This RGB mod by Yannick Erb was made to work with three different consoles:

• VideoPac including BG Color Fix
• Intellivision only model with LM1886N
• Atari 2600

I wanted to try this RGB mod even though i am the man who created the ZOE RGB way back in 2013 for Intellivision but on my Intellivision i still had the rough prototype of the mod installed and since i no longer time to assemble a new ZOE RGB interface for Intellivision i have decided to try this one by Yannick which is basically identical to my interface.

I configured the RGB mod to work with Intellivision, there are some jumpers to configure, everything worked at first try the image is clear and stable thanks also to a small trick that this mod includes, a capacitor on the SYNC line that makes the image more stable in some situations.

I also took advantage of completely removing the RF modulator (absolutely useless) and in the hole of the antenna plug i fixed a DIN connector for the RGB / Audio output and SCART Switching, i also replaced the flat of the power cable of the intellivision motherboard because it had completely disintegrated.

Below you will find the usual photo gallery and the download of the GERBER + the files needed to assemble the PCB by JLCPCB.

Gallery:

12►

This is the right way for the Scart Switching with source of 12v.

Download: GERBER + Files needed to assemble the PCB by JLCPCB (575)

Project Homepage: https://oshwlab.com/yannick.erb/Intellivision-Secam-to-RGB_copy

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:

• Test with VGA monitor and with scanlines emulation enabled.
• Test with TV/monitor SCART RGB, in this case i also had to connect the 5v to the scart socket for RGB switching. The 5v go to pin 8 and then via a 150ohm resistor to pin 16, this TV/monitor without this configuration doesn’t display the RGB image correctly.

These are the computer and consoles that use this VDP:

• ColecoVision
• CreatiVision Memotech MTX
• MSX1 Computer
• NABU Personal Computer
• Sega SG-1000/SC-3000
• Spectravideo SV-318/SV-328
• Sord M5
• Tatung Einstein
• Texas Instruments TI-99/4A
• Casio PV-2000
• ColecoVision ADAM Computer
• Hanimex Pencil II
• Tomy Tutor
• Toshiba Pasopia-IQ MSX1 Computer
• Yamaha CX5M MSX1 Computer
• Telegames Personal Arcade
• Powertran Cortex

How much did i spend for each PIC9918 ?

• 2 x Strip Round 40 Gold Pin : €1.15
• 1 x RP2040 Pi Core Black : €2.69
• 1 x JLCPCB Assembled (SMD components) PCB : €7.65

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:

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Download: Pico9918 (VGA/SCART) Firmware v0.4.0 (PCB v0.3) (558)

source: wikipedia github

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:

Download: Philips VS0060-80/CM8833/1084 Schematics (520)

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.

• Atmel AT27C040 – 4Mb (512K x 8) OTP, EPROM (32-pin Package)
• Amd AM29F040 – 4Mb (512K x 8) FLASHROM (32-pin Package)

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:

• Before the Repair (416)
• After the Repair (399)

Gallery:

Download: Roland MT32 (various OS and extra ROMs) (507)

source: Synth Eprom Dumps

I wanted to remake the RGB connections of my CBS ColecoVision console a bit and design a new diagram for connecting the RGB video output.

This console was sold with an external modulator (CBS Electronics Adaptateur Antenne 7466 – 6F) that converted the signal from RGB to RF and it seems a Scart cable was not provided for direct connection to the television.

The original ColecoVision D-SUB DB15 to Scart cable that i have doesn’t have the correct pinout but it works perfectly with another ColecoVision always with RGB output but with an internal encoder that converts the Y (B-Y) (R-Y) to RGB signals (PAL Secam Converter A).

This fact is really curious, apparently there are more versions with RGB output as well as RF.

I decided to remove the old RGB cable that i soldered internally about 15 years ago and replace it with an RGB cable connected to the Coleco native connector.

The problem with doing this operation has always been the D-SUB DB15 connector which must be of a certain size, otherwise it won’t fit.

Brilliantly solved using a SNK NeoGeo Joypad extension cable, where we have a DB15 D-SUB connector pre-cast in the plastic where all 15 pins are used (in theory only 14 are needed for the NeoGeo Joypad, but all 15 are connected)

I cut the cable from the neogeo joypad male connector side and soldered the wires to a Scart connector and for the Fast Switching signal before connecting it to pin 16 of the scart i used a 100ohm resistor in series, i did not use the Function Switching signal.

