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130XE display problem


starwardude

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PROBLEM RESOLVED, DISCUSSED IN LAST MESSAGE.

I bought a 130XE along with various peripherals and programs from my neighbor over the weekend, but upon testing it (about an hour ago due to a missing power supply; neighbor forgot to give it to me, and wasn't available yesterday) I found out that the computer apparently doesn't work. The power LED comes on, but the TV displays a flickering mess of reds and blues with a dark band running horizontally across the screen. Any ideas as to what may be the cause of the problem? Is some part cooked?

Edited by starwardude
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The RF jack might be covered in rust.

 

They seemed to use poor quality RF output jacks. My 7800 barely gives a picture and it's mainly because of degradation and rust in the RF port.

 

That possibility aside, you're way better off making or buying an adaptor cable to give you RF, audio and S-Video from the monitor port.

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Dark bands (about 40 scan lines high?) may indicate too much ripple on your power supply. How is the audio? (is there any?)

 

Bob

 

 

 

I bought a 130XE along with various peripherals and programs from my neighbor over the weekend, but upon testing it (about an hour ago due to a missing power supply; neighbor forgot to give it to me, and wasn't available yesterday) I found out that the computer apparently doesn't work. The power LED comes on, but the TV displays a flickering mess of reds and blues with a dark band running horizontally across the screen. Any ideas as to what may be the cause of the problem? Is some part cooked?
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Can you check the power supply with a meter and make sure you are getting 5V DC from it? Or try a known workign PS. If the power is good, you could have a bad component. It could be bad ram, The stock RAM in a 130XE is of very poor quality! I will say in my experience, bad RAM usually does not look like this. My guess would be a bad ANTIC chip.

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Can you post a pic of the power supply?? There was one version that would commonly go bad.

Here's two

IMG_0036.jpg

 

IMG_0038.jpg

 

part no. 61982

Can you check the power supply with a meter and make sure you are getting 5V DC from it? Or try a known workign PS. If the power is good, you could have a bad component. It could be bad ram, The stock RAM in a 130XE is of very poor quality! I will say in my experience, bad RAM usually does not look like this. My guess would be a bad ANTIC chip.

 

Getting ~3.94VDC off the power supply. I can't test it with another PS; I don't have another one, and I doubt my neighbor would have an extra.

 

edit: on a side note relating to what rybags said, the chroma and luminance are effectively used for s-video, then? What should be done about pin 4 (composite video)? While waiting for responses, I was looking for info relating to what he said, and I seem to recall something about connecting 75 ohm resistors from the signal lines to ground. Is this correct?

Edited by starwardude
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The monitor port gives you both types of signals.

So, you can use Chroma, Luma and Ground hooked to an S-Video plug. And/or Composite and Ground for normal compsite as used in most video devices.

 

If you're only getting 3.9~ Volts from the PSU, then I'd say you definately have a problem.

I had to resolder mine the other day, and I tested it and it was a tad over 5 Volts.

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The monitor port gives you both types of signals.

So, you can use Chroma, Luma and Ground hooked to an S-Video plug. And/or Composite and Ground for normal compsite as used in most video devices.

 

If you're only getting 3.9~ Volts from the PSU, then I'd say you definately have a problem.

I had to resolder mine the other day, and I tested it and it was a tad over 5 Volts.

 

Okay, so how would I go about opening up the supply? I take it that there's some way of prying off the bottom of the supply's case without annihilating it.

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That does not look like any kind of 130XE power supply that I have ever seen. I can't read the ratings on the top - no matter - it's bad, more than likely. Doesn't look repairable...

 

Can you borrow a good supply somewhere? You could tap into a PC supply for 5 volts and try that.

 

Bob

 

The monitor port gives you both types of signals.

So, you can use Chroma, Luma and Ground hooked to an S-Video plug. And/or Composite and Ground for normal compsite as used in most video devices.

 

If you're only getting 3.9~ Volts from the PSU, then I'd say you definately have a problem.

I had to resolder mine the other day, and I tested it and it was a tad over 5 Volts.

 

Okay, so how would I go about opening up the supply? I take it that there's some way of prying off the bottom of the supply's case without annihilating it.

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I hate to say it, but that IS the ingot type power supply, any of these I come across I usually trash as they have a tendency to go bad with disaterous results... and they like to EAT 130xe's for breakfast (never had an 800xl die on me with one yet touch wood)...

 

I had the same problem with my first 130xe and the PSU toasted it, I sent it to Urchlay to fix and he spent hours on it and still didn't get it working, apparently it missed the ram but toasted a couple of other chips, at that point it wasn't really worth continuing and I got a new 130xe.

 

When I tested the PSU after I had power fluctuating on the supply and I think that's what toasted it...

 

I recently got a new in the box 130xe and would never put it in a room with one of those PSU's...

 

As for fixing the PSU itself, those are almost impossible to get into, the inside is filled with a resin so that all of the components are inside and it would be easier and cheaper to buy a new supply.

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So I should pretty much chuck the PSU then? Does anyone know of someone who may have a known good supply in Fairfield county?

 

In the worst case, the XE is cooked as is the PSU like what happened to orpheus. Hopefully the power supply is the only problem; if that's the case I've got a 9VDC @1.5A wall wart that I could try to make a voltage regulator circuit to drop it down to 5V. Then it'd just be a matter of getting the parts to do so. I'd rather try it out with an original supply before making a frankenstein-esque power supply that could potentially kill the XE if it hasn't been cooked already.

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So I should pretty much chuck the PSU then? Does anyone know of someone who may have a known good supply in Fairfield county?

 

In the worst case, the XE is cooked as is the PSU like what happened to orpheus. Hopefully the power supply is the only problem; if that's the case I've got a 9VDC @1.5A wall wart that I could try to make a voltage regulator circuit to drop it down to 5V. Then it'd just be a matter of getting the parts to do so. I'd rather try it out with an original supply before making a frankenstein-esque power supply that could potentially kill the XE if it hasn't been cooked already.

 

 

Have you change channels on the 130xe rf signal..? channel 3-4 switch. Are you useing an atari tv switch box? Is your tv capable of receiving a composite signal? If so then get a monitor cable and connect pin 4 to the rca video plug.

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Have you change channels on the 130xe rf signal..? channel 3-4 switch. Are you useing an atari tv switch box? Is your tv capable of receiving a composite signal? If so then get a monitor cable and connect pin 4 to the rca video plug.

 

1)Yes I have.

2)No, this is using an RCA-F adapter. I use this TV with my 2600.

3)Not on this particular TV. We do have some that are though. I'll make an adapter later tonight after I get some higher-priority stuff (read: homework) done.

 

EDIT: It turns out that the power supply was in fact at fault. The computer now comes on to the blue screen with the READY message after doing its self-test. Thanks to puppetmark for the spare PSU.

Edited by starwardude
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No... wait a minute. The 'bricks' you point to on e-bay are not the same as those shown in the photographs in this thread. Are there three different styles of XL/XE power supplies?

 

Bob

 

 

 

Ouch, they are selling like hot cakes on the bay too.

 

Might as well change the auction to read "Sure shot way to Fry your Atari XL/XE computer!" ;)

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No... wait a minute. The 'bricks' you point to on e-bay are not the same as those shown in the photographs in this thread. Are there three different styles of XL/XE power supplies?

 

Bob

 

 

Actually if you look close they are the exact same one!

Edited by tjlazer
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