Mystery mod

[nshollingsworth]

Hi guys, I just got myself a "new" atari 800 and it has a mystery mod. On the underside it has a nine-pin connector wired to the main board with a ribbon connector. Does anybody have any idea as to what it is for? Unfortunatley the photo uploader doesn't want to work. If the controller jacks are on the top then it is on the bottom right of the ridge.

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Thanks,

nshollingsworth

[Kyle22]

Did you use .jpg or .png format pictures?

[nshollingsworth]

I'll have to check

[Fox-1 / mnx]

Unfortunatley the photo uploader doesn't want to work.

If you mean the uploader in the forum... you're right. There isn't one. You can upload it elsewhere and link to it, or you can add it to your personal gallery (check your profile settings) and link to that pic. in your forum post.

[Kyle22]

If you mean the uploader in the forum... you're right. There isn't one. You can upload it elsewhere and link to it, or you can add it to your personal gallery (check your profile settings) and link to that pic. in your forum post.

Sure there is. Just hit the big More Reply Options button. Below the textbox you're typing in is the Attach Files section where you can attach pictures and other files. Just make sure it is the proper type. PNG or JPG for pictures, ARC, ATR, and ZIP are ok for other files. There are probably more.

[Fox-1 / mnx]

Sure there is. Just hit the big More Reply Options button.

I should know that. I attached files myself in the past so no idea why I came up with that answer...

[BillC]

Can't tell without pictures, but possibly an internally installed RS232 device(R-verter?). Hard to tell anything with just a port location.

 

The R-Verter is a simple device to convert SIO to RS232 TTL level signalling. The original SIO2PC is very similar, but also connects the command signal to an RS232 handshake signal. Atari even used the R-Verter in the SX212 modems.

[nshollingsworth]

Yep using Jpegs.

[nshollingsworth]

what can I use the rs232 ttl signaling for?

[Muzz73]

My 800 also came with this mod. I never attempted to use it before switching the board out, but I do still have the old board. I don't have any pics handy either, but it looks to be wired directly to the SIO bus.

Edited March 16, 2016 by Muzz73

[nshollingsworth]

Got the pics

 

http://imgur.com/gallery/GS4Tb

[Kyle22]

That connector is attached to the start, select, option console keys.

[nshollingsworth]

Do u know what it could be used for?

[ClausB]

Remote gaming? Well, slightly remote.

 

If you're on the couch, at the limit of your joystick cord, and you don't want to get up to push START every time a Zylon kills you, you build a button box and plug it into that connector. Maybe it's even wired so a standard joystick can actuate those buttons.

[BillC]

The other use might be for a demo system in a store, with only the joysticks and function buttons accessible to the users.

[Kyle22]

I had the idea of building an arcade cabinet many years ago. I had planned to run 2 wires from the start button to make contact with the inserted coin. It would be easy to defeat, but it wouldn't cost anything to build.

[nshollingsworth]

Plugged in my joystick and it works! Button is start, up is option and down is select. Thank you all for your support.

[Roydea6]

Plugged in my joystick and it works! Button is start, up is option and down is select. Thank you all for your support.

I am wondering if you would get more input if you press the button while joystick is up/down. The consul keys are read differently if pressed together.

Key Detection (Values of PEEK(53279)
Decimal   Value
0         OPTION. SELECT. and START 
1         OPTION and SELECT          
2         OPTION and START           
3         OPTION                       
4         SELECT and START           
5         SELECT                       
6         START                        
7         None                         

Edited March 26, 2016 by rdea6