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#1
Maybe this is interesting for someone...

I just bought this monitor for my man cave and out of pure curiosity I connected the CPC to its VGA input. And guess what... it works. A passive adapter is all you need. It also works for the Atari ST in both colour and mono resolutions. The image quality is not as perfect as on the NEC 1970NX but it's not bad.

This is (to my knowledge) one of the few QHD monitors and the only 27" QHD monitor that can sync to 15kHz. The model I bought was built in Sep 2024, so it's not even old stock.

Unfortunately not with smooth softscrolling in Ghosts'n Goblins, Relentless and Super Edge Grinder but e.g. Red Sunset perfectly works.
#2
A
Technical support - Hardware related / Re: Broken GX4000
Last post by ASiC - Yesterday at 23:30
Quote from: dodogildo on Yesterday at 23:13Argh, this sure is a discouragement for me to venture into the 128k mod that I had been delaying. Tell us more, how did you manage to lift the trace? So we could avoid a similar fiasco..
Solder blob on the legs of the ASIC, desoldering wick to remove it, crappy amstrad PCB and traces are lifted...
#3
avatar_Prodatron
Programming / Re: interesting walkthrough vi...
Last post by Prodatron - Yesterday at 23:29
Quote from: Longshot on 12:39, 14 May 25The example given by McArti0 doesn't work on my real machines (Plus or not). No sound.

@Longshot , thanks a lot for this info! I was already going to modify my super-old Digitracker player (but I still have to do it thanks to @Targhan s crazy optimizations :D )
#4
avatar_dodogildo
Games / Re: Mighty Renegades [ wip ]
Last post by dodogildo - Yesterday at 23:23
The picture seems to got blurry while scaling up. The trick with pixel art, is to convert images to Indexed Color mode in Photoshop before resizing. This will turn off the anti-aliasing. And don't forget resizing only in multiples of two. 

You cannot view this attachment.
#5
avatar_eto
Technical support - Hardware related / Re: Broken GX4000
Last post by eto - Yesterday at 23:21
Quote from: dodogildo on Yesterday at 23:13Argh, this sure is a discouragement for me to venture into the 128k mod that I had been delaying. Tell us more, how did you manage to lift the trace? So we could avoid a similar fiasco..
When doing a piggy back mod I can't imagine that his happens. The biggest risk when doing the mod is that you create a short on the ASIC pins. But with a multimeter you can make sure that this hasn't happened.


#6
Argh, this sure is a discouragement for me to venture into the 128k mod that I had been delaying. Tell us more, how did you manage to lift the trace? So we could avoid a similar fiasco..
#7
Hi,

I recently purchased Two 464's on Ebay. Both just needed a general cleanup and new belts for the tape deck. Apart from that, pretty reliable machines. Good luck.

Regards
Tibbs
#8
A
Programming / Re: interesting walkthrough vi...
Last post by andycadley - Yesterday at 22:11
Ultimately WinAPE is generating sound by sampling at up to 44kHz. Generating sound faster than that is always going to cause issues.

And doesn't really answer the question of what a Plus does.
#9
avatar_zhulien
Programming / Re: interesting walkthrough vi...
Last post by zhulien - Yesterday at 21:50
Using up to 4mb ram, the fastest way to bank switch is to setup a small 3 instructions at the end of the playback routine which goes to the next 64kb bank in a single hit, since all banks have almost the same 3 instructions at the same addresses except the bank number hopefully those 3 instructions don't make an audible sound given it only occurs once every 64kb

Let's say you don't want to use main memory we can use all the 64kb banks.

At the start of each 64kb bank put the looping playback routine, at the end of the routine, change banks

Ld bc,#7fxx 
out(c),c
jp #0000

The last jp could be a jr, go to start of playback routine since you are now in a new bank.  The last bank can either put alternate code or just put the first bank if you want it infinitely looping through 64 banks.

About 1 minute if 8bits, maybe 2 minutes if 4 bits at 60khz
#10
Hello,

I'm a control sysems engineer, designing production lines for food factories.
(Not software based, Hardware Engineer mainly working on AutoCAD / Eplan 2024.

I used to work in TV repair, but thats 35 years ago.

Now, I've got the Retro PC bug and it's bad, I've purchased the following from Ebay. (All purchased this year).

Atari 2600 Console - I modified with a Composite output. ( My 2nd Console back in the 1978, I think).

Sega Master System II - I modified with a Composite Output.

Acorn Electron - This was my 1st PC, back in the 80's, spent hours on Elite, and programming from Magazines.

BBC Basic Model B - We had these at School and College in 1989.

ZX Spectrum 48k - I repaired this, replaced the Ferranti ULA and did Composite Mod. - Never Had one before, but my freind did, so I biked over regularly.

Amstrad CPC464 - Never had one, but I've purchased and refurbished Two now.

Amstrad CPC6128 - This was my second PC. I loved it, but I always experimeted with kit and blew the 12V regulator and the 3" Disc Drive. As a kid, the best I could do was short the Transistor on the Disc drve and run it on 1.5V batteries in series. It loaded games, but slowly.

Amstrad CPC6128 Plus - Just snatched one from Ebay, I've got it working tonight. There was so much dust bunnies in the keyboard, the keyboard was activated permanently. Will wash the keys tomorrow. Fixed the 3" Drive and serviced. Cleaned case tonight, waiting for it to dry. Burning Rubber and Basic works on Scart ( Looking for a CM14 Monitor ).

Commodore 64 - Purchased and cleaned, working ok on HDMI.

Commorodr 64C - This has been cleaned and seems to work OK.

Mini Retro Commodore 64 - Laughed when it turned up, didn't realise it was so small.

Commodore Amiga A500 with 1MB - Just finished reburbishing - Keyboard replaced, installed new RF shield as everything was rusty - tip (sandpaper removed rust on Plastic effectively). I think this was in Water or a Shed, but it still works.
I was annoyed as when I got it all working and serviced, the Workbench disk failed. New Workbench disk ordered and I need to replace the clock Battery.

Nintendo N64 - Working ok - Nothing to do. - Manahed to snatch a copy of GoldenEye

Presently waiting for some replacment Diodes for a Amstrad GT65-2 Monitor (for some reason they are missing, so can't supply Flyback Transformer. The Dioides will replace the old missing Hitachi V06C and V09C diodes.

Thats it for the moment, hope it wasn't too laborious.
I think I'll carry on, as I've got the Bug. I prefer repairing to using for some reason. Might move onto old PC's next.

Running out of room now, might need more shelving. Spare room is now more a lab.

Best Regards
Tibbs

 
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