Zektor vector Generator

[virtvic]

This is probably a never never, but you never know ?

I've been playing a lot of Vectrex lately after getting a 32 in 1 cart for it.

And...

I have been taking a big interest in the marvellous Zektor Vector Generator. For those who don't know, it's kinda like a jpac for vector games / monitors. There were cables available for most vector monitors AND a cable to use the vectrex's screen.

Check it out - http://www.zektor.com/zvg/index.html

However.

The ZVG was discontinued ages ago and they're kinda like sparkly rocking horse shizz.

The schematics are up on the net, so would any of the ultra brainy types on here be able to make them at all? I know that Tim never has anything to do

and is always after something to keep him out of trouble

I know I'd deffo buy one.

At the drop of a really heavy hat.

 

[guddler]

Well, it's beyond my capabilities to do it, but I'd be up for one as long as they were cheaper than they were when they were out last time. And I imagine, therein lies one problem, at least!

 

[virtvic]

I'd really love a ZVG. I could make a really cool little cab out of an old vectrex. Sweet.

 

[Guests]

not sure but I think DanP has one

 

[virtvic]

Yep, i think he has it in his Space Duel - well cool!

 

[DanP]

Indeed I do have one, and a great piece of kit it is too. I've actually been trying to get another for about a year now, they are thin on the ground to say the least.

I seriously doubt anyone is going to bother making these again, there just isn't a market for them which I find hard to believe considering how reasonably priced they were. There have been rumours that Zektor might do another run off the back off a Windows compatible version of VectorMame that's out now. I emailed them about it in April and they said it was unlikely they would do another run due to "size minimums" on PCB production. Might be worth dropping them an email, if they get enough maybe they'll change there mind?

If someone were to take this on I'd say they would be better off marrying this tech with an embedded PC solution for the MAME part (which was always the hardest part) to produce plug n play boards that could be used to just replace the original boardsets. Obviously that would greatly increase the price so who knows if that would fly. Arcade collectors are a tight bunch after all

Dan

P.S if you want pix/vid of it running lmk and I'll repost them

 

[trm]

Could somebody post a link to the schems? I'd be interested to see how these work - I'm figuring it's possibly a set of op-amps driving the X/Y/Z output and something to interface to the PC (serial or parallel?). It's when they start including PLDs or an FPGA that things get tricky unless the fuse map or the RTL is available.

 

[trm]

Just had a good look at the photo (didn't think of that first, dur

) and it seems to be parallel (which makes sense, otherwise you'd have to buffer states on the board and then display which would cause a noticeable lag I suspect) but there is also something which looks like an Amtel CPLD which is a bit of a bummer.

 

[guddler]

The schematics are in that link somewhere - I found them yesterday.

 

[trm]

Cheers Martin - I didn't explore far enough first time

.

http://www.zektor.com/zvg/downloads/ZVG_Schematic_RevC2.pdf

None of it looks that evil (possible layout issues due to high-ish frequency analogue signals aside) apart from the fact it does use a CPLD (well, AtMega CPU) which would likely need the code supplying or reverse engineering. I've already got a reverse engineering job on at the moment which is eating the little bits of free time I have available so I'm not going to be able to take a punt for a while.

Now, if somebody wants to work on the manufacturers to see if they'll provide the source, that would help lots

The key issue though is the moral side - if they truly have given up on this and made it abandonware then I think it's ok to have a bash, but I wouldn't want to steal their IP if they think it's a going concern.

 

[virtvic]

Tim rears his lovely head - hopefully in the direction of making TimZek adapters.

Can I pre-order one now?

 

[trm]

Heh. I don't think this is something I could do by myself. I'm thinking it'd need work/help from Martin, macro and DanP too.

 

[DanP]

If you can get Zektor to truly abandon it then I'm in, in whatever capacity I can help. I doubt they would truly release/abandon it though. I suspect they thought they sell bucket loads of these only to find how cheapskate most VAC collectors are

That said I'm sure they've got a lot of time/money invested that they'd like to recoup if at all possible, maybe they'd do a licensing deal? It's all starting to sound like a business venture...

Dan

P.S You'd also need to get the software (ZVGTweak, a ZVGMenu type thing, etc) and some input from the MAME guys to continue supporting ZVG in the main MAME build.

 

[virtvic]

Come on! I can provide help as a play tester

 

[Alpha1]

Didn't P-man have a couple of these? Did he sell them all then? You might find he has some left.

 

[DanP]

Nope he sold them all.

 

[trm]

I can't see them freely giving away all that IP and as such I think making more than one or two for personal use is a bust. And you'd need a working ZVG to either extract the program code or do black-box testing to figure out the functionality of the CPU. I don't think anybody who has a working ZVG is going to be running to volunteer theirs to be reverse engineered either!