800XL startup RAM test fail options

[WOPRpwJOSHUA]

34 minutes ago, Beeblebrox said:

It's only noticeable on lcd afaik, so perhaps not plasma screens.

 

One of the savo boards will allow you to avoid moddling the case. Have a look at the thread on savo. 

 

Also, this would allow you to avoid modding the case too:

 

I'm not sure how to make those both work - they both use the rf space + port. I'll look more into it, thanks. 

Edited April 30 by WOPRpwJOSHUA
spoke too soon

[Beeblebrox]

29 minutes ago, WOPRpwJOSHUA said:

I'm not sure how to make those both work - they both use the rf space + port. I'll look more into it, thanks. 

The latter is a design by AA forum member scorpio-ny and is 3d printed. It screws through the existing rf hole yes, so you get rid of the rf modulator. But the case remains u modded and it's removable. 

 

See here:

 

 

Edit: also for Savo, see the Savo thread here:

 

 

https://forums.atariage.com/topic/353880-savo-savo-classic-rev-2-savo-savo-max-havo-o2fixer-and-other-upcoming-projects/

 

Edited April 30 by Beeblebrox

[WOPRpwJOSHUA]

1 hour ago, Beeblebrox said:

The latter is a design by AA forum member scorpio-ny and is 3d printed. It screws through the existing rf hole yes, so you get rid of the rf modulator. But the case remains u modded and it's removable. 

 

See here:

 

 

Edit: also for Savo, see the Savo thread here:

 

 

https://forums.atariage.com/topic/353880-savo-savo-classic-rev-2-savo-savo-max-havo-o2fixer-and-other-upcoming-projects/

 

Sorry I meant how to use them both via the same rf space/hole - maybe i'm missing something (like if they interconnect?). It's also now a little less clear to me how they differentiate- seems like a good amt of crossover (this is all still new to me). 

[Beeblebrox]

1 hour ago, WOPRpwJOSHUA said:

Sorry I meant how to use them both via the same rf space/hole - maybe i'm missing something (like if they interconnect?). It's also now a little less clear to me how they differentiate- seems like a good amt of crossover (this is all still new to me). 

They aren't used at the same time.  Savo is one option to use with a sophia2, (latter won't then be dvi). Scorpio-ny's 3d printed dvi and stereo jack mount is another. They both just happen to utilise the rf hole to avoid drilling the casing. Scorpio-ny's 3d printed mount is an alternative to the earlier pbi based dvi mount, which as you say isn't an option for you. 

Edited April 30 by Beeblebrox

[TZJB]

14 hours ago, WOPRpwJOSHUA said:

@TZJB some of the other video-related mods mentioned like lifting C56 (absent on my board) &/or C54 - it does look like I have jailbars, does this help? 

Color has been fiddly to dial in (using the pot through the bottom hole). What should I expect afa color? Any tricks and/or other means of dialing it in? (I've swiped through the pot range to de-oxidize btw). Neither of these are terrible, only sometimes distracting. 

 

These lead me to another question - as I (now) start to ponder possibly maximizing image quality (and ease of doing so) w/the more permanent(-ish) mods like Sophia/UAV: as I ponder these, what considerations should I have in mind afa the minor video-related mods like these that ppl do? From the perspective of minimizing future work to facilitate a future bigger mod like Sophia (etc.) - are some of these (smaller) mods going to have to be undone for Sophia (etc) to work properly? I obviously need to read a lot more about those add ons...apologies. 

 

As for the SIO speed upgrade- I've just started to dig into the software side, so I'm not even sure what uses that (until now I've just used the default sampler from De Re AVGCART site and another one referenced there - these aren't organized usefully for me to know what software uses which peripheral emulation etc., so I'll start going through those/organizing (lots of PAL and others that won't run on my NTSC). I'll prob also look for other repository hosts to see what's out there. 

 

Any advice/tips/tricks of course very welcome, and thanks

 

@Beeblebrox is the expert with video mods. I still use a Philips CM8833 monitor so I don't notice so much.

 

I think @tmp was saying HSIO is enabled automatically with an AVG/SUBcart for all SIO operations when both the cables are in and the options are set. You can normally tell by the sound of the transfer.

 

Atarimania can be a good source of information. https://www.atarimania.com/

[WOPRpwJOSHUA]

19 hours ago, Beeblebrox said:

Sophia2 is a replacement for the gtia. Then, if you get a longer ribbon cable for it, you can 3d print a dvi mount (a couple are available including a PBI port mount which benefits from a longer ribbon cable) or hook up to, save, a savo board. It's all here on AA. 

