iTari Game Console

[tane]

I thought it was for something embedded.

 

 

 

 

 

[+mytek]

2 hours ago, AtariGeezer said:

How about a 8" display? https://www.ebay.com/itm/233546266297

Here's a similar model but cheaper: eBay Link

 

Although they both say they'll accept a composite input, I wonder if the input can be made to default to that. Be a real pain if you had to select the correct input each and every time the system powered up.

 

To tell you the truth, this is getting too big for what I have in mind. I'm not looking at creating something the size of an actual MAC SE. As I original mentioned, this is a project I'm looking at creating for my grandson when he gets old enough (he's only 6 months old at the moment). So I really want it to be compact, yet still big enough to be usable.

 

[+mytek]

1 hour ago, tane said:

I thought it was for something embedded.

Look at the first post in this topic to see what I'm trying to create. That display will be too small for what I have in mind (I'm starting to sound like Goldilocks and the Three Bears ).

 

[AtariGeezer]

1 hour ago, mytek said:

Here's a similar model but cheaper: eBay Link

 

Although they both say they'll accept a composite input, I wonder if the input can be made to default to that. Be a real pain if you had to select the correct input each and every time the system powered up.

 

To tell you the truth, this is getting too big for what I have in mind. I'm not looking at creating something the size of an actual MAC SE. As I original mentioned, this is a project I'm looking at creating for my grandson when he gets old enough (he's only 6 months old at the moment). So I really want it to be compact, yet still big enough to be usable.

 

Thought it might be a tad bigger than what you planned for...

[Rybags]

Minor point but HELP is part of the keyboard matrix so isn't so easy to have seperated from the other keys.

 

Other point - the obvious candidate might be a 1088XEL board, but you'd probably end up with a whole bunch of unused space.

Maybe for a Mac form factor a good additional set of mods could be an integrated carry handle and storage bay that uses some of the excess space.

[+mytek]

On 4/8/2020 at 10:18 PM, Rybags said:

Minor point but HELP is part of the keyboard matrix so isn't so easy to have seperated from the other keys.

Yes you are absolutely correct, but easily solved by a variation of my TK-II firmware that would use an I/O pin on the PIC16F1847 as a switch input that the firmware would respond to by outputting the correct key to Pokey via the key response inputs. And I just happen to know the guy that can facilitate that for me .

 

Quote

Other point - the obvious candidate might be a 1088XEL board, but you'd probably end up with a whole bunch of unused space.

Maybe for a Mac form factor a good additional set of mods could be an integrated carry handle and storage bay that uses some of the excess space.

I'm actually planning on designing a motherboard specific to this application, and keep in mind that this will be housed inside a greatly scaled down version of a MAC style case (3D Printed), so what would seem like wasted space, will now be used for the recessed cartridge port, a decent size Li-Ion battery pack, and yes I was planning on retaining a recessed handle similar to the original MAC design. There will also be an I/O board in the rear for the various connectors such as the PS/2 mouse and keyboard jacks, SIO, external video and audio jacks. I also haven't entirely ruled out a MIDI-In and MIDI-Out port, since the circuitry is very minimal to support this (https://ataribits.weebly.com/midi.html). This could share space on the I/O motherboard.

 

[pseudografx]

There are also 6.5" 4:3 displays available, which might be a sweet spot. But they may be harder to source.

Found this one: https://www.aliexpress.com/item/4000412067636.html?spm=a2g0o.productlist.0.0.402a6e17GHWSz2&algo_pvid=b70061b7-3a65-4f2e-bc41-3586221d9bcc&algo_expid=b70061b7-3a65-4f2e-bc41-3586221d9bcc-50&btsid=0ab6d59515864464066448830e37ed&ws_ab_test=searchweb0_0,searchweb201602_,searchweb201603_

Btw. this site might come in handy for reference: http://www.panelook.com/modelsearch.php?op=size

Edited April 9, 2020 by pseudografx

[+mytek]

1 hour ago, pseudografx said:

There are also 6.5" 4:3 displays available, which might be a sweet spot. But they may be harder to source.

Found this one: https://www.aliexpress.com/item/4000412067636.html?spm=a2g0o.productlist.0.0.402a6e17GHWSz2&algo_pvid=b70061b7-3a65-4f2e-bc41-3586221d9bcc&algo_expid=b70061b7-3a65-4f2e-bc41-3586221d9bcc-50&btsid=0ab6d59515864464066448830e37ed&ws_ab_test=searchweb0_0,searchweb201602_,searchweb201603_

Nice looking display panel ? .

 

However I suspect it wouldn't work for either composite or S-Video without an additional converter. It doesn't actually say what input is required (unless I missed it), but its probably VGA.

