Most liked posts in thread: MEGA 65 anybody?

This machine might cause me to change my mind about a vintage C64, that's for sure, if I can get an Amiga with it as well. But I'll wait and see, I'm waiting on expanding all my collection now with vintage pricing sky rocketing and then the ridiculous shipping these days on top of it all. For now, I'm sticking to domestic only for the most part, and Atari upgrades and add-ons only too. I'm waiting on my plans to build a 1088XEL too. I'll just concentrate on repairing and upgrading what I have and see if the financial dust settles on any of the above in the years to come.

 

Strangly I've never really been exposed to a C64 in any form so I kinda remained distanced for these.
Spectrum, Atari 130XE + 800XL + XEGS Amiga 1200, 386SX home assembled PC (on a TV with an adaptor)
CPC464, and Amiga 500 that friends had.

 

OOOOOoooooohhh Shiny!

I was thinking of getting a ZX Spectrum Next but that looks interesting as well...

 

But all that aside I do love that machine, looks the mutts nuts, hopefully the cost will come down and the OS will be finished a lot more, I'd try and find more stuff to flog if it does

Wife, daughter, cat..........Nah......

 

Hi Matt
Well if you are really serious about the 1088XEL I do have spare circuit boards
Status LED Board
Mouse Port Select Board
XEL-CF3 + Mounting Board or
XEL-CF3, ebiguy's XEL-CF3 Rapidus Variant MPBI-IDE44 Interface.

Although I wouldn't use a Rapidus, with a computer with a U1MB as well.

PLUS
MIDI XEL II - Dream Blaster & MIDI INTFC for the 1088XEL (will need left channel fix)

https://ataribits.weebly.com/accessories.html
https://ataribits.weebly.com/xel-cf-drive.html
https://ataribits.weebly.com/xel-cf3-rapidus-variant.html
https://ataribits.weebly.com/midi.html

Let me know.

 

Bread-bin is the style I prefer, just because it's old-school.

 

The Breadbin is my favourite as well as it was the original model. I also prefer the 6581 SID chip compared to the later version in the C64C.
I just got my 64 up and running again after it packed in before Christmas, as the VIC chip I had fitted a couple of years ago had failed. I put a R3 version in the plastic DIP package this time where previously I had fitted a R1 Ceramic model. I fitted a heatsinks to all the main chips and the VIC had a solid copper one fitted as it runs very hot but it still partially failed.
Hopefully this new one will last longer.

 

Ah, I learn sommit new, was under the impression the XEL was emulated....Good that its not, I'd been seeing those Mini C64's and Mini Snes's which are emulated.

 

Yes It's also true of the 1088 XLD that's built around a 1050 case,
https://ataribits.weebly.com/1088xld.html

and the New 576+NUC again all Atari LSI's but this without the U1MB
this has a daughter board with a Fujinet adapter built in, I don't think this will be released to be a self build so I've no real intrest in it T.B.O looks like just 'The Brewing Accademy' to build and supply ...
Appears to many people tried to build the XEL & XLD and when it didn't work blamed Mytek, or contacted him with all sorts of questions and requests for support.. even on his personal email.. hence his call on this one ..
https://atariage.com/forums/topic/308191-the-worlds-smallest-atari-8-bit/

P.S. JUST REMEMBER THE MMU'S IN ALL XL/XE MACINES ARE PAL/GAL CHIPS..

 

Hi Graham,
I included Andy’s Sedoric boot disk with the parcel. However, being a 3” disk I cannot say for certain it is working. I have the Sedoric .dsk image on my laptop so I’ll email it to you. As I said a while back if you connect a Gotek to the Microdisc motherboard it works fine and boots into DOS no problem. I included the 3D printed Gotek mount as well. The 3” drive in the Microdisc is the same as in the Einstein TC01 and is slightly taller than the CPC drive and is direct drive rather than belt driven.

I didn’t include the Cumana boards this time as I ran out of space in the box. I’ll send them next time bud.

My CPC is a U.K. edge connector model.

 

Hi Richie
well thats good to know, not sure you have my email address so i'll PM it to you .
Thanks

 

Oooh, I like that..Not the price tho....

And I've a new stolen catch phrase thanks to this bloke, "Smooth as the devil's arse"...

