Advice for novices

[Velociraptor]

Hello. I've just watched a video about the A500++ and it's got me excited about the prospect of something similar for the ST.

My broad understanding is that I'd get this board and an STFM and in combination with new parts I'd build a new ST board which was in many ways better than the original STFM board.

What do I and other people in my position - Atari enthusiasts with limited PCB/electrical stuff knowledge need to know before jumping on board the Mongrel bus?

[exxos]

What do I and other people in my position - Atari enthusiasts with limited PCB/electrical stuff knowledge need to know before jumping on board the Mongrel bus?

Being able to solder is pretty much the key to it all. Plus able to follow the schematic and part list to know what part goes where etc.

[Velociraptor]

Through hole soldering as well as SMD?

I'm also struggling to find some kind of feature list for it, what does it offer compared to a normal STFM. I get the impression that it will allow boosting more easily as that's something you've struggled with over the years?

[exxos]

Through hole soldering as well as SMD?

Yes. Though its possible I may get a price for soldering the SMT stuff for people who cant.

I'm also struggling to find some kind of feature list for it, what does it offer compared to a normal STFM. I get the impression that it will allow boosting more easily as that's something you've struggled with over the years?

There isn't any list as such.. You pretty much would have to read the entire forum remake section as there has been so many changes and fixes over the past year..

But the route of all evil is the bad PCB's Atari produced. So we did a new one. Plus easy to plug and play upgrades, rather than soldering stuff.

[Velociraptor]

This past year has gone terribly for me with a house move which is still unfinished, but I have moved in.

Shortly however I will have a space I can do things on and I'll be getting to the Mongrel.

From time to time I've been trying to read up on the forums here to try and absorb some information.

But there's a few things I haven't come across.

I use a 17" CRT monitor for my ST, a Microvitec 1701. It doesn't need a scan doubler and I use a neat little adaptor that plugs into the monitor port and has a VGA port on it. It's version 1 of this - https://backofficeshow.com/shop/atarivga - and it's the first SMT soldering I ever did too.

If I've understood correctly when I'm buying the BOM for my Mongrel I'll need to know if I want to put a DIN or a VGA socket on.

Is there similar circuitry in the Mongrel to this VGA adapter thing? Will I get a clear picture by connecting the monitor directly?

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Secondly I have ordered a coupleof TF536s. One for the 500++ I'll do and one for the Mongrel eventually maybe. Am I ok to go ahead and add memory as normal to the Mongrel and it won't cause an issue with the TF later?

[exxos]

Is there similar circuitry in the Mongrel to this VGA adapter thing? Will I get a clear picture by connecting the monitor directly?

Those adapters are mostly popped up as clones of the UBE adapter https://www.exxosforum.co.uk/atari/store2/#0107

The H4 basically has the UBE adapter built on. So you just solder the VGA connector instead of the RGB ST connector.

Secondly I have ordered a coupleof TF536s. One for the 500++ I'll do and one for the Mongrel eventually maybe. Am I ok to go ahead and add memory as normal to the Mongrel and it won't cause an issue with the TF later?

People have the TF524 etc running on the ST already just fine. The mongrel has 4MB "ST-RAM" The TFxxx boards using a 030 CPU put it above the 16MB area which has no effect on a 68000 system as its above its 16MB max address space.