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Welcome back! Welcome back to the ValorosoIT channel. Do you like vintage computers? You are absolutely on the right channel!
Do you see some Amiga here behind me? Good, because today we assemble and test this converter, adapter, which RetroManiak gave me. What is it for? It is simply used to connect the Amiga to the television. What do you normally do? A Commodore Amiga A520 adapter is used, which takes the signal from the Amiga and sends it to the television via composite video or via RF signal. There are RGB cables on the market that connect to the Amiga and come out on the TV's SCART port, and this is also another option. Or, this one here is a little more interesting project in my opinion. It is the equivalent of the cable, but in addition it also has a connector. So, the Amiga outputs the RGB signal with the DB23 pole connector and this converter takes it to a SCART, already here on the card, and then I will use that cable, a SCART cable, so that I can connect this adapter to the television. In the video we not only see the assembly, but we also see the test of this adapter on an Amiga of my choice, among these, then later I will decide which one. Please be careful because the diagrams that I will show during the video, which RetroManiak kindly offered me, are related to this adapter and cannot be used, for example, to build a cable without the connector. I recommend it, eh. Well, let's start the construction and then do the testing.
Here is the converter. Here it is, let's open it. Ah, it all fell apart a bit. Ah, this was already attached. A few components... and here it all is. So, first of all, let's start by explaining why two connectors. This is the DB23 connector that came with the mounting kit.
But, as you can see, it is a modified DB25. Obviously, it was cheaper that way. So it's a choice that absolutely makes sense. However, not happy, I found an original DB23 connector, therefore not a 25-pole but an original 23-pole.
Here are all the other components, two printed ones, obviously I will only use one, this other one is spare, or if I wanted to make another converter. Instead, as regards the audio signals, the audio connectors, these obviously serve to take the audio signal, and not just the video, from the Amiga 500 and then bring it to the SCART connector. From the SCART connector, as I explained before, then I will go to the television.
I had already made a video on how to solder on printed circuit boards. So now, with the soldering, I will go quite fast, so then we will have more time to see if this converter works directly on the TV and trying one of my Amigas.
Let's take a look at the diagram, also courtesy of RetroManiak. We have the 25-pole connector, which is then cut to 23. Or, as in my case, directly the 23-pole. We have the SCART connector up here. Then there are all the connections that allow you to take RGB signals, plus all the other signals and audio to the SCART.
As for the audio, it is taken from these two connectors connected to the back of the Amiga, and these two wires, which are four, because obviously inside there is both the signal and the cable (and the ground), I will mount them under this board, and then on another occasion, I don't have it here, so I can't show it to you, but on another occasion I will put some hot glue on them to prevent them from coming off.
Instead, as regards the upper part of this RetroManiak card, I will then assemble all the various components. I will start with the lower ones, and then gradually build up the higher ones.
So, R1 = 330 ohms. Then down here we have the R3, in the middle, which is 75 ohm, so this one here.
Afterwards we'll go and pull them with the pliers. And then we have this 1K resistor, which is R2.
I pull the leads slightly, in order to keep the components as straight as possible on the PCB.
Okay. A little bit of flux is used to remove the oxide, which is certainly present on the components, because they had not been used for some time. Hot soldering iron and go!
We shorten the leads. There are those who keep them aside, the leads, but I have stopped keeping them all aside and, every now and then, I am forced to throw something away. Also because I was really overwhelmed by things that I never used. So either you sell them, or they... Well, of course, you don't sell the leads, but if there's something you don't use, maybe you can sell it. If not, however, these things that are left over, if there are no bridges to be made, so in the immediate future, I will throw them away directly. Then if there are bridges to be made, I will take out some old network cable, the computer network, I use that to make bridges, because it is rigid.
Now it's the turn of the decoupling capacitors. These are polarized components, so we see that the negative is indicated on the capacitor, while the positive is indicated on the silk-screen print, but obviously the negative is the opposite of the positive.
1, 2, e 3.
Here too, generally, I pull a little, without exaggerating, to keep them as straight as possible. Then, as I weld them, I'll usually squeeze them from the opposite side, so I'll try to keep them more straight.
1, 2 e 3.
Let's go and press them down while I press them on this side, and secure. Ok, if they are straight, at this point I can try soldering the other three pins. 1, 2… Now this one here, little one, back here. Here we go… Let's cut. And... 6. It turned out a little badly here, we can shorten it a little more. And these too, we don't need them anyway!
Now it's the turn of the connector which must be inserted in this way, straddling, let's say, the printed circuit, so that the contacts match above and below.
Ok.
Flowing, side A, no… side B. That was side B! Flux, side A. Maybe, just maybe, I can get help from this third hand. Let's see, because if I can hold the board in a more comfortable position, the soldering will probably be a little better too.
We see. Let's see how we are like this. Yes, I might be able to weld. So, let's try not to melt the other components I put in. Eh, it's gone.
After soldering, we clean the board, anyway.
We turn the card to the other side and weld on this side too.
And finally, we have to mount the beautiful SCART connector, like this here. I always help myself with the third hand. Let's try to keep the board raised at the right point, so as to solder a couple of pins of the SCART connector. After that, I straighten it, and then I can solder the other pins too.
However, if you are not familiar with soldering, I recommend you watch the video in which I explained how to do it. Because I explain how to clean the soldering iron, what to use, tin, not tin, I explain everything.
