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Apple II VGA Scaler!


eightbit

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I basically check this page every now and then and expect it to be out of stock as usual:

 

http://www.a2heaven.com/webshop/index.php?rt=product/product&product_id=142

 

But tonight it was in stock! Two in stock to be exact. Now it is not in stock again.

 

I was able to order one thankfully, but even though the order went all the way through (as well as the payment via paypal) my order status when I check says "failed". Does anyone have any experience ordering from A2Heaven and having this happen to them? I suspect it is just that they have to confirm the payment, but it is a little unsettling. I just hope this ships because I am dying to get this IIe Platinum on a VGA display. This is a serious benefit of the Apple II that products like this exist. That's a one up over many other vintage computers. I'd get them all to VGA if I could. Now if only I could get the IIGS to VGA and obtain one of those adapters....

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I just ordered a RamExpress+ from there and got a confirmation email from a2heaven.com and PayPal. Did you get these?

 

Yeah, I got both. But while the paypal payment went through the invoice I received says:

 

"Thank your for interest in www.a2heaven.com products. Your order has been received and will be processed once payment has been confirmed."

 

When I check the order invoice via the link in the email it says "Status: Failed"

 

 

As soon as I completed checkout (paid via paypal and was sent back to the merchant) it gave me some kind of failed message. Well, they got the payment (this IS confirmed) so I hope there will not be any issues.

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I received an email from the dev. Just a website glitch. He is preparing my order for shipping :)

 

I would have went for the Ramworks VGA extender (since I have a AA Ramworks III card that can use it) but there's just no telling when that will be in stock either and I really want VGA on this IIe.

Edited by eightbit
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Join the Apple II Enth Fb group, Plamen the designer and Owner of A2heaven is a member and regular poster there. He is an amazingly approachable person, I am sure you can get it worked out, and a alot of times if you need something he will make it for you.

Edited by c0op3r
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Join the Apple II Enth Fb group, Plamen the designer and Owner of A2heaven is a member and regular poster there. He is an amazingly approachable person, I am sure you can get it worked out, and a alot of times if you need something he will make it for you.

 

 

He already reached out to me and said it was an issue with his webshop. He fixed my invoice and will be shipping soon. This looks to be a fantastic device. I love the fact that it has adjustable modes for scanline emulation and monochrome/amber. Well thought out device!

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  • 2 weeks later...

I received this today. Works great...however...

 

The VGA extension cable and adapter (so that you don't have to connect the VGA cable internally) had line interference. I reseated it, tried a different VGA cable, different VGA display...and it is always the same. Connecting the VGA cable directly to the card on the other hand is crisp and clear (and awesome!) but this is a bit of a drag as now I have to have the VGA cable directly connected to the card and run it out of a pop out port on the back of the machine....as opposed to having a clean VGA port on the back. Not a huge deal (and yes I contacted the developer) but worth noting if you buy one of these and have a cruddy display...try directly connecting to the card instead. I suspect a bad extension cable.

 

The CREF jumper that is supposed to be included was not included. This is COLOR REF. If you install to Slot 7 you don't need it...but I wanted to install to Slot 5 and for that I do. I am sure I could source a jumper cable somewhere...but the point is that it is supposed to be included and is referenced in the documentation. I mentioned this to him as well.

 

 

Other than those snafu's, the card is VERY worth it. The picture is superb and the modes are fantastic!

Edited by eightbit
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I received this today. Works great...however...

 

The VGA extension cable and adapter (so that you don't have to connect the VGA cable internally) had line interference. I reseated it, tried a different VGA cable, different VGA display...and it is always the same. Connecting the VGA cable directly to the card on the other hand is crisp and clear (and awesome!) but this is a bit of a drag as now I have to have the VGA cable directly connected to the card and run it out of a pop out port on the back of the machine....as opposed to having a clean VGA port on the back. Not a huge deal (and yes I contacted the developer) but worth noting if you buy one of these and have a cruddy display...try directly connecting to the card instead. I suspect a bad extension cable.

 

The CREF jumper that is supposed to be included was not included. This is COLOR REF. If you install to Slot 7 you don't need it...but I wanted to install to Slot 5 and for that I do. I am sure I could source a jumper cable somewhere...but the point is that it is supposed to be included and is referenced in the documentation. I mentioned this to him as well.

 

 

Other than those snafu's, the card is VERY worth it. The picture is superb and the modes are fantastic!

 

I bought one of these when they first came out and have experience both issues you mentioned - i.e. the interference using the extension cable and the missing jumper cable - I have considered trying to shield the extension cable with some aluminium foil, but haven't tried it as yet.

 

Regardless of these (relatively minor) faults, I still think it is a terrific solution and I no longer have any requirement for a bulky CRT being used.

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Problem solved with a coupler and a thin 12 inch VGA cable ;) Picture perfect now! (the PSU is a temporary solution until tax season grants me the funds to have the original PSU reworked). Most importantly, DON'T go by this for installation reference regarding the jumpers. The green jumper is really BLUE. The blue jumper arrived broken and I was forced to use the green one in its place ;)

post-21417-0-13542300-1516934216_thumb.jpg

Edited by eightbit
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I cannot speak highly enough of this card. I cannot believe the picture generated from it via VGA. It's one of those things in which after seeing it in its glory you really can't go back to a composite display.

 

Like I said earlier, this gives the Apple II a BIG edge over other 8-bit computer platforms. If you have an Apple II/II+/IIe and are still living with a composite CRT do yourself a favor and buy one of these when you can. You have to be persistent (I checked the page daily for months) but when you get it you will see that it really pays off. I can't wait to check out various games over the weekend. Seeing them this way is just an all new and awesome experience.

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thanks for the picture, it will help speedup my installation

 

 

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

 

Just remember the green is really BLUE :) And, you have to use slot 7 in order to hook it up this way. Any other slot requires more jumpers. I would have installed it into another slot, but I was lacking the jumpers (the developer is a nice guy and is sending me some)

 

And if you find that the VGA adapter and ribbon extension cable give you poor picture results (I am suspecting so as even the developer admitted to me that the ribbon cable was not that great) you can buy these:

 

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00066HJBG/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o02_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

 

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0721SSJJT/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o02_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

 

And that will solve your problem ;) The picture is perfect with these installed.

Edited by eightbit
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