Tupin Posted June 26, 2014 Share Posted June 26, 2014 So, I haven't seen much about how to mod this for composite? I've found this topic: https://groups.yahoo.com/neo/groups/mattelaquarius/conversations/topics/1070 But I can't seem to find anything really specific about it, or what to do with sound. Anyone here done this to their Aquarius? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ravard Posted June 26, 2014 Share Posted June 26, 2014 I would love to hear anything on this also. I just purchased an Aquarius for the first time and would love a little better video. ravard Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tupin Posted June 27, 2014 Author Share Posted June 27, 2014 Someone has to have done this? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jaybird3rd Posted June 27, 2014 Share Posted June 27, 2014 Strange, I've been to the Yahoo! newsgroup many times and never noticed either that thread or the documentation. I'll have to look for it the next time I'm there. I tried my own composite mod by adapting a design for the Intellivision. The Intellivision and Aquarius share the same RF modulator, so I thought the mod would work for both systems. It actually worked pretty well (the picture was clear and the colors looked right), but I noticed that it had a pretty bad "banding" problem. I saw the same problem with the Intellivision, so I have to assume it was the mod. I've since set up my Aquarius with an adapter like this one, and it looks just as good on my TV as composite, and certainly better than the old RF switchbox. Until a better alternative is available, I'd encourage other Aquarius owners to try it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ravard Posted June 27, 2014 Share Posted June 27, 2014 I will have to try the adapter. An inexpensive upgrade! ravard Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
+evg2000 Posted June 27, 2014 Share Posted June 27, 2014 I hooked up one of my early breadboard composite mods and hooked it up and took a few pictures. There is also one of my smaller pcbs that isn't populated. Picture not too bad considering It's just thrown together. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jaybird3rd Posted June 27, 2014 Share Posted June 27, 2014 Hey, that looks pretty good! Is that the same mod design as the public-domain Intellivision one (it looks like it might be), or is it one of your own? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tupin Posted June 27, 2014 Author Share Posted June 27, 2014 Hm, it uses the same as the Intellivision, correct? Shouldn't this work? http://www.ebay.com/itm/Intellivision-A-V-Composite-Video-Mod-Kit-NTSC-PAL-DIY-/181043125890 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jaybird3rd Posted June 27, 2014 Share Posted June 27, 2014 Hm, it uses the same as the Intellivision, correct? Shouldn't this work? http://www.ebay.com/itm/Intellivision-A-V-Composite-Video-Mod-Kit-NTSC-PAL-DIY-/181043125890 It might. According to the instructions, it connects directly to the RF modulator, which is the same in the Intellivision and Aquarius. You'll have to find a convenient place in the Aquarius to connect to +5V and GND, but that shouldn't be too hard. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
+evg2000 Posted June 27, 2014 Share Posted June 27, 2014 Hey, that looks pretty good! Is that the same mod design as the public-domain Intellivision one (it looks like it might be), or is it one of your own? I used one of the designs floating around on the internet. the signal would be better if I actually hooked it up instead of using patch cables. Also add some caps across power and ground. I test voltage on the RF and it was 5 volts (which surprised me I thought it would be 12) so I got power from there. You can probably get 5 volts off on of the chips, or throw a 50 cent voltage regulator on the power lead of the rf to make sure you don't overload the circuit. When I get some time I need to populate one of my pcbs and add it in, the pcb is nice it's less than 1" square so easy to fit in the aquarius case or an INTV II. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jaybird3rd Posted June 27, 2014 Share Posted June 27, 2014 I used one of the designs floating around on the internet. the signal would be better if I actually hooked it up instead of using patch cables. Also add some caps across power and ground. I test voltage on the RF and it was 5 volts (which surprised me I thought it would be 12) so I got power from there. You can probably get 5 volts off on of the chips, or throw a 50 cent voltage regulator on the power lead of the rf to make sure you don't overload the circuit. When I get some time I need to populate one of my pcbs and add it in, the pcb is nice it's less than 1" square so easy to fit in the aquarius case or an INTV II. I'll give the Intellivision mod another try. I think the banding problem I was experiencing might have been a power issue, so I'm sure some extra caps and a regulator would help. If it works, I'm going to try removing the RF modulator from the Aquarius altogether. It's very bulky and takes up a huge chunk of real estate along the back of the computer by the I/O ports, and I can think of a few other goodies I'd much rather put back there instead. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ravard Posted June 27, 2014 Share Posted June 27, 2014 Based on your other products, I would buy a video board from you in a second. I know composite out is possible. Is s-video out possible in the Aquarius? Thanks, ravard Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jaybird3rd Posted June 27, 2014 Share Posted June 27, 2014 Based on your other products, I would buy a video board from you in a second. I know composite out is possible. Is s-video out possible in the Aquarius? I don't believe so, at least not using the original video circuitry. The color encoder chip in the Aquarius (the TEA1002) combines the RGB color data from the video memory directly into a composite video signal. Even if you were to separate the composite signal into the chroma and luma signals you'd need for S-Video, it wouldn't look any better than composite. S-Video has been all but abandoned on newer TVs anyway, so I don't consider it a great loss. Once I've learned a lot more about video circuitry than I presently know, I'd really like to investigate a way to tap into those RGB signals and create a digital output suitable for modern displays. I think it would be cool to have a DVI or HDMI port on the Aquarius. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ravard Posted June 27, 2014 Share Posted June 27, 2014 (edited) I am looking into getting an upconverter for all my older machines to play with on my main TV. The XRGB Mini is getting great reviews. It will accept composite, s-video, and rgb via adapter. It even adds back scanlines for that old school feel. ravard Edited June 27, 2014 by ravard Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
