149 replies to this topic

[sloopy]

With all the sio2pc-usb mkII finished, I am opening the VBXE production run pre-order thread...

Details:
This will be a run of the VBXE V2, exactly as candle made the last run (well i am using his files, so they should be the same ;').

You will have a choice of NTSC or PAL (I need a PAL machine, anyone have one cheap ;'), and the latest standard firmware or the VGA firmware.

As long as there is atleast 10 orders, these WILL be made, but the more who order, the cheaper it will be and prices are in US Dollars...

pricing:
Inside US/outside US (price includes priority international shipping)
$150/$160 - for up to 30 total orders
$140/$150 - for up to 50 total orders
$135/$145 - for anything over 65 orders...

Pre-Ordering will last until December 9th. that is when the final pricing will be known, if by some stampede there is more then 30 pre-orders, then refunds will be given to the final price (honestly, I hope there is more, but with the interest expressed in the past, i dont expect more then 10-15 orders...)

Delivery estimate is currently the 2nd or 3rd week of January, I was hoping for sooner by ordering the PCB's already, but real life had other plans for me...

If you have ANY questions at all please ask...

Also, anyone in a country outside of the US, if you live near others, and can combine international shipping, this would lower the price immediately atleast on that part...

sloopy.

[Rockin' Kat]

I seriously want one of these.

[sloopy]

pm sent...

thanks,
sloopy.

[beamer320i]

Great news! Put me down for one PAL, please!

[spookt]

I'll take another. PAL for me please with standard firmware. I'm in the UK and happy to combine shipping with anyone here.

[venom4728a]

When do you want the payments? Immediately? or After December 9th?

Best regards?

Robert Miller

[sloopy]

sooner the better, I will be ordering the PCB's as soon as i get atleast 5 orders...

and they are the long lead time part of the order...

sloopy.

[Rybags]

Don't you need to know specific machine model since the connector layout is slightly different?

[sloopy]

Rybags, on Wed Nov 23, 2011 11:05 PM, said:

Don't you need to know specific machine model since the connector layout is slightly different?

Yes i will, also need to know which core people want in it, which i will ask in an email on confirmation of payment.

sloopy.

[candle]

why would you need information about the core?
you put them all, and beside that they are user managable
all you need is xe/xl and pal/ntsc info
xe/xl determines headers and adapters you put, and pal/ntsc determines whether you leave crystal pads empty (pal) or solder 14.318mhz crystal in

[beamer320i]

beamer320i, on Wed Nov 23, 2011 2:30 AM, said:

Great news! Put me down for one PAL, please!

Hi Sloopy,

Please can you change my order to NTSC (not PAL), decided it's going in my 1200XL!

Cheers
Dom

[sloopy]

candle, on Thu Nov 24, 2011 3:25 AM, said:

why would you need information about the core?
you put them all, and beside that they are user managable
all you need is xe/xl and pal/ntsc info
xe/xl determines headers and adapters you put, and pal/ntsc determines whether you leave crystal pads empty (pal) or solder 14.318mhz crystal in

some people dont want to have to change them, they just want it ready to go when they recv it, just intstall and play...

sloopy.

[HiassofT]

Hi Sloopy!

FYI: If you need 14.18757 (PAL) crystals contact Wolfram (mega-hz). He still has plenty of them (at a minimum order quantity of 500 you can have any crystal you'd like custom made). Could save all those PAL people quite some troubles if they don't need to search for a PAL crystal or butcher an XE :-)

http://mega-hz.no-ip...RI%20Quarz.html

so long,

Hias

[guma]

i would like to order one

[candle]

Chris, that doesn't matter - if such person exist, and is unable to use fc.com because of some awkward and completly ununderstandable reason (for me) its not going to install vbxe by oneself anyways, so I guess this will be thing that the person who will install it into target machine will do - you'll have plenty of work with all these boards without such "customisation"

Hias has the point saing about Wolfram's stock crystals

[enito]

Im interesed in 2 , one ntsc and pal for atari 130xe thx

[Spurge]

You know, I really would like one, but have no idea how to install it. I've failed with a video mod before, so worried about getting this. Is it easy to install? Main thing I worry about is if it includes instructions, step by step.