 

Sophia2 just needs a separate audio out of you are hooking up to DVI. Again, you can wire an RCA audio jack

I'm misunderstanding why you hook it up to a SAVO board but then they can't be used at the same time, and it sounds like you can't use DVI via Sophia2 if using it with SAVO (I understand they can't use the same port hole, that was my confusion in prior post). I want to clarify I *have* read info on both (which is why I asked about crossover utility) and I understand what the 3d printed box is for (non-modded case Sophia2 + audio via RF space/hole). The context of where you mentioned SAVO had me think they were a complimentary combo that extended AV functionality (and that they could live/work together w/o case modding). 

Edited April 30 by WOPRpwJOSHUA
clarity

[Beeblebrox]

1 hour ago, WOPRpwJOSHUA said:

I'm misunderstanding why you hook it up to a SAVO board but then they can't be used at the same time, and it sounds like you can't use DVI via Sophia2 if using it with SAVO (I understand they can't use the same port hole, that was my confusion in prior post). I want to clarify I *have* read info on both (which is why I asked about crossover utility) and I understand what the 3d printed box is for (non-modded case Sophia2 + audio via RF space/hole). The context of where you mentioned SAVO had me think they were a complimentary combo that extended AV functionality (and that they could live/work together w/o case modding). 

I probably not best to ask re savo. It's creator has a live thread on AA as I linked to. 

 

The current savo boards available are essentially allowing you to just hook up connections to a saturn connector (hence the name Saturn Atari video out), and have no electronics as such. These can support sophia2 rgb out as well as VBXE rgb, svideo, composite, etc. They l are primarily used to provide the connection via the existing rf hole, where you just remove the rf modulator and install it, then hook up your video and audio signals it. 

 

However, there are several savo boards in the pipeline, one of which I believe allows you to hook up sophia2 to it and output to a micro hdmi connector that sits comfortably in the rf case hole. 

 

 

• HAVO - (upcoming) HDMI Atari Video Output - SAVO version with a Micro HDMI port instead of a Sega Saturn socket
• Sophia2SAVO - (upcoming) a simple mini board that serves as an interface between SAVO and Sophia 2's analog RGB signals

 

From. An old post here:

 

 

 

 

Edited April 30 by Beeblebrox

[Beeblebrox]

8 hours ago, TZJB said:

 

@Beeblebrox is the expert with video mods. I still use a Philips CM8833 monitor so I don't notice so much.

 

Very kind of you, but I am sure there are far more knowledgeable forum member than me in that respect

[TZJB]

33 minutes ago, Beeblebrox said:

Very kind of you, but I am sure there are far more knowledgeable forum member than me in that respect

 

You are welcome so please take the compliment.

 

You have experience of installing VBXE with Atari ST video socket, and UAV: and I don't even have an S-Video TV to check that my chroma mods work.

 

I suppose I am just stuck in the past, but I know what works for me and luckily not just with RF OUT. (Except for the Atari 2600 and 400 16K). That is always bad.

 

[WOPRpwJOSHUA]

2 hours ago, Beeblebrox said:

I probably not best to ask re savo. It's creator has a live thread on AA as I linked to. 

 

The current savo boards available are essentially allowing you to just hook up connections to a saturn connector (hence the name Saturn Atari video out), and have no electronics as such. These can support sophia2 rgb out as well as VBXE rgb, svideo, composite, etc. They l are primarily used to provide the connection via the existing rf hole, where you just remove the rf modulator and install it, then hook up your video and audio signals it. 

 

However, there are several savo boards in the pipeline, one of which I believe allows you to hook up sophia2 to it and output to a micro hdmi connector that sits comfortably in the rf case hole. 

 

 

• HAVO - (upcoming) HDMI Atari Video Output - SAVO version with a Micro HDMI port instead of a Sega Saturn socket
• Sophia2SAVO - (upcoming) a simple mini board that serves as an interface between SAVO and Sophia 2's analog RGB signals

 

From. An old post here:

 

 

 

 

Thank you for clarifying - that makes sense. I'd read about the upcoming HAVO, that looks like something to wait for (i'd ideally like digital out + audio + some decent ability to adjust settings /parameter, without modding the case obvs). Looks like HAVO, SAVO + would both be active on board (vs passive SAVO) if i red correctly. Thanks again! 

