XC1411 Prototype Help

[Clark Otodus]

Hello all, my name is Clark. I am the current owner of the XC1411 Prototype Sample Monitor which was made for the 130XE. After months of research (with only information I could find on the web, and nothing to tell me otherwise) I may have one of what seems to be only two proven to still currently exist, and of those the only one that "works"! This monitor has been graciously passed down through many people, including multiple users on the AtariAge forums here. I hope to make a difference though. This monitor has had many video problems throughout the ownership of all these people, and I aim to fix it once and for all. You can see in the photos below (N64 with Goemon's Great Adventure playing) that although it powers up and gets a perfect video signal, something is very wrong inside ~ likely a capacitor problem is my guess as that was what previous owners tried to repair. Although I am currently going to college to better my electrical engineering skills, I still do not feel confident enough to repair my current only prototype, especially since there's not any documentation to help guide me. I am in no rush to repair this, but I do wish to bring to VCFMW next year. I am in the north Chicago area, if anyone around there, or if you know anyone around there that could possibly help, let me know! Thank you all!

Edited September 23, 2020 by Clark Otodus

[+Stephen]

Sorry - I cannot remember the guy's name, but there is a TV guru who has attended both VCFMW shows I was at.  Anyone that attended in 2019 or 2017 remember the dude?  In 2017 he had pong working on an old TV which was using a slow phosphour green screen CRT.  @Slor - do you recall who this was?

[Clark Otodus]

Big thanks to users @wiualum04 and @4MBUpgrade for preserving this monitor in years past! It is my mission now to bring it back to its former glory!

[+DrVenkman]

If you have any arcades in your area, contact them and ask who they use for CRT repairs. Chances are, it'll be a very straightforward fix or set of fixes for someone who really knows what they're doing. 

[+Mitch]

Welcome to AtariAge and nice pickup. Hopefully you can find someone to help you with the repairs. A lot of times the Atari monitors are just rebranded monitors that are made by another company, if you are lucky you may be able to find a service manual for it that way.

 

On a side note, do you mind if I use your pictures on the Atari monitor page? http://www.atari7800.org/monitor.htm

 

Mitch

[tschak909]

So THAT's where that XC1411 engineering sample wound up

 

If memory serves, the tube inside is a GoldStar?

 

-Thom

[Clark Otodus]

1 hour ago, Mitch said:

On a side note, do you mind if I use your pictures on the Atari monitor page? http://www.atari7800.org/monitor.htm

 

Mitch

@Mitch Go right ahead! I actually will be making another post in the near future as I am in search of specifically one of the XTM201 printers in order to fulfil my goals of recreating the image of the complete 130XE lineup in HD.

Edited September 24, 2020 by Clark Otodus

[Clark Otodus]

1 hour ago, tschak909 said:

So THAT's where that XC1411 engineering sample wound up

 

If memory serves, the tube inside is a GoldStar?

 

-Thom

You should be correct, it theoretically should be a Goldstar, although different in a few ways, with the main two being overall size and the video input.

[+kheller2]

11 minutes ago, Clark Otodus said:

@Mitch Go right ahead! I actually will be making another post in the near future as I am in search of specifically one of the XTM201 printers in order to fulfil my goals of recreating the image of the complete 130XE lineup in HD.

Where are you getting the XF521?

 

[Clark Otodus]

2 minutes ago, kheller2 said:

Where are you getting the XF521?

 

I'm getting a 3D printer around Christmas, nobody seems to have ever had the drive, but it doesn't matter much as its literally just a new XE style case for the 1050. Or at least that's just what the prototype was, the end product was supposed to just function a little differently if I recall. Although if anybody DOES happen to have the XF521, then I would love to either purchase it from them, or at least get some higher quality photos to use for modeling off of.

[+Mitch]

2 hours ago, Clark Otodus said:

@Mitch Go right ahead! I actually will be making another post in the near future as I am in search of specifically one of the XTM201 printers in order to fulfil my goals of recreating the image of the complete 130XE lineup in HD.

Cool, thanks.

