Dedicating an unused RPi 3 as a TRS-80 emulator.

[Omega-TI]

I don't have a TRS-80 Model III case to put a Raspberry Pi in, but I have a TRS-80 emulator running the spare otherwise unused RPi 3B+ shown below, but I also want to run the COMPOSITE monitor shown in the image with it, as I need to task the HDMI monitor for other purposes.  Does anyone know if the composite screen works by default when the appropriate cable is plugged in?  Before I go to the trouble of making special replica badging, and buying the cable, I'd like to know in advance if it'll work.  

 

 

Also, does anyone know of a good source for the composite video cable?

[+arcadeshopper]

Google raspberry pi 3 composite video

Sent from my LM-V600 using Tapatalk

[MrDave]

You can setup the config file to autoboot in composite . I have a pi3b

[MrDave]

As for the cable , some look correct but have the wire reversed so if you dont get  the right cable you will have to cut and reverse the wire

[youxia]

For the cable, you need to buy a dedicated one. Every major RPi seller should have them, they cost a few bucks. Zune cables also work but are more expensive.

 

For the config, change the sdtv options: https://www.raspberrypi.org/documentation/configuration/config-txt/video.md

[Omega-TI]

1 hour ago, youxia said:

For the cable, you need to buy a dedicated one. Every major RPi seller should have them, they cost a few bucks. Zune cables also work but are more expensive.

 

For the config, change the sdtv options: https://www.raspberrypi.org/documentation/configuration/config-txt/video.md

 

Thanks, this might do the trick.  I had already paid and received the emulator when @retrofan11 posted the message about the guy making money off of another guys work.  I'm not knowledgeable "under the floorboards" with Linux/Raspian and am quite unsure how this emulator is even setup.  All I know is that it boots directly into the emulator.   I am however quite good at following step by step instructions.  Anyone willing to run this FREE emulator on a RPi 3 to see if it works in composite, and if so, the steps you took?

 

 

If I can get confirmation, I'll buy the Zune cables and always have a "Mini TRS-80" on hand to play with.  I'm running out of room in the den, but I can still justify a cute little setup like this, and I'm probably not the only one. ?

 

Since the TRS-80 is B&W, things should look decent on this small monitor.

[Omega-TI]

I had a little bit of time tonight, so I thought I'd dress up the dedicated TRS-80 emulator with some period correct badging...

 

 So I put this in the labeler...

 

 ... printed it out on CLEAR label material...

 

  ... good enough for me!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[Omega-TI]

I had a chance to today to play with a 4 pole video cable today.  Although it was not the correct one, I did get video when the plug was halfway inserted, so I confirmed the composite works as-is.  So I've decided to delve a little bit further into the dedicated TRS-80 emulator project.

 

Since I'm getting forgetful, I figured I better label the three most important keys, because I'll probably not be using this every day.

I might have to label the Home key at some point as well because that usually starts some of the games.

 

 

The composite cables are cheap!  So I'll play around with this for a while, but eventually I'll hook it up via HDMI and put the beige TI on the composite side of the larger (shared) monitor

 

That's it for sticking my toes in back in the TRS-80 realm.  It was kinda fun!

 

 

 

[Omega-TI]

Well, the composite cable arrived... and it didn't work, so I put the dedicated TRS-80 emulator on the monitor with HDMI and have the beige TI using composite.  It's not as nice as having the real thing, but it was cheap.