First post, first 800XL, advice on cleaning?

[iscariot]

Thanks.  I think I'm going to do it on the top of the board, my only concern was melting the video port if I were to put the wire on the back of pin 5.  That's why I was asking if there was a way of running a wire through the board or something so I could do the rest of the solder on the top and the chroma on the bottom.

[iscariot]

Well I think I'm going to put a pin in it for now.  I decided to buy the UAV and put that on.  Now I saw something that you could plug into the port that acted as a breakout connection.  I saw the BOB but I saw something that looked like a PCB with everything facing the same direction.  Anybody know where that is?  I tried google but I keep seeing the BOB box.

[Beeblebrox]

1 hour ago, iscariot said:

Well I think I'm going to put a pin in it for now.  I decided to buy the UAV and put that on.  Now I saw something that you could plug into the port that acted as a breakout connection.  I saw the BOB but I saw something that looked like a PCB with everything facing the same direction.  Anybody know where that is?  I tried google but I keep seeing the BOB box.

@iscariot  Could you elborate as not really sure what you are talking about, (plugging into which port? What is a BOB box?). Any links/images as to what you refer to?

 

So as you are going for the UAV as previously mentioned you will need to remove/desolder the current 4050 chip and put a socket in it's place which the UAV board plugs into.

 

I found this link for you re UAV installation: https://atariprojects.org/2021/01/02/purchase-and-install-an-ultimate-atari-video-uav-for-better-composite-video-from-an-800xl-1-3-hours/

 

 

Edited May 10, 2022 by Beeblebrox

[flashjazzcat]

https://lotharek.pl/productdetail.php?id=347

[iscariot]

Ok.  I deslodered the 4050.  Nowhere near as nice as I think you could have done Beeblebrox, but I think it's ok.  What do you think?

[_The Doctor__]

um, I still use the the 4050 for a number of reasons, socket is nice but the 4050 is actually best left in and uav stacked on it.

trust in that reset as well as other mods/device like that 4050 staying in place.

Edited May 11, 2022 by _The Doctor__

[iscariot]

UAV is likely the only mod I am planning on doing.  I'm not going to toss the 4050 for sure.

[iscariot]

13 hours ago, Beeblebrox said:

@iscariot  Could you elborate as not really sure what you are talking about, (plugging into which port? What is a BOB box?). Any links/images as to what you refer to?

 

So as you are going for the UAV as previously mentioned you will need to remove/desolder the current 4050 chip and put a socket in it's place which the UAV board plugs into.

 

I found this link for you re UAV installation: https://atariprojects.org/2021/01/02/purchase-and-install-an-ultimate-atari-video-uav-for-better-composite-video-from-an-800xl-1-3-hours/

 

 

TheBrewingAcademy sells one:

https://thebrewingacademy.com/products/atari-video-break-out-board-a-v-bobby

 

I was looking for something else and there's another PCB that has everything facing out the back of the board instead of the svideo on the side, and used standard RCA jacks for audio and composite

[iscariot]

Ok, got the UAV.  I think I wired it right.  Abby thoughts?  How do I tweak this?  Is it safe to have the keyboard unplugged?  It seems a little tough with the keyboard on

[iscariot]

Obtw, I had to resolder one of the resistors to ground, I couldn't get the wire to hold.  Why are all those resistors going to ground anyway?  It seems redundant.

[iscariot]

That look right Beeblebrox?

[Beeblebrox]

1 hour ago, iscariot said:

That look right Beeblebrox?

@iscariot if it looks like your wiring matches the install instructions and also the advice the existing thread on uav linked to earlier, plus other links.. and ultimately when plugged in to a display you get a good colour pic... Then yup, you have wired it up right. ? I don't have my own 800XL with uav open or to hand to have a look.

 

There is a trim pot on the UAV board itself and instructions on how it works available, plus you can still tweak the main trim colour pot if colours are a bit out. There is an Atari test card app you can load up on your 800XL which allows you to fine tune it. There is a sweet spot for the Uav's artifacting IIRC. 

 

Well done for the 4050 socket work and soldering btw. 

Edited May 15, 2022 by Beeblebrox

[iscariot]

18 minutes ago, Beeblebrox said:

@iscariot if it looks like your wiring matches the install instructions and also the advice the existing thread on uav linked to earlier, plus other links.. and ultimately when plugged in to a display you get a good colour pic... Then yup, you have wired it up right. ? I don't have my own 800XL with uav open or to hand to have a look.

 

There is a trim pot on the UAV board itself and instructions on hot it works available, plus you can still tweak the main trim colour pot if colours a bit out. There is an atari text card app you can load up on your 800XL which allows you to fine tune it. There is a sweet spot for the Uav's artifacting IIRC. 

 

Well done for the 4050 socket work and soldering btw. 

Ok good to know.  Do you know what the text card app is called and if I can turn it on without the keyboard plugged in?  I was hoping I could adjust it while it was open

[Beeblebrox]

@iscariot I'll upload it in a sec. Just need to grab it off my SIDE3's sdcard. 

 

Yup I often test bare A8 motherboards I've worked on without the keyboard plugged in. You can have the joystick plugged in to navigate cart menus like AVG's, SIDE3's, Maxflash carts, etc if you want to load the test card app. Or load it via SIO2PC. Just be careful not to short anything with a screwdriver whilst adjusting trimpots and ideally have the PCB in the lower plastic casing to protect the underside from shorting with anything it may be resting on.

