Hi all!
Ok,
I think I may of mentioned on here somewhere, that I now have 4 VR machines
I have been working on the restoration of it since I got hold of it.
The problems I have had are :
Dead Amiga
I luckily had a spare Amiga 3000, that I was using as a test system. This amiga got donated straight into this machine. I am now 2 Amigas short. One is required for the 3rd 1000 CS unit, and a 4th for a test/spare - or even a Camera viewing system.
The Camera setup will place another `point of view` looking at the game action, and then display that on an external monitor - so that in theory, on a 2 player system, 3 displays could be up.
1 for each players POV, and the Camera. I hope to test that sometime soon, but it does require a full VR Expality computer!
HDD Failure
The HDD would not boot anything. I also tested it in my PC with WinUAE, but it just was not working. I have replaced the HDD with a CF card.
To do this, I added a Scsi to IDE bridge card, then IDE to CF adapter. Booting time is still about the same due to set timings for different parts of the system to start. It does give the ability for me to add more games on the bigger capacity storage. Its planned to have a game selection menu up-on boot. This is also planned for the CS units too, but its more focused on the SD unit, as there are many more games for the SD sit down units than the CS stand up.
Missing Visette
A previous owner decided that they wanted to keep the Visette, so it was removed. Lucky, I had two spares! (one from Alpha, other from Gridrunner- Thanks guys). I have had to test the spares to find out which one was working better, and as both their `faults`, I split them both up, and made the best one from the two.
I wired in the new Visette and it worked fine!
I have now been given the original Visette from this SD, but as the one I connected is all good, I have left this one as a spare.
Tracking Issues
The tracking on the SD unit is controlled by Ascension`s `Bird` hardware. Now, I didnt know how to wire in the tracker sensors, as the wires had been cut. I did find that the connection from the tracker source to the computer to have of gotten hot in the past, and the wires were stiff and brittle.
That could easily answer why I had tracking issues. It was only tracking motion once every 3 seconds or so, and its POV was VERY random. I am assuming that the controller PCB had got damaged through a power short.
I had a spare old Polhemus Tracker board, that I got with the kit from Gridrunner. After a lot of careful checking the connections, I wired that system in.
I had to changed the TX source in the machine for the new hardware, as well as the RX in the Visette.
After power up, all I had to do is to see which way to place the TX unit, so that Left was left, up was up... as in the wrong direction, I could look down, and the view would go left, for instance.
That all positioned correct now, but i need to find a way of securing the TX unit. The Polhemus one is about 1/8th the size of the Ascension one, which was glued in place originally anyway!
I have also had a issue mounting the tracker PCB within the Expality, so for now its resting there on insulated posts. I will design and make a proper fixing for it soon.
Display CRT
After about 2 weeks, the display died... I am on the hunt for a 10" CRT to replace it with, For now, I have fitted a 8" LCD, but I cant get it to sync very well :/
Joysticks
One of the analogue joysticks in its past has had its handle removed, and replaced with what looks like a rubber stamp`s wooden handle! Neither joystick work correctly, but I think its a bigger issue that just the joysticks.
Sound
The sound is real problem - which to be honest as I`m at work now, and about to go home - continue this thread later!
I hope to add some pics,
But for more info on my progress, look for Retro VR on Facebook!
Ok,
I think I may of mentioned on here somewhere, that I now have 4 VR machines
- my original 1000CS,
- Alpha`s old 1000 CS that I have restored (both of these will be linked up at revival!)
- a 3rd 1000CS - that requires a repaired/replacement Amiga 3000
- and finally - a 1000 SD.
I have been working on the restoration of it since I got hold of it.
The problems I have had are :
Dead Amiga
I luckily had a spare Amiga 3000, that I was using as a test system. This amiga got donated straight into this machine. I am now 2 Amigas short. One is required for the 3rd 1000 CS unit, and a 4th for a test/spare - or even a Camera viewing system.
The Camera setup will place another `point of view` looking at the game action, and then display that on an external monitor - so that in theory, on a 2 player system, 3 displays could be up.
1 for each players POV, and the Camera. I hope to test that sometime soon, but it does require a full VR Expality computer!
HDD Failure
The HDD would not boot anything. I also tested it in my PC with WinUAE, but it just was not working. I have replaced the HDD with a CF card.
To do this, I added a Scsi to IDE bridge card, then IDE to CF adapter. Booting time is still about the same due to set timings for different parts of the system to start. It does give the ability for me to add more games on the bigger capacity storage. Its planned to have a game selection menu up-on boot. This is also planned for the CS units too, but its more focused on the SD unit, as there are many more games for the SD sit down units than the CS stand up.
Missing Visette
A previous owner decided that they wanted to keep the Visette, so it was removed. Lucky, I had two spares! (one from Alpha, other from Gridrunner- Thanks guys). I have had to test the spares to find out which one was working better, and as both their `faults`, I split them both up, and made the best one from the two.
I wired in the new Visette and it worked fine!
I have now been given the original Visette from this SD, but as the one I connected is all good, I have left this one as a spare.
Tracking Issues
The tracking on the SD unit is controlled by Ascension`s `Bird` hardware. Now, I didnt know how to wire in the tracker sensors, as the wires had been cut. I did find that the connection from the tracker source to the computer to have of gotten hot in the past, and the wires were stiff and brittle.
That could easily answer why I had tracking issues. It was only tracking motion once every 3 seconds or so, and its POV was VERY random. I am assuming that the controller PCB had got damaged through a power short.
I had a spare old Polhemus Tracker board, that I got with the kit from Gridrunner. After a lot of careful checking the connections, I wired that system in.
I had to changed the TX source in the machine for the new hardware, as well as the RX in the Visette.
After power up, all I had to do is to see which way to place the TX unit, so that Left was left, up was up... as in the wrong direction, I could look down, and the view would go left, for instance.
That all positioned correct now, but i need to find a way of securing the TX unit. The Polhemus one is about 1/8th the size of the Ascension one, which was glued in place originally anyway!
I have also had a issue mounting the tracker PCB within the Expality, so for now its resting there on insulated posts. I will design and make a proper fixing for it soon.
Display CRT
After about 2 weeks, the display died... I am on the hunt for a 10" CRT to replace it with, For now, I have fitted a 8" LCD, but I cant get it to sync very well :/
Joysticks
One of the analogue joysticks in its past has had its handle removed, and replaced with what looks like a rubber stamp`s wooden handle! Neither joystick work correctly, but I think its a bigger issue that just the joysticks.
Sound
The sound is real problem - which to be honest as I`m at work now, and about to go home - continue this thread later!
I hope to add some pics,
But for more info on my progress, look for Retro VR on Facebook!
