Gunstar

Sorry, I meant micro HDMI, like you said... how about an HDMI-to-MicroHDMI and plug that into the DVI-to-HDMI adapter you already have?

@Marsupilami If I remember correctly there are some very good reasons why DVI was chosen instead of HDMI or mini HDMI. I think cost was one, but more importantly, I think is because with a DVI you have the option to choose analog RGB or VGA as well as DVI/HDMI and a lot of people prefer RGB or VGA to use with CRT monitors. I've just installed mine, and though for now I'm using an HDMI adapter like you, going to my LCD monitor, I plan on using it for RGB and VGA in the future when I do get my RGB monitor working or get a good CRT VGA monitor. But couldn't you just get a DVI-to-miniHDMI adapter and cable instead of DVI-to-HDMI and feed the mini HDMI cable through the RF hole anyway? At least then there is nothing blocking the PBI port in case you ever want to use it. I installed mine in my 800, so there are no open areas to feed a cable through like your PBI,,,even though I have a PBI port now (I still need it clear for PBI devices!). But I've already customized my 800 case with alternate SIO and audio/video outs as well as a PBI port, and more are to come, so cutting the case and mounting the DVI port was "par for the course." But didn't want to mount in on the side like in the 8-step installation posted before, as I just cleared the side of all cables but Power, because I never like the side I/O on the 800. Plus, I'm using the old RF channel selector switch as my Pokeymax mono/stereo switch. I posted these pictures in my on-going 800 upgrade blog too: https://atariage.com/forums/blogs/entry/17138-upgrading-and-modding-the-atari-800-too-an-800ai-advanceincognito/ P.S. looking at these pictures I posted really shows that my 800 has yellowed again since I did a retro-bright a couple of years ago...time to try the sun-bright option and get her back to a more normal color.

A blog on restoration of a Bally Arcade will be here soon.

Space soon to be filled with my blog on upgrading my 1200XL.

