Dust cover for Amiga 1200 computer, made of high quality material, around 1 mm of thickness, not totally rigid, with small flexibility for protecting against damage (break etc.), but it is not flimsy! It protects console against dust, splash, UV radiation etc.
source: retronics.eu
I wanted to upgrade another Philips Videopac G7000 console and adding everything i wanted to do many years ago when i only added the RGB output instead of the RF one.
While i was doing the work of modifying the console i realized that something was wrong with the games and the RGB output, some games were missing the background color or the color was faded, other times the colors are wrong, but this defect was not present with all games and therefore it was not a wiring problem (colors are not swapped likes a problem with the R-G-B wiring).
I had never realized it and probably other people have never realized it either, because it does not happen with all the games but thanks to the Flash Multicart by Andrea Ottaviani i was able to try all the software released for the G7000 and confirm that something was not working correctly.
The problem is due to the type of RGB mod, i had taken the one from the gamesx.com site as good, that is the one that has been available from about fifteen years and that almost everyone has installed but there is another mod that is completely different and above all uses a particular pin of the Intel 8048 CPU (pin 39 [T1]).
Hesitantly i wanted to try this modification and it is actually all true, it works, now the RGB mod is perfect as for the Videopac G7200 (native with RGB output) and G7400 (Native RGB by adding the components that are missing on the PCB)
Later i discovered that this RGB mod was not born like this by chance, the scheme was designed taking inspiration from the original schematic of the G7200/G7400 where this particular CPU pin is used.
Below is the list of all the modifications and enhancements that have been made:
Gallery of the work done:
…and now some links:
https://forum.system-cfg.com/viewtopic.php?f=18&t=10673
https://gamesx.com/wiki/doku.php?id=av:g7000_av
https://darius-saturn.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=8342
https://www.pimparts.fr
This is a Flash cart (PicoPac-Multicart) for Philips Videopac G-7000, G-7200, G7400, C52, JOPAC and Odyssey 2 by Andrea Ottaviani.
This Flash cart for Videopac / Odyssey 2 is based on Videopac-microSD Multicart project by Wilco2009 (https://github.com/wilco2009/Videopac-micro-SD-Cart)
PicoPAC is a multicart DIY yourself based on cheap “PURPLE” Raspberry Pi Pico clone, easy to build and not expensive and using its 16mb flash for storing games instead of the SDCard.
How much i paid for the PicoPac-Multicart?
More or less for each single Philips Videopac PicoPac-Multicart complete with all the components you will spend €4.69.
The price of each component also includes the cost of shipping and customs clearance.
Below you will find the photos of how i repositioned the BUTTON, i preferred to install in this position rather than on the upper side of the cartridge (default position of the PCB).
You can also download the front cartridge label, UF2 firmware v1.0a and a ZIP archive with 200 games.
For more information about this and other projects by Andrea Ottaviani please visit his github page.
Gallery:
Download:
source: github.com/aotta/PicoPAC
NEW TAG: C64 BIG GAME PACK
Some new games or tools (Cracked / Trained or Unrealeased) for Commodore 64 have been released from your favorites groups.
Titles:
Download: All Games in One Archive (959)
source: csdb.dk
This is a Flash cart (Pico-Multicart) for SABA Videoplay by Andrea Ottaviani.
This is a forked version of 3DMaze PicoVideocart for using a cheaper and simpler pcb based on pico “Purple” clone and using its 16mb flash for storing games instead of the original SDCard.
How much i paid for the SABA Videoplay Pico-Multicart?
More or less for each single SABA Videoplay Pico-Multicart complete with all the components you will spend €7.69.
The price of each component also includes the cost of shipping and customs clearance.
Below you will find the photos of how i repositioned the LED and the BUTTON, i preferred to install both in this position rather than on the back of the cartridge (default position of the PCB).
Another thing i want to say is to solder the Pi Pico Purple as close as possible to the PCB, i soldered the strips and then removed the plastic holder, this is to avoid you having difficulty closing the cartridge case.
You can also download the cartridge label (front and back), firmware and games in UF2 format, the games must be programmed first and then the firmware.
Gallery:
Download:
source: github.com/aotta/PicoVideocart
First of all i have to thank Ralf Schmitz for this gift. (Grazie Ralf).
Short description taken directly from Wikipedia of the Saba Videoplay console (Fairchild Channel F):
The Fairchild Channel F, short for “Channel Fun”, is a video game console, the first to be based on a microprocessor and to use ROM cartridges (branded ‘Videocarts’) instead of having games built-in. It was released by Fairchild Camera and Instrument in November 1976 across North America at a retail price of US$169.95 (equivalent to $910 in 2023)
The console come in a fair state of preservation but still had the following problems:
The repair was quite simple but boring, fixing the joystick cable was not exactly fun, i had to cut the cable because one or more wires inside are broken, i also had to invent a cable gland for a missing joystick and drill a cable gland with the broken cable right inside to then insert the cutted cable and solder the wires inside the joystick. (see photo)
The reset button was enough to glue it. (see photo)
I polished the console case that had the classic matte and dry black color of 70s plastics with linseed oil, a little is enough on a makeup remover PAD or a cotton rag, the result is amazing.
