800XL UAV Install

[+videofx]

I can't find install here on Atariage.

 

Can someone point me to install of UAV in 800XL with instructions and Pics?

 

Thanks!

[_The Doctor__]

whatever directions you follow for the various upgrades remember this....

One of the gates from the 4050 buffer chip is used for strengthen the RESET signal to the CPU and make sure it´s at a defined logic state. So if you remove the 4050 for the installation of a UAV/UGV or the SuperColor CPU Card (even on the 400), then the RESET pin numbered 40 on the CPU is floating around and you have an undefined condition. Some CPUs do not care about this and start even when the RESET input floats around 1.7 volts (for example), others don´t start up (SYNC = constantly low). Other upgrades and devices will randomly mess up without the 4050 in place.

 

If you´re using the UAV/UGV, or SuperColor CPU Card (400) and the 4050 is missing: Just plug it in again and the faults should be gone. If you have installed the UAV plugin module, then a fix is needed. A suggestion to solder the UAV plugin module "piggy-packed" onto the 4050 is one solution.

 

Another solution is to solder the 4050 chip "down-under" the pcb either in whole or just the reset portion. This is useful when you change the hardware at different times. For permanent usage it´s simpler to re-install the whole chip OR use the piggy-pack method. With this being said...

 

Calibrate your displays, computers and monitors BEFORE the upgrades, then do the upgrades and perform their calibrations!

 

Remember to have everything as perfect as possible before the upgrades and save yourself some headaches, do not delete parts if you don't have to because not everybody seems to know the parts may serve more functions than are apparent to the general fix it and repair tinkerer.

@videofx, @woj,   It can take a while to put thoughts to a keyboard for some of us today, so my messages may take time to evolve. A handful of people appreciate it and as such, I thank you for your patience. A number of times a person will jump all over things before a person is done with the process and pound their textual fingers with English major like precision before a person is able to get their thoughts out in some form. I am glad to provide some info when I can and hope my efforts are helpful.

Edited May 26, 2023 by _The Doctor__

[woj]

7 minutes ago, _The Doctor__ said:

One of the gates from the 4050 buffer chip is used for strengthen the RESET signal to the CPU

Thank you for this so much, this possibly could be the reason for my UAV equipped 800XL misbehaving, I will need to check this.

 

As for the original question, manual here https://www.thebrewingacademy.net/UAV_manuals.zip

[+mytek]

Since the OP specifically asked about the UAV and the 800XL I think it's important to point out that the 4050 buffer is only used for video related signals on the 800XL, all of which are mimicked on the UAV, so no ill effects will result from completely removing the 4050 and plugging the UAV in its place.

 

 

The reset circuit utilizes 2 gates from the 74LS14 chip instead.

[_The Doctor__]

and you will find that removing it on the 800XL as opposed to the 400/800 or other XL's etc have lead to other legacy issues, You also don't want to remove it from the 5200. I guess if you want to cut out all of the old functions you can... but when something fails, it sure makes it easier to troubleshoot when you have all options on the table.

Your mileage and driving style may vary... the emergency parking brake is never used by some, they are the ones you see mangled on the road.

You can find a few threads where folks put it back in the 800XL to solve their other quandarys

 

It also buffers CSYNC and for people who have had VBXE issues that was an issue without it, so later on you won't have to wonder why your XL doesn't like that mod...

 

People tend to modify their machines over time, and like I said, you just might need to fall back on those components for this or that. Sure you can take everything out... but why? It almost always becomes a mystery why this or that fails either for yourself, or the next owner.

Edited May 26, 2023 by _The Doctor__

[+x=usr(1536)]

1 hour ago, _The Doctor__ said:

and you will find that removing it on the 800XL as opposed to the 400/800 or other XL's etc have lead to other legacy issues, You also don't want to remove it from the 5200.

Just curious: I robbed the 4050 from the UAV in my 2-port 5200 to use in another machine, and haven't seen any ill effects.  It's probably been like that for around a year at this point.  What issues could it potentially cause?

1 hour ago, _The Doctor__ said:

the emergency parking brake is never used by some, they are the ones you see mangled on the road.

I hear you on this.  Having grown up driving manuals, I'm used to the weird looks from passengers when I set it in an automatic   Seriously, though, I'm in agreement with you as far as the point goes, but am curious about the specifics.

[DrVenkman]

1 hour ago, _The Doctor__ said:

nd you will find that removing it on the 800XL as opposed to the 400/800 or other XL's etc have lead to other legacy issues,

You must have missed @mytek's post right before yours. On the 800XL, only video passes through the 4050. My daily driver for a year-plus was a UAV-equipped 800XL. There were not "other legacy issues" of any kind other than much better-than-stock composite and S-video. 

[+videofx]

1 minute ago, DrVenkman said:

You must have missed @mytek's post right before yours. On the 800XL, only video passes through the 4050. My daily driver for a year-plus was a UAV-equipped 800XL. There were not "other legacy issues" of any kind other than much better-than-stock composite and S-video. ting read

Thanks @DrVenkman! I was thinking I need to solder my 4050 to the UAV

[+mytek]

The only 'legacy' thing that you'll lose is the original stock video outputs, including RF if the UAV is directly plugged into the 4050 socket. However I think most of us would agree that the whole purpose of installing a UAV is to get better than original composite and S-Video output. But if you for some reason absolutely still want the original and the UAV improved, then solder the UAV to the the top of the 4050 chip.

[+videofx]

3 minutes ago, mytek said:

The only 'legacy' thing that you'll lose is the original stock video outputs, including RF if the UAV is directly plugged into the 4050 socket. However I think most of us would agree that the whole purpose of installing a UAV is to get better than original composite and S-Video output. But if you for some reason absolutely still want the original and the UAV improved, then solder the UAV to the the top of the 4050 chip.

Thanks @mytek!! You are correct. My sole purpose of installing the UAV is to get better Composite and SVideo. Don't give a Crap about the stock video. No loss there

[+x=usr(1536)]

11 hours ago, mytek said:

The only 'legacy' thing that you'll lose is the original stock video outputs, including RF if the UAV is directly plugged into the 4050 socket. However I think most of us would agree that the whole purpose of installing a UAV is to get better than original composite and S-Video output. But if you for some reason absolutely still want the original and the UAV improved, then solder the UAV to the the top of the 4050 chip.

This is something that I think gets missed in the ZOMG MUST INSTALL UAV madness: RF is the best lowest-common-denominator video output, which means that it's going to be your video source of last (or possibly first) resort when working with a machine.

 

Note that I'm not railing against the UAV or similar: I have several of them installed in my own machines as well as in systems belonging to friends and family.  But RF is needlessly torn out from so many machines as part of this installation that there's a lot of better being the enemy of good enough going on.

 

In other words, RF and a UAV can exist side-by-side, hand-in-hand, skipping through Summer meadows full of flowers and butterflies and cowpats.  Save the RF.  Do it for the children.

[Ricky Spanish]

18 minutes ago, x=usr(1536) said:

In other words, RF and a UAV can exist side-by-side, hand-in-hand, skipping through meadows full of flowers and butterflies and cowpats.  Save the RF.  Do it for the children.

Well in the 1200XL there's plenty of room at least. no need to get rid of the RF.

[DrVenkman]

10 hours ago, Ricky Spanish said:

Well in the 1200XL there's plenty of room at least. no need to get rid of the RF.

But if you do, it makes for a lot more room and a neater install, especially if you want to add a U1MB, VBXL or any other internal upgrades.