exxos blog - random goings on

[exxos]

A long long time ago I developed a Video DAC board which later became the defeco standard on the H5.

Back at the thread nobody tried the V3. The fixes was mostly the brightness issue . Looking back version 3 the same problems.

Anyway, I have updated to version 4 now.

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To do a little bit more tidying up yet. But this is basically done now.

This board can be used in original STF machines. It replaces the noisy resistor ladder for a digital one which is used in the Falcon and the H5 series. so it will give a lot cleaner and sharper video image.

One thing to bear in mind is this outputs RGB still. You cannot feed this into the video socket by the usual motherboard tracks as these generate a huge amount of noise and would be counter-productive to adding a better video gen.

I don't have time to really mess about with this at the moment. But the general consensus would be that the tracks would need cutting on the motherboard under the RGB socket. and feeding possibly screened cable from the socket to the DAC board. or alternatively just hack a cable directly onto the DAC board.

So if anyone wants a project to try this all out. Then send me a PM and I will send you the link to get some made from OSH directly.

[PhilC]

@exxos I had forgotten we'd tried this back in... well seems like a few years ago now.

Happy to give it a go

[exxos]

Thought this was pretty cool oddly

So 2 vias per cap to keep the impedance down from the top to the bottom layer of the PCB. So underneath the caps the bottom (blue) layer obviously connects the caps vias to the via on the IC. But also it has a track on the top as well from the cap vias to the via on the IC. So that as well would actually keep impedance down on the ground.

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[exxos]

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[Darklord]

Not tried UIP Tool in my Falcon (it's currently in a disassembled state), but
I used it on my Win10 box and the Mega ST4 that runs Darkforce! (via a
NETUSBee) and it worked great there.

Got some really fast transfers too. I did not try a massive amount (size and
number of files) at one time though.

Even cooler - add the PicoWiFI for a wireless transfer! I've got the Lightning
ST setup on my Mega ST4 so this rocks.

[Badwolf]

Seems I can download files from the Falcon to the PC. But sending files to the Falcon does not work

Try the DISABLE jumper on DFB1? Synchronisation is an issue with EtherNECs, I think.

I've found the web interface works better than the FTP one, BTW.

BW

EDIT: ooo, actually your low voltage might not help either. I think they're quite voltage senstitive.

[exxos]

Try the DISABLE jumper on DFB1? Synchronisation is an issue with EtherNECs, I think.

I don't have a DFB1

[Badwolf]

I don't have a DFB1

I’ve got 4 A-levels, me.

BW

[exxos]

Gone back to the FTP server program. I think the network must be working as it always crashes when I try and access it..

I tried running various settings on backward, Falcon runs a lot slower still does exactly the same. Tried installing NVDI as for the hell of it but made no either.

Don't know if this means anything to anyone or not...

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[Badwolf]

Have you hacked your PSU up to 5V yet? Genuinely think this is a massive issue with EtherNEC.

BW