Vertical Bars on Display

About original Memotech hardware.
wyerd
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Joined: 13 May 2013 23:16
Location: Upstate New York. USA.

Vertical Bars on Display

Post by wyerd »

The display on my MTX500 has never been that good as there are faint vertical bars on the display. My recently acquired US spec MTX500 doesn't display these bars and is very clean. Any thoughts on what could be causing it?
MTX512
MTX512
39A9088A-0A3C-439C-A80C-3C01DA0EB8AC.JPG (40.51 KiB) Viewed 9808 times
MTX500
MTX500
55923EA3-C70C-4F5F-8D27-937034273F7F.JPG (73.49 KiB) Viewed 9808 times
Martin A
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Re: Vertical Bars on Display

Post by Martin A »

Both my MTX's have the bars on the display, so does the MTXplus although that uses a different VDP/Encoder combination.

I hadn't realised there were any MTX's out there that didn't have them !
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Dave
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Re: Vertical Bars on Display

Post by Dave »

Of course, the US model uses a TMS9918, as opposed to the UK models TMS9929, that could be the difference.

As Martin say's, all of the UK models seem to have the bars

Regards
Dave
wyerd
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Joined: 13 May 2013 23:16
Location: Upstate New York. USA.

Re: Vertical Bars on Display

Post by wyerd »

Oh, okay. Good to know.

As the TMS9918 is running at 60Hz, I could replace it with an F18A. Decisions, decisions.......
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1024MAK
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Re: Vertical Bars on Display

Post by 1024MAK »

I suspect this problem may be a limitation of the circuitry. But it may also be due to limitations of the supply rail decoupling. As others have said, it's very common.

On other systems (e.g. ZX Spectrum 48k) vertical bars can sometimes be due to inadequate decoupling of the +5V and +12V supply rails in the area of the video generator chip and it's (video) RAM.

However, I have not investigated on any of my MTX machines. If you want to try renewing the ceramic capacitors in a MTX, it's the ceramic capacitors near the VDP and the 4116 DRAM chips. Use 1uF multilayer ceramic types.

Mark
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Not as many MTXs as Dave! :lol:
wyerd
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Joined: 13 May 2013 23:16
Location: Upstate New York. USA.

Re: Vertical Bars on Display

Post by wyerd »

1024MAK wrote:If you want to try renewing the ceramic capacitors in a MTX, it's the ceramic capacitors near the VDP and the 4116 DRAM chips. Use 1uF multilayer ceramic types.Mark
Are they C22 and the one in between LNK10 & LNK11?
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1024MAK
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Re: Vertical Bars on Display

Post by 1024MAK »

wyerd wrote:
1024MAK wrote:If you want to try renewing the ceramic capacitors in a MTX, it's the ceramic capacitors near the VDP and the 4116 DRAM chips. Use 1uF multilayer ceramic types.Mark
Are they C22 and the one in between LNK10 & LNK11?
I'll have to look at a MTX board...

Mark
:!: Standby alert :!:
“There are four lights!”
Step up to red alert. Sir, are you absolutely sure? It does mean changing the bulb :!:
Looking forward to summer in Somerset later in the year :D

Not as many MTXs as Dave! :lol:
wyerd
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Joined: 13 May 2013 23:16
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Re: Vertical Bars on Display

Post by wyerd »

They're in this shot
FullSizeRender.jpg
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1024MAK
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Re: Vertical Bars on Display

Post by 1024MAK »

The ones circled in red ;)
I may have missed some under the video PCB.
MTX video decoupling caps
MTX video decoupling caps
MTX video decoupling caps.png (609.55 KiB) Viewed 9773 times
Basically, if it is near the VDP or the 4116 DRAM chips and it connects to either the +5V PCB tracks or the +12V PCB tracks, renewing with a 1uF cap may help. With the MTX, keep in mind that this is just theory at the moment.

Mark
:!: Standby alert :!:
“There are four lights!”
Step up to red alert. Sir, are you absolutely sure? It does mean changing the bulb :!:
Looking forward to summer in Somerset later in the year :D

Not as many MTXs as Dave! :lol:
wyerd
Posts: 93
Joined: 13 May 2013 23:16
Location: Upstate New York. USA.

Re: Vertical Bars on Display

Post by wyerd »

Ah! Just a few then :shock: :shock: :shock:
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