Tempest VGA on the workbench?

freeplayinc

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Has anyone used this for the workbench? I am considering building one of the suitcase test modules for Atari Vectors as it would be portable and not use a 6100 for just testing/fixing boards. But I would like to know if it will work with the B/W Vectors with some rewiring of course not just PNP, I assume it would be fine with the Z out on the red Z input just like a 6100 but I thought I would ask if anyone else already tried this out before I find out it doesn't work.
 
I'd be interested to hear about this too.

I'd also like to see what you've come up with for your suitcase test rig. I've been contemplating putting one together myself.
 
I'd be interested to hear about this too.

I'd also like to see what you've come up with for your suitcase test rig. I've been contemplating putting one together myself.

Anything for raster is really easy....time consuming but easy. Vector would be an easy wire up but I would love to get away from the 6100 so I can make it more portable. I'm going to order my suitcase(s) soon for my raster test case so I just wanted to see if this is possable and I'll order two cases instead.
 
Anything for raster is really easy....time consuming but easy. Vector would be an easy wire up but I would love to get away from the 6100 so I can make it more portable. I'm going to order my suitcase(s) soon for my raster test case so I just wanted to see if this is possable and I'll order two cases instead.

It's easy, but I like seeing design choices before doing mine. :) I guess I'll put a small LCD in as well as providing a jack to plug something external in (Amiga monitor, or test monitor). I'd likely put a couple DB15s on there to plug neo geo controllers in.
 
It's easy, but I like seeing design choices before doing mine. :) I guess I'll put a small LCD in as well as providing a jack to plug something external in (Amiga monitor, or test monitor). I'd likely put a couple DB15s on there to plug neo geo controllers in.

The only problem with the Neo controllers is that your now getting into a console supergun and I've been there and done that, I have a Jamma rig I made 7 years ago that has the S-video out and the low level audio out so I could play jamma boards on a tv, I did the same with the multi video out so I could use it to test monitors too and then built two street fighter CP out of 1/4" plexi glass. it has served me well over the years but I need a better solution.

I now just want a small all in one test station, in a suitcase with a simple button for up, down, left and right in that cross pattern, then the street fighter 6 button be fine for testing all inputs, the goal now is to be able to test and work on boards anywhere with the just grab the suitcase and go method. It will also NOT be a Jamma setup by default, I will have a jamma adaptor for it but I will not be using any Jamma to whatever adaptors.

What I really need is the Vector one before I need the Raster one since I already have something I can use now for Raster. So I just need to know if B/W games work with the Tempest vga and then I need to locate a small 7" vga lcd. I have seen the 10" vga on here but that is just to many componets to fit into what I'm tring to do with out adding more heat issues and a smaller screen would be better for all the other items I will be adding to the panel.
 
Just bumping this to see if anyone knows for sure that this unit will work with Atari B/W vectors. I found an 8" LCD VGA with an 800X600 resolution to work with the Arcade VGA Tempest adaptor so all I need to confirm is that it will work with Atari B/W Vectors and I'm set!
 
I believe Bradio has one set up for testing..

Yes, i have one. It works great, you know right away if you have a Monitor or board problem. The issue here on my video was: A pin on the Main Molex connector that plugs into the monitor. Fixed the pin, plugged it back in and BINGO! Works perfect again. No idea if it will work with the B/W vectors, it was made for the WG6100's. Do you have more than one B/W vector monitor? Dokert sells a Test cable that will reach from one game to the other so you don't have to take out the monitors to test between games, very helpful.

Here is a link:

 
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Yes, i have one. It works great, you know right away if you have a Monitor or board problem.

AWESOME!! Now I just need to order some parts and get started building my Suitcase Vector test station. Thanks, I was pretty sure it would but just wanted to confirm before I started spending money.

EDIT, I see now you don't know if it will work with B/W games and that's what I need to know, I can built an all in one station with a 6100 but I want to keep this in a suitcase for easy portability.
 
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AWESOME!! Now I just need to order some parts and get started building my Suitcase Vector test station. Thanks, I was pretty sure it would but just wanted to confirm before I started spending money.

EDIT, I see now you don't know if it will work with B/W games and that's what I need to know, I can built an all in one station with a 6100 but I want to keep this in a suitcase for easy portability.

Yeah, sorry i have no idea if it will work with the B/W vector games or not and i am afraid to try it (don't want to fry something), it was designed to work with the wg6100 so i don't think it would work.

You could email the VectorVGA guys, they will get back to you quickly.
 
Yeah, sorry i have no idea if it will work with the B/W vector games or not and i am afraid to try it (don't want to fry something), it was designed to work with the wg6100 so i don't think it would work.

You could email the VectorVGA guys, they will get back to you quickly.

