VBXE from Lotharek - install on an XEGS

[displaced]

Hi all,

 

Im in the middle of fitting a VBXE 2.1 to my XEGS.

 

Ive got as far as adding the resistor between pins 3 and 40 of FREDDIE and have removed ANTIC, installed the board, and replaced ANTIC.  All working so far...

 

Now, the instructions say to remove the oscillator.  Is that the metal box just to the left of FREDDIE?

 

Thanks!

[ivop]

I have never installed a VBXE, but if the instructions clearly say remove the oscillator then that's indeed the 14.18757 MHz oscillator.

 

Edited July 8, 2019 by ivop

[displaced]

15 minutes ago, ivop said:

I have never installed a VBXE, but if the instructions clearly say remove the oscillator then that's indeed the 14.18757 MHz oscillator.

 

Brilliant - thanks!  

 

The instructions are otherwise nice and clear, with a straightforward table of ‘connect this to this’. There’s also an annotated photo of the motherboard. There’s some text saying precisely ‘remove the oscillator’, but then there’s no annotation of the oscillator in the motherboard photo.

 

Thought it was worth double-checking

Edited July 8, 2019 by displaced

[displaced]

Got the VBXE installed yesterday. Worked first time, then stopped working. Turned out one of the ANTIC legs had folded as it went into the adapter. Straightened it out and tinned it to restore some strength and it’s done!

 

Now, I’m thinking about how to do the VGA connection. 

 

I’m going to remove the RF modulator board so I can use its case hole. I’m hoping a s-video style mini-DIN will have the correct diameter to fit where the modulator’s RCA jack was. Ideally I want to get a panel-mount socket with a nut fixing so I won’t need to drill holes.

 

Now - one last question! What are people using to get from the VBXE header pins to their socket?  I feel like unshielded ribbon cable running inside the case will lead to a noisy signal. Just a regular length of shielded cable with enough conductors?

[Rybags]

I've not looked inside my 800XL at my own work for a while (almost 10 years old) but...

 

- fairly sure I've just got a bunch of unshielded wiring carrying the video signal with a little effort to keep it away from noise sources.  The RF mod still intact, my video signal from VBXE is near perfect, unlike anything you'd have expected from any Atari.

 

- my choice of video connector was DE15 (as used by VGA) though different pinout.  This was because I could match the output to suit an existing cable I already had for my 1084 monitor.  Some people have done DIN13 as per ST then used an ST monitor.  So, look at what gear you already have when considering your own options.

 

I also used a couple of header pins soldered where the wire might have gone directly, from memory picking off the CSync signal was done that way.  More a convenience thing than function.

 

In the meantime I also aquired an arcade RGB 16 KHz video converter board so can use my machine now on a modern monitor via analog 31 KHz VGA (noting it's external and uncased)

Edited July 9, 2019 by Rybags

[displaced]

9 minutes ago, Rybags said:

I've not looked inside my 800XL at my own work for a while (almost 10 years old) but...

 

- fairly sure I've just got a bunch of unshielded wiring carrying the video signal with a little effort to keep it away from noise sources.  The RF mod still intact, my video signal from VBXE is near perfect, unlike anything you'd have expected from any Atari.

 

- my choice of video connector was DE15 (as used by VGA) though different pinout.  This was because I could match the output to suit an existing cable I already had for my 1084 monitor.  Some people have done DIN13 as per ST then used an ST monitor.  So, look at what gear you already have when considering your own options.

 

I also used a couple of header pins soldered where the wire might have gone directly, from memory picking off the CSync signal was done that way.  More a convenience thing than function.

 

In the meantime I also aquired an arcade RGB 16 KHz video converter board so can use my machine now on a modern monitor via analog 31 KHz VGA (noting it's external and uncased)

Thanks for the info!

 

I'm using VGA connectors everywhere too.  I have a 16-port VGA switch that also switches audio. I've made up a bunch of 'whatever-to-DE15' cables for all my old systems (STFM, Falcon, Jaguar, Acorn Electron).  Video and audio go from each system to the VGA switch.  The output of that goes to an amp for audio, and an OSSC for the video.

 

My one criteria is that I never make case mods!  I've emptied the modulator box on my GS, and found a 6-pin mini-DIN (basically a PS2 keyboard/mouse connector).  The mini-DIN should simply screw into the shielding where the RCA jack was - it appears to be the perfect diameter.  

 

I'll then build a mini-DIN to VGA cable and an RCA to 3.5mm audio jack cable.

 

Anyway - so, unshielded cable internally for the video isn't a problem if done with care.  That's great!  I'll stick some DuPont terminals on some ribbon cable and run it to the RF box in preparation for the mini-DIN to arrive!