[Rybags]

Hardest part of install is you have to desolder the existing Antic socket or chip and solder in a precision one.

That's not really something everyone can do, I had problems and so did a few others. If you learn first how to do it on something like an old cartridge or ISA expansion card then you'd probably handle it OK.

There's other removal that has to be done on the motherboard too - XE you take the crystal out and put on the VBXE board, XL you disconnect it and the VBXE supplies the clocking signal.

The simple stuff is hooking up the various needed signalling from various ICs and points on the board.

Putting in the monitor socket is variable difficulty depending on what type you want and whether it replaces existing one, or if you choose to cut a hole in the back of the case for it.

All up - not the sort of thing for someone who's not done similar work before. In such a case you'd do well to just spend an extra $40 or whatever on posting it to someone experienced who can do the work for you.

[sloopy]

Spurge, on Fri Nov 25, 2011 6:31 AM, said:

You know, I really would like one, but have no idea how to install it. I've failed with a video mod before, so worried about getting this. Is it easy to install? Main thing I worry about is if it includes instructions, step by step.

I also offer install service with them too, if your not in the US, it would be better to find someone in your own country tho...

sloopy.

[Spurge]

sloopy, on Fri Nov 25, 2011 8:30 AM, said:

Spurge, on Fri Nov 25, 2011 6:31 AM, said:

You know, I really would like one, but have no idea how to install it. I've failed with a video mod before, so worried about getting this. Is it easy to install? Main thing I worry about is if it includes instructions, step by step.

I also offer install service with them too, if your not in the US, it would be better to find someone in your own country tho...

sloopy.

I should be alright de-soldering ic's, i've done some soldering in the past. Is there some instructions the would explain how to install it? This would be for a 130XE PAL B version. If there are instructions I could follow step by step, i'd definitely be in for one of these!

[sloopy]

Spurge, on Sat Nov 26, 2011 3:51 AM, said:

sloopy, on Fri Nov 25, 2011 8:30 AM, said:

Spurge, on Fri Nov 25, 2011 6:31 AM, said:

You know, I really would like one, but have no idea how to install it. I've failed with a video mod before, so worried about getting this. Is it easy to install? Main thing I worry about is if it includes instructions, step by step.

I also offer install service with them too, if your not in the US, it would be better to find someone in your own country tho...

sloopy.

I should be alright de-soldering ic's, i've done some soldering in the past. Is there some instructions the would explain how to install it? This would be for a 130XE PAL B version. If there are instructions I could follow step by step, i'd definitely be in for one of these!

There are only 9 connections to the 130XE itself outside of the ANTIC, if you can remove the ANTIC, and put a socket in its place, then the only other difficult part is mounting a external connector for the RGB...

sloopy.

[Shou]

Interested in an NTSC unit installed in an XEGS for me!

Edited by Shou, Mon Nov 28, 2011 12:54 AM.

[Spurge]

I know this is a really dumb question, and this shows how little I know about Atari mods, but If I were to get one of these, will the everyday games still work fine? Is this something that only gets kicked in when something is specifically written for it?

[Rybags]

Existing software will be the same - but you get the benefit of much better quality RGB video output.

Existing software can also benefit from the Rambo compatible mode that gives 320K system RAM - top 256K of VBXE memory becomes accessable via PORTB.

[Spurge]

Rybags, on Mon Nov 28, 2011 7:51 AM, said:

Existing software will be the same - but you get the benefit of much better quality RGB video output.

Existing software can also benefit from the Rambo compatible mode that gives 320K system RAM - top 256K of VBXE memory becomes accessable via PORTB.

Thanks Rybags. I'll be letting Sloopy know i'll be in for one of these! Cheers.