Sophia 2 - improved GTIA replacement

[AccessGuru47]

He’s done it again... Simius, you’re an Atari GOD! 
 

You can put me down for two, whenever they’re ready for prime time! 

[ijor]

8 hours ago, Simius said:

The new Sophia 2 board will be available soon.

- 100% compatible GTIA replacement

...

From the documentation:

Access to these registers is possible only when SPECEN flag is set

 

Looks fantastic indeed, congratulations! But unless you protect the SPECEN bit itself somehow, then it is not 100% GTIA compatible.

 

I know most would not care about this, may be you don't, but I'm almost paranoid about breaking compatibility even just in theory.

May I suggest to add a control register to disable SPECEN for good, and then all the extra features altogether, until the next power up. This way, you can always set 100% GTIA mode.

Edited May 23, 2020 by ijor

[pjbramley]

Am very keen.  What models does it work on? All XL including 1200, XE including XEGS and original 400/800 models?  Have to start budgeting!

[Level42]

Nice but I agree that I never regretted getting my RGB Sophia and in fact....I see little reason to get Sophia 2 as I’m not really interested in DVI or higher resolutions etc.

 

just MHO.

[john_q_atari]

7 hours ago, DrVenkman said:

This looks fantastic. Kind of glad I've never gotten around to adding the DVI Sophia to my 1088XEL build.  

Build? As in only one? Two of my three 1088XEL builds (it's a sickness) still have room for a Sophia. Or maybe I'll replace my RGB Sophia in my 5200 with this one. (The DVI version never could handshake with my projector so maybe this new supermode Sophia would have better luck.)

[+DrVenkman]

4 minutes ago, john_q_atari said:

Build? As in only one?

Don't worry - I have plenty of Atari 8-bits to keep me company.  

[_The Doctor__]

Will everything else still work as always, monitor jack, rf?

[Gunstar]

1 hour ago, pjbramley said:

Am very keen.  What models does it work on? All XL including 1200, XE including XEGS and original 400/800 models?  Have to start budgeting!

I'm also curious about compatibility with models, I think I'd like to put one of these on my 800's CPU board instead of getting Super Color CPU board, if it's compatible with the 800.

[Frankie]

14 minutes ago, Gunstar said:

I'm also curious about compatibility with models, I think I'd like to put one of these on my 800's CPU board instead of getting Super Color CPU board, if it's compatible with the 800.

I have the previous Sophia DVI version in my 800. Works great. Needed to modify the case a little, but worth it.

 

[Gunstar]

My case is being modded more than just a bit already.

[Kyle22]

OK, please describe and show pictures of what is necessary to put this on to an 800 CPU card. If this looks good, I may want one.

 

Thanks.

 

[Synthpopalooza]

 

 

Disable gr. 10 shift = 160x192 45 color mode.  you toggle that bit off every vblank and it gets you a HIP style mode.  I can work up a demo for testing if anybody wants to try it on this addon.

 

Programmable color palettes also add to the fun.

[MARIO130XE]

Wow, just wow. I want to replace my old sophia. ☺️

[Rybags]

It's not really a competitor to VBXE.   I'd call it a good accomanyment.

You can have two decent independent video displays.  Though of course it would need to be done programatically.

 

Aside from that, think of the other advantages.  Programmable palette could mean those annoying PAL/NTSC colour inconsitencies become less of a problem.

I assume the palette settings will persist for the duration of the powerup unless again overridden.  Default only available on legacy video outputs but who'd be using them?

And other nice stuff like limiting h-size to rid unwanted scrolling artifacts on wide monitors - and the interlace setting (wonder if it's what I think it might be)

[Mclaneinc]

I imagine its going to be more than the older Sophia which puts it out of my price league but I'd love to clean up my composite display, I shall await the finer details.

[Frankie]

8 hours ago, Kyle22 said:

OK, please describe and show pictures of what is necessary to put this on to an 800 CPU card. If this looks good, I may want one.

 

Thanks.

 

You could cut less of the metal case, but I made it so I could take the board out without opening things back up again.

 

I had to use one extra socket to raise the board up and miss the other chips. 

 

[Gunstar]

53 minutes ago, Frankie said:

You could cut less of the metal case, but I made it so I could take the board out without opening things back up again.

 

I had to use one extra socket to raise the board up and miss the other chips. 

