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Sophia 2 - improved GTIA replacement


Simius

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Oh That's not good.. Pin 1 is correct, just the board looks so different with the output socket mounted on the underside.

 

I've seen your pictures on the Blog you posted , assuming the quad core PoketMAX is the same footprint the additional PIA board will fit, as you want to use this with multiple Joystick like connectors I'll knock up a board for 4 of these to fit down the leftside ? discussion on AOC as don't want to block PBI devices. ?

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@Simply_Graham

Actually, I'm looking to install them 2x2 in the rear to the right of my DVI port (to the left if looking at the back of the 800), behind/above the PSU board. I am trying to avoid anything mounted/plugged into the sides. I am planning on running wires to the back using DB9 connectors like the DB15's pictured below, mounted to the back case. Maybe it would be better to install them on a board and mount the board, but the board would have to be vertically oriented and mounted to the case with some spacers. Maybe something like the crude representation in bottom picture. I'd have to look and see how much space is between the PSU heat sink and the case. More than likely I'll just mount the DB9's to the back case with cables/wires running to the PIA board and where ever else might be needed. If you can knock up a board to go there, that would be great. These are just crude examples to form a picture in your noggin from stuff I had close at hand.

But we should continue this conversation on AOC and not hijack this thread anymore.

 

20210116_220234.thumb.jpg.596210071bcf6be6f5aa3c043ff52918.jpg

 

20210116_222339.thumb.jpg.cc10e4e3705a1d2462fb5ba77b854dc8.jpg

Edited by Gunstar
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Hi Folks - just some updates on getting my Atari 5200 to work.  First off - my buddy created a STL file for me to print to replace the access door on the back so that i could easily mount the DVI port.  Then i ordered some parts to make a test DVI/I - SCART cable so I could run it into my PVM.    To my surprise, the first time I turned it on, voila - an amazingly crisp beautiful picture came up!  :)  Since the angle is downwards I think I will get a DVI extension cable and then wire up the DVI/I breakout board to the SCART with a small amount wire (almost like an adapter) since the DVI extension is what will get me my distance.  Next step is to get audio out of the board to send it to an RCA jack on the back, and wire that into SCART connector for sound.

 

You have to (at least on mine) work a little hard to get the back access panel off, and this new one you have to push pretty hard to get it to snap in, but then it's there and not moving!

 

Link to the STL:

 

https://www.thingiverse.com/thing:4730093

 

 

IMG-3040.jpg

IMG-3041.jpg

IMG-3061.jpg

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On 1/12/2021 at 6:27 PM, Mrarkus said:

Hmm, just checked both of mine, and they are March 2004 and August 2004, however I think you are right, the magic date is September 2005, not 2004.

 

Worse offense is that I listed it as 1280x1024, but it's actually 1600x1200, true 4:3 :) Getting old sucks...

And.. you may be right. :( My October 04 won't work without using a scan doubler.

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Mine arrived earlier in the week.  I'm thinking it's ultimate home might be in my 600XL with internal 64K + 320XL plugin.

 

I just dummy fitted it to a spare 800XL board - I assume plenty of people are just using the factory cheap socket?  It seemed to stay in there OK.

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I LOVE my Sophia 2. Had to ask for the longer cable because my 600xl is powered up with U1mb stereo Pokeys and VBXE so I need an other position for the DVI connector. Thanks to Simius for building a special looong cable.

 

 

IMG_20210120_170747.thumb.jpg.9883ce0572512bdbcd8c0241c9bc1246.jpg

 

IMG_20210116_133109.thumb.jpg.6339cd0af7400ed0ef40c026d63445eb.jpg

 

IMG_20210116_133049.thumb.jpg.5e9b561b694716e5e5f238b8d2c7b1aa.jpg

 

IMG_20210123_135123.thumb.jpg.2344276324bfc20785d6a140d894f375.jpg

 

The last pic shows the output on a Commdore 1084 CRT via VBXE RGB cable and the 2nd output to the LCD by using a DVI --> HDMI cable connected to the cheap china 13" LCD from JaiHo. 

 

 

Finally I can use modern screens without the use of converters. But sometimes I wish I could set a scanlines filter because the output quality is toooooooo awesome and sharp like an emulated ATARI window on modern computers. 

 

Thanks Simius, for one of the most usable piece of hardware to use with the 8bit-Atari computers in the now.

 

greetings

Edited by MARIO130XE
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Hi all,

 

I'm slightly confused as to why I cannot get output from Sophia 2 to to a Sonia Bravia KDLV4000 TV I am using.

