Help required: Whats wrong with my 800XL?

[Lavalamp]

Hi, I have recent purchased a 800XL (PAL) and paired it with a SIO2SD external drive, all appears to work fine, expect on a lot of games I'm getting a corrupted sprite, and I'm not sure why, would anyone be able to shed light on what may be causing this? Configuration, software, PAL/NTSC issue, RAM or Antic failure? Note that some games appear to run perfectly. Also passes memory tests fine.

 

I apologize for the poor photos, but you can see the corrupted missile or sprite running vertically down the display, these will follow the player or enemies.

 

 

 

Any help would be appreciated.

[+DrVenkman]

Guess is bad GTIA based on similar past issues with other machines but hard to be sure without further info. How does it handle something like Joust in the later levels with lots of enemies floating around on-screen at once?

[Grover Torbel]

This is almost identical to a problem I was having. Replacing the GTIA fixed everything.

 

 

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[Lavalamp]

Guess is bad GTIA based on similar past issues with other machines but hard to be sure without further info. How does it handle something like Joust in the later levels with lots of enemies floating around on-screen at once?

 

 

Joust fails immediately with one following the main player, it was one of the first I tried. This also appears straight away with Zaxxon, Gyrus, Attack of the Mutant Camels, Poll Position . However Loadrunner, Hero, Defender, Gallaxian, Starquake, Rampage, ChopperLifter, Dandy all run fine.

Edited August 25, 2017 by Lavalamp

[Lavalamp]

This is almost identical to a problem I was having. Replacing the GTIA fixed everything.

 

 

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

Thanks, I am beginning to think the GTIA is the issue.

[Grover Torbel]

 

Thanks, I am beginning to think the GTIA is the issue.

The nice thing if it is the GTIA, is that it's a simple, inexpensive fix. GTIA should only be about $5+shipping, although minimum order from Best Electronics is $20.

[Lavalamp]

Guess is bad GTIA based on similar past issues with other machines but hard to be sure without further info. How does it handle something like Joust in the later levels with lots of enemies floating around on-screen at once?

 

Heres a clearer photo of the issue, the issue starts after a number of sprites appear.

 

Edited August 26, 2017 by Lavalamp

[+DrVenkman]

Looks very much like a GTIA issue. If you have a spare system, do a swap and see how it goes? Otherwise you'll need to track down a spare Best Electronics still sells them.

[Lavalamp]

Looks very much like a GTIA issue. If you have a spare system, do a swap and see how it goes? Otherwise you'll need to track down a spare Best Electronics still sells them.

 

Thanks I have a second 800XL for parts coming, hopefully this is a socketed GTIA too, or if its working might just swap out the entire motherboard.

[Paul Westphal]

All Hong Kong 800XL's are socketed, as are all HK 600XL's.

[Stormtrooper of Death]

Thats good to know. Because I have 2 Hong Kong 800XLs.

[Lavalamp]

Looks very much like a GTIA issue. If you have a spare system, do a swap and see how it goes? Otherwise you'll need to track down a spare Best Electronics still sells them.

 

 

Thankyou! You were spot on. Replacing the GTIA fixed it. Very happy.

[+Nezgar]

Now the burning question... does the 'bad' GTIA exhibit the same problem on the other machine you swapped the good one out of? There's a chance of a bad pin contact to the socket, that just reseating would help with.

[Level42]

All Hong Kong 800XL's are socketed, as are all HK 600XL's.

 

Let me correct this:

 

All 600XL's are socketed.

 

Edited September 10, 2017 by Level42

[Lavalamp]

Now the burning question... does the 'bad' GTIA exhibit the same problem on the other machine you swapped the good one out of? There's a chance of a bad pin contact to the socket, that just reseating would help with.

 

I had tried re-seating it first, but no go, the donor XL was in poorer shape than I was led to believe, missing its Sally and Pokey chips, and internal shield, did not want to risk my good components in it to test, so not operational. I was lucky that the GTIA and ANTIC were still there. I fitted the faulty GTIA in the donor for now.

Edited September 14, 2017 by Lavalamp