EclaireXL Issues Thread

[Guest]

Here's where I am with my EclaireXL:

Own design 3-printed case, LED lighting with LED keyboard (with atari keystickers)

 

 

[+Larry]

One step forward, two steps back.

 

My keyboard PS2 to USB keyboard adapter doesn't work.  It didn't work at all with the ECXL and won't even work with a PC.  Gives a "device not recognized" Windows error.  Tried two different keyboards -- both fail.  StarTech -- their stuff usually works great.  Too bad, I have a nice mini PS2 keyboard that would have been great. Time for plan B -- new one from Amazon.

[NISMOPC]

26 minutes ago, Larry said:

One step forward, two steps back.

 

My keyboard PS2 to USB keyboard adapter doesn't work. 

If it is just an adapter like this, the keyboard has to be USB compatible.

Older PS/2 keyboards will only work with the PS/2 to USB adapter/converters like this...

Edited August 2, 2019 by NISMOPC

[foft]

Usb to PS2 adaptors tend not to be active. So it must be a keyboard that supports both protocols.

[toddtmw]

So. I'm looking at the keyboard code and looking at documented scan codes for PS/2 keyboards. I see this logic in the code:

        break_pressed<=ps2_keys_reg(16#0E#) or ps2_keys_reg(16#77#); -- BREAK (ADDED 0E IN ADDITION TO 77)

According to the code tables I am seeing, 0E is the grave quote (unshifted tilde key) and 77 is numlock.

 

But the tables also say that Pause/Break is E1 14 77 E1. 

 

This code is all new to me, and I haven't had time to parse it all, but I don't know how it is processing the 4-byte pause/break code.

 

BUT THE GOOD NEWS IS, THE GRAVE QUOTE WORKS AS THE BREAK KEY!!!!!!

 

So, YAY!

 

I'm going to update the Wiki...

[+Larry]

1 hour ago, foft said:

Usb to PS2 adaptors tend not to be active. So it must be a keyboard that supports both protocols.

 

It flashes the keyboard LEDs for a split second, then gives up.  I may have that other type shown above around here, so I'll look for it. Otherwise... Amazon.

[+Larry]

Issue #2 -- Video

 

I really need for S-video to work. So my first attempt was to use a HDMI to S-Video converter.  Doesn't work from the ECXL. I get a black screen with flashes and streaks flying through it.  

 

https://smile.amazon.com/gp/product/B07RBXXGMM/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_title_o01_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

 

I think I'm dead in the water on this one unless Mark and Panos come up with an adapter. This adapter works great from my Roku, but not from ECXL.  Has anyone found a converter that works with ECXL?

 

-Larry

 

 

[NISMOPC]

1 hour ago, toddtmw said:

BUT THE GOOD NEWS IS, THE GRAVE QUOTE WORKS AS THE BREAK KEY!!!!!!

 

So, YAY!

 

AWESOME FIND! All is NOT lost. Thank you! 

 

For reference: I Googled "grave quote" 

 

Alternatively referred to as an acute, backtick, grave, grave accent, left quote, open quote, or a push, the back quote or backquote is a punctuation mark (`).

 

Although not as common as the above uses, the back quote is also sometimes referred to as a back prime, back tick, birk, blugle, quasiquote, and unapostrophe.

 

It is on the same U.S. computer keyboard key as the tilde.

[foft]

Re break I forget but found these notes I wrote in another file:

-- Codes are either 1 bytes or 2 bytes (extended) on press
	-- XX
	-- EX YY
	-- Codes are eighter 2 bytes or 3 bytes (extended) on release
	-- F0 XX
	-- EX F0 YY
	
	-- Some keys have multiple codes. e.g. break sends E1,14 and 77. It also sends release immediately E1 F0 14,F0 77

[foft]

Larry, re svideo another option would be to use Panos’ dac board. Or build a simple custom circuit, eg resistor dac.

 

With your adaptor did you try ‘h’ as well as ‘d’?

Edited August 2, 2019 by foft

[+Larry]

Not aware of Panos Dac board.  I did not try "H".  I'll contact him.  I'll also do some online research about a DIY converter option.

Thanks.

           

[toddtmw]

3 hours ago, toddtmw said:

0E is the grave quote (unshifted tilde key)

 

1 hour ago, NISMOPC said:

For reference: I Googled "grave quote" 

I did explain earlier in the post what the grave quote was...

[NISMOPC]

39 minutes ago, toddtmw said:

 

I did explain earlier in the post what the grave quote was...

I felt the need to be thorough in my understanding of such a fantastic find and therefore provided my findings for others like me that overlook things previously explained to us. It's either short attention span, overly joyful to find a solution, or just plain stupidity on my part.  