[displaced]

Mini-DIN arrived today - fits absolutely perfectly in the former-RF hole in the shielding!

 

Here’s a couple of pics - the VBXE installation and the video-out ribbon routing. Next step is to solder the mini-DIN on the end and also to make the connection for CSYNC on CD4050.

 

 

[displaced]

All the XEGS stuff’s done!

 

Very pleased with how the 6-pin mini-DIN looks!

 

Unfortunately I cant build the DIN-to-VGA lead yet - the seller I got the plugs from left out part of the plug. And I don’t have any PS2 keyboards or mice to nick the cable from.

 

As an aside, I reckon a 4-pin mini-DIN (like s-video connectors) would work - 4 pins plus the outer shield as ground.  But I prefer this as it’s a bit of a reminder that it’s *not* an s-video port!

[displaced]

Made up the mini-DIN to VGA cable and plugged it all in.

 

I know this comes as no surprise to most of you, but as this is my first A8 and my first VBXE installation, I am well pleased with the video output quality!

 

I've not put any games on my SIDE2 yet, but here's a quick pic of the XEGS's self-test menu on my TV.

 

The XEGS goes to an Aten VS1601 16-port VGA switch.  The output from that feeds an OSSC scan-converter.  Then, HDMI to the TV.

 

Now to obtain some software!

[flashjazzcat]

+1 for proper aspect ratio.

 

[displaced]

48 minutes ago, flashjazzcat said:

+1 for proper aspect ratio.

 

 

Quite - can’t bear stretchy-vision on TV shows, films or games!

[+Stephen]

1 hour ago, displaced said:

 

Quite - can’t bear stretchy-vision on TV shows, films or games!

Wow - I bet you even hold your phone horizontally when taking videos ?

[displaced]

9 minutes ago, Stephen said:

Wow - I bet you even hold your phone horizontally when taking videos ?

 

Crazy, I know.... ?

[ivop]

A couple of days ago I was at a Neil Young concert (fantastic BTW! Rust never sleeps) and I was surprised how many people filmed horizontally. Well, if they filmed or photographed at all. I was very pleased I did not have to look over a sea of cellphones as I had to at previous concerts I attended lately. Oh and those people mostly filmed vertically, and were too lazy to dim their screens ?

 

But your setup looks great! I assume there's a comfy couch on the other side

 

Edited July 12, 2019 by ivop

[+kheller2]

I dig the Lynx placeholder.

 

[Wrathchild]

I'm just imagining the Draconus or International Karate/World Karate Champ tunes coming out of those speakers ?

[displaced]

2 hours ago, ivop said:

Oh and those people mostly filmed vertically, and were too lazy to dim their screens ?

 

But your setup looks great! I assume there's a comfy couch on the other side

 

Partial to a bit of Neil Young too!

 

When smartphones were new, I did stuff like film gigs... but ended up preferring to take a few photos, a minute or two of video, then just enjoy.  It’s nice to imperfectly recall seeing everything than just remembering looking through the phone’s lens.

 

There’s not quite room for a couch, instead there’s some IKEA seat with a footstool which is fantastic for falling asleep in whilst playing Elite

 

1 hour ago, kheller2 said:

I dig the Lynx placeholder.

 

I think the Lynx stand came from an Etsy shop - nice little clear acrylic display stand thing. It’s meant for the Lynx II but my Mk. I sits there fine!

 

1 hour ago, Wrathchild said:

I'm just imagining the Draconus or International Karate/World Karate Champ tunes coming out of those speakers ?

 

I’ll make sure I get those onto the CF card!

 

the speakers are part of a 7.1 setup - far more than enough for the small room, but it was an absolute eBay bargain, including the amp. Mrs. Displaced and I had a fun road-trip from Kent to Devon to go pick that lot up!

 

I’ve wired the audio out of the XEGS so that the mono signal goes to both L and R channels on the amp. The fact that both channels are identical doesn’t give the amp much to work with for its spatial effects. But setting it to all-speaker stereo sounds pretty good.

 

I love hooking these old machines up to A/V gear that was the stuff of a madman’s dreams back when they were released.

 

Having said that, I know there’s an authenticity to playing these old machines on contemporary CRTs. Especially when game graphics took advantage of interlacing and phosphor decay to produce particular effects. 

 

Personally though, I like to make using my old stuff every bit as convenient as playing Elite Dangerous or Battlefront II on my PC.

 

...and that’s my next project - turn some Arduino Nano boards into Bluetooth-to-Atari Joystick/Keyboard bridges.  That’s going to be harder than I thought with the XEGS - might end up running a ribbon out from the motherboard so I can hook the Start/Option/Select/Reset lines up to the Arduino.  

Edited July 12, 2019 by displaced