The UAV Rev. D Video Upgrade Thread

[Sugarland]

Regarding pulling RF modulators.. Doesn't that break artifacting? flashjazzcat in one of his more recent videos mentioned this, saying removing the modulator did that.

[+DrVenkman]

Regarding pulling RF modulators.. Doesn't that break artifacting? flashjazzcat in one of his more recent videos mentioned this, saying removing the modulator did that.

 

Even with the RF modulator removed. you can still get artifacting from the Composite signal, which the UAV still produces. Separating the chroma and luma signals for S-video gives you an image that is basically too sharp for artifacting. It's your choice which signal(s) you want to connect to your display.

 

Having said that, I believe (not 100% certain) that some PAL models have video circuits contained within their RF modulators that produce the Composite signals in stock configuration. If you remove the RF modulator on such machines, you MUST use a video mod to produce video signals.

[BillC]

 

Even with the RF modulator removed. you can still get artifacting from the Composite signal, which the UAV still produces. Separating the chroma and luma signals for S-video gives you an image that is basically too sharp for artifacting. It's your choice which signal(s) you want to connect to your display.

 

Having said that, I believe (not 100% certain) that some PAL models have video circuits contained within their RF modulators that produce the Composite signals in stock configuration. If you remove the RF modulator on such machines, you MUST use a video mod to produce video signals.

I don't know whether it's NTSC or PAL models, or both, but the modulator in the 130XE has circuitry which combines Y/C signals to produce the CVBS signal.

[+mytek]

The UAV is completely stand-alone and not dependent upon or affected by any of the original video circuitry contained either in the RF modulator or on the motherboard. And as such, you can have both the original and UAV video outputs working in harmony, although I'm not sure why you would want to do that other than possibly retaining RF output. So when coming out of the UAV's composite connection, artifacting is still present irrelevant to whether the RF modulator was removed or not.

[suspicious_milk]

So my uav is installed and working; removing the RF can would not require additional steps beyond what it takes to physically separate it ... Ie no other connections to make/route/reroute/jump etc. ??

[_The Doctor__]

no he's saying the modulator can stay, the uav hooks up elsewhere.... do a search on uav installs

Edited December 5, 2017 by _The Doctor__

[flashjazzcat]

Maybe he wants to take out the modulator regardless?

 

Anyway: no - there's nothing to jumper when removing the RF mod.

[+mytek]

If the RF modulator output is not needed, I say pull it out

 

Keeping it in when not needed takes up valuable space which I would normally use for installing a 'real' S-Video connector. However if you don't have a good high temperature soldering iron and know what you are doing, there is a potential to damage your A8 motherboard. So proceed with caution.

[SoundGammon]

Pulling the RF modulator will also lesson the power demands.

 

"That creature has stolen the R4-Space Modulator"- Marvin Martian

[flashjazzcat]

Pro tip (no pun intended) for removing the RF mod: since the box will sink a lot of heat (as Michael infers), a larger iron tip can be very useful here. My iron isn't especially powerful and doesn't automatically boost when soldering large items, but I found a big, knife-shaped tip and it made easy work of the RF modulator lugs.

[mobiusstriptech]

Or just use a desoldering iron, gun, or station. I remove mine with my FR300.

[_The Doctor__]

that's big tip stores up a lot of heat, then it unloads that heat, nice and effective. I've seen enough tore up attempts by people on rf modulator removals that I normally tell them leave it in snip the leads if you wish. bring it to me and I'll yank it out if you want...

[_The Doctor__]

because everyone rushes out to buy 250.00 dollar solder suckers to do a quick inexpensive video upgrade

[mobiusstriptech]

I am not telling people to run out and buy professional equipment. You can remove the RF box using inexpensive equipment. You can get a cheap desoldering iron with a bulb, a mechanical pump, or just some solder wick. Use the right tool for the right job, that's all.

[suspicious_milk]

Well my 130 had heavy vertical lines on the left side. After I installed the UAV, the lines are 80-90% lighter but are now more uniform and on the whole screen. You really can only see them now on certain games that have grey background, and though they are on the whole screen now, it's defiantly an improvement overall due to its being lightened.

 

My Hope is that removing the RF box will eliminate what's left of those damn lines.

[_The Doctor__]

sometimes it does, but that's normally noise from the ram chips.. I've sometimes shielded the ram chips with a grounded heat spreader (heat sink) and cleared it up, or done the usual mods to alleviate starved circuits...

 

then again, I've just switched monitors and that fixed it as well, and then there was that one monitor cord... ah so much fun

[+remowilliams]

Or just use a desoldering iron, gun, or station. I remove mine with my FR300.

 

I recently removed the modulator from my 1200XL using my FR300. I cranked up the heat and it just melted everything away like butter, I was very pleasantly surprised

[suspicious_milk]

I may try a heat sink as well. Definitely not my cable or display, I've tested those out of the equation. The ram chips should be okay, they are the NEC, not MT. Thanks for the tips though... And wish me luck!

[mobiusstriptech]

Exactly. You don't have to buy high end equipment to do the work, but using the right tool makes a difference. Aure you can heat the hell out of the pins and try to pull them, it will probably work, but may cause damage. Or you can just use one of the tools available. In my case and remowilliams case we have FR300 to use, but I could do the same thing with some solder wick or a mechanical pump and it wouldn't be that hard or expensive.

[+remowilliams]

but I could do the same thing with some solder wick or a mechanical pump and it wouldn't be that hard or expensive.

 

Yep, I've removed them in the past with a variable wattage iron, a sucker and a dremel in some cases. Just wasn't as fun

[+DrVenkman]

Removing them with the trick I learned from Jon’s video is a piece of cake: heat up the lug(s) nearest the edge of the board with large chisel tip on the iron and wedge a small flat blade jeweler’s screwdriver between the RF can and the board. As you heat the lugs, slowly and gently wedge the can up off the board. Heat your way through all the lugs slowly lifting the can up as you go. You’ll be done in 5 minutes probably. You can clean out the holes afterwards easily.

[_The Doctor__]

That pile of donor boards I see in videos concerns me... I've never seen that in all my years, that many ruined beyond simple repair? Atari is cake to fix, and trace repair is not all that difficult either....

 

I've only found like 3 boards in 30 years that needed to become donor status...

 

and they looked like this...

 

Edited December 5, 2017 by _The Doctor__

[_The Doctor__]

heh hehe heh, fire, fire ,fire, pieces, pieces for the thru holes!

[flashjazzcat]

Heh... I'd take that for a donor. Most of my donors are in much better shape but they have no ICs on them.

[+remowilliams]

Ah the good old 'use an acetylene torch' memory upgrade method.