Ok, now let's straighten the connector, pressing it while I heat the bottom part with the soldering iron.
One and one, two. So, on this side it's straight, on this other side it's straight too. Well, I guess I can proceed with soldering all the pins. Ah, but not before putting in the flux. Usually help from the third hand and we proceed with the welding.
In fact, the environment is getting a bit muddy, but I have the fan. Eh, you can't hear it, but I have the fan... turned off! I turned it off, but I have it. If you have to solder, use… the fan.
Ok, this is soldered too. Now I have to strip the audio connector wires, and then we solder them under the board. Uh, first time!
So, apparently yellow is the mass, because then we have red, which will be the right channel, and white, which will be the left channel. However, if we have doubts, we can always try with the tester.
Ok, so, from the white RCA, let's take the negative which will be yellow, in fact, and the signal pole which must be white. Of the red RCA connector... negative, and... a caXXX.
Orca… Um… Let's see if I can get him… How can this be wrong? And it doesn't work! Have you seen? It's not working! Let's try again... Negative... and the signal is not there! There's no signal? But how? Slut! I mean, these wires here are faulty. Now let's try again, that is, luckily I try everything. I try everything! I try everything! And it doesn't work! This is broken! It's because I try everything that I noticed it. Now I'll try to use this one here, I built it at the time, so I think it works, I'll cut this connector here, because it will be recoverable anyway. Or maybe I cut it to the right length, like the one he gave me... the broken ones... Retromaniak, who I still thank, eh, for the gift, since you don't look a gifted horse in the mouth.
So, at this point I'll cut it here, mine, and peel it. Now let's try it!
Let's try to strip this wire here, mine. You always have to try, always try! Because otherwise these things happen here: you put it on, then it didn't work. But why is it only heard on one side of the television? Eh, why? Because the printed cable, which one thinks printed will be good, no, it is not good.
Oh, okay. Now, this one here, so red is right, white is left. As you can see, the wires of my cable are a little oxidized. I don't know if you can tell from the video.
Let's try to peel it with scissors, not with nails, as I did before, here. Oh, let's try this too, what do you think? Let's try? Massa, some white, oh, I mean, I was about to get pissed off again. Signal, white, left, then. Oh, what a nice noise, and it's not shorted, because it's not grounded. Mass, of the red, right. Oh, what a beautiful sound. Red signal, but it doesn't go to ground. Perfect, this, we can solder this now, after I put away my beautiful tester! Yes, well done, well done, you told me before that that cable was broken!
Let's pre-press. And from below we go to solder two wires. That is, or rather, we insert them from below and weld them from above. So: R is the right one, this is closest to the tray connector, therefore the red one, which goes here. And its mass goes here, into the other hole, always this one, here. Let's see if we can squeeze it in... Is it too much to ask? No… here it is. Then I'm already trying to keep it bent a little, maybe like this, because later I'll want to put hot glue on it. Now I'll get help from the third hand to hold the board up and solder these two wires here. Ground and signal. OK perfect. Now let's take the thread of the L, which is the left. Same thing, we put the signal here and we put the ground in this other one here. Too big. Let's shorten it a little bit, because there's a little tin ball right there at the edge. Here it is, so we can keep them nice and close. And we weld.
Ok, looks like we've finished construction. Now I clean the board with a little alcohol. I know it would require isopropyl alcohol, but I've used this many times and it's always worked well. A single cleaning pass probably won't be enough, because the first one may still leave the card a little sticky. Then we proceed, many times, to clean the card, until it no longer feels sticky.
And here it is, we've finally finished it! Amiga side connector. SCART connector on the TV side, and audio connectors, also on the Amiga side. What do you think, shall we try it?
Let's see how to connect the adapter to the Amiga 2000. I've already turned it on its back, so let's make a nice connection now. So, let's start with the SCART cable, from behind the TV. And here it is connected, here. We connect the other side of the SCART cable to the converter, adapter, that we have just made. And he entered. We connect the DB23 connector to the video input of the Amiga 2000, and magically this enters too. And then we have the two audio connectors, left and right.
And now it's the moment we've been waiting for... Let's try! The TV is already on, on audio video, let's turn on the computer. Yes!
Yes! Works! And it's in color too!
Yes… yes, I'd say everything works well, fortunately. I insert the Super Cars II disk, a video game, and so we see how a video game looks and above all if we can hear the audio, because up until now we haven't tried the audio yet.
I bring the microphone closer. Yes, you can hear it!
This music is beautiful, I also used it as a background for some videos. The noises you hear in the background, in reality, are not the music, eh, but are the drive that is here and the fan of the Amiga 2000.
Oh, I even managed to shoot a car. Whatever the case... but I have some problems driving. Oh well, you know I'm not a Gamer. I don't even understand how to move forward. With this. Ah, with Fire we move forward, that's what stuff.
Oh well, don't tell anyone that I play so badly, but with a little training I'm sure I will succeed.
Well, I hope you also liked this video, that you found the creation of this connector, adapter, converter useful to connect your Commodore Amiga computers to your television and, if you are not yet subscribed to the channel, I invite you to subscribe, activate the notification bell. I'm not only on YouTube, I'm also on Instagram, on Facebook, on TikTok, in short, on all the social networks. Until the next video! HI!