+Larry Posted October 2, 2019 Share Posted October 2, 2019 Has anyone done this? I have a nice 600XL that is my "daily driver," and it has S-video about as good as it gets. But my S-video was a pain to install. First I did the Sumrall 600XL video that uses composite as the chroma, and that was pretty ugly video. Well, not as bad as stock XL's, but not good, either. Then I did a DIY S-video upgrade from KJMann (not his adapter), and that turned out great. In the meantime, I had also tested the UAV in various XL's, but not a 600XL. So has anyone done it? Any pictures available? I have a couple of new 600XL's, and I'd like to put the UAV in at least one of them along with a memory upgrade. Thanks! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
+tf_hh Posted October 2, 2019 Share Posted October 2, 2019 Hi Larry, I´ve updated two times a 600XL with UAV. Installation is easy like in any 800XL, but... IMHO it´s not so mandatory like with the other systems. The 600XL has the best video circuit of all Atari XL/XE systems. The whole video involved parts are away from other buss activity traces. I never saw a 600XL with vertical banding or other disturbations (as long a good power source is used). The one and only bad thing is the capacitor C109, which causes a very unsharp picture. Just remove it and you´re done. With a slightly S-Video mod the picture quality of the 600XL is nearly perfect as with UAV. Ok, I have only experience with PAL systems here, maybe it´s a difference with NTSC. This picture shows a solder joint where to grab the COLOR signal. 6 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
flashjazzcat Posted October 2, 2019 Share Posted October 2, 2019 40 minutes ago, tf_hh said: The 600XL has the best video circuit of all Atari XL/XE systems Heartily agree. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
manterola Posted October 2, 2019 Share Posted October 2, 2019 1 hour ago, tf_hh said: The 600XL has the best video circuit of all Atari XL/XE systems. In this side of the pond we don't have the opportunity to admire the perfect design of the 600XL S-video output. So basically you HAVE to add a Uav or other circuit to have S-video. I did that and It is great to have a good quality video output. Larry already tried some options before so I assume he already made the hole in the 600XL case and installed the din 5 pin socket in the motherboard pads. So installing the Uav should be extra easy.and highly recommended. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SS Posted October 2, 2019 Share Posted October 2, 2019 The trouble with NTSC 600XLs is that they have no native monitor port. I have one one 600XL that I am planning to add a monitor port to, so it seems that I might as well put in the UAV while I'm at it. Or maybe if I'm putting in the UAV then I should just leave the RF and channel select as is and just add a separate video out instead. EDIT - @manterola posted as I was writing this. What did you do for your output port? I have a UAV just sitting here begging to be used. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
flashjazzcat Posted October 2, 2019 Share Posted October 2, 2019 Don't a lot of the NTSC 600XL boards have vias for a monitor jack under the channel switch? So you can populate the vacant areas of the video circuit, fit the jack, add luma/chroma jumpers and you're done? 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
+tf_hh Posted October 2, 2019 Share Posted October 2, 2019 20 minutes ago, manterola said: In this side of the pond we don't have the opportunity to admire the perfect design of the 600XL S-video output. Larry already tried some options before so I assume he already made the hole in the 600XL case and installed the din 5 pin socket in the motherboard pads. So installing the Uav should be extra easy.and highly recommended. The video circuitry is exactly the same. My focus was on the general very good signal quality of the 600XL machines. A S-Video mod is also very easy made. The missing monitor jack at NTSC systems is another story. But, to make it neat, you´ve to install the monitor jack in any case, not dependent if you´re using UAV or mod the existing video to S-Video. In both cases you get a very good picture, better than any other XL or XE machine. That´s what I said. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
manterola Posted October 2, 2019 Share Posted October 2, 2019 4 minutes ago, flashjazzcat said: Don't a lot of the NTSC 600XL boards have vias for a monitor jack under the channel switch? So you can populate the vacant areas of the video circuit, fit the jack, add luma/chroma jumpers and you're done? Correct! You need to desolder the channel switch, then clean the holes (vías?) and just solder a new socket. I got a new genetic din 5 socket and the footprints matched perfectly. You need to cut one trace and you have basically done. Ah.. You have to do the hole in the case, I used a spade bit to do that. Check the uav thread, you will find some useful images there. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
manterola Posted October 2, 2019 Share Posted October 2, 2019 The video circuit part is not populated in the NTSC version of the 600XL. BestElectronics sells the parts to populate it. I think is more convenient to get the UAV and the DIN5 socket. The picture shows that the pad for the Socket is there and (most) traces are already there, too 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
manterola Posted October 2, 2019 Share Posted October 2, 2019 This is my final result: not that bad being a total (bad) amateur with the soldering iron and the drill... 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
flashjazzcat Posted October 2, 2019 Share Posted October 2, 2019 Just checked one of my PAL 600XL boards and it has the NTSC channel switch vias under the DIN socket. I suspect (unless anyone knows different) that every 600XL production PCB is the same. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