I just read something in there faq about Asteroids having a laser shot that can't be reproduced on a raster monitor, so it won't work perfectly but I wonder if it will work and if that is the only issue with B/W games. I may end up spending the money and just finding out the hard way, if nothing else I would have a portable color vector test/repair station :)
 
I just read something in there faq about Asteroids having a laser shot that can't be reproduced on a raster monitor, so it won't work perfectly but I wonder if it will work and if that is the only issue with B/W games. I may end up spending the money and just finding out the hard way, if nothing else I would have a portable color vector test/repair station :)

I would ask first rather than plugging it into a B/W monitor, crossing your fingers and holding your breath, i would be afraid it would damage the unit or monitor, or both! ??
 
I would ask first rather than plugging it into a B/W monitor, crossing your fingers and holding your breath, i would be afraid it would damage the unit or monitor, or both! ??

It's just pluging in the X to X and the Y to Y then the Z out on the B/W board to the Red Z input on the Vector VGA. Same as you would on a 6100 so it wouldn't fry anything but it may still have glitchs.
 
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It's just pluging in the X to X and the Y to Y then the Z out on the B/W board to the Red Z input on the Vector VGA. Same as you would on a 6100 so it wouldn't fry anything but it may still have glitchs.

Ok, that makes sense. if its' not going to fry anything i would be willing to plug mine into my Battlezone or Omega Race if you want? I'll go from the Battlezone boards to a computer monitor? through the VectorVGA of course

let me know...
 
Ok, that makes sense. if its' not going to fry anything i would be willing to plug mine into my Battlezone or Omega Race if you want? I'll go from the Battlezone boards to a computer monitor? through the VectorVGA of course

let me know...

It's not plug and play, the B/W monitor plug is different and the power requirements for the Vector VGA need the 6100 power block not the B/W so there would be some rewiring needed to do this, like I said I may just have to be the guinea pig on this one :)
 
Yes, you can hook it up for B/W. No, I do not know how to do it. Run it by Dick Millikan, he uses a 6100 to test Asteroids & Battlezone boards with the flip of a switch. IIRC he uses the blue gun only for B/W boards.
 
Yes, you can hook it up for B/W. No, I do not know how to do it. Run it by Dick Millikan, he uses a 6100 to test Asteroids & Battlezone boards with the flip of a switch. IIRC he uses the blue gun only for B/W boards.

Yes, Dick is the one who showed me how to run B/W vectors on the 6100, I'm pretty sure it's on the red gun, same as the red gun for B/W tubes on a rejuvenator but I don't think it really matters what gun you use. I'm more concerned about the Vector vga, I have no idea what there doing to "emmulate" a 6100 and if theres a bigger issue using it for B/W monitors.

Right now I'm thinking the issue is the power supply is different for B/W as well as the plug for the monitor so that's why they don't advertise it for B/W.

I would love to do a suitcase build with an 8" 800X600 vga lcd and this Vector vga to be able to completly test/repair all Atari vector boards & Omega Race pcbs with ease and it's completely portable, I would also be able to test color vector monitors with it too

I'm already starting a Raster suitcase test/repair station so this vector one is in the radar as the Raster one gets finished ;)
 
according to the VectorVGA website the operating voltage of the thing is 20-32VAC. I seem to recall that the k6100's AC input is 25-0-25 but I dont recall what the B/W monitors run at (was it 30-0-30?).

Outside of working out the AC input you should be able to connect the Z output from a B/W board to any of the color input connections on the VectorVGA to get it up and running. But, why wouldn't you just connect the Z out to all three colors? I had an Amplifone that I used to test both color and B/W boards and just fed all three colors with the Z output to get a B/W image on the Amp. You could really tell where the convergence was off though!
 
according to the VectorVGA website the operating voltage of the thing is 20-32VAC. I seem to recall that the k6100's AC input is 25-0-25 but I dont recall what the B/W monitors run at (was it 30-0-30?).

Outside of working out the AC input you should be able to connect the Z output from a B/W board to any of the color input connections on the VectorVGA to get it up and running. But, why wouldn't you just connect the Z out to all three colors? I had an Amplifone that I used to test both color and B/W boards and just fed all three colors with the Z output to get a B/W image on the Amp. You could really tell where the convergence was off though!


Looks like I'm just going to have to buy a vector vga to find out, I was hoping someone has already been this route and could confirm what it does or doesn't do but I may have to be that person. I'll look at getting one ordered soon and test it out before I go ordering a bunch of stuff for the suitcase build but with all my Quantum parts ordered and almost here, LL parts almost available and now Dan has BW side art, it may be a little longer then I want it to be ;)
 
I apologize in advance to the purest who I offend, I know how you feel.

Very nice. I never thought color vectors I had seen has the crispness and brightness and contrast that a b/w vector showcases anyways. Lots of stair stepping etc in the lines. I have played mh and some other on some nice pc etc on plasma monitor etc and it looked just as good to me or better,maybe cuz it was meant o be on pc/raster maybe they optimized it for the expanded resolution etc. though i would suspect in this case crt vga would possibly be best compared to most lcd. 19" plasma mmmm eheheheh.
 
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