AtariLab Interface modding and hacking The AtariLab Interface is a peripheral that plugs into the controller port(s) of the 400/800/XL/XE machines and as many can be used as you have controller ports for. Originally the Interface came in the 'AtariLab starter set' which was to be the main kit in a series of educational experiment software and hardware modules. The 'starter set' came with one Interface and tools and software cartridge for the first module, the temperature module. Do to poor sales and/or the video game crash of '83/84 which lead to the sale of Atari and the new agenda of Jack Tramiel only one other module for the series was ever released, the light module. But the AtariLab Interface was made for so much more, and the starter set explains, with minor examples, of using the Interface for your own experimentation and projects. It's essentially a controller port break-out-box allowing for the easy connection and interfacing to the Atari computer through RCA jacks that use every line of the controller port(s) but for the trigger/fire button line. The Interface can be used as a prototype and experimentation device for anything one can dream up to interface with Atari computers (and any computer with Atari compatible controller ports really) and through it either control or communicate with external devices from the computer or vice-versa. I have no idea why they didn't include all 8 I/O lines (one line is ground) and instead decided to include two +5V outputs on the 8 Interface I/O lines and leave out fire/trigger input. I was dissatisfied with two things about the AtariLab Interface. One, the missing fire/trigger button input line, and two, a power switch as the interface powers up with the computer or when plugged in if the computer is already on. A pet peeve of mine are devices that only power on and off by plugging them in, when a on/off switch is literally the simplest circuit one can build in electronics and is the basic circuit and basis of all computers. On/off, zero and one, open or closed. Computers are literally made from this simple circuit and would not exist as we know them without it. It's literally what makes up the internals of all I.C.'s and computers work based on which of them are on and off, high or low, one or zero. So why power switches aren't included in every electronic device made is beyond me. But, since it is such a simple and basic circuit, I add my own to devices without them, and the AtariLab Interface is one example. So after investigating and researching the interface and it's circuit, I added power switches and fire input to the three Interfaces I own. The power switch I installed myself and created the circuit for it. The fire button I implemented trough one of the two +5V lines which are really both connected to the one +5V line of the controller port, and if I need more than one line, it's easy enough to use an RCA splitter to get two or more +5v lines back through the interface. I wanted to make sure that every single controller I/O line is available for me to use for my interfacing projects and experiments. I have purchased two extra interfaces that are surplus, with no labels, separately from B&C Computervisions (MyAtari on eBay). So why do I want or need more than one? Because I may want I/O possibilities through more than just one port. For example, and the project that caused me to gain interest in the interfaces is the 'Arm your Atari' article from Analog magazine issues 44 and 45, summer 1986. It's a project for connecting a Radioshack Armitron robot arm to your Atari through the controller ports. The full project requires 3 of the 4 ports of an Atari 400/800 and originally requires the user to hack together connectors for the controller ports to interface with the robot arm. With the AtariLab Interface, this is not required and I can connect everything, at least in the research, development and prototyping stages. If needed, the final project can have it's own controller port plugs. I intend, now that I know the interfaces inside and out, to build my own DIY forth interface as I intend to make the 'Arm Your Atari' project merely a starting point that I will expand on, eventually building and interfacing an entire robot through the controller ports and I also foresee the possibility of needing even more I/O lines through controller ports, so I intend to add a second PIA I.C. to my 800 and even more controller ports for this long-term project and others. So why interface with the Atari through the controller ports (aside from the initial project from Analog doing it that way)? Because the SIO, PBI and cartridge ports on my systems are already clogged with devices that I will need too, and clogging up the plumbing even more for such interfacing could cause traffic jams and interference, etc. with other devices connected to the system. A perfect example of this is the SDrive-Max device that connects through the SIO but will not work with other devices on the SIO unless another circuit is made to allow it to work. I don't want to have to worry about device and communication conflicts when I do my interfacing projects. Also because the PIA chip(s) is a wonderful little chip with all kinds of communication and I/O properties that are hardly ever used and free to use with my projects even with everything else being used. The pictures below are of what I've modded on my interfaces, and also show how the first interfaces were totally screwed up and Atari had to manually rewire them by hand to make them work correctly, like the center interface, where the green wiring is all Atari's rewiring. Only the yellow, blue and red wires were added to the interfaces by me to create fire button input and power switches. The interfaces on either side are the extras I purchased, which are a later, correctly done revision of the Atari Interface. I scanned the original interface's labeling and printed and cut out two copies for my other devices. They are slightly blurry due to the power switch not allowing the device to lay flat while scanning it, but it's good enough for me, and still better than hand labeling it all myself.

wrong thread...I posted it in the right thread... https://atariage.com/forums/topic/315899-infinity-software-for-the-atari-8-bit-at-85-ces/

Wow, I would have instantly bought Infinity with my 130XE when I bought it in '85, but I never heard of or seen it ever...I'd still like it today. I'm surprised this stayed unknown and apparently lost for so long! Great find in this video @allen. I read the article linked through the thread linked above. I really wonder what happened...it looks like they had the software ready, but I've never heard of it or Matrix Software...or GAROFALO. A mystery that I'd like solved...well just finding the 8-bit Infinity software would be enough for me.

Apparently @netcoord99 may need to make sure he's not pirating your software in cart form. This kind of attitude is ridiculous for this old stuff in this day and age anyway. It's not like anyone is taking food from their children's mouths. No one makes enough off this stuff to make a living anymore and they will be lucky to sell a couple dozen anyway. Note to self: don't support A-holes...especially those who don't even know what they own the rights to themselves.

I'll be using my original side SIO for Fujinet that is on it's way from TBA. And along with the power and switch I'm still using, I guess they will stay. I might swap out the old side monitor jack for something else there, since I have three other video outputs now. But I like your idea of a new side plate! Maybe I'll do the same some day. Eventually I'll have some more controller ports next to the DVI port, once I get my dual PIA board.