What I love about the machine is all the hackability stuff (when it works), I used to love sitting with my Action Replay cheating the life out of games and I didn't do it the easy way with the cheat finder, pah I used the machine code monitor and did it the proper way.

 

Things are still quiet, they are up there but no kids (so far) and just getting on with normal stuff...Just seems odd...

As for reprogramming here, actually I could via hypnosis, I love all the old mind control and how the mind works and studied the hell out of the subject, I'd have to work out what form of induction technique would work, probably the sharp unexpected pull on the arm.

But as much as I'd love to auto suggest several nasty things I'd never do it....Walk like a chicken maybe

Joking aside, all that stuff is a bloody interesting read, the repetition, the suggestions, the voice tone and what goes on with their state of control is amazing but its so dangerous as well, all this TV stuff is all very well but a nasty person can put things in the old noggin and if the intended person has mental health issues the state of control isn't working correctly and you can make them do bad things, depends on their fight or flight response, someone even with a loss of will to live should still refuse to do something deadly but its not a clever thing to muck around with.

To take the tone a little more light hearted, you have heard me talk of the bloke Kevin who was the first guy done for selling software before the term software piracy was created, well he went to Tottenham Court Road and saw I think it was Paul McKenna there and found himself being selected for if he was susceptible to easy induction (its the section you never see in full on the TV shows) and Kev as expected was easy to induct. Apparently McKenna had him plugging holes in dykes under the fear of the dyke coming down, he also got to have the see through clothes glasses but what McKenna was not ready for was kev apparently pulling out a huge wad of cash to try and buy these specs off McKenna.

Wish I'd seen it myself..

Good times

 

In regard the Mega65 personally not for me, for some reason they have (The C64's / Vic 20's , later C64D) never floated my boat .. I like the fact they use a 6502 based processor, but thats about it, and I can honestly say I don't know why. although they look pretty ugly (well the breadbin versions)...

O.K.. O..K I hear you .. It's just my opinion ...

The Memotech MTX500/512 thogh they look nice ...(and I guess not bad performance..)
If you want a good performance from a Z80 based unit .. go for a CPC6128 ..

 

I have to admit the ole breadbin isn't a thing of beauty but as it was on my line of computer evolution I have a soft spot for it, the C64C always looked like a kids toy. I never really had any love for Z80 machines, I was just about ok with 6502 so learning a new set of opcodes etc just didn't do it for me. While I may not have had time for them I don't deny they got some good software on them. As long as the machine was 6502, had sprites, sound and some form of machine code monitor then I wanted to play on it

After that it was wherever the good games are...

 

I really appreciate the offer, and I think I may just take you up on it. But after sort of calculating all the costs for the components, the plan is on indefinite hold, it's all pretty expensive and I'm not sure I want one enough to spend the cash when I already have two upgraded beauties with my 800 and 1200XL. IF there is another U.S. stimulus passed for the $1400, then it's back on, but if that free money doesn't pass, I doubt I'll do it, no matter how much I love the commercial stainless steel keyboard I found that made me rethink the 1088XEL. If I do it, that keyboard is still a must-have for it; especially with the nice aluminum case on the link you posted (H60), since it would go so well with it. Plus, I already have the TK-II you gave me to use with it. But I know all about the U1MB/Rapidus issues and the Rapidus is meant for my 1200XL without the U1MB, not the 1088XEL, for that very reason.

 

Matt, when you said you were going to build one I was a little surprised as you always have had a strong stance on using real kit and while the 1088XEL is real hardware its an emulated core (iirc).

But with all this shipping and market uncertainty I don't blame you for putting a hold on it..

 

Hmm...I thought it was ALL real components including a 6502, but then I still haven't looked into it all too deeply...if it is a emulated core (@Graham ?) then you are correct, I really wouldn't be interested after all. I always thought it was totally original on a new board(s) and case with versions of all the new upgrades from more recent years. I thought it was only the Euclare (I'm sure I spelled that wrong) Atari that was an emulated core.

