What's new Pussycat too?

Thanks Matt. It's made by an old British company called Pashley and built to last with hub gears and drum brakes. The plan is to use it for cycling to the park, shopping etc. I'll fit a couple of large pannier bags to the rear rack next.

Always been a bicycle fan since my earliest exploits on two wheels as a child. At one point I was up to nine bikes but now have it down to just this one and two others (an electric bike and a very nice hybrid ).

The Schwinn Cruisers are lovely bikes too but you don't tend to see a lot of them over here which is a pity. I liked the coaster brakes on some of the models. Like you say, nice and simple. Be interested to see what you could do to a mountain bike with all your talents for customisation!

 

I'd love a bike again, but I think it would trash what's left of my knees. Used to go through the forests near Marlow, loved it all, was fit as a fiddle then.

I also used to ride to work from East London to West London, took on the dreaded Hyde Park Roundabout before they had traffic lights on it, I must have been utterly insane, even with traffic lights it's so dangerous. One of my fave things was to ride from Walthamstow where I was living up to Broxbourne to meet a mate, the whole journey was on the tow paths by the river, on a nice day it was a wonderful day out.

Have fun Al, I envy you..

 

I won't be doing much but making it work from point A to point B as it's not a quality mountain bike. It's one of those $100 department store Chinese made crap you buy a kid for Christmas that doesn't take care of their possessions.

 

So...I was on Etsy, purchasing some more Atari and Dreamcast metallic decals for my custom stuff, including a better than original quality 800XL name plate to go on my friend's 800XL that will ship soon. But this isn't a show and tell for those, you've seen those decals (except the XL) on my other stuff.

No, this post is about the metallic decals I found for my future robot, currently just parts of one arm in a case...but it all started with just an arm didn't it?

I've got two of them on the way so far for now...

Image does not represent actual size of product​

 

They are about 1.5 inches square.

Where I get all my decals & Badges from, at least until later this year when I get an upgrade for my 3D printer; a laser egraving head for all types of surfaces...

https://www.etsy.com/listing/910936754/cyberdyne-corporation-logo-label-decal?ref=yr_purchases

 

Wow, now that is a cool looking bit of equipment!

 

I've no idea how fast a laser engraver works compared to a 3D printer and it's extruder and printing head, but swapping out the the extruder and print head and replacing it with the engraver laser head would probably be about a 15 minute job once I got familiar, maybe a half hour to hour setting it up the first time. But not bad compared to the average print I make taking 24-48 hours.

I would imagine that detailed engraving like I've seen in the pic I posted and other examples, using the same basic axis apparatus to move as the printer, that good engraving might take similar amounts of time to complete. Of course with new printer upgrades I think I'll be able to speed up the printer twice as fast as I print at now for good results, so those times should cut in half too. But right now set my printer at about 40-50mmps and it's top speed is 150mmps, so the laser engraver may be able to run faster than the plastic printing. I hope to double that 40-50 speed with printing now that I have a glass bed plate and other improvements I made, to help the extrusion process. Yes, any plastic parts printed on the glass have glass smooth and shiny plastic surface. What you see printing is a Bally cartridge case, top and bottom halves and so both outside faces are smooth and shiny as glass.

Once I get an auto-leveler (comes before the laser engraver) specs and tolerances should get much tighter and better too. But it will be soon, the Laser engraver kit is only about $75 and the auto leveler upgrade kit is only about $35. The tempered glass bed plate I got for $15 and my other upgrades I printed on the printer, or my filament pulley system I made myself from a real pulley (from a dog-run cable system I bought and never used). Obviously all the white bits I made with the printer itself.

 

I've been doing a little more work on my trailer. I installed the power line to my shop/office trailer last week, I finally have overhead lighting, built in heat and air and all the extension cords through the window are gone and all my equipment can be hooked up now. Though I do wish the trailer had more wall outlets, I'll have to install a few more when the workbenches are installed. An electrical box with 60 amps of power ready to use.

And so I started pulling out more equipment and using scrap wood again to expand my electronics work bench area. With the limited space I currently can only expand up or down, not out. It's only for utilitarian purposes and temporary so looks aren't important. They aren't important to me for a workshop anyway, but this is also my office and that part I want to look as good as possible, even just for me, as I have never met with a customer in my offices anyway, always in the field.

