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Is this what I think it is?


-^CrossBow^-

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This Lynx II was sent to me by another AA member and it appears to be a bit...shall we say, different?

 

Look at the cartridge port that has been installed:

 

Tapered_Cart_Slot.thumb.jpg.862cc735f9dfcc99c6876bf0c3d03b91.jpg

 

And it has an Atari logo on it that you would never seen unless you open it up? All the Lynx II cart slots I've seen do NOT have the Atari logo on them like this one does:

 

Atari_Logo_Cartslot.thumb.jpg.163808f95061875c075e01c860873f4f.jpg

 

Other differences I've noticed is you will see that is does not have the copper sheet clad on this side of the PCB. Look where the slots for the RF shield for the ICs would go and you will they show no evidence of solder ever having been there. And yes, there isn't an RF shield on it either.

 

Is this an early revision Lynx II using components from a Lynx I? I've never opened up a Lynx model 1 so I'm not familiar with the parts in them but one other main difference I hadn't mentioned yet is that this Lynx II doesn't appear to be compatible with normal Lynx II LCD assemblies?

 

Ideas from those that have looked at the insides of Lynx model 1 and II more than the dozen or so that I have?

 

Okay so what I have here is apparently the revision 2 Lynx? Am I correct in that these use a different LCD vs most other Model 2 units then?

 

 

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To add more to this, I've found both in these very forums and online that there is an earlier version of the Lynx II and it is the one I have currently in my hand. I can confirm that LCD assemblies from other lynx II units will NOT work with this as they will only produce a backlit solid black screen, and vice versa the screen on this one will not work in other lynx II units. But it isn't a Lynx 1 screen so it much have different pinouts etc in order to work. As part of the reason for this being sent to me was to install an LCD uprade into it, I'm concerned that it might not actually be compatible with the known current LCD upgrades we have available. 

 

Further study is now required...fun!

 

BTW here is a good page that describes the different revisions in more detail and what they state for this revision is dead on accurate to what I'm seeing as well. These units use the VLSI branded chips like that used on the model 1 units and the layout different on the board although the components are in the same places. Also these did not have shielding applied to them at all to cover the ICs or the backplane as is common on Lynx II units.

 

This unit is the version listed as C104129-001 Rev. 2

 

https://atarilynxdeveloper.wordpress.com/2013/09/01/lynx-model-2-hardware-revisions/

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  • 1 month later...

I did not. Only because I was able to confirm that this particular model of the Lynx 2 does in fact use the same LCD screen that the model 1 uses, only with a ribbon cable design change to fit in the socket unlike the original being soldered onto the main PCB. Since learning that I figured, that only a Lynx 1 screen would work. I ended up installing a McWill Lynx 2 screen in it and having to apply the Lynx 1/2 jumper in place on the LCD board and also wire it to the TPR point instead of the RES pin. I don't believe Benn has released a Lynx 1 kit as yet has he?

 

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40 minutes ago, LX.NET said:

Did the LCD screen still work or was it malfunctioning? They are pretty difficult to find. And for tinkerers the NMI pins on the VLSI chip for Mikey is interesting 

I sent the original screen with the Lynx back to the client after it was finished up, but no, it wasn't working properly. It would light up a display, but was showing lines of corrupted graphic elements that would change as I tried to do stuff in the game. But nothing visible looked anything like the game in operation.

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  • 3 months later...
On 1/4/2021 at 12:55 PM, -^CrossBow^- said:

I did not. Only because I was able to confirm that this particular model of the Lynx 2 does in fact use the same LCD screen that the model 1 uses, only with a ribbon cable design change to fit in the socket unlike the original being soldered onto the main PCB. Since learning that I figured, that only a Lynx 1 screen would work. I ended up installing a McWill Lynx 2 screen in it and having to apply the Lynx 1/2 jumper in place on the LCD board and also wire it to the TPR point instead of the RES pin. I don't believe Benn has released a Lynx 1 kit as yet has he?

 

So without looking at the motherboard revision installed a lynx 2 BennVenn LCD in my lynx 2 and it malfunctioned... slowly faded out and then stayed out. Unless I left the power off for a while, then it would come back on and repeat the behaviour.  Which I thought might be a capacitor issue, but the original screen was fine when I removed it. Been driving me crazy trying to fix but given I have a Rev 2 board assuming this may actually be the problem?

Edited by Mr.JT
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It is really easy to know if you have one of these older revisions or not. If it doesn't have a metal RF shield over the chips and doesn't have the copper sheet soldered to the cartridge port side, then it is an early revision and basically uses a Lynx model 1 screen in a Lynx 2 housing. 

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Not sure about Benn's newer screens but I believe he stated before that they would technically work but that the title screens on most games would be glitched up. But once you started the games they should look okay. He does or did make a drop in replacement just for that revision but he is sold out at the moment and doesn't have the Pre-order option for it like he does the standard Lynx 2 kits.

 

https://bennvenn.myshopify.com/collections/aftermarket-lcds/products/lynx-ii-drop-in-lcd-kit-motherboard-revision-c104129-001?variant=33184682147943

 

He does state on his latest drop in revisions that it will work but with jumpy game title screens that doesn't effect gameplay. Since you have a drop in kit, I'm not sure how this would work, but be curious to see what would happen if you soldered a separate wire off the RES pad off the LCD board to TP27 on the Lynx II. that is the wire that was needed for TRP vs RES on those older model Lynx 2 and model 1 Lynx systems.

 

 

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