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XL or XE Inside a 1200XL Case?


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Is this possible?  Also, is there a good reason to use one of the possibilities over the other?  I am thinking to use the 600XL due to the smaller size.  I also intend to install a VBXE and a PBI device on whichever I choose.  Do those effect the choice?

Edited by pixelmischief
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11 minutes ago, pixelmischief said:

Is this possible?  Also, is there a good reason to use one of the possibilities over the other?  I am thinking to use the 600XL over the others due to the smaller size.  I also intend to install a VBXE and a PBI device on whichever I choose.  Do those effect the choice?

Ugh, why? If you want to use an XL or XE operating system, mod the machine to do so, or install an Ultimate 1MB or Atarimax 32-in-1 mod. Why replace the entire guts of the machine?

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18 minutes ago, DrVenkman said:

Ugh, why? If you want to use an XL or XE operating system, mod the machine to do so, or install an Ultimate 1MB or Atarimax 32-in-1 mod. Why replace the entire guts of the machine?

It's a good question.  The reason I chose the route I described is that I intend to install other components in the case, including an IDE device on the PBI, an SIO port replicator, and a WiFi adapter.

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39 minutes ago, pixelmischief said:

It's a good question.  The reason I chose the route I described is that I intend to install other components in the case, including an IDE device on the PBI, an SIO port replicator, and a WiFi adapter.

There should still be enough room in the case to add those features to a 1200XL PCB.

FJC has added external PBI to a 1200XL. 

 

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9 minutes ago, gnusto said:

But why not do that on a 130XE itself? There are so few 1200XLs!

The rarity and, therefore value of a 1200XL does not escape me.  I won't destroy the board and will make minimal changes to the case, if it makes everyone feel a little better.  A 130XE, of course, doesn't have enough room for what I have planned.  Finally, I love the XL styling and the 1200XL has a wonderful keyboard.

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@MEtalGuy66 took a 130XE motherboard, socketed the whole thing, and put it inside a 1200XL case. His whole idea was to get the newest motherboard revision (aside from the XEGS) and have it with the best keyboard. And also to have ECI, etc. There's a thread somewhere on here about it.

 

TBH, the idea isn't too bad (especially if you can get the whole board socketed); but, if I recall correctly, he didn't do too much to the make the connector side look too pretty. I can't remember if he added some plastic there or what.

 

Edited by MrFish
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12 minutes ago, BillC said:

There should still be enough room in the case to add those features to a 1200XL PCB.  FJC has added external PBI to a 1200XL.

Thank you for the information.  I will, however, go ahead with my current plan.  Do you have anything to offer in the way of assistance doing what I am planning to do?

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30 minutes ago, MrFish said:

@MEtalGuy66 took a 130XE motherboard, socketed the whole thing, and put it inside a 1200XL case. His whole idea was to get the newest motherboard revision (aside from the XEGS) and have it with the best keyboard. And also to have ECI, etc. There's a thread somewhere on here about.

 

TBH, the idea isn't too bad (especially if you can get the whole board socketed); but, if I recall correctly, he didn't do too much to the make the connector side look too pretty. I can't remember if he added some plastic there or what.

 

Alright, I'm not sure if there's actually any thread devoted to it or not at this point (I did a little searching). But here's a picture he posted of it. There are some threads where he lists the specs, of having 320K, etc. He actually has two (correction, four) of them set up like this.

 

 

1200XES.thumb.jpg.f53276763aa0e27a3b2e15a25ac2bed3.jpg

 

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30 minutes ago, MrFish said:

@MEtalGuy66 took a 130XE motherboard, socketed the whole thing, and put it inside a 1200XL case. His whole idea was to get the newest motherboard revision (aside from the XEGS) and have it with the best keyboard. And also to have ECI, etc.

OK, so smallest and newest.  Not PBI, but ECI.  65XE?  Will the keyboard connect to a 65XE board?

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3 hours ago, pixelmischief said:

Does the 600XL have the smallest PCB of any of the original Atari 8-bits?  Will the keyboard on the 1200XL plug directly into a 600XL PCB and work as expected?