But as I said it's all also temporary until I get some steel work benches installed that will cover half the walls in the trailer, then I'll have room to expand outward like an American city, instead of up or down like a Japanese city. I eve already have the work benches, but they don't come with their counter/table/bench tops. They are designed for 3/4 inch ply-wood to be installed and I refuse to pay a couple hundred dollars for a few pieces of plywood I could get for about $50 just two years ago. When I bought plywood for the floors 2-3 years ago, I payed about $15 for 4x8 foot sheeting and with the bad economy and high inflation those sheets now cost $50 a piece.

So the work benches have to wait until I can get the ply wood for a reasonable price or free through my business I may get a hold of some extra or scrap that is large enough and good enough.

I built a shelf for my oscilloscope, though it isn't repaired yet, and some racks for my electronic component boxes, so I don't have to stack them and move them all around when I want one on the bottom anymore, out of an old CD tower rack.

The CD holder part was made out of very cheap plywood that I think is actually Balsa wood with a vinyl laminate. many of them were broken and it looked terrible anyway so I cut it into two pieces salvaged from the rest of the tower too badly damaged. Then I broke out every other or sometimes 2 cross beams so the larger plastic boxes wood fit and made two racks, one shorter than the other, but all my boxes fit. The CD holder had two sides that had a high-quality steel separating them that they attached too, the two halves forming one holder rack, and connected them directly to each other. The steel frame I've repainted and am using for an installation project involving that toy helicopter drone I got for Christmas. I'll show it off when I'm done.

The shelf built from scrap wood and is a corner installation with scrap 2x4 planks anchored to the wall with long screws and then the shelf board screwed to them with 3/4 inch plywood scrap for strength sine the machine is quite heavy, after lifting it alone to the shelf (I swear it's 50 pounds at least) and only the planks on the wall hold it all up. But I don't need any other support under it either, freeing up head room.I will have to stand for the mean time to use the oscilloscope, once it is repaired. I installed a portable fluorescent light under it for even better lighting than the ceiling fluorescent lights. I also have my adjustable battery power LED torch on the wall too, and of course wear my magnifying headset with LED lighting too. I need all the light I can get anymore and magnification for working on the small components...and reading glasses too. But now I have plenty sources of it. I also added more lighting to my XL command center that I'll show later too.

I got rid of the ugly window blinds, I'll be making temporary curtains for the windows out of scrap material to use until I get new blinds, curtains or shades for them that fit properly. Proper racks, shelving and pigeon holes will come when I install the workbenches and I'll get rid of the scraps, but for now, they serve their purpose.

My most used tools I hung to the wall with screws too, to gain more workbench area but still have them at hand. Especially since I've got two power bread-board circuit testers there now and have the box racks there for easy access too. I'll probably be covering what is left of wall space around it all with electronic reference materials for quick reminders instead of having to pull out books and folders with the stuff. Like I already have on my Analog/Digital PAD. Nice and over-sized so it's all easy for me to see.

Anyway, here is my expanded electronics work bench corner...

 

Now that is a proper man shed!!

 

A couple of new toys arrived today from Video 61. A new Starmaster Joystick I ordered to be a parts backup, since my dog chewed up one of the buttons on the one I had just converted to 7800 two-button compatibility. Only $12 each, it might still be a fair price even with the cost of shipping and VAT or whatever extra you lads have to pay for which I pity you, especially with shipping skyrocketing around the world for everyone! They are very rugged controllers, but then Kraft has always been known for well made controllers, if not always great design or ergonomics; *ahem* looking at my TRS-80 Deluxe joystick, made by Kraft, for Tandy/Radioshack (and Apple branded ones too),

Of course versions that looked like it were sold for Atari/Commodore and compatibles, I had on very similar on my 130XE back in the day, but it was much "flimsier" than the Tandy joystick or the Starmaster which was unusual for Kraft joysticks.

Anyway, the Starmaster is rugged, and more comfortable to hold than a CX40 or even my Wico Command Control (though not as rugged as the Wico). It uses metal bubble contact switches like the CX40 too, but they are much sturdier with a VERY nice click sound when pressed, so much so that before I took it apart I was sure they were leaf switches or like the micro switches in those wonderful Konix Speedking controllers that were sold by Epyx in the states and re-branded the 500XJ. So I was actually really surprised when I opened up the Starmaster the first time and saw heavy-duty metal bubble contacts.

