Built myself an S-Video adaptor

[Rybags]

Having had enough of ordinary video from the 800XL and woeful quality from my 130XE, I built an S-VHS adaptor today.

 

I got the parts from an electronics shop (under $6 total) and went the whole hog: S-VHS, composite video and a 3.5 mm audio plug, all running off the standard Atari monitor port.

 

My 800XL (as most) didn't have chroma output, so I opened up the machine and added it (attach a 100K resistor to junction of R67 and R68, then run a wire joining it to the monitor port).

 

Both machines show a vast improvement but still suffer some interference and the usual undesirable shadows in high contrast areas.

 

Next step will to build the ports into the machine.

 

Possible future step would be to perform the Super-video upgrade. Has anyone done these upgrades on an 800XL or 130XE PAL machine?

 

A site which describes the video mod: http://www.geocities.com/atarimods/index.html

[+Stephen]

 

Possible future step would be to perform the Super-video upgrade.  Has anyone done these upgrades on an 800XL or 130XE PAL machine?

 

A site which describes the video mod:  http://www.geocities.com/atarimods/index.html

960596[/snapback]

 

I have done the super video upgrade to an NTSC 130XE and I can tell you, it was definitely worth the time. I just recently got a PAL 130XE and I plan on doing the upgrade to it as well.

 

I also plan on building an S-Video cable - I only have a composite cable at the moment. I just got a used projector, and it supports PAL so I can finally see color from that machine (been using an old 1084S monitor - syncs fine, but is monochrome with PAL signals).

 

Good luck with the upgrade - it is simple to do, but I had a hard time locating the components since the silkscreenings on the main board are all hidden.

 

Stephen Anderson

[kevin242]

 

Possible future step would be to perform the Super-video upgrade.  Has anyone done these upgrades on an 800XL or 130XE PAL machine?

 

A site which describes the video mod:  http://www.geocities.com/atarimods/index.html

960596[/snapback]

 

 

I also plan on building an S-Video cable - I only have a composite cable at the moment. I just got a used projector, and it supports PAL so I can finally see color from that machine (been using an old 1084S monitor - syncs fine, but is monochrome with PAL signals).

 

Stephen Anderson

960691[/snapback]

 

 

my 1084s display's PAL fine. There is a button on the back of the moniter, (ac utally

two buttons) press them and you will get color (dont rem which one to press) I

know there are several ver of the 1084s but I believe they all work in color in PAL

mode.

[Allas]

mmmm ..... I see the color of my 130XE too brilliant and solid... some little interference in the edges of solid blocks, I use a TV Biovision Samsung....

 

I can't believe it can be improvement much more than I see.

 

Some examples photos?

[+remowilliams]

mmmm ..... I see the color of my 130XE too brilliant and solid... some little interference in the edges of solid blocks, I use a TV Biovision Samsung....

 

I can't believe it can be improvement much more than I see.

 

Some examples photos?

960724[/snapback]

The video upgrades make a huge difference. I've done them to all of my A8s except the XEGS.

 

The king of A8 clean svideo has to be the upgraded 1200XL. Beats all the rest I have.

[+bob1200xl]

mmmm ..... I see the color of my 130XE too brilliant and solid... some little interference in the edges of solid blocks, I use a TV Biovision Samsung....

 

I can't believe it can be improvement much more than I see.

 

Some examples photos?

 

When you use s-video from an Atari on a TV, you need to terminate the signals with 75 ohm resistors. At least, the CHROMA line - best to do all three.

 

Just wire 75 ohms to ground for each video signal. (not audio...)

[+Roydea6]

When you use s-video from an Atari on a TV, you need to terminate the signals with 75 ohm resistors. At least, the CHROMA line - best to do all three.

 

Just wire 75 ohms to ground for each video signal. (not audio...)

 

Bob would something like this work for an LCD TV. I know this is an old thread but, I recently got an LCD Tv, and I am hoping to move away from my 1702 monitor. Mainly because of the recent posts about using LCD and Svideo.

 

All my 800 xl/xe's work on the LCD Svideo, but not my 1200xl, and yes it has the Svideo mod.

 

Back side of 1200xl motherboard.

1 5 2 4 3

0 0 0 0 0

/ /

Z Z <------------75 OHMS

/ /

| Ground Plane |

 

Thanks,

Edited May 14, 2010 by rdea6

[+bob1200xl]

The resistors look correct, but all my 1200XLs work without them - just looks better if you terminate with 75ohms. What s-video mods did you do? What do you see on the LCD?

 

Bob

 

 

 

When you use s-video from an Atari on a TV, you need to terminate the signals with 75 ohm resistors. At least, the CHROMA line - best to do all three.

 

Just wire 75 ohms to ground for each video signal. (not audio...)

 

Bob would something like this work for an LCD TV. I know this is an old thread but, I recently got an LCD Tv, and I am hoping to move away from my 1702 monitor. Mainly because of the recent posts about using LCD and Svideo.

 

All my 800 xl/xe's work on the LCD Svideo, but not my 1200xl, and yes it has the Svideo mod.

 

Back side of 1200xl motherboard.

1 5 2 4 3

0 0 0 0 0

/ /

Z Z <------------75 OHMS

/ /

| Ground Plane |

 

Thanks,

[+Roydea6]

The resistors look correct, but all my 1200XLs work without them - just looks better if you terminate with 75ohms. What s-video mods did you do? What do you see on the LCD?

 

Bob

 

 

I have the original svideo mod [pre ClearPic 2002]. I see a black screen with the LCD tv, on the 1702 I have a very chrisp image using Luma Pin1, Chroma Pin5.

 

but ----------If I turn off the 1200xl I see a short flash of selftest screen on the LCD or dos menu if I have the drive connected.

 

This flash seems like very bright blurry colors.

 

TIA

 

 

 

The red wire goes to Pin 5 of J2 with 100K ohm inline before pin..

Edited May 16, 2010 by rdea6

[+bob1200xl]

I'm not aware of any 100K resistors in any upgrades, or any modifications of any kind that use a 100K value. Might it be 1.0K? Do you have the upgrade instructions?

 

Bob

 

 

 

The resistors look correct, but all my 1200XLs work without them - just looks better if you terminate with 75ohms. What s-video mods did you do? What do you see on the LCD?

 

Bob

 

 

I have the original svideo mod [pre ClearPic 2002]. I see a black screen with the LCD tv, on the 1702 I have a very chrisp image using Luma Pin1, Chroma Pin5.

 

but ----------If I turn off the 1200xl I see a short flash of selftest screen on the LCD or dos menu if I have the drive connected.

 

This flash seems like very bright blurry colors.

 

TIA

 

 

 

The red wire goes to Pin 5 of J2 with 100K ohm inline before pin..

[+Roydea6]

I'm not aware of any 100K resistors in any upgrades, or any modifications of any kind that use a 100K value. Might it be 1.0K? Do you have the upgrade instructions?

 

Bob

 

 

OK, it is a 100 ohm resistor. No instructions as I had the 1200xl Modified by Atarimax[Classics]. But adding just the chroma to Pin 5 on an unmodified 1200xl I still don't get anything visible on my LCD tv. If I turn off the TV I see a short flicker of the screen displayed. All my 800xl's Modified with just the chroma pin connected with a 100 ohm resistor have a visible screen. But none of the 1200's will allow the LCD to see the display.

 

So I was wondering if the 1200xl drives the luma pin with a value that the LCD will not interpret[decode].??