Catbox

[Ze_ro]

Anyone know how rare these things are? I got one quite some time ago, and it's in constant use. For those who don't know, it's a silver box that plugs into the expansion port on the Jaguar and provides TONS of video/audio/network plugs. No more need for proprietary A/V cables! They used to be made by ICD way back when, and when I got it, it came in a box that looked like a box for some other Atari computer component that had been turned inside out, but a small "Catbox" sticker had been stuck on the front. I think I still have the box somewhere actually...

 

--Zero

[The Helper]

The Catbox is very rare. Only a very small number were ever made. The person who designed it decided that he would screw the Jaguar community and had like 100 orders for it and never delivered on the last production run. The average selling price for a Catbox on eBay ranges from $200 - $300 US.

[Tempest]

I still don't understand what all the hoopla is about. I suppose if you wanted to use the Jag modem (supposing you had one) or hook up the Jag to a large monitor this would be the item for you, but other than that what good is it? Am I missing something?

 

Tempest

[The Helper]

The Catbox is not worth so much because its useful. Its worth so much because its rare.

[Gunstar]

I owned a catbox for quite a while, I used the headphone jacks (They're amplified) as a pre-amp to my 4.1 surround setup. It really makes a world of difference compared to the Jaguar audio/video cables or even the RCA jacks on the catbox. I bought an RCA-to-mini(din) coupler from Radioshack to accomplish this. I attempted to attach an RGB monitor to it at one point, but the monitor (an old Tandy), turned out to be only 16 color. So all I was able to use were the video and s-video jacks on the kittybox. It is possible (with two or more catboxes), to play networked Battlesphere and Aircars, but because of the shortages on all three, accomplishing this involves Jaguar clubs or even Jagfest. Doom only works with custom cables or the Jaglink (As I'm told). So a lone catbox just didn't do it for me, I played Battlesphere and Doom with the Jaglink anyway, since I didn't have a second catbox. So I eventually traded it for a flashrom cart., loaded with PhaseZero.

[Ze_ro]

Well, at the moment I'm using it to hook my Jaguar up to a Commodore 1084S monitor in RGB (I had to make my own cable, but at least I could use standard connectors rather than having to screw around with the edge connector on the Jaguar). I'm also using the RCA stereo audio jacks on the the back. There's also S-Video and composite jacks, headphone jacks (2 of them), volume control, two types of network jacks (9-pin DIN connector, and two RJ-45), and a pass-through DSP port.

 

I admit, I haven't used a lot of the connectors on here... but it's a lot easier than trying to find goofy, Jaguar-specific cables over the internet. I must say, having the Jaguar hooked up in RGB gives an amazing picture... definitely was worth the price for the Catbox.

 

--Zero

[Tempest]

Does it give better picture quality than the S-Video cable? I was able to pick one of those up at Philly and it's all I used. I've never tried to use the Jag without it.

 

Tempest

[Ze_ro]

quote:

---

Originally posted by Tempest:

Does it give better picture quality than the S-Video cable? I was able to pick one of those up at Philly and it's all I used. I've never tried to use the Jag without it.

---

 

I couldn't tell you... I don't have any TV's capable of S-Video. I would imagine RGB "should" be of higher quality, but I have no proof to back up that claim. I must say though, it looks extremely nice. (Are there even RGB cables available for the Jaguar, or is the Catbox the only way?)

 

It's worth pointing out that the RGB connector on the Catbox is intended for an Atari monitor... if you're connecting it to anything else, you'll probably have to swap pins like I did. You also have to be careful about wether your monitor is analog RGB or digital RGB (As Gunstar noticed). I originally tried hooking an old 1902 monitor to it, but alas, it was also only 16 color.

 

--Zero

[The Helper]

There are a few RGB cables out there, and you can make your own. I think the details are in the Jaguar FAQ.

[mos6507]

IMHO, resolution is key in these video standards.

 

For RF and composite, anything over 160 horizontal becomes "artefacted". This is actually a desired efect in many Apple and Atari games.

 

You see false colors.

 

When you get to the S-Video stage, the artefacting goes away. But S-Video really isn't up to the task of displaying 80 columns (i.e. 640 and above horizontal).

 

For that you need RGB.

 

That's why, for instance, the Amiga and the C=128 wen't RGB whereas the C=64 only needed S-Video on its monitors.

 

Since most Jag games are 320 horizontal, you don't gain that much going to RGB, although there is some perceived additional clarity.