And I was also quite surprised while on Video 61's store site that they are now modifying these controllers themselves for 7800 compatibility and re-branding them the "GRIPSTICK" selling them FOR $30. But the standard unmodified Starmaster are still just $12.

http://www.atarisales.com/gripstick.html

Just to make it more worth the shipping I decided to order a very reasonably price Atari disk game for $14.95. Cycle Knight, an interesting game I remember playing a pirate version of in the early 90's. Listed in the NOS disk game category, I was expecting it to come in it's original cardboard box, as the main point for physical vintage media is collection and display.

Man was I disappointed when I got just the disk and manual in a plastic case, similar to the ones Video 61 sells their original cartridge games in, with shoddy labels and one-sheet laminated paper instructions, printed in draft quality, as is the cart labels. I'm not going to return it or complain because Lance is a decent guy even if he is lazy and cheap on his original title releases and he even sent a second Starmaster joystick to me for free last time, though I did spend about twice as much. Next time I order NOS games from him on disk or tape, I will start asking if they come in their original boxes though...

What original box covers looked like For Cycle Knight can be seen at this link to Atarimania: http://www.atarimania.com/game-atari-400-800-xl-xe-cycle-knight_1470.html

So I'm just going to get the box image online and resize and print out a cover for the plastic case like I did with the cases that Secretum Labyrinth and Xenophobe came in. Which I converted to Gorf and Star Trek cases (as seen in picture below too, purchased an official looking box and label, (custom made by someone in the Atari community that I have a mind block on their name right now) for my Xenophobe cart and have yet to make my own new package and label for the Secretum Labyrinth game.




I made a monitor stand for the TRS-80 Coco 2 out of scrap wood, but I still don't have a monitor for it if you are wondering...

The overall plan is to get my 1200XL, 800CX and TRS-80 Coco 2 all CRT monitors again. The 1200XL will get the CBM 1084S I have once I repair it, and will have s-video (with the wonderful SV 2.1 upgrade) or Chroma Luma actually and eventually it will get a VBXE with RGB out to the 1084 too. The 800CX has the Sophia 2 which I will reprogram to VGA out and get a bright white PC VGA CRT monitor for it. The Coco 2, with the new SuperSprite FM+ graphics board has a dual-display* system; In standard mode it will have composite out to either a small 14" composite monitor if I get one, or may just have an LCD I'm using for my Atari's atm. But new graphic board for the Coco 2 has RGB output via a Scart port and I made a custom Scart-to-VGA cable for it so it's second screen will be another PC VGA CRT monitor with another RGB2VGA converter/scaler I bought for it like I use with my Atari Jaguar.

*of course with both my upgraded Atari's, they are also capable of dual-display now, but it just shows the same thing on both in a different video signal output whereas the Coco 2 with the SuperSprite FM+ has software already written to use both displays at the same time for different display outputs from the Coco 2. One game uses the second screen for a map and the main game is on the first!

 

Matt, with all the handle grip joysticks I always had one issue with them, the handle creaked as it was moved, and not just a little creak, it felt like it was about to snap off.

Is that new one you have doing that?

And yes, sending a disk and manual in a plastic sleeve is a bit cheap, I know we had some titles that were shipped like that but they were few and far between as the makers soon realised they were getting damaged in transit.

 

No creaking on this pistol grip, it has three screws that hold it to a black shaft otherwise very similar to a CX40 shaft, and it is good and tight/solid. Though it is a "loud" joystick due to the heavy metal bubble contacts plunging, just like the sound of micro-switches in the Konix SpeedKing. But no creaking, strong plastic and properly snug. I'm not claiming this is the best controller I ever had or anything, or even that I'd recommend it for say $30 (I wouldn't pay that for the 7800 converted ones, but then I can convert myself) But for $12.95 it is very much worth it, and now even more so if you have the skilz to convert it to a 7800 or Joy2B+ yourself.

I am really amazed he only sells them for $12. I don't know what they cost retail back in the day for these NOS controllers, but I think Video 61 much have purchased a lot of left over stock of them from somewhere and is desperately trying to get rid of them at the $12 mark and now even converting them to 2 button 7800 use to push more out the door. I think this would have been about a $25-30 controller in the mid 80's.

Lance has no description of them in his listing and doesn't even refer to them as Starmaster's, just "new joystick" and I was expecting a knock-off CX40, I did ask Lance if they were any good and he replied "people seem to like them." Originally intended as a alternative way for me to get replacement contact bubbles for my CX40's. Which I did salvage from one of them to use in a CX40, until I recently got the CX40 replacement boards then I put the SM contact bubble back in the original and converted it to 7800 use. Now it is the one I'm replacing a button on from this parts joystick.

