ataridano Posted September 28, 2008 Share Posted September 28, 2008 Oh you are in Michigan, I am in Western New York state (not NYC), not that far away. I look forward to news on your project. I am glad someone is doing a cartridge approach for 80 columns instead of going through the Joystick port and does not require anybody to solder it inside the computer. Me too! I can't wait to see how the prototype turns out. I just love the idea of having an 80 column display *and* the standard video output together on the same connector so I don't have to switch back and forth all the time Please keep up posted! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
electron Posted September 30, 2008 Share Posted September 30, 2008 Hmmm... 80 columns ? Together with standard GTIA output ? And maybe with scrolling ? Colors ? ... Hmmmm Look at this: http://www.fotosik.pl/pokaz_obrazek/3e54d68925202526.html http://www.fotosik.pl/pokaz_obrazek/a73c1c9b48478a8e.html Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
peteym5 Posted September 30, 2008 Share Posted September 30, 2008 That would be good for those who were looking to make an 80 column terminal display or a rich text format editor. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mathy Posted September 30, 2008 Share Posted September 30, 2008 Hello Electron Hmmm... 80 columns ? Together with standard GTIA output ? And maybe with scrolling ? Colors ? ... Hmmmm Look at this: http://www.fotosik.pl/pokaz_obrazek/3e54d68925202526.html http://www.fotosik.pl/pokaz_obrazek/a73c1c9b48478a8e.html Do you have more information on this. I'ld like to add it to my internetsite. Greetings Mathy Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
frogstar_robot Posted September 30, 2008 Share Posted September 30, 2008 (edited) Hmmm... 80 columns ? Together with standard GTIA output ? And maybe with scrolling ? Colors ? ... Hmmmm Look at this: http://www.fotosik.pl/pokaz_obrazek/3e54d68925202526.html http://www.fotosik.pl/pokaz_obrazek/a73c1c9b48478a8e.html Yes but can we get all that goodness in a plug-n-play upgrade that doesn't require a screwdriver or soldering skills? Though that said, if VBXE and bob1200XL's upgrades can co-exist then we have something that makes more sense. Since you're already in for a penny modding an A8 into a superset of itself then might as well go for the full pound. A 7.14 Mhz 16-bit processor with a lotsa memory and a flash storage adaptor is a good bet to feed VBXE anyway. A few months back we had a thread about a "new A8". That combo would give us what an "Atari IIGS" might have looked like. The upgrade under discussion in this thread is trivially installable and removable assuming featuritus is avoided. Require internal installation and the balance of merit swings in favor of VBXE since it is already engineered and would be $50 more at most. If this upgrade retains the cartridge/PBI/ECI installation characteristic then it can still offer a range of possibilities over stock video that are worthwhile even if it can never be as powerful as VBXE. Edited October 1, 2008 by frogstar_robot Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
peteym5 Posted October 1, 2008 Share Posted October 1, 2008 One issue with a cartridge/PBI/ECI is that there might be issues with syncing the video to overlay another signal. However not impossible. Since you have to take the video output from the Atari computer, attach it to this cartridge, and then send to the monitor from there. Yes, it has the advantage of not requiring any hardware modification, but you sacrifice some speed if you want to use both of them together to generate some nice graphics. It would be problematic to do a game that is animation intensive. Doing something through a cartridge does limit you to a memory window of $8000 to $BFFF and have to bank switch and that starts to slow things down. VBXE is an internal upgrade directly interfacing the ANTIC/GTIA chipset. Adding right onto those chip abilities and much faster. It directly sends color signals to the Antic chip when in use and overlays its own video layer and that is sent to the video output. Also allows the Antic chip to do all the synchronizing to the monitor or TV. Having several upgrades on a single board, like memory, CPU, and video will to cut down and interfacing and spacing problems. Both the FRAM cartridge and VBXE are going to have advantages and disadvantages, but it is going to be the end user to decide which one to go with. I do encourage both developers to continue their work. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
+bob1200xl Posted October 1, 2008 Author Share Posted October 1, 2008 It may be useful to add computing capability to the FRAM system, something you can send high level commands. Lots of possibilities... fewer limitations. The original intent is 80 columns and improved resolution. Not much of a platform for animation intensive games, no. Bob One issue with a cartridge/PBI/ECI is that there might be issues with syncing the video to overlay another signal. However not impossible. Since you have to take the video output from the Atari computer, attach it to this cartridge, and then send to the monitor from there. Yes, it has the advantage of not requiring any hardware modification, but you sacrifice some speed if you want to use both of them together to generate some nice graphics. It would be problematic to do a game that is animation intensive. Doing something through a cartridge does limit you to a memory window of $8000 to $BFFF and have to bank switch and that starts to slow things down. VBXE is an internal upgrade directly interfacing the ANTIC/GTIA chipset. Adding right onto those chip abilities and much faster. It directly sends color signals to the Antic chip when in use and overlays its own video layer and that is sent to the video output. Also allows the Antic chip to do all the synchronizing to the monitor or TV. Having several upgrades on a single board, like memory, CPU, and video will to cut down and interfacing and spacing problems. Both the FRAM cartridge and VBXE are going to have advantages and disadvantages, but it is going to be the end user to decide which one to go with. I do encourage both developers to continue their work. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
+Larry Posted October 1, 2008 Share Posted October 1, 2008 Hmmm... 80 columns ? Together with standard GTIA output ? And maybe with scrolling ? Colors ? ... Hmmmm Look at this: http://www.fotosik.pl/pokaz_obrazek/3e54d68925202526.html http://www.fotosik.pl/pokaz_obrazek/a73c1c9b48478a8e.html The color text is absolutely great. I keep seeing references to VBXE, but nothing that I can recall that is a status update. Perhaps posted somewhere else? ...is it going to happen? ...how far along is the development? -Larry Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
