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The UAV Rev. D Video Upgrade Thread


Bryan

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Update on my UAV install in the 2600 - turns out the machine has a bad TIA. I suspected as much with the colors so far off but wasn't sure. Swapping with a TIA stolen from another 2600 cured the issue.

 

Here's what convinced me it was the TIA:

 

The classic Activision sky is NOT supposed to look like that in Chopper Command, and the radar display at the bottom is blank - no enemies or trucks visible.

 

post-30400-0-16097100-1494692897_thumb.jpg

 

After swapping chips I get the proper display.

 

post-30400-0-71109100-1494692905_thumb.jpg

 

And of course, Space Invaders has black space again. :)

 

post-30400-0-51312400-1494692964_thumb.jpg

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If I haven't replied on this yet, I too want to be added to the wait list for at least 2 of these? I like to try and add one to my 800xl perhaps and definitely test it for my 7800. All other mods on it never seem to look quite like the results that others appear to get so I'm curious to know if the UAV fares better on my 7800.

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I am having problems with both my 65xe and 800xl computers to get them work with modern TV sets (LCD screens).

In my new TV which lack s-video the composite is not even recognized. In an old LCD TV both composite and s-video get totally "shifted" versions of the atari screen. So I am having problems to get the atari signal to "synch" with the LCD TV.

If I disconnect and connected several times and I keep playing with the din connector half disconnect I get the right image in the tv. This situation is very annoying, since I have to keep doing this after every power up.

So, is the uav will.solve this problem by providing a standard s-video and composite output?

I'm also getting vertical lines when I connect the color signal of the s-video, in both computers. It is actually worse in the 65XE since I get strong vertical lines in the left side of the screen.

Will it help.me with that?

My computers are almost unmodified versions. 65xe with additional RAM so exactly like an 130xe and the 800xl with the old modification for s-video.

Many thanks

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I am having problems with both my 65xe and 800xl computers to get them work with modern TV sets (LCD screens).

In my new TV which lack s-video the composite is not even recognized. In an old LCD TV both composite and s-video get totally "shifted" versions of the atari screen. So I am having problems to get the atari signal to "synch" with the LCD TV.

If I disconnect and connected several times and I keep playing with the din connector half disconnect I get the right image in the tv. This situation is very annoying, since I have to keep doing this after every power up.

So, is the uav will.solve this problem by providing a standard s-video and composite output?

I'm also getting vertical lines when I connect the color signal of the s-video, in both computers. It is actually worse in the 65XE since I get strong vertical lines in the left side of the screen.

Will it help.me with that?

My computers are almost unmodified versions. 65xe with additional RAM so exactly like an 130xe and the 800xl with the old modification for s-video.

Many thanks

 

You got a lot going on with this post! :) Let me see if I can help, based on using Bryan's UAV (both Rev C and Rev D versions) in an 800XL and 2600 ...

 

First off, need more info: are your systems NTSC or PAL? What kind of TV are you trying to connect to with them now?

 

The reason I ask is because my totally stock Atari computers have no trouble connecting to LCD and LED TV's in North America made in the last 3 - 5 years (haven't tried with any newer TV's than that). They look BETTER on CRTs to me, but that's a matter of taste. I don't think a UAV or any video mod would make them worse, but you never know I guess. I've connected my UAV-equipped 800XL and 2600 to three CRTs without a problem: an early 00's 13" Sylvania TV, an early 00's 27" Toshiba CRT and a late 80's Apple Color Composite Monitor. Not an issue with any of them, but they do have analog tuners and were built with a wider tolerance for non-standard video signals.

 

The vertical lines you see on the screen is a result of some crappy signal isolation in the XL and XE motherboard designs. The UAV helps but - in my experience - doesn't eliminate them 100%. If does minimize them greatly on my Rev C 800XL, though.

 

Also - have you checked your Ataris for other problems? Having to jiggle the DIN for the monitor jack sounds like a bad connection to me - maybe try a different cable or see if your monitor jack needs to be resoldered?

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You got a lot going on with this post! :) Let me see if I can help, based on using Bryan's UAV (both Rev C and Rev D versions) in an 800XL and 2600 ...

 

First off, need more info: are your systems NTSC or PAL? What kind of TV are you trying to connect to with them now?

 

The reason I ask is because my totally stock Atari computers have no trouble connecting to LCD and LED TV's in North America made in the last 3 - 5 years (haven't tried with any newer TV's than that). They look BETTER on CRTs to me, but that's a matter of taste. I don't think a UAV or any video mod would make them worse, but you never know I guess. I've connected my UAV-equipped 800XL and 2600 to three CRTs without a problem: an early 00's 13" Sylvania TV, an early 00's 27" Toshiba CRT and a late 80's Apple Color Composite Monitor. Not an issue with any of them, but they do have analog tuners and were built with a wider tolerance for non-standard video signals.

 

The vertical lines you see on the screen is a result of some crappy signal isolation in the XL and XE motherboard designs. The UAV helps but - in my experience - doesn't eliminate them 100%. If does minimize them greatly on my Rev C 800XL, though.

 

Also - have you checked your Ataris for other problems? Having to jiggle the DIN for the monitor jack sounds like a bad connection to me - maybe try a different cable or see if your monitor jack needs to be resoldered?

The old LCD TV is a Magnavox circa 2005. The sync problem is well documented. It is not the cable: I got the same behavior with RF, composite and s-video. The video signals are not in accordance with the standard, and I guess I was unfortunate enough to get picky TVs. They work without problems with old crt tvs.

The other LCD TV is a 2015 Vizio. In this one the RF channel 2 or 3 and composite is not even recognized.

 

BTW, both computers are both NTSC.

 

Maybe I just need to get another TV set.

