Gábor Orvos

Hi everyone! I bought a TMS-RGB-V2 board recently from VideoGamePerfection.com and built it into my Texas Instruments TI99/4A. It's a PAL version with TMS9929A IC (Attachment#1). I think the orientation is correct (A#2), and the soldering should be OK as well (A#3). Previously I owned a Samsung LE40B650 LCD TV with component input, which had an acceptable picture with the TI, blue and violet colors were distinguishable (A#4) (captured with screencap application: https://wiki.samygo.tv/index.php?title=Content_Library_applications_list#ScreenCap ). Unfortunately the Samy TV "died" last year, and my new 4K LED TV (a 50" TCL) does have only HDMI and composite inputs, so I decided to buy a Medusa retro scandoubler: https://lotharek.pl/productdetail.php?id=135 In theory it should accept component input as well, but in practice it doesn't. I hoped that I could get a colorful picture with the TMS-RGB-V2 using the SCART input of the Medusa. Unfortunately the picture lacks almos all blue shades (A#5). Blue and violet colors are undistinguishable, background is gray instead of cyan/light blue. I tried with a noname (Vortex) LCD TV directly via SCART as well, but the same occurs (A#6). I checked all the solderings with a multimeter, and everything seems to be OK. Undusted my cheap chinese RGB/YUV to VGA converter (a Gonbes GBS-8200), which converts component input to VGA. This gives an acceptable result (distinguishable blue and violet), but the picture is washed a bit, and has wrong white balance. (A#7) Attach the TI to the Gonbes via TMS-RGB-V2's RGB output, the picture is a mess, no matter what output resolution I choose (A#8, A#9 & A#10) The TI motherboard has a number on the top, near the keyboard connector (ET 03163) (A#11), and an another one on the bottom, near the DB-9 connector (1039026-5J) (A#12). What should I do? Is it a defective unit, is the TMS-RGB-V2 incompatible with my motherboard, or are there any tricks (like in case of NTSC Colecovision bypassing the L9) to improve color fidelity? Otherwise picture quality (sharpness and stability) is flawless. There's a trimmer next to the TMS9929A, I assume it adjusts the clock frequency. Perhaps bypassing the 75Ohm resistor on the blue output line would help, but this would affect the white balance as well. Thanks your help in advance: Gábor

I think the reason is that PAL video contains more scanlines than NTSC (576 vs. 480).

VAT and handling fee is Hungarian speciality, but I assume other European countries have some kind of import taxes as well...

Thank you! It's taken from an old C64-game, Black Panther, made by Punk Pruductions (it's their logo): https://csdb.dk/release/?id=126062

I agree... Mine was caugt by the Hungarian Customs, and despite it's duty free, I had to pay +27% VAT (4000 HUF) plus 3500 HUF (circa 12 USD) handling fee, in the end I paid 80 USD total instead of just 55... Despite all it's a fantastic product, big thanks to everyone who is/was involved during the development and marketing! It works perfectly with my cheap arabian clone! Cheers: Gábor

Be patient! I tried it, works, but currently it's low compatibility. Mark is still working on it. I sent him my collection of 4-joy Atari games for testing purposes, and waiting for feedback. Gábor

Thanks for the experimental core, test results sent via E-mail!

Sorry, the correct address is orvosgab at gmail dot com.

Hi Mark! I would be glad to test the new experimental core, preferring the PAL system. I've both 50Hz compatible VGA monitor and Minimig VGA2SCART cable too. Momentary I'm not at home, I could test the core on monday, early in the morning. My E-mail adress is orvosg at gmail dot com, if necessary. Thanks again in advance: Gábor

Thanks for the fast reply! I would like to play Silicon Warrior (on c64 I had a 3-in-1 cartridge containing this title, this was one of my first games, but of course without 4-player option). The other title is the Asteroids (there is an Amiga clone called Poweroids, but it doesn't run on my Chameleon). Thanks in advance: Gábor

Hi Atari Gurus! I never had an Atari, but a c64 during my chlildhood. I own a Turbo Chameleon 64 since the january of 2015, and I use Your Atari800XL core with the greatest pleasure! Some of the Atari games (i.e. Keystone Kapers) were never ported to Commodore platforms. Nowadays I play a lot 4-player, 4-joystick games with my friends (the TC64's Docking Station has four DB9 connectors, just like the original Atari 400 or 800 computers). I found cca. 30 c64: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Commodore_64_joystick_adapters and cca. 80 Amiga titles, which are using 4-player adapter: https://ftp.fau.de/aminet/docs/misc/FourPlayerGames_EN.pdf I tried some of the Atari 8-bit family's 4 joy games, but none of them worked on the Chameleon: http://www.atarimania.com/faq-atari-400-800-xl-xe-what-games-support-4-or-more-simultaneous-players_67.html You wrote in the Atari 800/5200 FPGA Core Manual, on side 2 / 13: "Chameleon can either use the two joystick ports on a real Commodore 64 or use two of the four ports on the Chameleon docking station." Mi question is: Is it possible to 'activate' the 3rd and 4th joy port of the Chameleon's Docking Station to use with Atari 4-joy games? The c64 and the minimig cores support this option. Sorry for my poor english, I learned german in the school... :-) Regards: Gábor