drac030 Posted October 2, 2008 Share Posted October 2, 2008 @Larry: the hardware is actually done and some 20 pieces are out. The "development" is limited to the new softcore. Once it is ready, the people who have the VBXE hardware just reflash its flash-ROM and voila - they have new, more powerful version of the VBXE ... ... and now tell me someone that this device isn't professionally made and isn't worth it's price. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
+Larry Posted October 2, 2008 Share Posted October 2, 2008 @Larry: the hardware is actually done and some 20 pieces are out. The "development" is limited to the new softcore. Once it is ready, the people who have the VBXE hardware just reflash its flash-ROM and voila - they have new, more powerful version of the VBXE ... ... and now tell me someone that this device isn't professionally made and isn't worth it's price. > and now tell me... (??) Where to buy (if it works with NTSC). The US$ is showing signs of life, so this is probably a great time to buy (from here). On the other hand, with the credit markets in a funk, if I have to get a loan, I'm probably SOL. -Larry Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mathy Posted October 2, 2008 Share Posted October 2, 2008 Hello Drac030 Do you know when the VBXE will be available to the rest of us? Greetings Mathy Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
drac030 Posted October 3, 2008 Share Posted October 3, 2008 I think that there must be someone, who gets in touch with electron, and makes an agreement on producing the board in larger quantities. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
+Stephen Posted October 3, 2008 Share Posted October 3, 2008 I think that there must be someone, who gets in touch with electron, and makes an agreement on producing the board in larger quantities. I'm in the US and ready to buy one (I have a PAL 130XE it will be going into). I just need to know the price and where to send the money Stephen Anderson Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
atariksi Posted October 4, 2008 Share Posted October 4, 2008 @Larry: the hardware is actually done and some 20 pieces are out. The "development" is limited to the new softcore. Once it is ready, the people who have the VBXE hardware just reflash its flash-ROM and voila - they have new, more powerful version of the VBXE ... ... and now tell me someone that this device isn't professionally made and isn't worth it's price. What's the installation procedure for this product? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
edward1469 Posted October 5, 2008 Share Posted October 5, 2008 I would like an kickass XEP80 upgrade, too. A memory expansion and S-Video upgrade to it plus a new Handler could one day possibly bring us an Ansi-Color compatible Terminal. That would be very http://www.atariage.com/forums/style_image...e_types/gif.gif Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mathy Posted October 5, 2008 Share Posted October 5, 2008 Hello Edward Please tell us more about this. Greetings Mathy Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
peteym5 Posted October 5, 2008 Share Posted October 5, 2008 I really suspect this is a joke and not a real item. No one as far as I know was doing a VGA cartridge with 2GB ram. To answer the questions about VBXE. As far as I know, they will be available at some point in the future, hopefully not too long. To install them, you have to desolder the ANTIC chip and plug it into the VBXE board, then solder the VBXE board into where the ANTIC chip got removed. This has been an on-going discussion for over 2 years and I would like to them become available in North America within the next year. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mathy Posted October 5, 2008 Share Posted October 5, 2008 Hello Peteym5 I'ld solder a precision socket in. Greetings Mathy Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mathy Posted October 5, 2008 Share Posted October 5, 2008 Hello guys Now that I look at it, I see "HAL9000". So it is a photoshop? Greetings Mathy PS if so, can I kick Edward? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
edward1469 Posted October 6, 2008 Share Posted October 6, 2008 Hello guys Now that I look at it, I see "HAL9000". So it is a photoshop? Greetings Mathy PS if so, can I kick Edward? it is photoshop of a product under development SD Card/XEP 80 compatibility mode as well as a USB Upgrade coming Thanks Ed The proto isn't very photogenic as of yet Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mathy Posted October 6, 2008 Share Posted October 6, 2008 Hello Edward I want one! (no, not a photoshop, the real thing. ) Greetings Mathy PS any idea how long my patience will have to last? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mimo Posted October 6, 2008 Share Posted October 6, 2008 Hmmm, looks like a fun cart, XE only? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
edward1469 Posted October 6, 2008 Share Posted October 6, 2008 Hmmm, looks like a fun cart, XE only? No XL or XE no 400/800 Though, I would have finished this thing over a year ago had my wife not passed away in January. So that brought Development to a halt, several system and hard drive crashes later along with a theft of my Development system, It's not been easy but as with most things Atari it's been very worthwhile The only Features working are the Video and the SD card, Thanks to the wonderful advise of several of the noted Atari personalities the SD 80 Cartridge is becoming a reality. Full SD Card support Fat 16 File system, with ATR and native support up to 2GB of Storage for Images and even cartridge and/or OS images loaded from the SD Card. Thanks Ed Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
edward1469 Posted October 6, 2008 Share Posted October 6, 2008 Hello Edward I want one! (no, not a photoshop, the real thing. ) Greetings Mathy PS any idea how long my patience will have to last? I'm not going to say it's going to be released in XX days so don't ask Thanks Ed Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mimo Posted October 6, 2008 Share Posted October 6, 2008 Hmmm, looks like a fun cart, XE only? No XL or XE no 400/800 Though, I would have finished this thing over a year ago had my wife not passed away in January. So that brought Development to a halt, several system and hard drive crashes later along with a theft of my Development system, It's not been easy but as with most things Atari it's been very worthwhile The only Features working are the Video and the SD card, Thanks to the wonderful advise of several of the noted Atari personalities the SD 80 Cartridge is becoming a reality. Full SD Card support Fat 16 File system, with ATR and native support up to 2GB of Storage for Images and even cartridge and/or OS images loaded from the SD Card. Thanks Ed Wow, great work, hope you get to complete it without too many more problems Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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