 

I have tried all resolutions using the sconf tool, and given the following:

 

- On two small monitors I own, I get output using 1280 x 960.  One has HDMI input, so using DVI to HDMI cable works fine.  Other DVI to DVI, also good.

- The Sony TV accepts input from a Windows 10 PC using two different DVI to HDMI cables I've tested at same resolution - 1280 x 960.

- Same DVI to HDMI cables when used with Atari (800xl) fail to get a picture.

 

Any thoughts anyone?  Can only get output to that TV via Scart cable carrying composite at moment, so not so good.  Video on the small monitors is very very good, so would love to use this larger screen also as I intended.

 

Thanks,

 

Tim

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First startup in my PAL 600XL tonight.  I removed the RF shielding and the first try was through RF.  Picture quality worse than stock though I suspect lack of shielding would have been a big contributor there.

 

Went out and only got back a short while ago so only just tried it on 2 LCD PC monitors.  Glad to say it works on both out of the box - just had to set both to detect the aspect ratio.  Though on the Acer monitor I'm getting red dots that show up on any line that's got text on it.

Next up might try the software to alter settings.  And I've got a few more monitors I can try it on.

 

So far positive result on my Benq 22" GW2265 and an old Acer 21.5" S221MQL - I've also got my main Benq 24" GL2450 but I've ran PAL HDMI devices through it before just fine so I think it can be safely assumed Sophia would be OK on it.

 

Pics attached showing output from the smaller Benq and the dot artifacts on the Acer.

 

877651221_SophiaonBenq22.thumb.jpg.b9560b998bd6c888d8ff9686e231bacb.jpg

 

229488525_Sophiadots.thumb.jpg.59f0d3b54ceaad6324b250f6ba8283ef.jpg

Edited by Rybags
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Likely it didn't much like the generated DVI resolution.  I tried some others and just got blank where the other monitor showed them fine.

 

Tried another monitor - Asus VW161D - a VGA only input thing I bought years ago and have barely ever used.  Annoyingly it comes up with "Out of range", so no good there.

I've got another monitor I was going to throw out because it no longer works on DVI - might try it on VGA and if it works OK it might get a reprieve.

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On 1/23/2021 at 7:11 AM, MARIO130XE said:

I LOVE my Sophia 2. Had to ask for the longer cable because my 600xl is powered up with U1mb stereo Pokeys and VBXE so I need an other position for the DVI connector. Thanks to Simius for building a special looong cable.

 

 

IMG_20210120_170747.thumb.jpg.9883ce0572512bdbcd8c0241c9bc1246.jpg

 

IMG_20210116_133109.thumb.jpg.6339cd0af7400ed0ef40c026d63445eb.jpg

 

IMG_20210116_133049.thumb.jpg.5e9b561b694716e5e5f238b8d2c7b1aa.jpg

 

IMG_20210123_135123.thumb.jpg.2344276324bfc20785d6a140d894f375.jpg

 

The last pic shows the output on a Commdore 1084 CRT via VBXE RGB cable and the 2nd output to the LCD by using a DVI --> HDMI cable connected to the cheap china 13" LCD from JaiHo. 

 

 

Finally I can use modern screens without the use of converters. But sometimes I wish I could set a scanlines filter because the output quality is toooooooo awesome and sharp like an emulated ATARI window on modern computers. 

 

Thanks Simius, for one of the most usable piece of hardware to use with the 8bit-Atari computers in the now.

 

greetings

So the Sophia 2 and VBXE work fine together in VBXE mode? Or do you have to be out of VBXE mode to use the Sophia 2 output?

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VBXE output is (almost) completely seperate from Sophia or any other alternate video out for that matter.

 

VBXE emulates GTIA - though the GTIA is retained as VBXE only renders video, doesn't do stuff like read buttons or PM collision detection.

 

I'm sort of unsure about the video above PBI there - it then limits your options a lot, ie the likes of IDE +2 or Ram 320XL.

I'm thinking about just running it off the left hand side of my 600XL.

Aside from 64K Ram inside it's got no other upgrades but I want to take as little space as possible to allow other thing to live inside.

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Hi all, 

I saw pictures for an install on an 800xl but I didn't see anyone with a 400 install (the reg 800 seems to have more room on the i/o area on the right side, than the 400).  Can someone share pictures on how they did the cut out for a 400?  Also wondering if anyone created documentation with pictures for installs on each various model?  If not, I'd be happy to attempt it.

 

 

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