Help with my VBXE install in a Xegs.

[grifter]

I have a new Xegs (new to me anyway) and just bought a VBXE and i am a little confused by the instructions found here https://lotharek.pl/files/vbxe/manual.pdf

 

1. I started by checking the resistance between Freddie pins 3 and pin 40, sure enough there is no resistance so i lifted pin 3 and soldered a 5.5KOhm resister from the lifted pin on the chip to pin 40.  This was on page 4 of the manual and causes me confusion on point 6.
2. I removed the Antic chip and soldered in the provided socket, keeping pin 1 to pin 1, and popped in the old Antic chip, no problems here.
3. Booted it up, tested, everything still working.
4. First confusion, which way does the VBXE orient on the socket boards header, does it cover the Antic, or go upwards toward the cartridge slot.  Page 6 of the manual makes it look like it should go toward the cartridge slot but this video i found on youtube shows it the other way.  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=L4cCiYG8R6A.  I think the youtube video is correct but some confirmation would be great.
5. Page 10 says to remove the oscillator, the youtube video above shows it removed however this post from AtariAge shows an install without it removed https://atariage.com/forums/topic/152939-show-your-vbxe-installs/?do=findComment&comment=3694289.  Should i remove it?  Or are others just cutting the trace that goes to pin 2 on Freddie.  Or should i just lift pin 2 on Freddie to attach to the VBXE and not worry about the oscillator.
6. J6 Pin 3 is supposed to connect to Freddie Pin 2, but i have lifted Freddie pin 2 and soldered it with a resistor to pin 40 as per page 4 of the instructions.  The manual also mentions that the trace needs to be cut to pin 2 on the bottom of the board, i assume i can skip that because i lifted the pin but should i then remove the resistor that page 4 had me put in?  Why was the resistor added on page 4 then if its not needed.

 

Point 6 is my biggest confusion, the manual is very unclear.

 

I'm very close to having this up and running... just the last few wires!!!!

[Rybags]

From what I can gather (try image search) the board orients such that it's towards the front of the case, not cartridge.

 

The Antic adaptor board should be covered by the VBXE.  Check the second image on the bottom of Lotharek's page here https://lotharek.pl/productdetail.php?id=53

 

I think the XE with 14 MHz crystal allows just leaving it in place.  Mine's on a mainstream 800XL with 3.5 MHz PAL so was a somewhat different install + over 10 years ago now.

[flashjazzcat]

Drawing an imaginary line down the middle of this page can help:

 

VBXE provides the clock signal, so there is no need for the oscillator on the motherboard to be present. FREDDIE pin 2 is a clock input (driven by the VBXE 14MHz signal), and you appear to be confusing pin 2 (CLKIN) with pin 3 (EXTSEL, which is pulled up with the resistor you fitted).

[grifter]

Thanks for the help. 

 

• Ok, orientation makes sense to me.
• I will remove the oscillator

for question 6 you are completely right i wrote the question down wrong.  It should have read:

 

"J3 Pin 2 is supposed to connect to Freddie Pin 3, but i have lifted Freddie pin 3 and soldered it with a resistor to pin 40 as per page 4 of the instructions.  The manual also mentions that the trace needs to be cut to pin 3 on the bottom of the board, i assume i can skip that because i lifted the pin but should i then remove the resistor that page 4 had me put in?  If so why was the resistor added on page 4 then if its not needed?"

 

Thoughts?

 

 

[flashjazzcat]

2 hours ago, grifter said:

If so why was the resistor added on page 4 then if its not needed?

It's still needed. It's a 5V pullup for EXTSEL. Just make connections to pins 2 and 3 of FREDDIE as described and see if it works.

[grifter]

ok, that makes sense, so the VBXE grounds out the chip Select pin to disable it. 

 

Cool, i will stop questioning the instructions and follow them. ?

[grifter]

Success, got it all wired into a standard pinout mini din and used a coax scart cable from https://retro-access.com/products/fortraflex-8-pin-mini-din-rgb-scart-cable-for-mods?_pos=3&_sid=61f27096c&_ss=r

 

Picture output looks perfect, thanks everyone for your help.

 

Now to try and figure out the MyIDE setup ?