+Larry Posted October 2, 2019 Author Share Posted October 2, 2019 Thanks -- and especially for the pictures! Yes, I had to cut the hole where the RF modulator was, and under the mod. are the solder holes and traces to install a video jack. I actually like the spacing of the power and video jacks better than the 800XL (although they are not too different). I have an Antonia 4MB in this 600XL, and it makes a nice system. 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
flashjazzcat Posted October 2, 2019 Share Posted October 2, 2019 I imagine the video jack and RF modulator were placed so far towards the end of the board in order to accommodate the 1064 module. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
+Larry Posted October 3, 2019 Author Share Posted October 3, 2019 Mea culpa -- I opened up my current 600XL, and I did not have to remove the RF modulator. The video jack fittings are just to the left of the modulator. This one is a bit "spaghetti-ish." The video mod accounts for part of that, but also this one is wired for the Ultimate 1MB. The U1MB never worked out in this XL due to screen interference in the form of "Birdies." I got rid of most of them, but some remained. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
flashjazzcat Posted October 3, 2019 Share Posted October 3, 2019 Yes: you can either have monitor jack OR channel switch if you choose to leave the RF modulator in place. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SS Posted October 3, 2019 Share Posted October 3, 2019 So what if I want to leave my RF modulator and channel switch as-is? What other output choices can I use with the UAV in a 600XL? I kind of like the idea of having more than one video option available. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
flashjazzcat Posted October 3, 2019 Share Posted October 3, 2019 (edited) Well, you could probably squeeze an s-video jack between the RF mod and the cart pylon, but I think the modulator is a useless hunk of junk at this point in time. Removing it makes room for an extra video jack (DIN13, for instance, for VBXE or analog Sophia). Edited October 3, 2019 by flashjazzcat Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
manterola Posted October 3, 2019 Share Posted October 3, 2019 I might be wrong, but taking the switch out of the way to install the monitor socket does not disable the rf output. So you still can use it if you want Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
flashjazzcat Posted October 3, 2019 Share Posted October 3, 2019 That would make sense. And you could jumper the channel to one position or the other on the underside of the board after removing the switch. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mathy Posted October 3, 2019 Share Posted October 3, 2019 Hello guys Or use a different switch in a different location on the back of the 600XL to switch channels. Sincerely Mathy Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
+mytek Posted October 5, 2019 Share Posted October 5, 2019 Why anyone would want the RF output if they had composite and S-Video outputs available in this day and age totally escapes me. Do people still use TV's with only RF inputs from the 70's and 80's to view their Ataris with? By the 90's most TV's came with at least the composite input, and many better quality sets also had S-Video inputs as well. And when it comes to modern HDTV's why would you choose the RF input over the standard composite input that they all come with (or if you are lucky, the S-Video input)? Insisting on RF video also means that you are stuck having to retain the metal RF shield as well, which severely limits what upgrades will fit, or certainly makes it very difficult. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
flashjazzcat Posted October 5, 2019 Share Posted October 5, 2019 42 minutes ago, mytek said: Do people still use TV's with only RF inputs from the 70's and 80's to view their Ataris with? Well, people still like using tapes! Who knows? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
_The Doctor__ Posted October 5, 2019 Share Posted October 5, 2019 (edited) I know some elderly folks who use the Atari with old televisions, for TV they use SD/HDTV converter boxes, still have 2600's and 8 bits attached via rf switch boxes and like it that way... it's what they know, can afford, and sometimes don't want to learn anything else. Not exactly complete Luddites... but by modern standards maybe so, I mean they even know how to stop the blinking 12:00 o'clock on the VCR/DVD combo unit! I have an Aunt who only likes the 2600 and wants nothing else, I think she will be buried with it. Don't even think of complicating it with source selection menus on a remote... I tried... didn't end well... Edited October 5, 2019 by _The Doctor__ 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
+DrVenkman Posted October 6, 2019 Share Posted October 6, 2019 My 1088XEL is connected to a Commodore 1802 monitor that a friend gave me when his dad wanted him to get rid of “all that old crap” from his bedroom back in his childhood home. My 1088XLD is connected to a Commodore 1702 monitor that I bought on eBay about 2-1/2 years ago. My 2600 is connected to a 13” Sylvania TV I picked up for $5 at Goodwill about 5 years ago. My 7800 and 5200 are hooked up to a 30” 2003 Toshiba TV a friend gave me for free (and I have another 27” Toshiba CRT from 2002 or so sitting in the garage in reserve that yet another friend gave me just to get rid of it). And I have a Raspberry Pi 3+ running RetroPie connected to a 20” Dell SVGA CRT monitor. Nothing beats scanlines. 4 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hueyjones70 Posted January 8, 2020 Share Posted January 8, 2020 I have tried to do SV 2.1 mods on two different 600XLs and was not successful so I just installed a UAV in each one and got a pretty good video. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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