VBXE hands-on

[flashjazzcat]

RGB in this case is not VGA. Some VGA monitors will sync down to VBXE's 15KHz RGB signal, but they are in the minority. You may require a scan doubler for a monitor like that one.

[Rybags]

Is this using standard or VGA core of VBXE ?

 

Note that under Pal you'll be doing 50 FPS which many monitors won't support or will show distorted or flickering picture.

 

But you'd expect that a Pal TV that handles VGA should be able to handle the VBXE VGA.

[Aking]

Is this using standard or VGA core of VBXE ?

 

Note that under Pal you'll be doing 50 FPS which many monitors won't support or will show distorted or flickering picture.

 

But you'd expect that a Pal TV that handles VGA should be able to handle the VBXE VGA.

I don't know yet how to set up cores?

2.1 VBXE has all of them flashed from factory,right?

But even when it's an ntsc XEGS, had to set the board jumpers to pal in order to get colour

on composite after the install.

The tv handles pal and ntsc ,(use it to watch tv on pal play games on ntsc)is standard def,

with 800x600 max res,has svideo and dvi-pc output with and adapter to vga

You get response from the Atari setting the input to Pc-Analog

I can take pictures if you want, but its pretty much a square grid

Please help

[Rybags]

This is rough info and I think is reasonably accurate but you should look up the official stuff to confirm:

- default VGA core for 14 MHz VBXE install only supports VGA mode of GTIA functionality, ie VBXE goodies like extra graphics modes, blitter etc not available.

- VGA core in 28 MHz VBXE install supports extra VBXE goodies but only 2 palettes are available instead of 4 (this might be out of date info)

 

Regardless, the VGA mode is a physically different install as well because by default VBXE doesn't provide SYNC outputs, the VGA cores reassign a couple of pins to provide them.

Edited October 9, 2013 by Rybags

[flashjazzcat]

Note: Candle remarked that the VGA core is deprecated and "hit and miss".

[candle]

True

[Aking]

success !

went with the scan doubler option

nicest / cleanest atari output i have ever seen

 

last word looks amazing too...

Edited October 10, 2013 by Aking

[Aking]

I've got my VBXE, yeah!....and mine was installed with a vga HD15 connector.

 

I had two plans for getting this hooked to a flat panel monitor, both of which would utilize a HD15 VGA connector.

 

Try #1

 

http://cbm-hackers.2304266.n4.nabble.com/Anyone-ever-attach-a-mono-LCD-to-a-PET-td4618295.html

 

Users on various forums report that the NEC Multisync can scan down to 15khz - and that it works with Amiga.

 

This was $44 shipped for me from ebay - but it doesn't matter, the NEC LCD1550M did NOT work with my VBXE.

 

Try #2

 

As a backup plan I bought one of those arcade board to LCD converters.

 

http://rover.ebay.com/rover/1/711-53200-19255-0/1?ff3=4&pub=5574883395&toolid=10001&campid=5336500554&customid=&mpre=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.ebay.com%2Fitm%2FGBS-8220-Video-Converter-CGA-EGA-YUV-RGB-TO-VGA-Arcade-Jamma-Game-Monitor-to-LCD-%2F261153377967%3Fpt%3DLH_DefaultDomain_0%26hash%3Ditem3ccdf44eaf

 

This did work!

 

$32.99 - looks good to. I have a VGA cable going from my VBXE to the Arcade board, and a VGA cable going from the arcade board to the monitor.

I tried both the NEC Multisync, and a regular vga monitor that I know could never scan down to 15khz - both worked good, no banding - the best picture I've ever seen from the Atari.

This is a quick report, I'll take some pictures later if I get a chance.

 

used the same board, nice picture on static images

though i noticed a side effect (motion blur? some kind of delay?)

with fast moving graphics

 

for example on River Raid,

moving the plane fast left/right

shows some pixels on it's nose form a "tail"

 

similar effect on megamania:

the hamburgers moving seem to have a small "hat"

 

H.E.R.O. going fast also has a small hat/tail opposite to the directions it is moving

pacman looks like junior when moving fast, etc

[candle]

Try with some high end monitor for gamers, as they tend to be fadter than average. Also don't belive in marketing specs, gray-to-gray transition speed means nothing. Stick to good old white-black-white transition speed as a guide for tft matrix qality.