[WOPRpwJOSHUA]

On 4/30/2024 at 4:47 AM, TZJB said:

I think @tmp was saying HSIO is enabled automatically with an AVG/SUBcart for all SIO operations when both the cables are in and the options are set. You can normally tell by the sound of the transfer.

@tmp Is @TZJB correct on this? I'm just now around to setting up everything in SUBCART and it looks like...

...HSIO is enabled by default (no cables attached); is this expected, and then is anything else needed for HSIO compatibility?

 

I'm not (yet) familiar w/all the extended functionality- are how (/why) to dis/enable these all found on the atarimania link, or is there a more suitable site to learn them? I'll want to know how to interpret that properties screen in the image pasted here/above.

 

One last question: I've been following De Re AVGCART (atarimania) guide - are the steps for setting up the various functionality the same for the SUBCART as the AVGCART?

And in particular, the guide for setting up SD card partitions via FDISK, this part:

 

• Run FDISK
• Enter the menus and choose Open
• Select your SD card from the list and open it
• You will be told the card needs to be initialized and asked if you want to proceed, select OK to all the warnings

 

when i enter the menu + choose open,  I'm presented with:

with "2.0.1: AVGCART" ("device") as my only selection - is this what I'm to select for partition? I don't want to mistakenly wipe anything on SUBCART, and my SD vol has a diff label/name (that doesn't appear in the list above).

 

Thanks for any help

[tmp]

yes, that is what to select and you can't wipe anything on subcart doing so (but you will wipe your sd card partition table)

[WOPRpwJOSHUA]

11 minutes ago, tmp said:

yes, that is what to select and you can't wipe anything on subcart doing so (but you will wipe your sd card partition table)

Great, and I'm guessing nothing else is needed for HSIO to work (other than cables attached and a compatible software to run)?

Thanks

[TZJB]

1 hour ago, WOPRpwJOSHUA said:

Great, and I'm guessing nothing else is needed for HSIO to work (other than cables attached and a compatible software to run)?

Thanks

 

That all looks to be correct for HSIO at POKEY divisor 6.

[WOPRpwJOSHUA]

@TZJBquick question if you don't mind (and sorry if this is covered somewhere - I couldn't find this nor much of anything afa basic UI w/these carts) - with a formatted (FAT32) yet empty SD card, SUBCART boots to a red screen and presents no menu - is that expected? I'm seeing default (?) menu's in AVGCART (threads) - maybe a key combo?

[tmp]

menu is CAPS key if that's what you're looking for

[WOPRpwJOSHUA]

1 hour ago, tmp said:

menu is CAPS key if that's what you're looking for

That was it, thanks much!

[WOPRpwJOSHUA]

8 hours ago, tmp said:

menu is CAPS key if that's what you're looking for

Spoke too soon. I continue to have an (user error?) issue while trying to format a FAT32 partition (following the popular guides like De Re AVGCART and the APT user guide). I'm using the "hacked" version of s2sdx3_fdisk.car for this initial sd card setup (per guides).

 

When I'm at the step of formatting via SDX (after setting up the partition table) when I enter the drive number to be formatted it says "Drive does not respond!". I've read about at error (138? iirc) but it's not clear these relate to my situation (I'll try the setup again as I wait for any replies).

 

The next issue I have is once this fails and I say reset SUBCART, the "hacked' SDX no longer auto-loads (at boot) so I just get a blank red screen. Hitting CAPS brings up a small menu, I've explored the few options but I'm not sure where to go there (eg.: how to load a file to try and get SDX back up). The menu that presents looks nothing like the menus I find on the tutorials/help pages (like De Re AVGCART's, which shows I think A thru N options including SDX) - I'm not sure what a generic AVG/SUBCART menu (w/no SD card files, or with SDX file + unformatted APT table) is supposed to look like. That's always been the behavior (blank red screen on power up w/SD present but no files) since it arrived, so I've assumed that's how it is.

 

Any help appreciated (I have read several sources and guides and I'm sure this is something very simple i've misunderstood or missed).

[tmp]

how do you launch sdx when you have empty sd card? and why don't you reformat fat32 partition after you partitioned sd card using atari fdisk and put some files back so you don't have that "blank red screen"?

 

[WOPRpwJOSHUA]

Just now, tmp said:

how do you launch sdx when you have empty sd card? and why don't you reformat fat32 partition after you partitioned sd card using atari fdisk and put some files back so you don't have that "blank red screen"?

 

I don't - I get the red screen w/ *both* an empty SD and when it's populated (and after going through the 2 disparate guides/processes for setting up HD partitions on the SD). I can't reformat FAT32 - it fails (see below).