 

EDIT: At least I NOW know what a grave quote is.  

Edited August 2, 2019 by NISMOPC

[+Larry]

Fiddling with the ECXL and my monitor video settings, I can now get the sharpest, clearest video I have ever seen on an Atari.  Setting the Scanlines to 0 made a huge difference in the picture quality.  With "0", there are no scanlines visible -- just clean background and text.  And with HDMI, I get sound without a separate speaker as a bonus (one less cable to connect). Of course this was hdmi; I still want/need S-video.

[Roydea6]

https://www.radioshack.com/products/radioshack-hdmi-to-coax-adapter

 

I bought this hdmi to rf cable adapter and it is not a bad picture, not as good as pure HDMI monitor.  For using an old TV it works okay. 

 

 

[toddtmw]

I’m confused. What is the port on the ECXL that looks like an RGB monitor port do if there is another adapter needed to do RGB?

[foft]

There is a vga port (if populated?) but it needs a dac expansion board to activate. Without that it’s dvi only.

ie it does nothing without a dac

Edited August 4, 2019 by foft

[toddtmw]

So, as it exists, that is a DVI port?

 

to use it, I would need a vga to dvi cable?

[+Larry]

 

 

Hi Roy-

Could you post a screen shot? Any "static" visible?  I've used RF from my tv satellite system, and that picture is pretty darned good. I just never thought about trying RF from the ECXL. I'm really curious about that converter. Probably something very similar is available elsewhere, since Radio Shack is out of business (afaik). 

-Larry

 

Edit:

Here are a couple of photos from my systems: TOP is S-Video    Bottom is HDMI.  My S-Video is close to as good, but doesn't quite have the sharpness of HDMI.

[foft]

11 hours ago, toddtmw said:

So, as it exists, that is a DVI port?

 

to use it, I would need a vga to dvi cable?

No, as it stands nothing is connected to it. It’s a vga port with no r, g or b.

re dvi: I was referring to the other port that is active.

Edited August 5, 2019 by foft

[toddtmw]

11 minutes ago, foft said:

No, as it stands nothing is connected to it. It’s a vga port with no r, g or b.

re dvi: I was referring to the other port that is active.

Ok. I’m sorry. I’m not trying to be critical or dumb. But along the back of the ECXL, there is a port that looks exactly like a VGA port. It’s the silver port in the middle of this picture:

 

What I think I am hearing is that port isn’t connected to anything?

 

if so, why take the trouble to purchase it and physically connect it to the circuit board?

[NISMOPC]

59 minutes ago, toddtmw said:

Ok. I’m sorry. I’m not trying to be critical or dumb. But along the back of the ECXL, there is a port that looks exactly like a VGA port. It’s the silver port in the middle of this picture:

 

What I think I am hearing is that port isn’t connected to anything?

 

if so, why take the trouble to purchase it and physically connect it to the circuit board?

Because of this...

 

 

 

 

[foft]

 

54 minutes ago, toddtmw said:

if so, why take the trouble to purchase it and physically connect it to the circuit board?

Well the idea is that the expansion can be added later, with the existing RGB dac solution, simple resistor dac board, or perhaps a UAV based svideo option or a tv encoder etc (both yet to be developed). Also people who do not want to use RGB, VGA, Svideo or Composite can save on the price of the DAC.

You are correct that we could have saved a little by not soldering the expansion socket and the VGA socket.

[toddtmw]

Okay. Cool. I just wanted to make sure I understood. 

 

@NISMOPC, I knew about the add-in board, but reading through the forum posts around how that came to be, it felt like the idea for the board came after the port was already there. 

 

Thanks, everyone!

[+Larry]

Issue: Keyboard Overlays?

 

There are a couple of references and pics to keyboard overlays attached to the keys.  I was thinking that I saw that these are available preprinted somewhere?  But I can't find a link or real reference to the seller.  Anyone have a link or more info?

 

BTW, I got a Technet mini keyboard from Amazon. $13.99. 

 

https://smile.amazon.com/gp/product/B072N471V4/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_title_o00_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

 

It's OK for a mini keyboard, and my solution for use is to set it on top of my 600XL. It is a low-profile KB, so it fits there quite well.  I did add a couple of 1/4" rubber feet on the bottom edge underside to keep it from resting directly on the space bar.  The upper edge hooks behind the top row of Atari keys.  Hopefully at some point we'll be able to use a real Atari keyboard. (Raspberry Pie?) This would be a less than a great experience to program on a PC keyboard (IMO).

 

Other info. The MyIDE-II works great here with the ECXL mini. Hard drive speed, and no issues with the PBI.  Hopefully Mark can get the IDE+2 working on these.