, another source is hopefully possible. The aforementioned looks like they can be reached here. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
iesposta Posted June 9, 2015 Share Posted June 9, 2015 (edited) Speaking of 3D printers, Trebor, maybe the Tiko high-resolution $179 3D printer would be enough. I didn't fund this project, but it is one of those start-ups that waaaaay exceeded the initial wanted money goal. Unless the cost of printing material is expensive (like ink-jet printer ink)... https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/tiko3d/tiko-the-unibody-3d-printer It still would be a huge fabrication task without help, making and bending pin connectors and time and assembly of hundreds. Edited June 9, 2015 by iesposta Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Andromeda Stardust Posted June 9, 2015 Share Posted June 9, 2015 Steven Tucker from AtariMax had made white SIO connectors for his SIO2PC interfaces. Maybe Curt can ask him if these are available. Anyway I would be happy with an XM without the SIO connector as I can desolder them from a broken 800XE board and put it on the XM myself. Robert Does the Atari 800 share some interfaces with the 7800 cartridge port? Because I thought the female cartridge ports were what Curt needed to complete his production run. This is indeed unfortunate as the general unavailability of parts would prevent future production runs. I may still be interested in this product in the future. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CPUWIZ Posted June 9, 2015 Share Posted June 9, 2015 SIO ports have nothing to do with the cart connector. I could care less, I wouldn't use it anyway. And if needed, you can always rip one out of a computer. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Andromeda Stardust Posted June 9, 2015 Share Posted June 9, 2015 Speaking of 3D printers, Trebor, maybe the Tiko high-resolution $179 3D printer would be enough. I didn't fund this project, but it is one of those start-ups that waaaaay exceeded the initial wanted money goal. Unless the cost of printing material is expensive (like ink-jet printer ink)... https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/tiko3d/tiko-the-unibody-3d-printer It still would be a huge fabrication task without help, making and bending pin connectors and time and assembly of hundreds. Deskjet ink is cheap. You can buy 100ml bottles of the four colors for next to nothing. What isn't cheap is the proprietary disposable cartridges the manufacturer forces you to buy. Some 3D printing technologies such as laser stintured nylon cost up to $250,000 and the raw material is $1USD/cm^3, or at least that's what Shapeways used to charge. It may have come down some but cost is still prohibitive. The cheap printers like makerbot et al use extruders which are far to imprecise for making mechanical interfaces like a cartridge slot. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Andromeda Stardust Posted June 9, 2015 Share Posted June 9, 2015 (edited) SIO ports have nothing to do with the cart connector. I could care less, I wouldn't use it anyway. And if needed, you can always rip one out of a computer.Okay, I figured it out. The SIO port was removed from all but the earliest 7800 consoles and Curt is trying to include it back in for whatever reason. Unnecessary imo. Feature creep is what killed this project. Hokey/Pokey sound chip, extra RAM, and high score saving with non-volatile flash memory was all this project needed. The Yamaha sound chip (nice but unnecessary), SIO port, and everything else are just fluff that add to the final cost but nobody's going to use. Less hardware would have allowed a smaller profile for the add-on, resulting in cheaper molds and less raw plastic, but what's done is done. Edited June 9, 2015 by stardust4ever Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jinks Posted June 9, 2015 Share Posted June 9, 2015 https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/117421627/the-peachy-printer-the-first-100-3d-printer-and-sc/description A guy in my province is making one of these. 3d printer and with a camera can be a 3d scanner as well for 100bucks. Yamaha and sio. Well I guess your not interested in dig dug xm with yamaha sound for the 7800 I heard they were making. And sio you could do one of the many sio options for rom storage and whatnot. Sio to keep it old school I guess? 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Andromeda Stardust Posted June 9, 2015 Share Posted June 9, 2015 Yamaha and sio. Well I guess your not interested in dig dug xm with yamaha sound for the 7800 I heard they were making. And sio you could do one of the many sio options for rom storage and whatnot. Sio to keep it old school I guess? Feature creep has killed a good many projects. Sure they are nice things to have but you've got to draw the line somewhere. The more features get added, the higher the price point, the fewer people buy who it, and the less the market share, the less motivated homebrew programmers will be to write games for it. A simple piggyback unit for $75 would have sold far more and gotten more support as a result than a bloated device selling for $150. I may buy an XM eventually but it's a hard sell for many at it's current price point. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CPUWIZ Posted June 10, 2015 Share Posted June 10, 2015 Okay, I figured it out. The SIO port was removed from all but the earliest 7800 consoles and Curt is trying to include it back in for whatever reason. No, you did not figure it out, the SIO port was never present on 7800's. EDIT: Here you go: http://www.atarimax.com/jindroush.atari.org/asio.html https://nuxx.net/wiki/SDrive_NUXX#Finding_SIO_Connectors 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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