By the way, the price is actually $12.95, I just looked again.

As to the Artworx game, it never came in anything but the original cardboard box, this is a repackaging Video 61 did themselves, even folding the manual in half to fit (which I don't like either). The original box(s) must have been damaged in some way. But with NOS games from Video 61 they are usually in original packaging and collectible. I'm just going to have to ask more questions about game packaging and condition in the future, especially for the discount games like this. He also has NOS games that he sells for more than you can get them on Ebay, like the Avalon Hill games I buy NOS off ebay and from Poly-Play for about $30, he sells them for $40. But it averages out for me because generally shipping is less from V61 than Ebay.

 

Another new gadget arrived today, something I looked into because of all the cables I have running up the wall and across a bit of ceiling then down to my projector. A portable Bluetooth transmitter/reciever to turn any non BT audio source (any vintage audio/video with an audio out of either L/R RCA or mini headphone jack or an adapter to make it so) That way I can get rid of the long audio cable running from my projector to my amplifier, as I have to use the Projector's audio out for my media machines using HDMI.

So to get rid of those, and only have the VGA and HDMI lines to hide with cable covers, smaller ones.
Of course it's portable and so I can use it with any of my vintage equipment to send the audio to my rack stereo unit if I want.

Less than $10 on on ebay with free shipping...so hopefully it works! My Amplifier says it's connected now...time to test it out...the signal only has to go about 1 meter...otherwise it's 3-4 meters of audio cable.

 

I rename you...Inspector Gadget...

 

Some more new toys arrived for me today. This time some goodies for my Bally Professional Arcade. The same bloke that lent me a PSU to test my Bally with, which I eventually bought from him, and sent me some new buttons and such for the system made me an offer I couldn't refuse for an item "bundle" that pretty much completes the hardware side of things and turns it into a full-fledged 32K computer, less only a real keyboard, which was never officially released as promised, so a DIY project as nobody is selling kits for that in the tint Bally community. The community is lucky to have the stuff I got below!

Anyway, without further ado, here are the 32K external ram expansion. Yes, the Bally has a Parallel Bus Interface! And just like the 800XL, there is no +5V, so like with Syscheck on the XL, you have to get the power from another port if you don't mod it. Luckily the Bally has a lightpen port separate from the controller ports.

Also, The Ulti-Multi cart, not SD or CF card based, but has an internal flashrom which already contains every game and utility ever released for the Bally loaded on, except maybe a few homebrew carts made in recent years, but you can count them on one hand, due to the small community of owners. So I have the full library basically.

Last, a third party Assembler that was originally released way back in the 80's just after it's demise commercially and people wanted more than the 4K Bally Basic (There is a more advanced Basic on the multicart too, apparently, or at least adds to the 4K Basic cart, which is still required for the tape I/O anyway. Of course I won't be using Basic or Assembly much until I make a real keyboard for the Bally.

But normally the ram expansion and the multi-cart both sell for $120 each, and the Assembler cart is $30. He sold all three to me for $180.

 

Sounds like a cracking deal you got there Matt. Especially that UltiMulti cartridge

 

As far as the console side of this coin, I'm set. For the computer, I still need a keyboard as I will never program anything for it or even learn it's BASIC and machine until I have a real keyboard. If it was a keypad the the Atari CX85 full-stoke keys maybe, but not on a calculator keypad!

There are actually a couple dozen games that use the extended memory on the multi cart, so I'm excited to check them out, see what this baby can do with all the memory and custom chips the original Bally arcade cabinets in the real arcades had. I know for one thing it has a high resolution mode around 320x200 but I forget exactly, that couldn't be accessed by the stock console because it's only 4K and at least 8K (Like the Atari 8-bit) is needed to generate a high-res bitmap screen. So the stock games always used a medium resolution 4K mode, quite similar to the Atari's Antic mode 7 160x96. Yes mode 7+ 160x192 is 4K and mode 7 2K, but the Bally needed ram for the OS still! Just like Atari 8-bit OS steals 2K from 64K so technically Atari's have 62K ram for programming.