 

Mitch

[Sugarland]

What about TNT Amusements? They are near Philly. Their YouTube channel is very active with arcade machine restorations and they do repair/restore monitors.

[Clark Otodus]

Hello everyone, I have tried contacting a few businesses in my area, although they said that they do not repair out of house, or they redirected me to repairmen far out of state and seemingly overpriced with limited tube models they can/will repair. I am okay with repairing my prototype myself, although I wanted to weigh my options first to see if there was a good and reproable repairman/business in the northern Illinois/Chicago area that may be able to do a more professional job with a less likely chance of somehow messing stuff up. I do NOT plan on shipping. If anyone thinks they might know of someone/someplace that google may not immediately list, please let me know!

[+Mitch]

Pop the back off and take some pics of the inside. Maybe someone can help.

 

Mitch

[candle]

looks like rebadged philips/commodore monitor

especially considering Traimell was at steering wheel at that moment

shouldn't be hard to fix, perhaps this is pal-only or similiar nonsense?

if you can try driving it with raspberry pi on various settings as picture source, perhaps it is working after all

 

[Clark Otodus]

6 hours ago, Mitch said:

Pop the back off and take some pics of the inside. Maybe someone can help.

 

Mitch

I've opened it up finally for the first time and noticed a few things. First off, I think that giant capacitor is blown? I could be wrong, but that's what I looks like to me? Also, the horizontal position adjuster is completely loose, bad solder on multiple of its pins. This makes me wonder if there's a bad solder somewhere else too? The tube itself I would think may be fine, as well as the power supply and sound. Never repaired a crt before, so I'm not sure if it needs a new fuse at all. I will say that this things is surprisingly dirty inside, I'll have to carefully clean it. No clue if there's a bridged connection anywhere from the dirt/dust. If anyone else notices anything else, please let me know. It seems this monitor will need just a little more restoration than I initially thought, as well as maybe two 3d printed replacement parts once I get a 3d printer. (Supports and screwposts. It's odd cause I didn't notice until just now that when the case was spray painted, Atari missed most of the bottom, lol.

[+Mitch]

It is definitely a Goldstar monitor but I couldn't find a quick match from Goldstar branded monitors. That electrolytic capacitor looks bad, it probably wouldn't hurt to replace all of the electrolytic capacitors. Just make sure you match the values and don't use a junk brand. Since you are getting a picture it is unlikely to be a bad tube or blown fuse.

If you have never worked on a monitor before you should read up on how to discharge the tube before working on it. It is not difficult to do once you learn how to do it.

 

Mitch

[+kheller2]

Any particular Goldstar monitor?  Can we spray paint some generic one and make it a XC1411?

 

[gilsaluki]

15 hours ago, Mitch said:

It is definitely a Goldstar monitor but I couldn't find a quick match from Goldstar branded monitors. That electrolytic capacitor looks bad, it probably wouldn't hurt to replace all of the electrolytic capacitors. Just make sure you match the values and don't use a junk brand. Since you are getting a picture it is unlikely to be a bad tube or blown fuse.

If you have never worked on a monitor before you should read up on how to discharge the tube before working on it. It is not difficult to do once you learn how to do it.

 

Mitch

That electrolytic capacitor looks bad,  I agree, that Cap looks swelled.  Need to recap it.  Normally that will cure the ills.

[Clark Otodus]

7 hours ago, kheller2 said:

Any particular Goldstar monitor?  Can we spray paint some generic one and make it a XC1411?

The tube may be the same one used somewhere else, although I would think the board as well as the case is more custom, especially the front of the case in order to fit the badge. Although other than that, Atari was pretty lazy with this monitor in the sense that it was kind of rushed, as well as the XF521 proto floppy drive shell from what I've heard. Honestly though, if you want a good monitor that matches the XE while also looking very similar to this prototype, just get a video converter for the GoldStar manufactured SC1224. Main difference then can only be the size (2 inches).

[Mclaneinc]

There's a few caps including the big one that need changing, one looks like its spewed its guts. One is on the bottom PCB and there's gunk everywhere, deffo a change needed..

 

As Candle is on the case I think you are in good hands, he's quite the expert on monitors..