For completeness i also installed the e5frog composite video modification that works well, i only had to bring an auxiliary ground (although the ground of the negative power supply is already connected) from the PCB to the metal body (see photo) because it gave me video noise, now it’s perfect.
Below the photo gallery:
This interesting project by Troy Schrapel emulates the TMS9918A/29A VDP with a Raspberry Pi Pico.
I wanted to assemble and personally test the PICO9918 with the TI-99/4A using both the VGA output and the SCART (RGB) output and i must say that it surprised me a lot, the image is stable and the software works without any problems.
This VDP emulation has nothing to envy to the F18A implementation although the F18A has some graphics enhancements, improvements that however must be used by new homebrew software for TI-99.
Later i will do other tests with ColecoVision and MSX, i also thank Andrea Ottaviani for helping and beta testing for Troy Schrapel implementation of the SCART (RGB) output which was not foreseen in the first versions of the firmware.
I also point out that the VRAM used by the VDP is integrated into the emulation, so it is not needed,i did tests and removed part of the 4116 VRAM RAM of the TI-99/4A and everything worked regularly, so if you have a TI-99/4A, ColecoVision or other that has the classic corrupted graphics problems (VRAM), the PICO9918 will definitely solve the problem without having to replace one or more non-working RAM.
Brief description of the images that you can see in the gallery:
These are the computer and consoles that use this VDP:
How much did i spend for each PIC9918 ?
More or less for each single PICO9918 complete with all components you will spend €11.49.
The price of each component also includes the cost of shipping and customs clearance.
NOTE: I forgot to write that the composite SYNC for the scart can be taken from one of the two SYNC (H/V) VGA.
Gallery:
Download: Pico9918 (VGA/SCART) Firmware v0.4.0 (PCB v0.3) (210)
.- the inexpensive dual-SID/FM replacement that you can build yourself -.
SIDKick pico by Frenetic is a microcontroller-based C64 SID replacement. Analog inputs for paddles and mice are available just as for the original SID.
Changelog:
Note:
There are different .uf2-files are firmware files with PWM and/or DAC output, flashing (RGB-)LED on/off AND for hardware revision 0.1 and 0.2.
Please read the troubleshooting section in case you experience problems.
Review:
My SID Player plays SID tunes with the SIDKick-pico.
SIDKick-Pico by Frenetic.
Download: SIDKick-Pico Firmware v0.21 (176)
source: c64-wiki.com github.com/frntc/SIDKick-pico restore-store.de
Thanks to my friend Lynx for this great Pixel Art work.
Philips Monitor (Black) VG0060-80 Power Stage Repair, the Monitor turned off unexpectedly without any suspicious noise.
This power stage is practically identical to other monitor models, for example: Philips CM8833 and Commodore 1084, but surely there will be others that mount the same power stage.
Repair:
After removing the PCB of the power stage i took the opportunity to replace also the power switch that no longer worked properly i also replaced the exploded fuse but obviously nothing worked.
The fault was due to the TS132 transistor completely short-circuited, the diagram says that a BU806 is installed but instead a 2SC3795B is installed.
Replaced, still nothing works, i tried with the tester but i don’t find any voltage, even the 300v +/- on the capacitor C112 at this point in addition to the diode bridge (D107/D108/D109/D110) there was only the 47 Ohm 7W resistor R103 to try and in fact it was interrupted, i replaced it with a 5W one, i didn’t have a 7W one in the lab.
I used the old trick of the 100W bulb in series, in my case instead of the fuse to avoid destroying other components.
Everything worked perfectly, the bulb turned on for a minimum amount of time and then turned off and the output voltages of the power stage are all present (125v/15.8v/25.5v).
Gallery:
It’s been 4 years since i last updated the firmware of these devices, so it was time to do so.
Gallery:
Download:
The A8PicoCart is a very cheap multi-cart for the Atari 8-bit (XL/XE) which you can make at home with only basic soldering skills.
The cartridge supports the following file formats: ROM/CAR/XEX and a limited support for ATR files.
Instruction manual, firmware, gerber & STL files and other documentation can be found on Robin Hedwards github page.
You can see a short video i made click here.
Gallery:
This is a short story of the Roland MT32 Midi repair.
The MT32 MIDI interface had an annoying audio problem (you can listen to the audio files attached to this post).
It seemed like the classic problem of exhausted electrolytic capacitors, but instead it was due to the ROM ROLAND R15449121 (TC534000P) position IC37.
To replace the original ROM it would have been enough to use an OTP Eprom 27C040 which however i didn’t have in the laboratory so i used a FLASHROM AM29F040 by modifying some connections.
The filename of the file used to program the FLASHROM is “r15449121.ic37.bin” which you can find in the archive attached to this post.
Below is the documentation how to adapt the AM29F040 instead of a 27C040.
Tie 29F040 WE (PIN 31) and connect to VCC (PIN 32)
Tie 29F040 A18 (PIN 1) and connect to PIN 31 on Socket or PCB
Monkey Island Audio difference before and after repair:
Gallery:
Download: Roland MT32 (various OS and extra ROMs) (242)
source: Synth Eprom Dumps
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