I'm doing something similar, hole at bottom of shielding, but on the right side. the DVI board will be coming out the back, vertically mounted in between the right side peripheral face plate and the right end of the PSU board heat sink. Since I have already used all the underside space on both left and right sides for my other audio/video/SIO outs. And the whole point of those mods is to not have cables sticking out the side. Besides, the old channel switch now switches my PokeyMax Quad + Covox between mono and stereo. out the back left is where my new PBI port is...

welcome

I started my Sophia 2 installation into my 800 today. I don't know if anyone already pointed this out, but the IC's are pointed in the opposite direction on PAL 800 CPU board than they are on the NTSC 800 CPU board. The IC's also have different positions on the board. So the ribbon cable has to be looped over top the Sophia 2 board. I already knew this from the Incognito installation, but had forgotten until I was using this 8-step procedure to verify my board orientation.

That game and title screen have been mentioned and posted before, here, within the last few years.

Interesting that you mention the Motorola PIA's @Faicuaias that what I plan on using in a dual-PIA board that I'm going to install in my 800. This is not my design, but I'm in a conversation with the person who is designing them. But I'm not sure if it's my place to say anything or not. So it's up to him to go into further detail, should he read this thread and post. I was going to post an image, but on second thought, even though I think it can be seen freely to the public in the other thread on another site, I don't think it's my place. I was going to do my own DIY piggy-back of PIA's like the old DIY dual-Pokey's until he mentioned his project. I don't know if he intends to bring it all public or not, or if this is just something for a few people, considering how niche it is anway.

Easy misunderstanding, I say things like that all the time and people think I'm meaning the opposite or something different. And actually @Mclaneinc informed me that the Sophia 2 can be set/programmed to output DVI in 4:3 to my HDMI monitors, so I may stick with DVI myself now. Now that I'm on the same page as you, how you said it makes perfect sense to me too.

Amazing. I would have guessed the 78-81 time frame for GUI development like this, but not '74? '76? Both worse said in the video but I already for get who said which.

I think it will make a great streaming and emulation device in such a small and good looking package. The sandbox mode is my main interest in the machine, if the Atari side is good and successful, fine, I'll take advantage. But I'm still waiting until I can get one for $100-200 depending on it's fate. Of course it's future resale value, even if it's a failure, directly depends on it's rarity. How many they will make? How well will what's made sell this year? I remember paying $149 for a Jaguar CD unit right after they were finally released in September of '95, and by the next spring they were in the bargain bins for $49, IIRC*...but I have one, and IIRC, only something like 10-20,000 were made and now look what they are worth! I was just at a mom & pop game store in Tulsa last week, and saw a base unit Jaguar for it's original retail price of $250, in shrin-kwrap without a box, used. They had boxed Lynx 1 & 2's selling for the same price. Of course for me, I use them and it's not about collect-ability and profit, which is why I still have most of my vintage systems. But I won't pay that much myself. *edit: I didn't remember correctly, I bought it in January of '96 with my college book money for second semester, for $149 (as I had done with the Jaguar the year before for $249) (I just would study with girls who had the books.😀) but by that summer they were selling for $49. I actually saw them in an Electronics Boutique for that price after I had made the recent move from Wisconsin to Huntington Beach, SoCal that summer after college.

Sorry, I already forgot about coming over and voting...until now. I voted for Pole Position, but I hope it's fine to play the version with @TIX 's new graphics, as I can't go back to the old one now...I don't see why it should be an issue, but just checking. If only there was a version of Pole Position X with it's multiple tracks and Tix's new graphics.🤔

I'm going the opposite way as I don't like the Atari screen in 16:9 ratio, I want a 4:3 screen. So I'm installing it with an RGB or VGA ouput because my monitors are either 4:3, or won't work in 4:3 through HDMI.

I've got a Fujinet and a couple of upgrade boards for my Indus GT's in either covid lockdown or USPS hell...🤢misery loves company...

Dawn Break. 72 colors. DawnBreak.xex

I imagined that would be the case, but figured that's true with any side mount, I imagine that's why the manufacturers default it top mount. Obviously I'll be sticking with the original spool configuration when mine arrived, until I get oriented with it. Then I may try other ways if I feel it necessary as others have.

I received my 800 version Sophia 2 today. I will be installing it soon. On that note, I have a blog up about all the upgrades and modifications I've done to my 800 in my profile now. It's still on-going.