One more thing, the Audio signal from the console native RGB connector is very low, so i made a jumper (see photo) to bypass a resistor and a ceramic capacitor, therefore i took the audio directly from PIN 7 of the SN76489 (Sound Generator).

Of course everything works perfectly.

Gallery of work done:

The return of the Hybrid Sid Player by xAD/Nightfall

Based on the Project and Hardware Schematic by Markus Gritsch released in the years 2011-2015 on the forum dangerousprototypes. Thanks Markus.

Changelog:

v2.00 – 11/5/2024

Added:

• Added a new parameter in the configuration file (config.ini).
  • Now you can also choose the FPGASid as well as the ARMSID for SID auto switching.

Below is an excerpt from the “config.ini” file.

# FPGASid/Armsid Auto Switching (0:Disabled – 1:Socket #1 – 2:Socket #2) – default: 0
# When you use this mode the other socket it does not activate automatically.
FPGASID_SOCKET=0

• Implemented auto switching for the FPGASid.

When choosing this mode the FPGASid must be installed ONLY in one of the two sockets,  you must also choose which socket to use for the FPGASid by editing the configuration file.

When configuring auto switching for the FPGASid during boot the SID Player is displayed the message “FPGASid Socket #” followed by the socket number where the FPGASid was configured in the configuration file.  This message is intended only to inform you that the configuration has been correctly activated.

*** Please read if you want to use the FPGASid in Auto Switching mode ***

The status LED indicating the SID that is used to play the song will remain fixed on the socket where the FPGASid was installed, therefore it will not change between Socket #1 and Socket #2.

The display of the SID model from the music track being played will consequently be displayed Only on the display.

The ‘sidSet’ mode will work exactly as before, the only difference is that if no SID is installed in the other Socket no sound will be played :-D while if a SID model 6581 or 8580 is installed you will be able to compare the fidelity of the FPGASid by switching between the two SIDs (obviously better if the same model).

The configuration of the model of the Sid with which to play the piece of music in the configuration file although working in this case it is to be considered Virtual because we would no longer have a change of state between Sockets for each SID model, therefore i decided to assign a static numbering to the SID.

• Write 1 for the SID 8580 model
• Write 2 for the SID 6581 model

For files in DMP format (conversion from RSID to RAW) playback is automatically forced with the 8580 SID of the FPGASid.

Jumpers to configure if the FPGASid is installed:

• Filter capacitors (JP4/JP5 or JP6/JP7): Does not matter.
• SID voltage 9v/12v (JP2 or JP3): Does not matter.
• Resistor 1k (JP10 or JP15): Better to remove.

Updated:

• Slightly fixed timing for SID song playback. Unnoticeable problem :-D

Fixed:

• Config.ini Parser BUG. The “ARMSID_SOCKET” parameter was not read correctly.

NOTE: The SID Player currently only supports the FPGASID for SID auto switching.

The Shugart SA455-3AA is a DSDD Floppy Disk Drive (360K).

The work that has been done:

• Replacement of the Electrolytic Capacitors on the Motor PCB.
• Greasing the head sliding rods with silicone grease.
• Reconstruction of the pcb track corroded by the loss of the 10uf electrolytic capacitor.
• Replacement terminals for selection with jumpers.
• Ceramic capacitor replacement.
• General cleaning.
• Read/write test with GreaseWeazle interface.

List of replaced electrolytic capacitors:

• 1 x 10uf 25v
• 1 x 47uf 16v
• 1 x 0.47uf 50v
• 1 x 0.22uf 50v
• 2 x 22uf 25v (non-polarized)

Gallery:

Download: Shugart SA455-SA465 Service Manual (433)

I decided to replace completely the PCB of the Amiga Power Supply (312503-03) because although after replacing all capacitors 1 year ago (30/4/2023) the voltages are not always stable, especially the 5V which fluctuated between 5.2v and 6.9v.

Using a Gotek HXC drive as a floppy device has burned two USB sticks, i recovered one replacing a shorted smd capacitor.

So let’s retire the old power supply pcb and welcome to the Mean Well RPT-60B fully compatible about voltage and amperage.

I leave you the Aliexpress link.

Gallery:

The usual boring replacement of all exhausted capacitors.

Gallery:

I wanted to try the SIDKick pico also with my SID Player, everything is ok, it works as well as i expected.

The green LED just below the SID Socket indicates that the SIDKick is playing.

Video: