149 replies to this topic

[Pmetzen]

I Take one for Atari 800 XL PAL Version. And a Scart cable and RCA to Din13 cables please!

Edited by Pmetzen, Tue Dec 13, 2011 7:55 AM.

[sloopy]

PM sent...

also, pre-order is done, there are still some left to order, as there is a price break at 25 for most parts, currently 11 are paid, and another 4 have people who will be paying this week, so there is another 10 available...

These remaining 10 will be the same, they will just have a latest ship date of 1st week of Feb, or three weeks after the second one is sold...
(this makes sense to me now, but i havnt had my morning caffeine yet, so this afternoon it could be total gibberish ;'D )

sloopy.

[ajcek]

Hi
Is it still possible to order one more VBXE PAL ?
If yes, i'd like to do it.

[sloopy]

ajcek, on Sat Dec 17, 2011 7:44 PM, said:

Hi
Is it still possible to order one more VBXE PAL ?
If yes, i'd like to do it.

yes, there are more... my primary computer died, so i dont know exactly how many there are left (as i ordered more PCB's then ordered at the pre-order end date), but i know there are atleast 1-2 more that can be done with the pre-order ship date, and up to 10 more with a 1st/2nd week of Feb ship date...

sloopy.

[AtariGeezer]

So how much for one, sent to the west coast?

Thanks,
Jay

[sloopy]

price includes shipping, but i am not taking anymore order right this second, as my computer died, and i am waiting for my replacement to come in... (was supposed to come in today, but customs liked it so much they had to try it ;')

give me 2-3 days, as all the info is on my backup drive, and its in XFS, and windows wont read XFS, so i cant see if all are sold of this batch...

i did order extra of all the inexpensive parts, so it would be just a matter if i have to order the expensive ones, which i can do, just takes time for them to get here, but i can have them ready, so it would be a day or two turn around instead of the usual 3 weeks cause of the PCB's...


Also as an update, all the parts are in... I am delayed as there are a few sio2pc-usb's i need to finish building, which tonight i am hoping is the last... And tomorrow I can start building the VBXE's...

word of advice: dont get sick, it makes everything back up :'(

sloopy.

[AtariGeezer]

sloopy, on Thu Jan 12, 2012 9:42 PM, said:

price includes shipping, but i am not taking anymore order right this second, as my computer died, and i am waiting for my replacement to come in... (was supposed to come in today, but customs liked it so much they had to try it ;')

give me 2-3 days, as all the info is on my backup drive, and its in XFS, and windows wont read XFS, so i cant see if all are sold of this batch...

i did order extra of all the inexpensive parts, so it would be just a matter if i have to order the expensive ones, which i can do, just takes time for them to get here, but i can have them ready, so it would be a day or two turn around instead of the usual 3 weeks cause of the PCB's...


Also as an update, all the parts are in... I am delayed as there are a few sio2pc-usb's i need to finish building, which tonight i am hoping is the last... And tomorrow I can start building the VBXE's...

word of advice: dont get sick, it makes everything back up :'(

sloopy.

Okay, cool
I should have enough free to use on the Visa after the end of the month, so that will work out...

Yep, I know how much an illness or being laid up can cause delays, back in March 2004 and March 2005, I was in accidents on the motorcycle that left me bed ridden for 4 months each. First one just had some busted ribs, toes and fingers, but all of the muscles were frozen tight so it took me 10 minutes to get into and out of bed. The 2nd left me with busted arms, wrists, fingers and a cracked knee cap
Needless to say, users of my programs had to wait on updates...

I'm saving my pennies for Candles' new 800 board too...

Jay

[sloopy]

Candle is whining at me he wants to see the builds so far ;'D

here is an update, I am working on them today...

(if you want higher res pics, send me a better webcam ;')

sloopy.

[flashjazzcat]

Percy - it's green!

[candle]

and blured

[sloopy]

candle, on Sun Jan 15, 2012 2:17 PM, said:

and blured

so the HD webcam is in the mail? :'D

i will trash the eyetoy as soon as it gets here...

sloopy.

[sloopy]

flashjazzcat, on Sun Jan 15, 2012 1:57 PM, said:

Percy - it's green!

to make those commode-dore people 'green with envy' ;'D

sloopy.

[flashjazzcat]

sloopy, on Sun Jan 15, 2012 2:33 PM, said:

flashjazzcat, on Sun Jan 15, 2012 1:57 PM, said:

Percy - it's green!

to make those commode-dore people 'green with envy' ;'D

Looks good. Only problem for me is that the green PCB VBXE is now a desirable item I don't have.