 

I was going to cut part of the bottom off in my shielding anyway, for my PBI project, I'll just cut the entire backside off if I get the Sophia 2.

Edited May 24, 2020 by Gunstar

[pseudografx]

Any chance of finishing this before this year's Lost Party, and you being there, ready to sell a few?

[Simius]

FAQ

@Spancho
It will be PLN290

 

@paulderr
Yes, you can use this with the S-Video/Composite/UAV

 

@mytek
We are taking about ~$70

 

@foft
CGIA? Not CTIA?

 

@Brentarian
Not yet

 

@CharlieChaplin
What is the current kidney exchange rate?

 

@Sugarland
No. Analog video output will work like a stock machine. DVI output has a square pixel regardless PAL or NTSC system.

 

@ebiguy
The PCBs are ordered as a 10 pcs panel. MOQ is 5 panels = 50 boards. It isn't necessary to collect as many orders, but the total PCB cost have to be split to the actual number of orders. For instance, if there will be 5 willing, the single board will cost +$12.

 

@ijor
Any suggestions are welcome. I will consider yours. 

 

@pjbramley
All models

 

@_The_Doctor_
Monitor jack and RF still work as always.

 

@Gunstar
The board will fit to the 800. For this purpose the assembly will be different - as on the picture. But a cable must have some passage. 

 

 

@pseudografx
The chance is less than 25%
 

[+mytek]

Simius that is a very reasonable price. Put me on the list for at least one to begin with (VGA desired -- will be going in 1088XLD).

 

Can you provide details on the video monitor connector interface.

 

[jamm]

I'm interested in one or two also, but I'm not sure if this thread is meant for taking orders. @Simius do you want orders in this thread, or should we PM you, or are you not ready for orders yet?

[Simius]

It will be a standard, DVI-I connector. As a switching voltage to the SCART connector can be used a V-SYNC signal. 

[Simius]

I will open a separate thread for the preorder.

 

[Faicuai]

3 hours ago, Simius said:

 

@Gunstar
The board will fit to the 800. For this purpose the assembly will be different - as on the picture. But a cable must have some passage. 

 

 

 

That's REALLY good engineering, there!

 

It does have the chance to remain inside and clear the CPU-slot shield-frame. I am assuming a direct insertion on existing GTIA socket of CPU board, and exit-ribbon for final physical video-interface extraction.

 

If the ribbon is long enough, we can very easily route from CPU-slot to-and-inside of the expansion bay (all inside the main shield frame) and, once there, take it OUTSIDE of the bay, through the top cover, thus fully avoiding destructive changes to the shield's frame of external plastic case:

 

 

The above is possible with a minimal change on the expansion-bay cover shield-plate, as seen on this prototype:

 

 

If the PBI 50-pin IDC ribbon clears it, then Sophia's ribbon will be a walk in the park, provided it is LONG enough....

 

And that would be my question: what is going to be the length of Sophia's video ribbon / cable?

 

Edited May 24, 2020 by Faicuai

[Gunstar]

2 hours ago, Faicuai said:

 

 

That's REALLY good engineering, there!

 

It does have the chance to remain inside and clear the CPU-slot shield-frame. I am assuming a direct insertion on existing GTIA socket of CPU board, and exit-ribbon for final physical video-interface extraction.

 

If the ribbon is long enough, we can very easily route from CPU-slot to-and-inside of the expansion bay (all inside the main shield frame) and, once there, take it OUTSIDE of the bay, through the top cover, thus fully avoiding destructive changes to the shield's frame of external plastic case:

 

 

The above is possible with a minimal change on the expansion-bay cover shield-plate, as seen on this prototype:

 

 

If the PBI 50-pin IDC ribbon clears it, then Sophia's ribbon will be a walk in the park, provided it is LONG enough....

 

And that would be my question: what is going to be the length of Sophia's video ribbon / cable?

 

Very resourceful. I'll still be making an actual PBI port on the back of mine, just like I did with my 1200XL though. I have no issues cutting my cases as I plan on keeping them for myself the rest of my life and have no concern about resale or possibly diminishing it's resale value, but just like my 1200XL, it will look like it was made stock that way. By the time I am done, the back of my 800 will be filled with I/O ports of different types. But I am glad I won't have to cut the entire rear off of the shielding, just a half-inch or so at the bottom to allow access the the 800's hidden edge connector that I will be adapting for the PBI.