Smokeless Joe

I arrived to the modern Apple ][ scene just after the nick of time, so I missed out on the latest CFFA3000 run. Anyone have a spare they're willing to sell? I expect a markup, but please, no scalpers. Thanks!

I'll be checking out the local hardware store for tiny springs, but in the meantime: 1/16" heat shrink tubing (thin wall, 2:1 ratio) is just barely too wide to fit in the keycap hole. But cut in half, and to the approximate length of the original springs, they give a very spring-like response. I don't think I'd want to replace ALL the springs this way, but it's functional.

I just did a major cleaning of an 800XL keyboard, a "Type 4", according to http://atariage.com/forums/topic/105170-600800xl-keyboard-variants/?p=1274425. It's one of the ones with the heavy metal [insert Bill & Ted air guitar solo here] plate on the back. It's really clean now. I only lost two springs, which is better than I expected. They were those tiny little springs that actually get pushed against the mylar foil. I left the springs out of the right shift and the inverse key for now. Any ideas where I might look for replacement springs?

It really looks beautiful on a 400. There's a little finagling needed to pass the wires outside the RF shield, and a sound circuit needs to be created to get both system and tape sounds (I think an upgrade board is in the works) but it's worth it!

Heh, pushing the button (and reading the manual) helped. It was set to YPbPr instead of RGB. The RGB signal looks like crap, though. Text is blurry, colors are faded and vertical lines galore. My monitor (Sony MFM-HT95) might be to blame or maybe my connections are no good.

Yes, I'm using one of these: http://www.ambery.com/rgbcgatovgac.html

Some good news to report; I had moderate success installing the VBXE into an 800XL. Moderate because the text is really pink: Any ideas what's going on there? At least I know the VBXE itself isn't broken. It also seems to behave with the U1MB and the TransKey-II. So now I just need to figure out what went wrong with the 1200XL install.

Some good news to report; I had moderate success installing the VBXE into an 800XL. The text is really pink:

The first install attempt didn't result in much. An LED on the VBXE would turn on, but I'd get nothing on the screen. I made some adjustments and now the little LED no longer turns on. I'm hoping that's not as bad a sign as I think it is. There's a lot of variables to this install, so troubleshooting is gonna take some time. I think I'll try installing it in an 800XL, since my 1200XL EXTSEL mod is the part I have the least confidence in.

I got a pantsload of pin headers that claim they'll arrive tomorrow, but tomorrow is a holiday here in les États-Unis, so I dunno if they'll show. I tend to overbuy when I'm stuck without something I need. Anyone need a 1μH axial inductor? I've got a hundred or so. Seriously! Shoutout to everyone who's helping and a special thanks to FJC for the details. Wow, glad I asked. I'll eighty-six C5, Q4 and Y1. Anything else need to be removed?

I'm fine with you being distracted with the firmware updates! Seriously, I struggle with a lot of these hardware upgrades, so I'm happy if my information helps anyone.

I didn't notice until just now, as I was hip deep in the install, that it looks like everyone else added right angle headers to their VBXEs. Mine sure doesn't have any! I'll probably keep going just to make sure it works, but I'll have to unsolder everything off the VBXE itself once the headers I just ordered arrive. But while I'm here, a couple questions: 1. It looks like Q4 (3.5 MHz) and C5 (GND) are missing from FJC's install. Is it bad that my board still has both? Any changes I need to make since I have Q4 and C5? 2. Neither of the pictures above look like they're connecting J3 pin 3 to anything. Lotharek's instructions say this should go to a ground. Is it not needed? Is J6 pin 4 enough? I'm getting a little loopy. I almost asked what J4 and J5 are connecting to. Duh. Thanks, -Joe

Just to be clear, CASINH comes from U17 pin 4, not the piggybacked 74HC08 chip (which had pin 4 cut off), correct? Got my VBXE in the mail a couple days ago, so this weekend is the big install!

