exxos's Atari, Amiga & retro forum

rubber_jonnie wrote: 27 Sep 2021 12:29 @PhilC Got it plugged in just now and tested, with the included software and it works just fine, so need to try some of the supported games now. Starting to look like a proper Apple ] [e now with the addition of a few cards 😁

My only minor gripe is that the onboard speaker plays through the Mockingboard, so speakers are a necessity. I'll have a dig through my cables to see what I can use as an extension. Need to copy the disks I was sent to images too, so I can drop them onto my FloppyEMU.

This is actually a better solution for me as I intend to use my IIe through the Scart input on the TV rather than on just a monitor.

PhilC wrote: 27 Sep 2021 12:55

rubber_jonnie wrote: 27 Sep 2021 12:29 @PhilC Got it plugged in just now and tested, with the included software and it works just fine, so need to try some of the supported games now. Starting to look like a proper Apple ] [e now with the addition of a few cards 😁

My only minor gripe is that the onboard speaker plays through the Mockingboard, so speakers are a necessity. I'll have a dig through my cables to see what I can use as an extension. Need to copy the disks I was sent to images too, so I can drop them onto my FloppyEMU.

This is actually a better solution for me as I intend to use my IIe through the Scart input on the TV rather than on just a monitor.

I may do that going forward, as I do have a suitable TV, I just haven't 100% figured out where I'm going to have everything, and if I am going to feed all my SCART stuff via my OSSC and into HDMI. I still want to get my Dreamcast out and in the picture too, and the two physical biggies (BBC B and Apple ][e) are taking up more room than I thought. I'll figure it out!

Here's the ][e as it stands:




Left to right, 8MB configurable memory card in AUX, Mockingboard in slot 4 and FDC in slot 6.

You'll need multi-story benching system soon. :-)

How big is your garden? Large enough for a museum? ;-)

stephen_usher wrote: 27 Sep 2021 13:40 You'll need multi-story benching system soon. :-)

How big is your garden? Large enough for a museum? ;-)

I am already thinking of shelves :). There are some shelves on the way for the box room (It's full of boxes) so that I can get more of my stuff unpacked, due tomorrow it seems.

As for the garden, it is large, but my wife wants to keep it green and with trees in it!! It's big enough to house an awesome museum too, but that's one argument I'll never win!!

rubber_jonnie wrote: 27 Sep 2021 13:43 As for the garden, it is large, but my wife wants to keep it green and with trees in it!! It's big enough to house an awesome museum too, but that's one argument I'll never win!!

:lol: :stars:

@PhilC Just as a quick note, Attack of the Petscii Robots has Mockingboard support so has decent music :)

One thing, I'm looking at ways to improve the composite signal from my ][e, and was wondering if you had come across any methods thus far?

What is interesting is that it only seems to work with my Dell monitor that has composite input. I have a TV that has composite too, and works just fine with every other composite device I have.

The symptoms are that when connected to the TV composite, it will sometimes have a blank screen/flicker and occasionally report a SECAM signal if just booting to basic, though generally if you boot to a game, it will suddenly pick up the signal and work just fine.

If I use a composite to SCART adapter via the OSSC it reveals that SYNC is dropping frequently, and when it does get SYNC, it is 50Hz as expected, but it just doesn't lock in.

I'm hoping to get a Retrotink for my upcoming birthday, which will help with my overall cable management along with my OSSC :)

The only way I have found to improve the composite image on a PAL IIe is to use a 1980s/early 90s CRT, otherwise it's pot luck, and it still looks pretty rubbish in colour mode. The signal it puts out is no-quite-PAL so you get different results on different displays.

RGB2HDMI or one of the other RGB cards is the only way to sort it properly as far as I can see.

lilwashu wrote: 29 Sep 2021 12:42 The only way I have found to improve the composite image on a PAL IIe is to use a 1980s/early 90s CRT, otherwise it's pot luck, and it still looks pretty rubbish in colour mode. The signal it puts out is no-quite-PAL so you get different results on different displays.

RGB2HDMI or one of the other RGB cards is the only way to sort it properly as far as I can see.

It's frustrating as I have a BBC B going from SCART to OSSC -> TV and my VBXL equipped 800XL/65XE direct into the TV using SCART and the picture quality is nothing short of stunning, just can't get the same for the Apple.

Perhaps the Retrotink will help, and even if not, I have a ton of other composite machines that'll do well with it.

Retrotink is on order, should be here in time for my other half to wrap it up for my birthday :)

@rubber_jonnie I was just waiting for your review of petsci robots.

My IIe works on a 43" 4k TV through the start but when I use it with my composite to vga adaptor it looses sync all the time.

Am interested in an RGB solution if possible as the composite mode is pretty "special " to put it politely