But believe me, I surprised myself when I decided to do it, but I just fell in love with that steel keyboard that sort of looks like a Bread-bin Commodore (for some reason I really like that Vic-20/C64 style over any other commodore machines) and I thought how cool it would look and be to have, but I hate PC's too much to spend that kind of cash for a keyboard, so I decided if I had to have it, I had to have it for an Atari, but an external keyboard added to an Atari with already great keyboards doesn't interest me either, as @Graham well knows.

I never planned or plan on getting married either, and actually abhor the thought of marriage after being single for so long too, but one can't help falling in love; if the right person came along, I might change my mind about that too!

 

Hehe
Well I'm glad you read the post.
Right 1088 XEL
it uses all of the original Atari LSI Chip's and has no FPGA Core, it's a genuine Sally CPU.
However, there is no MMU Chip nor O.S or BASIC ROM's, both of these are replaced by using an U1MB upgrade
In effect it is an Atari 800XL, with and U1MB, a stereo Pokey, a TK-II board, and a built in SIO to PC. A UAV if you want Composite or S-Video or leave this out and get a VBXE or Sophia upgrade.. VBXE outputs to a 13 Pin Video socket wired the same as an Atari ST, There is also a Videogate Chip also an built in upgrade to cut the left and reight margins left on modern 16:9 monitors using Composite /S-Viedeo.
One other thing is that the original DRAM Memory completely replaced with a single SRAM chip so no DRAM noise on the supply lines to add to the video.

You can build the 1088XEL with only a single Pokey for Mono, however the built in TK-II (its on the motherboard so not an external add on) a U1MB and UAV only if you wanted can add more later.
Paul is correct in that the 'U1MB' does use an FPGA, but this is not used for any computational degree, just to emulate the Spartados cartridge and the R-Time clock. and a few other bits such as O.S ROM bank and Basic Bank so allowing alternative Basic or similar ROMS ( I use the Assembler /Editor on occation)
it can use the Side 2 or 3 cartridge as there is a cartridge port, however you can use a much cheaper and effective CF card interface, for which software plugins for the U1MB are available. plus other addons such as MIDI and FujiNet can still be added, MIDI internally if you wish.

So apart for a UAV and the U1MB and built in TK-II you cound leave off all the other additions.
P.S it also allows either NTSC or PAL as either of the system clocks can be used or of course an input for the VBXE system clock also allowed and built for.
Would you like to see some pictures of mine at some point ?

 

Your Atmos is on it’s way with Andy’s Microdisc Graham...

I think the drive needs alignment but how you do that on this model 3” drive I’m not sure. I tested it with your Atmos and it still has the same problem.. drive is not reading disks.

 

That's all fine, It's not like my upgraded machines don't have FPGA or GAL's or whatever in them, since I have Incognito which is essentially an U1MB&Side 2 for the 800, and my 1200XL's 32-in-1 OS obviously isn't original OS chip, then the Syscheck 2, etc. and of course Pokeymax isn't a real Pokey and Sophia 2 isn't a real GTIA, etc. so I'm not afraid of expansions/upgrades with modern tech, but the core is still the real core on both, etc.

 

Thanks for letting me know Richie
I only need one other item. have either Andy or Richie, do you have a known to work Oric boot disc ?
or I maybe able to put an image file on an ex Amstrad 3" disk, via a PC, although I've not tried this before.
I'm going to go look see if there is anything online .

 

Hi Andy
Looks like you have a lot on your plate so as and when. If I find I can image a boot disk then I will, as I know I can set up an older PC to run the Amstrad or that other 3" drive I have at the moment.

Richie by any chance did you put in the other oric Drive interface boards ?
I've a few bits to send off to you as well, presume you have a standard CPC edge connector, not the Centronics socket on your 6128 ? Need to know

 

You machine code marauder you, you silicon saboteur and devilish digital dabbler.

Can you next recode er upstairs (at your end) so that she suddenly goes for a long walk...off a short pier?

Things still all quiet then, mate?

 

Yeah, I'll look through my collection, Graham, and get an Oric DOS 3" boot disk to you ASAP, mate.

Do give me a nudge if we go more than a week without it arriving as there's 1-2 other bits on this end at the mo - Bev in at the fracture clinic, work wanting me to be available to go in to the office and cover for a colleague, HMRC warning me I'm running out of time to post my tax plus me mam needing some support right now.

You know the drill, fellas...it never rains, does it?