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1088XEL Alternative Mother-Board Project


mytek

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C13 & R53 go on the underside of the board at the RGB out (DIN13) connector. If you plan to hook up an Atari ST monitor that is NOT a JVC model, you should install the mod. IN general, if you plan on putting anything on that port it is always better than not. If you are never going to use it, I suppose you could skip it.

 

Found them on page 6 of the XEL-shematics below the RGB/YPbPR-connector. :-)

 

Sleepy

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Hi all,

 

just started to collect all needed infos, parts and order PCBs for make my 1088XEL - and was surprised, that my GALEP-5 universal programmer doesn´t support the PIC 12F1571 (used for V-GATE).

 

After look at the typical chinese programmer for something between 40-70 Euros I saw, that all these ones also didn´t support this special PIC.

 

How you are program this PIC? I didn´t order a Joy2PIC-Stik, because normally my Galep-device can all, so it´s nice to use the XL itself, but easier with the universal programmer.

 

Any hint welcome.

 

Jurgen

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Hi Jurgen,

 

The Joy2PIC-STIK PCBs go for $15.65 (w/FREE Int Shipping) for three boards from OshPark, and most parts that it requires are pretty generic, meaning pretty much any NPN and PNP transistors will work. The only odd part to get is the 18-pin ZIF socket (TEXTOOL/3M 218-3345) which are about $3.50 a piece on eBay (you might need to source this elsewhere being outside the states).

 

joy2pic-stik-assy_2_orig.png

 

This programmer by far has got to be the simplest solution for flashing the PICs that are used in the 1088XEL. The ATR flashing files can normally be accessed via an SIO2PC and then use whatever 8-bit Atari you have laying around to auto boot them. Hitting the start button will program a given PIC chip. Doesn't get much easier then that :grin: . The nice thing about this approach, is that no chip programming software or driver updates are ever required. It just works right out of the box.

 

post-42561-0-27667300-1547310482.png

 

Since you'll have a couple of boards, you can always offset the cash out of your pocket by selling the extra ones already assembled :) .

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Hi Michael,

 

Hi Jurgen,

 

The Joy2PIC-STIK PCBs go for $15.65 (w/FREE Int Shipping) for three boards from OshPark, and most parts that it requires are pretty generic, meaning pretty much any NPN and PNP transistors will work. The only odd part to get is the 18-pin ZIF socket (TEXTOOL/3M 218-3345) which are about $3.50 a piece on eBay (you might need to source this elsewhere being outside the states).

 

This programmer by far has got to be the simplest solution for flashing the PICs that are used in the 1088XEL. The ATR flashing files can normally be accessed via an SIO2PC and then use whatever 8-bit Atari you have laying around to auto boot them. Hitting the start button will program a given PIC chip. Doesn't get much easier then that :grin: . The nice thing about this approach, is that no chip programming software or driver updates are ever required. It just works right out of the box.


Since you'll have a couple of boards, you can always offset the cash out of your pocket by selling the extra ones already assembled :) .

 

I have no problem with using the nice Joy2PIC-Stik, but I´m wondering what´s so special with this one (12F1571). My GALEP-5 device supports over 500 different Microchip PIC devices, but none of 12F15xx. And also the well-known chinese programmers like TL866 etc. supports nearly all Microchip PICs, but also not this one... strange thing.

 

I´ve ordered some of them now at OSH-Park. 1st I was planning to build it using a development breadbord, but... costs more time.

 

Thanks for info!

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Since you'll have a couple of boards, you can always offset the cash out of your pocket by selling the extra ones already assembled :) .

 

That's what XEL-builder and forum member Firedawg did - he made a few and sold them for essentially cost just to recoup and help out other builders. Mine's sitting in a drawer just in case I need to reprogram the chips in my 1088XEL someday, or if I need to program chips for some other fun 8-bit project.