 

[_The Doctor__]

Yeah, it's RGB/VGA

[leech]

Ha, maybe I am adding mire complexity to this, but a dock for this concept would be awesome.  Like the Nintendo Switch, you could sit it on a desk and play it with the built in screen, or you could hook it to a dock with SIO, VIDEO OUT, and USB-C passthrough for power and play it on the TV.

[+DrVenkman]

So this is awesome. But I propose a new name: “MyTari”  

[+mytek]

55 minutes ago, leech said:

Ha, maybe I am adding mire complexity to this, but a dock for this concept would be awesome.  Like the Nintendo Switch, you could sit it on a desk and play it with the built in screen, or you could hook it to a dock with SIO, VIDEO OUT, and USB-C passthrough for power and play it on the TV.

I'll keep it in mind, although due to the extra complexity it might not make it into my final design. Good idea though .

 

49 minutes ago, DrVenkman said:

So this is awesome. But I propose a new name: “MyTari”  

Cute ? . But for now to avoid confusion the code name for this project will remain 'iTari' . Think of this like Stella or Colleen which were also code names while the projects were in development, and then later got changed when released.

 

[leech]

Yeah, I think it would be brilliant to have a little tabletop arcade-like machine, like those mini cabinets, but have a port for a XEGS keyboard as well?  With the option to connect to a larger screen.  I mean why have the option for 8bitdo wireless controllers, when you are going to have to sit closte for the small screen?  ?

 

Awesome idea though, hope to add one to my collection!  Hell, I would be down if it were just an Atari based clone of the SX64.

[R0ger]

I have this Chinese multi emulator. It's called RS97 (it's obsolete now, there are better models). It has 600MHz ARM and runs kind of Linux. It runs Atari decently, but the port of Atari 800 is based on like 10 year old version, and it also has very bad sound rendering. Nothing which couldn't be fixed I think, but I have no experience in this area. The more popular platforms have right out flawless emulators. It can handle Megadrive, Amiga, somewhat SNES, PS1 not so much. All 8-bits of course.

The screen is 320x480 and can do both 60 and 50fps. It cost me $40 about a year back.

This year models are bit bigger, lot better screen, stronger CPUs (usually above 1GHz), but are somewhat more expensive.

 

[leech]

8 minutes ago, R0ger said:

I have this Chinese multi emulator. It's called RS97 (it's obsolete now, there are better models). It has 600MHz ARM and runs kind of Linux. It runs Atari decently, but the port of Atari 800 is based on like 10 year old version, and it also has very bad sound rendering. Nothing which couldn't be fixed I think, but I have no experience in this area. The more popular platforms have right out flawless emulators. It can handle Megadrive, Amiga, somewhat SNES, PS1 not so much. All 8-bits of course.

The screen is 320x480 and can do both 60 and 50fps. It cost me $40 about a year back.

This year models are bit bigger, lot better screen, stronger CPUs (usually above 1GHz), but are somewhat more expensive.

 

That is pretty sweet, reminds me of the portable Genesis one I have, but much like that one, the sound emulation isn't quite right.  Might be interesting to get a later model.

[R0ger]

9 minutes ago, leech said:

That is pretty sweet, reminds me of the portable Genesis one I have, but much like that one, the sound emulation isn't quite right.  Might be interesting to get a later model.

The sounds is definitely problem of poor port. It seems no Atarist is working on it, people just keep compiling old year source codes. I asked on the forums, nobody ever even answered. It's not that popular platform anymore.

Those one machine Chinese emulators are usually pretty bad. The difference here is the system is open (or the open one can be put in). You can get any Linux based emulator to run on this. It uses some SDL library for GFX and such, sadly I have no idea what's that. Anyway, as I said, besides Atari, all emulators I tried worked flawlessly. I've tried Megadrive, Amiga, GBC, NES, SNES.

 

[+mytek]

On 4/9/2020 at 3:11 PM, leech said:

Yeah, I think it would be brilliant to have a little tabletop arcade-like machine, like those mini cabinets, but have a port for a XEGS keyboard as well?

I'm sorry, but that keyboard is really not very good in my opinion. In fact I think you'd have to search far and wide to find a PS/2 keyboard with that poor of a quality. And what is the deal with everyone always wanting an Atari keyboard anyway? Seems like people now days would predominately be using a PC or a MAC, or a Linux box like me to post stuff on forums and/or do general computing. Since I use a PC type keyboard and computer way more than an 8-bit Atari, I actually find it easier and less confusing to have the same style keyboard on both systems. In fact that was really the driving force behind the  development of the TK-II in the first place. And now with the latest version of the firmware, it mimics function key assignments for the console and reset keys as used in Altirra.

 

Edit: An XEGS keyboard connector has now made it into the spec.