[Aking]

Try with some high end monitor for gamers, as they tend to be fadter than average. Also don't belive in marketing specs, gray-to-gray transition speed means nothing. Stick to good old white-black-white transition speed as a guide for tft matrix qality.

 

 

tried another old samsung vga lcd,

 

then on a new, 2 ms Syncmaster p2770

same problem

 

maybe the delay is from the scan doubler card,

i'm using de hd 9800 (just one vga out)?

Edited October 15, 2013 by Aking

[Rybags]

Is there docs for the scandoubler?

 

Sometimes the combing problem can be because the device is doing frame blending, ie adjacent frames get combined to form one. If the monitor is a TV-based one then that might also be the case.

[Aking]

Is there docs for the scandoubler?

 

Sometimes the combing problem can be because the device is doing frame blending, ie adjacent frames get combined to form one. If the monitor is a TV-based one then that might also be the case.

 

 

tried on the samsung p2770, a high end lcd monitor, with same results

 

the doc of the scan doubler we are all using is attached

Edited October 15, 2013 by Aking

[Aking]

Try with some high end monitor for gamers, as they tend to be fadter than average. Also don't belive in marketing specs, gray-to-gray transition speed means nothing. Stick to good old white-black-white transition speed as a guide for tft matrix qality.

just look at the nose of the plane in river raid

and you will see the effect

tried lots of displays/monitors

not happening on vbxe games

VBXE or Scan Doubler problem ?

[Aking]

Is there docs for the scandoubler?

 

Sometimes the combing problem can be because the device is doing frame blending, ie adjacent frames get combined to form one. If the monitor is a TV-based one then that might also be the case.

 

 

what about a vga to video component cable ? thus avoiding the scan soubler ?

 

would i get the Vbxe benefits anyway ?

[Joey Z]

 

 

what about a vga to video component cable ? thus avoiding the scan soubler ?

 

would i get the Vbxe benefits anyway ?

you mean RGB + CSYNC to YPbPr? if it is done properly, then yes, you get full VBXE capability. the YPbPr inputs on a TV at least will accept 15khz signals. just beware that on TV's there may be overscan causing some of the picture to be cut off. it's not very likely on an LCD though I think, since it all gets handled digitally

[Aking]

you mean RGB + CSYNC to YPbPr? if it is done properly, then yes, you get full VBXE capability. the YPbPr inputs on a TV at least will accept 15khz signals. just beware that on TV's there may be overscan causing some of the picture to be cut off. it's not very likely on an LCD though I think, since it all gets handled digitally

 

thanks for answering !

 

where do i wire csync output on YPbPr?

vga 1 red plug

vga 2 green plug

vga 3 blue plug

 

vga 13 (csync) ?

ground pins ?

[Joey Z]

 

thanks for answering !

 

where do i wire csync output on YPbPr?

vga 1 red plug

vga 2 green plug

vga 3 blue plug

 

vga 13 (csync) ?

ground pins ?

you need a converter that converts from RGB to YPbPr. if you are able to build simple electronics, it is possible to build one.

[Mathy]

Hello Joey, guys

 

it's not very likely on an LCD though I think, since it all gets handled digitally

Most of the CRT TV's that were built in the last 10 to 15 years process the incoming signal digitally. That's why 100Hz, Picture in Picture and other nice features became possible.

 

Sincerely

 

Mathy

[Aking]

confirmed these scan doublers are not fast enough.

 

so

 

what is the solution for VBXE equipped A8s on modern lcds ?

[flashjazzcat]

confirmed these scan doublers are not fast enough.

 

so

 

what is the solution for VBXE equipped A8s on modern lcds ?

 

See if you can get an LG M1921a or similar. Even if it doesn't have a SCART (and most do - and SCART's generally the best bet in Europe), the VGA input on these monitors syncs down to 15KHz.