Well, now don't I feel dumb? I do! I tried staring at circuit diagrams to get the function keys working on my TK-II equipped 400 when I should have been using Google. My 4th Google hit on "Atari 400 keyboard" is Robert Noskowicz's classic article "Standard Keyboard for the Atari 400" (http://www.atariarchives.org/creativeatari/Standard_Keyboard_for_the_Atari_400.php), which gives the following diagram for how the 400 keyboard plugs into its 22 pin motherboard connector (J105): Just make the following connections to get Atari 400 function keys to work with the TK-II: TK-II Atari 400 J2 pin 1 J105 pin 21 (Start) J2 pin 2 J105 pin 20 (Select) J2 pin 3 J105 pin 19 (Option) J2 pin 4 J105 pin 18 (Reset) Maybe there are shorter connections somewhere, but all four of these work. Hooray!

It helps a lot! Thank you! What kind of lack of safety is there with hooking directly to the GTIA chip? I cobbled together a temporary connection, connecting the wires directly to the appropriate GTIA pins, which worked well for Start and Select. I tried connecting Reset to GTIA pin 15 (console sw 3, according to the field service manual) but that didn't do much. My connection to the POKEY socket keeps coming loose, though, so my tests might not be very good. The 40 pin DIP socket I used instead of the breakaway pin assembly just doesn't have the reach to make a consistently reliable connection. Time to explore some other options.

It's reassuring that this seems to be a common mod. Thanks!

Bryan beat me to it! I thought it was a resistor at first but then I saw the caps exactly where Bryan points them out. Who knew? Not me, that's for sure.

Looks like I was a little too optimistic there. I can't seem to figure out where to hook up the wires for the function keys (Reset, Option, Select, Start). I could always do without, the function keys on the membrane keyboard work just fine, but it'd be really cool if I get get the whole install to work. Any ideas? Thanks!

I recently got a 400. The last time I had a 400 was probably 30 years ago, so it's been a while. When I turned the motherboard over, I saw this: Here's a closeup of the section in question: I think it's a capacitor and it looks like it's going from POKEY pin 17 (5 V power) to C137 (dunno what that does). The system seems to run just fine, although I haven't tried any diagnostics other than playing Star Raiders and plugging in a BASIC cartridge, a 410 and loading Invitation to Programming 1. There was an Atari Service sticker from Carmel, NY on the bottom of the case, so that suggests it's had some work done. Any ideas what this is for? Thanks, -Joe

I finally got around to notching the cage on my 400. A hacksaw would have been the cheap and easy way, but I'd been wanting a Dremel for over 20 years, so I decided to treat myself and bought a Dremel 4000 kit. The EZ456 metal cutting wheel cut well at about 15,000 RPMs and was useful for detail work at 5,000 RPMs. I forgot to take a before picture, but the notch (on the right) can be compared to the other trapezoidal part (on the left): It's not as pretty as I wanted it, but it'll be hidden once the case is back on. I'll probably want to soften the edges before reassembling so it doesn't saw through the cables any time they're moved. But it's very functional! It lets out the UAV S-video cable and the TK-II PS/2 cable, which is all I really wanted: I was kinda planning on using the Dremel to make holes in the plastic case to mount the above plugs, but someone suggested using the original RF cable hole and just have the cables hang out, so I'll probably do that. Anyway, that was fun!

Kinda reminds me of the orange 600XL at http://www.atarimuseum.com/computers/8BITS/XL/600Xl/orange600.html, only not nearly as cool.

My understanding is that they were never mass produced, just made by individuals who occasionally had some to spare. It's quite a journey assembling and programming one yourself, but you learn a lot and I recommend it! This forum and http://ataribits.weebly.com/design.htmlhelped me out a lot. Or you might get lucky and find someone with a spare for sale. Either way, good luck!

I searched for this but didn't find much, other than it's been done. I'm going to take the plunge and get a VBXE for my 1200xl. Has anyone created install instructions for this? I can make sense out of most of the connections on Lotharek's installation guide (not sure where to get CASINH), but he also mentions removing parts, and provides examples, only not for the 1200xl. Any recommended resources for this? Many thanks, - Joe

Almost certainly too much. I'm powerful glad to see the smiley after orpheuswaking's growl; he's provided some really crucial information about the Atari 400's sound circuit and I'd hate to think I made him angry, at least in the long term.

I just tried a straight R160 + R170 connection to audio and I see what you mean; POKEY audio was LOUD, Cassette audio was quiet. Is Bryan's diagram (http://atariage.com/forums/topic/246613-new-video-upgrade-coming-soon/?p=3488358) the latest or have there been any updates since it was posted? I'm definitely interested in a professional PCB or two. Thanks for the all the great information!