 

Quote

  With the option to connect to a larger screen.  I mean why have the option for 8bitdo wireless controllers, when you are going to have to sit close for the small screen?  ?

Good point, but remember this will have a video output port as well, so a larger monitor could be connected. And to add this functionality is really trivial.

 

Edit: Genesis compatibility has been removed from the spec.

 

Quote

Awesome idea though, hope to add one to my collection!  Hell, I would be down if it were just an Atari based clone of the SX64.

Thanks . Yeah at first I was thinking of resurrecting the idea of the 65XEP (similar to the SX64), but as I said, I've always really liked the form factor of the old MACs and decided to go that way instead.

 

Edited April 23, 2020 by mytek
updates

[leech]

2 minutes ago, mytek said:

I'm sorry, but that keyboard is really not very good in my opinion. In fact I think you'd have to search far and wide to find a PS/2 keyboard with that poor of a quality. And what is the deal with everyone always wanting an Atari keyboard anyway? Seems like people now days would predominately be using a PC or a MAC, or a Linux box like me to post stuff on forums and/or do general computing. Since I use a PC type keyboard and computer way more than an 8-bit Atari, I actually find it easier and less confusing to have the same style keyboard on both systems. In fact that was really the driving force behind the  development of the TK-II in the first place. And now with the latest version of the firmware, it mimics function key assignments for the console and reset keys as used in Altirra.

 

Good point, but remember this will have a video output port as well, so a larger monitor could be connected. And to add this functionality is really trivial.

 

Thanks . Yeah at first I was thinking of resurrecting the idea of the 65XEP (similar to the SX64), but as I said, I've always really liked the form factor of the old MACs and decided to go that way instead.

 

Ha, well I'm of the "I use real hardware because I want the original interfaces (keyboard/joystick mainly, most old mice suck)" mindset.  I only suggested the XEGS keyboard because it's already detachable,and it'd just have the port for those that needed it.  The best keyboard out of the 8bits of course is either the 800 or the 1200xl   But there is definitely the advantage of being used to either.  Funny thing is someone made a device for ADB keyboard so that you can either use a USB keyboard on an old Apple IIGS / Mac, or use the old ADB keyboard on a modern computer.

[+mytek]

Just now, leech said:

Ha, well I'm of the "I use real hardware because I want the original interfaces (keyboard/joystick mainly, most old mice suck)" mindset.  I only suggested the XEGS keyboard because it's already detachable,and it'd just have the port for those that needed it.  The best keyboard out of the 8bits of course is either the 800 or the 1200xl   But there is definitely the advantage of being used to either.  Funny thing is someone made a device for ADB keyboard so that you can either use a USB keyboard on an old Apple IIGS / Mac, or use the old ADB keyboard on a modern computer.

Yeah I get it to some extent... people want the complete retro experience. Not me, and you'll never get me to go back to tape drives or even floppies now that I've had a taste for the alternative upgrades. But I'm just that way, and really enjoy creating upgrades and variations of the Atari instead. So to each his own, and whatever makes your disk spin .

 

[leech]

7 hours ago, mytek said:

Yeah I get it to some extent... people want the complete retro experience. Not me, and you'll never get me to go back to tape drives or even floppies now that I've had a taste for the alternative upgrades. But I'm just that way, and really enjoy creating upgrades and variations of the Atari instead. So to each his own, and whatever makes your disk spin .

 

Yeah for me it is original keyboard and controllers, as sometimes they don't seem to map correctly,  and I feel you may as well go emulation if you don't care about those. 

BUT, (there is always a but) I am completely in support of things like the Biggus Dickus and Ultimate Atari Cart, etc.  Making it so I don't have to deal with physical media and needing the space to store all of that is fantastic.  Not to mention the crazy load speed improvements we get from things like the u1mb!

So I am not a 'oh my god, it has to be original!' Kind of guy, though I do tend to buy 2 of each system so I have one I can mod and one original.... ?

[+mytek]

Preliminary schematics for iTari motherboard (no component IDs have been assigned at this time).

 

The video circuit needs to be verified, waiting on FMS6400 (Dual Channel Video Driver w/Composite Summer).

 

Video driver circuit is based on 7800 LongHorn Mod, but with a few minor changes to better suit this application.

 

I gave in to one suggestion, and added the XEGS keyboard connector along with the TK-II PS/2 mini-DIN. Both keyboards can operate simultaneously if desired.

 

I decided to not do the Genesis port compatibility mode, and just stuck to standard Atari joystick ports, Also left out the PS/2 mouse which can easily be added externally and plugged into either one of the joystick ports (The Brewing Academy has just the thing for doing that).

 

Edited April 23, 2020 by mytek
Updated sheet 3 of schematic