[sloopy]

flashjazzcat, on Sun Jan 15, 2012 3:20 PM, said:

sloopy, on Sun Jan 15, 2012 2:33 PM, said:

flashjazzcat, on Sun Jan 15, 2012 1:57 PM, said:

Percy - it's green!

to make those commode-dore people 'green with envy' ;'D

Looks good. Only problem for me is that the green PCB VBXE is now a desirable item I don't have.

If all you want is a green PCB, thats simple and cheap

(note: your responsible for transfering components from your 'common' black one... ;')
sloopy.

[AtariGeezer]

So Monitor wise, an RGB like the ST's Color and VGA work on VBXE? What is the resolution of VGA, just wondering if I can use my HD TV with it's VGA input?
Or what other monitors have people been using?

Jay

[Rybags]

With VGA modes you lose some functionality.

I think this is right:

With 14 MHz "standard" crystal, you can run VGA core but it performs GTIA emulation only, no VBXE enhanced funcitons available.

With 28 MHz crystal, you can run VGA core with cut back VBXE functionality - only 2 palettes available instead of 4.

Amigas are a likely donor source for the 28 MHz crystal - no doubt there's probably plenty of original supplier source for NTSC-based ones, PAL is probably a different story.

Also, since PAL VGA is only 50 Hz, it won't look good or even work on many monitors. I imagine it should be fine on a TV though.

[spookt]

Sloopy

Do you need to know which machine mine is headed for? Can't remember if you asked or not. Anyhow it'll be going in a PAL 800XL.

[AtariGeezer]

Rybags, on Sun Jan 15, 2012 8:42 PM, said:

With VGA modes you lose some functionality.

I think this is right:

With 14 MHz "standard" crystal, you can run VGA core but it performs GTIA emulation only, no VBXE enhanced funcitons available.

With 28 MHz crystal, you can run VGA core with cut back VBXE functionality - only 2 palettes available instead of 4.

Amigas are a likely donor source for the 28 MHz crystal - no doubt there's probably plenty of original supplier source for NTSC-based ones, PAL is probably a different story.

Also, since PAL VGA is only 50 Hz, it won't look good or even work on many monitors. I imagine it should be fine on a TV though.

Then RGB monitors give the best results? Any others besides the ST Color monitor?

My HD TV's VGA only accepts 720x400 @70hz and 1024x768, so that may not be the best...

Jay

[Spurge]

Any updates to the January batch to be sent out? I'm itching to install mine

[beamer320i]

Hi Sloopy,

Any update on how things are going please (shipping, etc)

Cheers
Dom

[sloopy]

Some people have talked to me on irc and i have been giving updates and such... but the big thing is all the delays from parts have been overcome (note: just because someone gives you a BOM, double check it! note2:just because the first 10 IC's are Atmega48, doesnt mean ALL 30 are Atmega48's...)

I have been busy building the last week or so, first one to get the feel of how it goes together, and then several to get an idea of assembly line practices in place as there are almost 70 distinct parts that go on these PCB's... Now the first one I assembled has an issue:




this is what it is supposed to look like:


and is usable, but doesnt show all colors like its supposed to do... I did play Galaxian for a good 30mins testing it for stability, and I learned two things... 1) I suck at Galaxian (9060 best) and 2) had no problems with it...

I have been working with Candle to get it working but it seems its determined to stay like that, so I am building several of them to rule out a possibility of a specific component being bad, or the PCB being an issue.


(free prize to the person who can spot the chip that I soldered backwards cause it is 3am ;')

So currently I am building these to get the bugs worked out (but we are optimists, so they have no bugs ;') And hope to start shipping by late next week... (there was one thing I did forget to order, which even a complete BOM wouldnt have, anti-static bags for shipping ;')

Any questions, post in this thread, IM me here, or see me on irc... or even email me...

thanks,
sloopy.

[Rybags]

Looks like 1/2 the DAC lines aren't doing anything and another few are picking up signals from adjacent bits or something.

[Spurge]

Thanks for the update. I'm happy to wait however long it takes.

[sloopy]

Rybags, on Wed Feb 8, 2012 3:04 AM, said:

Looks like 1/2 the DAC lines aren't doing anything and another few are picking up signals from adjacent bits or something.

Yeah, thats similar to what candle said. I reflowed the solder, a few times, and still same or worse output... I even check all the red lines for continuity, and they were fine...

sloopy.

[fibrewire]

Don't you guys know what the VBXE does for the Atari 8-bit computer? Have you SEEN what it does to your original games? It's totally worth the wait...