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VBXE 2


candle

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I wonder if there is need for another production run of VBXE graphics adapter for 8 bit atari

Although names says XE it can be used in any atari having ANTIC/GTIA and FREDDY chips on board

for FREDDY-less machines clock divider must me used

 

VBXE 2 is compatible with previously released v1.2 and only few thing were changed

 

- ANTIC chip is located on board in DIP2IDC connector adapter, so vbxe can be removed in any point of time - no soldering required

 

- VBXE Core boot time (time to load soft-core into the FPGA chip, and enable RGB output after power-on) decreased from 6.5 sec to 0.9 sec

 

- board dimensions decreased from 72x60mm to 66x44mm

 

- 14mhz generator circuit was included on board, so there is no additional clock generator module placed near FREDDY chip

 

FX core programmers manual (translated by Drac030 from Polish)

 

VBXE 2 board composite printout for reference

 

VBXE 1.2 (under printout) compared to VBXE 2.0:

vbxe2.jpg

 

prototype should be ready till 25 of april, and production run should start by the end of april

cost of ready board is not know yet, but should be under $100 (this is rought estimate, more exact price should be know till 25 of april)

 

This is something I'd love to have ... Put me up for one

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  • 2 months later...

i have this board - it works with NTSC machines, but doesn't work at all with PAL ones

so if your target is NTSC machine, then go for it

model name is gonbes gbs-8020

 

 

Does anyone know where the gonbes gbs-8020 can be purchased, I have googled it and found similar boards like the 8208, but not the 8020, But the models i found said they accepted RGBHV input at 30-32.5khz not the 15khz that comes out of VBXE?

 

Anyone have a link to the 8020?

 

best regards?

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i have this board - it works with NTSC machines, but doesn't work at all with PAL ones

so if your target is NTSC machine, then go for it

model name is gonbes gbs-8020

 

 

Does anyone know where the gonbes gbs-8020 can be purchased, I have googled it and found similar boards like the 8208, but not the 8020, But the models i found said they accepted RGBHV input at 30-32.5khz not the 15khz that comes out of VBXE?

 

Anyone have a link to the 8020?

 

best regards?

 

 

Anyone have any experience with using one of these:

 

eBay Auction -- Item Number: 3502446213691?ff3=2&pub=5574883395&toolid=10001&campid=5336500554&customid=&item=350244621369&mpt=[CACHEBUSTER]

 

It says it converts RGB 15k 50/60hz to VGA.

 

little expensive, I have a model similar to this that converts S-video/composite to VGA, and it works ok with a few different thing s i connected to it. But the my 800xl the video was kinda grainy.

 

Venom4728a

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Anyone have any experience with using one of these:

 

eBay Auction -- Item Number: 3502446213691?ff3=2&pub=5574883395&toolid=10001&campid=5336500554&customid=&item=350244621369&mpt=[CACHEBUSTER]

 

It says it converts RGB 15k 50/60hz to VGA.

 

little expensive, I have a model similar to this that converts S-video/composite to VGA, and it works ok with a few different thing s i connected to it. But the my 800xl the video was kinda grainy.

 

Venom4728a

I cannot speak for that specific model. I have the model that converts composite / s-video. It does not like the Atari's non-standard signal. Like my other VGA converter, it drops every other frame by one scanline. Because of this, programs like Flicker-Term do not display properly. It also exhibits bad "combing" on fast moving objects.

 

Maybe it will do better with the VBXE output?

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Well I tried 3 different 130XE motherboards and ripped the traces out each time I tried pulling a chip out. I melted and sucked the solder out as best I can. I wonder if there is another tool that we should be using along with an soldering iron and solder sucker? I got another 130XE mainboard from best electronics and I am not going to mess with it. Some suggest I try my 800xl with 256k, but I am not about to risk destroying that mb.

 

the only other solution is find an expert who can safely remove chips from mainboards and install sockets.

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Well I tried 3 different 130XE motherboards and ripped the traces out each time I tried pulling a chip out. I melted and sucked the solder out as best I can.

Ouch.

 

I wonder if there is another tool that we should be using along with an soldering iron and solder sucker?

There is. It's an expert who can safely remove chips from mainboards and install sockets.

Edited by flashjazzcat
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I hope I can find one in the Eastern United States soon. I remember a suggestion about clipping the excess length of the IC pins extending from the bottom of the main board. Something about shortening them will make them easier to get out. Not sure if that really works. I have extra ICs in case they won't plug into the socket.

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I hope I can find one in the Eastern United States soon. I remember a suggestion about clipping the excess length of the IC pins extending from the bottom of the main board. Something about shortening them will make them easier to get out. Not sure if that really works. I have extra ICs in case they won't plug into the socket.

 

I can do it for you if you want. Been working with Atari hardware for 20+ years. PM me if interested. I am in eastern PA. BTW, the XL motherboards can take much more abuse than the XE boards. Many find them much easier to mod.

Edited by puppetmark
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Hey Pete! Long time, no see.

 

Put it this way - each machine you kill is probably costing near twice the price of sending it to the West Coast and back, plus delaying your install by weeks at a time.

 

As for trimming IC legs... you need some short part of the leg left to fit in the precision socket, so I don't see much sense in doing that. Besides that, it can distort the shape of what's left over making it harder to get out, and harder to fit nicely in the new socket.

I just used the method candle described to remove a dozen or so Pokeys from 7800 carts, only broke a pin on one. Didn't need to mess with the legs on any of them - the key to the whole operation is using the right tools (adjustable temp iron, proper cylinder type solder sucker) and and having the work held steady so you have both hands free.

 

 

I'd just be done with it - send it to someone who can do it with minimal risk.

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  • 1 month later...

Man, the XE boards must really really suck. I've desoldered quite a few 40 pin chips from 800XLs and never had any trouble, and I'm certainly no expert and don't have professional grade tools.

What did You expect?

 

XL=Warner

XE=Tramiel

 

Some things both screwed up on differently, Like the 1200XL for

 

Warner: the Monitor port not being correct and no +5v sio enabled.

Tramiel: tried to do stuff as cheap as possible(trace problems) and made marketing mistakes or had no marketing at all and wanted to depend on word of mouth.

 

@ Candle: Am I too late for the VBXE2? I'm not ready yet, July is earliest I can do for the 1200xl.

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Oddly, I've found the opposite to be true: plate-throughs on the XLs delaminating easily, traces very fragile, while I've socketed virtually all the ICs on my 130XE without incident. It must be something to do with my "approach" (see 600XL topic). :D

Ok, But the Tramiels were cheap and really only wanted Atari so they could get back at Commodore.

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JokerCPoC: possibly not, depends on local customs office :/

Ok, I'm in the USA of course, I forget, But how much is the VBXE 2 with shipping? As I can then plan ahead some. Oh and I have a 1200XL, Didn't You mention a version w/an HDMI output, Is that still just an idea currently?

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  • 2 weeks later...

That's a nice job Sloop. I hope you didn't forget the twenty jumper wires underneath the Antic socket. :)

 

I took a different approach re: clearance. I removed the socketed chips which were in the way and either soldered them directly to the board, or mounted them face-up on the underside (there was only one chip tall enough to warrant the latter treatment, in fact).

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I wonder if there is another tool that we should be using along with an soldering iron and solder sucker?

 

A desoldering gun (with an integrated suction pump) makes all the difference, if you're willing to make a bit of investment. For example, the Hakko 808 works great; it's soldering that's tricky for me sometimes :)

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  • 11 months later...

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