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The 12F1571 is a newer chip which a lot of the older programmers (and their software) don't as yet support. As an example, I'm still using a clone of the Microchip PICkit2 programmer, which I had to search high and low to find a device file for in order to be able to flash it. Luckily there was a DIY guy that had created and uploaded device files for many of the newer PICs that were compatible with my older PICkit2. I also have a PICkit3, but it's garbage on my Linux box.

 

The 12F1571 (and it's brother 12F1572) are very powerful for their size (8-pin package). What I needed the most for this project was it's ability to accept and external clock, and then quadruple it with a built-in 4x PLL. This allowed me to be synced with the Atari's video timing by deriving the clock from GTIA's OSC pin-28, and then by multiplying that for the PICs clock, I was able to execute instructions at a rate that would allow for precisely enabling or disabling video at the required time period. But even with the 14+Mhz clock, I was forced to program the PIC in machine language to keep up.

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The PICkit3 using the latest linux versions of the MPLAB and standalone programmer applications both fail repeatably to maintain connectivity via USB. And the only way that I could recover communications was by powering down the system, and powering it back up. Did this to me on multiple computers and with different derivatives of Ubuntu. So I gave up and bought a couple of PICkit2s and have never had a problem. However I did need to update the device files from a 3rd party source in order to be able to program some of the newer PICs.

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  • 2 months later...

This is a very cool project. Im sure somewhere in this thread this has been asked. But I havent found it yet. Can this be built as a stock 8bit Atari. Im thinking because of the PS2 keyboard, the computer requires the Ultimate1MB. Is that true?

The PS2 keyboard interfaces to the rest of the system via a PIC microcontroller, which then connects to the POKEY keyboard interface lines. From the perspective of the rest of the machine, the keyboard looks like a standard Atari keyboard.
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  • 2 weeks later...

The XEL1088 continues to impress. Daily.

 

Just in case anyone needs to know, I did find a rare game that I can't seem to run on it recently: Race in Space, an Analog type-in game (http://www.atarimania.com/game-atari-400-800-xl-xe-race-in-space_4255.html).

 

Any suggestions as to how to get it to run?

 

 

Have you tried 800 OS? It looks like it might not be XL/XE compatible. I would try setting the OS to the 400/800 OS **OR** try a translator of some sort (Atari Translator or something similar).

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Have you tried 800 OS? It looks like it might not be XL/XE compatible. I would try setting the OS to the 400/800 OS **OR** try a translator of some sort (Atari Translator or something similar).

 

 

Is the 400/800 option relatively new to U1MB?

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The XEL1088 continues to impress. Daily.

 

Just in case anyone needs to know, I did find a rare game that I can't seem to run on it recently: Race in Space, an Analog type-in game (http://www.atarimania.com/game-atari-400-800-xl-xe-race-in-space_4255.html).

 

Any suggestions as to how to get it to run?

 

What options are you using? The Atarimania file is a cassette image. I just tried it in Altirra which is configured to mirror my 1088XEL. It's also a BASIC file. So, using Atari BASIC version C, XL OS, PBI turned off, SDX turned off, boot while holding down START. At the cassette load tone, press RETURN on the XEL. The image will take about 2 minutes to load.

 

post-30400-0-59711300-1554503285_thumb.jpg

 

EDIT: and on real hardware. I also realized that it's a pure-ML title, so boot the XEL with START + OPTION to suppress BASIC. It'll take about 1:50 or so unless you have a tuboloader option going in your peripheral emulator. I used the stock values on RespeQt.

 

post-30400-0-56516800-1554504288_thumb.jpg

Edited by DrVenkman
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What options are you using? The Atarimania file is a cassette image. I just tried it in Altirra which is configured to mirror my 1088XEL. It's also a BASIC file. So, using Atari BASIC version C, XL OS, PBI turned off, SDX turned off, boot while holding down START. At the cassette load tone, press RETURN on the XEL. The image will take about 2 minutes to load.

 

attachicon.gifCapture.JPG

 

 

Didn't even think to look to see if it was a cassette file. Good call there!