On the ram expansion you can see a switch for 2K and 6K, this is how much ram the OS uses (there's and expanded OS on board to switch too). So depending on the OS I choose, I'll have either 26K or 30K of programmable ram...I think that's how it works. I still need to download the manual.And then the RAM or ROM switch too, which all has to do with the OS too...but that may just be choosing between running a program rom on cart or loading a program to ram from a tape deck...or from the ulti-multi cart.

 

Some decals and badges arrived today that I'm using on modified and DIY cases. One was suppose to be a high-quality replacement badge for my friends 800XL I'm just finishing up. But I must have accidentally ordered 3 of them.

I have no use at all for the other 2. Anyone need/want a new 800XL badge? 2 extras (one per person unless only one person asks), free, just pay for shipping. I'd have to look, which I don't feel like bothering, doesn't matter to me, but IIRC these sell for about $5 each.

I can send it in a regular letter envelope first class or air mail, whatever you want, protected between some cardboard, that's how they were sent to me, second or third order from them and they have arrived fine every time.

 

Nice badges, look just like the ones I got from Poland for my 130XE.. I'm ok for badges but kind to offer them out to folks..

 

Actually Paul, they probably are from the same seller as the badges you bought from Poland. As I looked at the envelope again and they are were sent from Poland. I mixed up the source of two orders I made at the same time. It's my 'Terminator' Cyberdyne Systems badges for my robot that are coming from Germany. I expect them to arrive any day now too. It sort of fits, since Arnold Schwarzenegger is Germanic, though from Austria...

 

My last find: a not so common All Black Irish Atari 2600 jr version, made in Ireland, hence the "Colour" word printed on the case instead of the usual "Color". Some say they were only sold in Ireland and maybe Canada, but I found this one in Belgium, with a euro adapter.

With some dirt and scratches, but good overall condition.

The seller didn't tell if it is in working condition. It only has an RF output and I don't have a compatible tele. I'll try to install a RGB or Composite video adapter.

 

Nice find Klyde, although I've never been keen on a 2600 (or 5200 or 7800) but I must admit I like the look of that rather than the false wood look on the normal one. As said, never had one, so the games for the most part are a mystery to me, but we have a few people on AA doing 2600 conversions, so I'm seeing some games now.

You have a great time with your find..

Paul..

 

I'll tell you this one because you have the sensitivity to understand it all: some time ago I got a C64 with a power supply that I bought for 45 euros. The seller didn't know if it worked or not and of course it didn't work (the boot screen seemed to indicate a RAM failure). On opening it up I discover that it was a UK-made C64 with plastic lettering/labels embossed near the ports ("USER PORT", "SERIAL PORT", etc). Also, the case looks slightly taller than normal to me and indeed it is. Well, another "piece" that I didn't have, I said to myself.

So I decide to put together some gear that doesn't work or has defects and send everything to the good Carlo P, my favorite repairer second only to Klyde. I'm sending the C64 UK not working, a breadbin C64 with the keyboard that doesn't respond well to typing and a C16 with missing keys and maybe black screen at the start. This was meant to be upgraded to 64K and used for games and demos. Carlo quickly finds the issues with the two C64s while for the C16 I manage to send him the missing keys thanks to a German guy found on eBay who sends me only the keys I need for 5 euros in total.

Carlo in the meantime discovers that the C16 works properly and for the upgrade we decide for a kit that doesn't need flying wires or complex soldering. There is only the problem of waiting for the availability of good RAM (also for the C64 UK) and the kit. He takes care of buying RAM and a kit for the C16. After a few months of waiting, Carlo shows up and tells me: "All set, I'll send you the package on Monday - total 30 € + 10 shipping". He's a man of very few words. I was pleasantly surprised by the low price. Then I remember why I send things to him because he's definitely not a lightning bolt, he repairs things when he has time and when he feels like it, but he's precise and above all honest. And this morning I sent him a transfer of 100 € plus 10 € for shipping. It seemed the least I could do. I know you understand me.

 

My latest additions are related to the Dragon and the 6809 CPU and my attempt to learn machine code.
I’ve ordered a CoCoSDC from the USA so hopefully it will arrive soon and I’m on the wait list for the CoCoVGA.

 

Wonderful, Daz... as they always say, one good turn deserves another and you relate this tale so well and Carlo, like Manu, is worth his weight/wait in gold! Lovely to hear these retro stories have such a happy ending where everyone wins - what a guy - keep it up, Daz. Hope your video lead reaches Cris soon in Roma. Please let me know when it does. Cheers, buddy.