The keyboard of the 1200XL and XEGS include the 4051 multiplexer chip circuitry, a 1200XL keyboard won't just plugin to a 600XL. The simplest method would probably be to remove the 4051 chips from the 600XL PCB and connect the keyboard there, plus some other connections not routed through the 4051 chips.

 

The other issue is there is no opening for the 600XL cartridge port, if use of cartridges is desired a hole would have to be made in the top of the case. IMO this makes the 130XE PCB as the better choice for a conversion, as was done by MEtalGuy66, since all case adaptations would be on the rear or right side where they would be less visible.

Edited by BillC
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4 hours ago, StickJock said:

I think it would be cool to put a 130XE into an ST case.... ?

Bonus points for integrating the ST keyboard and making all of the ports work!

Maybe a new board layout from one of our creative hw types...?

 

I've voiced this sentiment before too. There would be so much cool to having a loaded 8-bit inside of an ST case. Candle was working on it at one point years ago. I think he got as far as getting the ST keyboard working with it.

 

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The 1200XL motherboard is the superior to the XE motherboard in almost every sense, and has the distinct advantage of already neatly fitting into a 1200XL case. Upgrades like U1MB and SIDE2 have made the PBI bus somewhat redundant in the vast majority of situations, and converting the 1200XL to otherwise full XE compatibility without replacing the motherboard is relatively trivial. With Bob's mod, 1200XL video is better than that of a typical XE. The 1200XL I modded for 5V PSU, PBI, etc, some years ago now seems like overkill and I never plugged anything into the PBI connector during normal use. Fortunately I have another three in stock condition and will be upgrading one of them in a far less disruptive manner at some point in the future.

 

About the only thing I can say is that I would be impressed to see such a motherboard transplant which doesn't end up looking like a computer which had some other computer's motherboard shoved into it, poorly finished case modifications performed on it, and various superfluous, gaping holes left where the original ports used to be.

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...and then flashjazzcat politely reminded me, as others had tried, that it was, in fact and indeed, a bad idea.  I shall leave the 1200XL as it was and simply apply the appropriate upgrades.  Uncharacteristically, I have recognized and submitted to better advice.  Somehow, I think my parent might finally be proud.

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1)I no longer have 4 of those machines.. Sold 2 of them. Still have 2. 

2)Connecting the keyboard is NOT a trivial matter. On the 1200XL, the decoders are built into the keyboard PCB. On the 130XE, they are on the motherboard. So this requires modification of one or the other for compatability. On mine, I chose to remove the decoders from the keyboard PCB and create something pin-compatable with the XE keyboard connector.

3)While I respect Flashjazzcat, I must disagree on the "superiority" of the 1200XL motherboard. That's a pure matter of preference. Personally, I like to use PBI/ECI devices. Also, the XE design has newer/better integration in the form of the Freddie IC. Also, you can get a 130XE in 64kx4 configuration which greatly reduces the load on the data bus and is a better baseline for an expanded machine from that standpoint. Yes all of this can be "modded" into a 1200XL motherboard, but It's alot nicer to start with somthing that is already there and thus reduce the final level of clutter and mod-wiring.. Just my preference.. 

 

ANywayze, if somebody wants one, I'd sell one for a very fair price. I have lately come to realize that I can only use 1 atari at a time, and that alwayze ends up being my Rapdidus/VBXE machine these days, so someone else might as well have this stuff if they will use it more than I will. 

 

 

 

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Oh yeah.. heh. And the U1mb and SIde will NEVER make PBI "redundant".. 

I strongly disagree with Flashjazzcat on that point. 

I understand that Flashjazzcat has an enormous amount of time and effort invested in those two upgrades, and without him, they would truly be TOTAL SHIT. He's done a wonderful job in that regard. I still would not have them in any of my machines. And that is a personal preference. I really don't want to start a debate on the subject here.  

 

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Kind of an irrelevant response. The point I was making was on the amount of internal wiring and clutter. Obviously you do have to have an exit holes for the stuff.  And I dont remember what stage that photo you posted was from, or even which machine, but needless to say, it can be "cleaned" up alot further. 

 

Jon, your the best coder Ive ever seen on the Atari. And your hardware work that I've seen is fantastic as well. I cant fault it.

But everything I stated above is still the truth. 

 

 

 

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