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  • 3 months later...
On 1/4/2019 at 10:57 AM, MacRorie said:

C13 & R53 go on the underside of the board at the RGB out (DIN13) connector. If you plan to hook up an Atari ST monitor that is NOT a JVC model, you should install the mod. IN general, if you plan on putting anything on that port it is always better than not. If you are never going to use it, I suppose you could skip it.

There is no mask on the solder side of the board for these components? I am not sure where I put them?

 

James

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  • 9 months later...

I just had a crazy idea.  I'm curious if we are making all of these good emulators and recreations of "Atari 800 throwback hardwares" wouldn't it be a cool idea to implement a new high rez graphics mode(s)?  The various limitations which existed in 1980 do not exist today so seems it would be a cool thing to try to implement. 

The slow speed, limited memory or low resolution monitors of the original system are all not limitations today.  I could see lots of cool old code being updated to make use of a new larger graphics mode to the point people might enjoy these games even more on modern equipment - perhaps it would allow for a revival of old code (old favorites) and not just old hardware?

 

We would also want some sort of turbo register somewhere to tell it to adjust the speed to run at modern speeds like the emulators can do this at the emulation layer but for a hardware application it would need to be a peek register location right?

Edited by Ray Gillman
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18 minutes ago, Ray Gillman said:

I just had a crazy idea.  I'm curious if we are making all of these good emulators and recreations of "Atari 800 throwback hardwares" wouldn't it be a cool idea to implement a new high rez graphics mode(s)?  The various limitations which existed in 1980 do not exist today so seems it would be a cool thing to try to implement. 

The slow speed, limited memory or low resolution monitors of the original system are all not limitations today.  I could see lots of cool old code being updated to make use of a new larger graphics mode to the point people might enjoy these games even more on modern equipment - perhaps it would allow for a revival of old code (old favorites) and not just old hardware?

 

We would also want some sort of turbo register somewhere to tell it to adjust the speed to run at modern speeds like the emulators can do this at the emulation layer but for a hardware application it would need to be a peek register location right?

The Eclaire XL does such a thing - 2X and 4X ANTIC clock.  For the real hardware, we also have VBXE (for well over a decade) and that seems to only upset people and have them scream "that's not a real Atari" so it gets ignored.  Altirra does a fantastic job of emulating the device, and again, nothing aside from one or two demos has been done.  I don't think a mode that will only work via software emulation will really cause anything new or interesting to be done. 

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4 minutes ago, Stephen said:

For the real hardware, we also have VBXE (for well over a decade) and that seems to only upset people and have them scream "that's not a real Atari" so it gets ignored. 

I'd have bought one years ago if I had a way to display RGB signals. I keep my eyes open locally for an ST1224 ST color monitor but no luck. I do see that RetroTink now makes a SCART RGB-to-Component adapter for about $70. I could conceivably put a VBXE into a machine, buy a CoolRetro DIN13-to-SCART cable, connect that to the RetroTink SCART-to-Component adapter, and then THAT into my new RetroTink 2X-Pro to HDMI.  Man, that's a lot of adapters! 

 

I guess I'll just keep looking for an RGB monitor locally, lol. :) 

 

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15 minutes ago, DrVenkman said:

I'd have bought one years ago if I had a way to display RGB signals. I keep my eyes open locally for an ST1224 ST color monitor but no luck. I do see that RetroTink now makes a SCART RGB-to-Component adapter for about $70. I could conceivably put a VBXE into a machine, buy a CoolRetro DIN13-to-SCART cable, connect that to the RetroTink SCART-to-Component adapter, and then THAT into my new RetroTink 2X-Pro to HDMI.  Man, that's a lot of adapters! 

 

I guess I'll just keep looking for an RGB monitor locally, lol. :) 

 

Dude, if you will start coding things for a VBXE, I will buy you whatever you need.

 

Also, you can always find a 1084S-D1 and get the 1088xel cable, if you are going SCART, works great.  The Atari provided cable for my 1435 works well on it as well!

 

Really want to see .ore written for the vbxe and as a bonus for the Rapidus as well.

Edited by leech
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