 

EDIT: Here it is. It is called the Atari control picture (ACP.XEX) and is just a static image with all colours/hues and artifacting/dithering on one screen. There is likley lots of advice on AA about how to fine tune your UAV and Atari colour trim pots which using this page as a visual aid.

 

Load this onto your cart or via SIO2PC and run it - then tweak away. 

 

Providing your wiring is all correct and you've not wired the chroma and luma and others up round the wrong way, out of the box the ACP should look more or less like this:

 

(grabbed off Altirra)

 

 

acp.xex

Edited May 15, 2022 by Beeblebrox

[iscariot]

2 hours ago, Beeblebrox said:

@iscariot I'll upload it in a sec. Just need to grab it off my SIDE3's sdcard. 

 

Yup I often test bare A8 motherboards I've worked on without the keyboard plugged in. You can have the joystick plugged in to navigate cart menus like AVG's, SIDE3's, Maxflash carts, etc if you want to load the test card app. Or load it via SIO2PC. Just be careful not to short anything with a screwdriver whilst adjusting trimpots and ideally have the PCB in the lower plastic casing to protect the underside from shorting with anything it may be resting on.

 

EDIT: Here it is. It is called the Atari control picture (ACP.XEX) and is just a static image with all colours/hues and artifacting/dithering on one screen. There is likley lots of advice on AA about how to fine tune your UAV and Atari colour trim pots which using this page as a visual aid.

 

Load this onto your cart or via SIO2PC and run it - then tweak away. 

 

Providing your wiring is all correct and you've not wired the chroma and luma and others up round the wrong way, out of the box the ACP should look more or less like this:

 

(grabbed off Altirra)

 

 

acp.xex 15.7 kB · 0 downloads

Cool thanks.  Will that work on other carts?  I've got one of the avg carts.

[Beeblebrox]

41 minutes ago, iscariot said:

Cool thanks.  Will that work on other carts?  I've got one of the avg carts.

@iscariot Yup - XEXs are Atari executable files which the likes of AVG, SIDE2/3, Unocart, Maxflash, an others will run. This is just a static screen which displays the above so when tweaking the 800XL's colour trim pot (if needed) or the UAV's trim pot, you can see the result on the fly and get it as close to what appears correct. You probably won't really need to touch either unless either one has been since moved, but sometimes it is needed. I must admit I only tweaked my UAV's trim pot a little out out of curiousity.

 

 

[iscariot]

Ok.  I think that I'm good to go...been playing some Moon Patrol and Dig Dug.  Really brings back memories.

[Beeblebrox]

5 minutes ago, iscariot said:

Ok.  I think that I'm good to go...been playing some Moon Patrol and Dig Dug.  Really brings back memories.

@iscariot  Cool - post some pics - always nice to see the outcome and an A8 working. 

[iscariot]

17 hours ago, Beeblebrox said:

@iscariot  Cool - post some pics - always nice to see the outcome and an A8 working. 

Ok.  I'll snap some later today.  I made my own joystick too...now, are there any recommendations?  I mainly got this for nostalgia for the 5200--It's just that the 5200 is a nightmare to maintain and it's gigantic.

[Mclaneinc]

All your work looks fine, the only little point I'd make is that it's generally considered better to use turned pin sockets than the standard ones, many of those ordinary ones are very cheaply made and may have been sat in bins for ages, often picking up oxidation, whereas the turned pin ones by the nature of a round hole vs IC pin with cut through any oxidation when the IC is pushed in. That's just an in general point, most times those cheap sockets will work fine. My old company sold both good ordinary sockets and turned pin but the quality of some of the stuff I have got from Ebay or Ali Express leaves a lot to be desired.

 

Other than that, have great fun with the old XL, returning to the old machine after a big break is so much fun, reopens so many great memories..

 

Paul..

[iscariot]

Here we go.  Took a photo of it cleaned, then Gyruss, that homebrew Space Harrier, and Moon Patrol.  I 3d printed the joystick.

[iscariot]

5 hours ago, Mclaneinc said:

All your work looks fine, the only little point I'd make is that it's generally considered better to use turned pin sockets than the standard ones, many of those ordinary ones are very cheaply made and may have been sat in bins for ages, often picking up oxidation, whereas the turned pin ones by the nature of a round hole vs IC pin with cut through any oxidation when the IC is pushed in. That's just an in general point, most times those cheap sockets will work fine. My old company sold both good ordinary sockets and turned pin but the quality of some of the stuff I have got from Ebay or Ali Express leaves a lot to be desired.

 

Other than that, have great fun with the old XL, returning to the old machine after a big break is so much fun, reopens so many great memories..

 

Paul..

What do you mean?  Are you referring to the replacement of the 4050?

[Mclaneinc]

Yes

[Beeblebrox]

3 hours ago, iscariot said:

Here we go.  Took a photo of it cleaned, then Gyruss, that homebrew Space Harrier, and Moon Patrol.  I 3d printed the joystick.

 

 

 

@iscariot Nice - the XL has reall polished up nicely eh?  Great 3D printed joystick too - similar in design to a zipstick. Nice job. Come in handy for excellent games like Albert, Atariblast! and The Last Squadron. 

[iscariot]

4 hours ago, Beeblebrox said:

@iscariot Nice - the XL has reall polished up nicely eh?  Great 3D printed joystick too - similar in design to a zipstick. Nice job. Come in handy for excellent games like Albert, Atariblast! and The Last Squadron. 

Yeah.  I really forgot how bad the atari sticks were.  I actually spent like $10 building that thing.