+evg2000 Posted June 27, 2014 Share Posted June 27, 2014 I'll give the Intellivision mod another try. I think the banding problem I was experiencing might have been a power issue, so I'm sure some extra caps and a regulator would help. If it works, I'm going to try removing the RF modulator from the Aquarius altogether. It's very bulky and takes up a huge chunk of real estate along the back of the computer by the I/O ports, and I can think of a few other goodies I'd much rather put back there instead. I'll give the Intellivision mod another try. I think the banding problem I was experiencing might have been a power issue, so I'm sure some extra caps and a regulator would help. If it works, I'm going to try removing the RF modulator from the Aquarius altogether. It's very bulky and takes up a huge chunk of real estate along the back of the computer by the I/O ports, and I can think of a few other goodies I'd much rather put back there instead. I don't know if you are interested but I have an extra unpopulated pcb or two. I could sell you one for $6 shipped, you would have to add the components yourself pretty basic I think 4 caps, 6 resistors, 2 transistors, wires and jacks. Let me know if you are interested. Probably three bucks in parts to finish it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jaybird3rd Posted June 28, 2014 Share Posted June 28, 2014 I don't know if you are interested but I have an extra unpopulated pcb or two. I could sell you one for $6 shipped, you would have to add the components yourself pretty basic I think 4 caps, 6 resistors, 2 transistors, wires and jacks. Let me know if you are interested. Probably three bucks in parts to finish it. Yeah, that sounds great! It will spare me the trouble of breadboarding it again. I'll send you a PM soon! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Aquaman Posted February 11, 2015 Share Posted February 11, 2015 I am not entirely sure this is really a new MOD or even if it is from a member of this forum, but just in case I post the link here: http://www.notanon.com/electronics/mattel-aquarius-composite-video-modification/2015/01/03/ Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
+BBWW Posted February 12, 2015 Share Posted February 12, 2015 We need Aquarius for Raspberry Pi. LOL Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pimpmaul69 Posted February 12, 2015 Share Posted February 12, 2015 We need Aquarius for Raspberry Pi. LOLis there an aquarius emu beyond the pc version? I had actually loaded the tapes onto an iphone that i was gonna use to play them. Unfortunately i lost interest emulating on a pc. Wii and pi is where its at. I like the comfort of using a tv. Yeah i know, i could go ghetto and hook my pc up and do it that way. No interest to though. I also hate that somehow i lost all my commodore 64 roms. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
+BBWW Posted February 12, 2015 Share Posted February 12, 2015 Yeah, I've got about 10Tb of back ups around....LOL I can't find half the crap I have. I was much better off Backing up in small shots on DVD's and printing the index. LOL My Wife is such a power users at any time she has an 8TB Thunderbolt raid and a every firewire and USB port hooked up to a drive. Shoot me! I also hate that somehow i lost all my commodore 64 roms. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jaybird3rd Posted February 12, 2015 Share Posted February 12, 2015 is there an aquarius emu beyond the pc version? I had actually loaded the tapes onto an iphone that i was gonna use to play them. Unfortunately i lost interest emulating on a pc. Wii and pi is where its at. I like the comfort of using a tv. Yeah i know, i could go ghetto and hook my pc up and do it that way. No interest to though. I also hate that somehow i lost all my commodore 64 roms. Presently, the only Aquarius emulators are Virtual Aquarius (Windows PC only) and the Aquarius driver in MESS, which is getting more and more accurate thanks to the work that nitrofurano and Bruce Abbott have done recently to provide a more accurate color palette. If you want to run an emulator on the Raspberry Pi, I'd say the best option is MESS. I have this dream of creating an Aquarius emulator for Android devices, mainly to support the work that nVidia has been doing with the Shield. I think it would be great to have a native Android emulator that uses the features of the Shield (and that supports bankswitched cartridge images!). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pimpmaul69 Posted February 12, 2015 Share Posted February 12, 2015 Yeah, I've got about 10Tb of back ups around....LOL I can't find half the crap I have. I was much better off Backing up in small shots on DVD's and printing the index. LOL My Wife is such a power users at any time she has an 8TB Thunderbolt raid and a every firewire and USB port hooked up to a drive. Shoot me! i actually went hunting on some backup drives. I found them. It searched the entire drive before it found the folder. I was going to stop searching that drive and lucky for me i didnt. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
+BBWW Posted February 12, 2015 Share Posted February 12, 2015 Emulation is becoming more attractive to me as I just like some of the older stuff. TI99-4a was my first, I had an Atari for a day or two but couln'd fine the apostrophe, LOL I swear, or something character I just needed, I don't remember now. LOL Next was a PCjr then the Amiga...then Mac all the way except some time in the non creative corporate world where I was forced to use a PC running XT at work for 5 years. I alway thought it would be cool to the Intellivision on the iPad and having the phone be a touch based layout of the keypad...but side buttons would be an issue...damn. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
+BBWW Posted February 12, 2015 Share Posted February 12, 2015 Presently, the only Aquarius emulators are Virtual Aquarius (Windows PC only) and the Aquarius driver in MESS, which is getting more and more accurate thanks to the work that nitrofurano and Bruce Abbott have done recently to provide a more accurate color palette. If you want to run an emulator on the Raspberry Pi, I'd say the best option is MESS. I have this dream of creating an Aquarius emulator for Android devices, mainly to support the work that nVidia has been doing with the Shield. I think it would be great to have a native Android emulator that uses the features of the Shield (and that supports bankswitched cartridge images!). hmm could almost make be buy an Android device. :-) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mvdsteenoven Posted February 12, 2015 Share Posted February 12, 2015 I have this dream of creating an Aquarius emulator for Android devices I tried to translate Local Bomber of Games Pack 2 to Android Java with the Aquarius graphics. I got it running too, but the game crashes on the second run Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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