5200 DVI: pixel perfect perfection

[john_q_atari]

I finally got a chance to install my sophia 2 into an atari 5200 this week, and my is it glorious!

PAC-MAN (looks better in person):

 

 

 

The install:

 

 

5200 console only off ebay: $85

5200 power supply: spare parts

5200 power mod kit: spare parts (why by 1 (the 1st power mod I did) when you can have 2 at twice the price?)

5200 audio mod: spare parts

sophia 2: ~$100 I think

pixel perfect perfection: priceless!

 

[+-^CrossBow^-]

I've thought of doing this but don't have an easy way to convert that DVI into my setup really and I've already got my composite,s-video, and audio jacks off that expansion plate cover so I would have to find another spot with thinnish plastic on the case to mount it and I'm not about to run it through the controller storage area.

 

Then again, the s-video off of mine looks really good and I've not wanted to upgrade beyond it just yet but that does look really good can't argue with the results!

 

 

[john_q_atari]

I already had an earlier RGB sophia installed in my 5200 (the earlier DVI version wouldn't sync to my projector) but I always was picking up a little bit of noise on the RGB lines it seems so the picture wasn't perfect. Also like you, I already had jacks installed in my expansion plate and I didn't want to rip apart my current 5200 so I went looking for and found on ebay, a whole separate console to do the mod on. I really need to get me some tin snips or maybe a nibbler. Hacking away on the metal shielding with a hack saw to make way for the DVI interface board didn't work all that well, though I did manage.

[SINGLE TOOTH]

Looks glorious. Didn't even know dvi was an option. What if you use DVI to HDMI?

[john_q_atari]

46 minutes ago, SINGLE TOOTH said:

Looks glorious. Didn't even know dvi was an option. What if you use DVI to HDMI?

That is the plan. Amazon should be delivering a DVI to HDMI female cable tomorrow. For now I have it hooked up to my computer monitor, but with the cable I will be able to hook it up to my HDMI projector.

[+-^CrossBow^-]

45 minutes ago, SINGLE TOOTH said:

Looks glorious. Didn't even know dvi was an option. What if you use DVI to HDMI?

Yes that can be made to work and as I understand it, the reason for going with DVI is because there isn't any licensing involved as there is with HDMI. So yes a simple DVI to HDMI adapter would likely work just fine. We use such things in a lot of of older digital signage systems we install as the older displays didn't have an Aspect perfect type mode through their HDMI inputs causing overscan on the images through HDMI. We used DVI to counter this and since the signage players we used were DVI output only as the best they had back then, we found it MUCH cheaper to purchase the DVI to HDMI adapters and use long run amplified HDMI cables between the TVs themselves.

 

 

[+-^CrossBow^-]

2 hours ago, john_q_atari said:

I already had an earlier RGB sophia installed in my 5200 (the earlier DVI version wouldn't sync to my projector) but I always was picking up a little bit of noise on the RGB lines it seems so the picture wasn't perfect. Also like you, I already had jacks installed in my expansion plate and I didn't want to rip apart my current 5200 so I went looking for and found on ebay, a whole separate console to do the mod on. I really need to get me some tin snips or maybe a nibbler. Hacking away on the metal shielding with a hack saw to make way for the DVI interface board didn't work all that well, though I did manage.

In my case this would be even more difficult to modify because the expansion plate is epoxied into place to make sure it wouldn't pop out on me from plugging the cables in and out of it. In fact all of the 5200s I add AV upgrades into I apply epoxy in and around the expansion plate so they won't pop out. Have to apply it to the s-video jacks as well since the plastic is smooth, the nut just won't tighten enough on the jack to keep it from still turning and slipping so epoxy to secure it.

 

[john_q_atari]

Oh wow. It never occurred to me to epoxy that plate into place. So far I haven't needed to re-enforce it like that. I guess time will tell.

[+-^CrossBow^-]

1 hour ago, john_q_atari said:

Oh wow. It never occurred to me to epoxy that plate into place. So far I haven't needed to re-enforce it like that. I guess time will tell.

It actually came to me when Al sent me 2 5200s to repair for him. The expansion plates had popped out over time and the small tabs broken on them from the constant plugging and unplugging pulling at the plate over time from the convention shows. Then my own started to do it I think in about the 2nd year after adding in the AV upgrade? And the s-video jacks always have to have it regardless because I haven't found an s-video jack that includes a lock washer that still long enough to clear the plastic thickness in these shells.