Thanks

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If that was the case then why didn't you just say so... you could try an up-converter... sometimes that helps 'correct' the signal... you said modern televison not an 'old' LCD magnavox.... hardly a standard follower.. some of their tube tv's had problems with light guns, nintendo atari did not matter.... they used some weird half screen at a time method (no not interlacing doing every other scanline either),upper half then lower half for their chassis. Nice to see you tell what the brands are and all that after the fact... and that you know it as a well documented problem... I don't think anyone could have psychic channel networked that either.... anyway try a nice converter and pick thru the output choices it may work out, it has for others. Good luck in your endeavors manterola.... funny I hadn't had a problem with recent vizeo but since you didn't volunteer what system/country.... who knows... anyway.... Hope you find out one way or the other.... I'm of to watch an episode of trolls now... what a weird cartoon

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Hi, I'm doing another run of boards this month so PM me if you want one (or more) so I can order accordingly. I'm also working on the companion audio board. Been super busy with the new house but I'm getting things rolling again.

 

I believe I have contacted everyone who contacted me, but send me a nudge if I missed you.

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Hi, I'm doing another run of boards this month so PM me if you want one (or more) so I can order accordingly. I'm also working on the companion audio board. Been super busy with the new house but I'm getting things rolling again.

 

I believe I have contacted everyone who contacted me, but send me a nudge if I missed you.

 

PM sent. :)

 

--Tim

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Bryan, I was wondering if the UAV would work in a ColecoVision Expansion Module #1 . This doesn't have a CD4050, but I do know the video pin-outs from the clone TIA. I have successfully modded one of these modules to S-video using one of the Electronic Sentimentality boards (wired up to the clone TIA) so was hoping the UAV would also be an option.

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Bryan, I was wondering if the UAV would work in a ColecoVision Expansion Module #1 . This doesn't have a CD4050, but I do know the video pin-outs from the clone TIA. I have successfully modded one of these modules to S-video using one of the Electronic Sentimentality boards (wired up to the clone TIA) so was hoping the UAV would also be an option.

That's an interesting question. If you've seen the UAV pinout Bryan posted earlier, you need Sync, Color, and three LUM signals, plus +5V and Ground. If you've got those signals it should work, I would think.

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Bryan, I was wondering if the UAV would work in a ColecoVision Expansion Module #1 . This doesn't have a CD4050, but I do know the video pin-outs from the clone TIA. I have successfully modded one of these modules to S-video using one of the Electronic Sentimentality boards (wired up to the clone TIA) so was hoping the UAV would also be an option.

It should work as the two chips are very similar, but I haven't tested it.

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That's an interesting question. If you've seen the UAV pinout Bryan posted earlier, you need Sync, Color, and three LUM signals, plus +5V and Ground. If you've got those signals it should work, I would think.

 

The pinouts for those signals on the Coleco Exp. Mod #1 clone TIA are:

 

Sync = 5

CLR = 9

LUM 0 = 8

LUM 1 = 6

LUM 2 = 4

Vcc (+5V) = 20

GND = 1

 

Also:

BLK = 7

 

So looks like they're all there.

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I'm not sure if I need it. I modded my 7800 and my 2600 with AV kits from Sean (AtariGuy1021). I think the picture looks pretty good, but if this is a big improvement over that, I might be interested.

I can't really say. Maybe someone here has more experience with other mods.

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So I'm gonna be putting one of older Rev C UAV boards into one of my 7800's pretty soon - I found a good photo that Bryan posted of a 7800 installation, labeled with signal pickup points on the 7800 board. However, the wires in the photo are all white and they're difficult to trace on the photo all the way to the UAV board points. Specifically, the 7800 installation has both TIA Color and MARIA Color signals to pick up, while the "usual" UAV installation just has one "Color" signal to be picked up.

​Can anyone tell me which "Color" signal goes where on a 7800 installation (i.e., where does TIA Color go and where does MARIA Color go)? And also, is there a single good pickup point for audio that will give equal volume for both TIA and POKEY (for POKEY carts)?

 

 

 

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So I'm gonna be putting one of older Rev C UAV boards into one of my 7800's pretty soon - I found a good photo that Bryan posted of a 7800 installation, labeled with signal pickup points on the 7800 board. However, the wires in the photo are all white and they're difficult to trace on the photo all the way to the UAV board points. Specifically, the 7800 installation has both TIA Color and MARIA Color signals to pick up, while the "usual" UAV installation just has one "Color" signal to be picked up.

​Can anyone tell me which "Color" signal goes where on a 7800 installation (i.e., where does TIA Color go and where does MARIA Color go)? And also, is there a single good pickup point for audio that will give equal volume for both TIA and POKEY (for POKEY carts)?

 

7800 TIA connection:

http://atariage.com/forums/topic/246613-new-video-upgrade-coming-soon/?p=3426454

All other connections are here:

http://atariage.com/forums/uploads/monthly_02_2016/post-3606-0-05001600-1454530231.png

 

I'm working on my new audio board for the 7800. Hopefully in the meantime someone will chime in with where they connected audio.

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7800 TIA connection:

http://atariage.com/forums/topic/246613-new-video-upgrade-coming-soon/?p=3426454

All other connections are here:

http://atariage.com/forums/uploads/monthly_02_2016/post-3606-0-05001600-1454530231.png

 

I'm working on my new audio board for the 7800. Hopefully in the meantime someone will chime in with where they connected audio.

Excellent, thank you! I had the second diagram - my only confusion was which Color signal from each chip went where.

 

Very much looking forward to your audio board too! If it's ready to test in the near-ish term, I'm happy to buy one and give it a run. I don't quite know when I'll get around to doing the installation - heck, it took me about 18 months to getting around to doing that 2600 (and now I wish I'd done it sooner!) In the meantime I can google around the 7800 forums for additional info if no one else chimes in.

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