 

The guides differ, so it's difficult to tell where/why it goes wrong for me - De Re's version omits a partition step (adding the EXT FAT part during within FDISK/APT editor), skips FORMAT step, just pop the partitioned card in PC/Mac and format the FAT space from there (this didn't work for me on 3x laptops, failed while formatting). The APT guide has you add EXT FAT part (during FDISK), then FORMAT/directorize the HD/APT parts, then format that EXT FAT part in a PC/Mac. This also didn't work, where it says "Drive does not respond!" entering any drive number. I'm not sure why for either (the SD card and 3x laptops all work fine/updated/etc.).

 

Is the blank red screen expected when there's no file in an SD default SUBCART setup? Is the CAPS invoked menu small? The menu I see in the guides is completely diff than this CAPS menu (probably bc it is a diff menu?).

 

I'm sure I'm misunderstanding something or missing a step. I'll try again when i'm back home.

 

[_The Doctor__]

Windows of old kill the partitions, I think it was 8.1 or Windows 10 that stopped clobbering the different partitions

[WOPRpwJOSHUA]

15 minutes ago, _The Doctor__ said:

Windows of old kill the partitions, I think it was 8.1 or Windows 10 that stopped clobbering the different partitions

These are all W11, but i did check the drive associations just in case 

[TZJB]

20 hours ago, WOPRpwJOSHUA said:

I don't - I get the red screen w/ *both* an empty SD and when it's populated (and after going through the 2 disparate guides/processes for setting up HD partitions on the SD). I can't reformat FAT32 - it fails (see below).

 

The guides differ, so it's difficult to tell where/why it goes wrong for me - De Re's version omits a partition step (adding the EXT FAT part during within FDISK/APT editor), skips FORMAT step, just pop the partitioned card in PC/Mac and format the FAT space from there (this didn't work for me on 3x laptops, failed while formatting). The APT guide has you add EXT FAT part (during FDISK), then FORMAT/directorize the HD/APT parts, then format that EXT FAT part in a PC/Mac. This also didn't work, where it says "Drive does not respond!" entering any drive number. I'm not sure why for either (the SD card and 3x laptops all work fine/updated/etc.).

 

Is the blank red screen expected when there's no file in an SD default SUBCART setup? Is the CAPS invoked menu small? The menu I see in the guides is completely diff than this CAPS menu (probably bc it is a diff menu?).

 

I'm sure I'm misunderstanding something or missing a step. I'll try again when i'm back home.

 

 

I don't use my AVG Cart in that mode so I am unfamiliar with the partitioning operation, however if Windows Disk Manager will not partition the free space on the SD Card then perhaps a third party application may work. There are many free disk partitoners available now from AOMEI and EaseUS for instance.

[WOPRpwJOSHUA]

1 minute ago, TZJB said:

 

I don't use my AVG Cart in that mode so I am unfamiliar with the partitioning operation, however if Windows Disk Manager will not partition the free space on the SD Card then perhaps a third party application may work. There are many free disk partitoners available now from AOMEI and EaseUS for instance.

I was typing this when I saw your response 😊

 

I was able to format the empty (ext) FAT partition/space last night (via laptop) after re-trying just the partitioning steps (w/o FORMATting the partitions via a DOS/SDX).

SUBCART now boots to a menu showing added files/folders. I'll need to read more about using SDX-fdisk ..I can't get to the APT editor w/o initializing + wiping partitions I'd created (guessing this is expected) and FORMAT(ting) in a DOS/SDX ends w/the same "Drive does not respond!" error as before. Maybe something I'm doing/step I'm following is deleting those APT partitions? I feel like there's some documentation I'm overlooking/missing.

[Beeblebrox]

14 minutes ago, WOPRpwJOSHUA said:

I was typing this when I saw your response 😊

 

I was able to format the empty (ext) FAT partition/space last night (via laptop) after re-trying just the partitioning steps (w/o FORMATting the partitions via a DOS/SDX).

SUBCART now boots to a menu showing added files/folders. I'll need to read more about using SDX-fdisk ..I can't get to the APT editor w/o initializing + wiping partitions I'd created (guessing this is expected) and FORMAT(ting) in a DOS/SDX ends w/the same "Drive does not respond!" error as before. Maybe something I'm doing/step I'm following is deleting those APT partitions? I feel like there's some documentation I'm overlooking/missing.

I seem to recall a similar situation with side3. What i would do is video your whole  process and post it here. It's likely you are missing a step and the penny will drop at some stage.