Conference 7.286::atarist

318.0. "VideoKey: a review" by PHDVAX::MURRAY (Kinder *and* Gentler...More gullible, too) Mon Nov 28 1988 14:25

I got the Videokey and I think it was money well spent.  We can now use
DEGAS the way it was meant to be used.  I can even (after a few brews)
use medium rez for 80 col. text applications (mostly out of laziness; not
wanting to plug/unplug my B/W monitor from the Videokey--this is one of
the drawbacks--if you have your B/W mon. plugged in, the ST will boot in
mono mode.)

It's easy to hook up, requiring an additional wall outlet for an AC adaptor,
and the output isn't too shabby (reminds me of my old C64 days).  The
kids like it but I still don't have any games/educational stuff for them.
(hint, hint -- see note 296, above)

A neat feature for the non-purist is a "composite video" output that hooks
up to the VCR and lets you record pretty neat titles and such (except for
the lack of "sync" with the VCR which causes pretty ugly fade-ins and -outs.)

Overall, it's a neat solution for the 1040 B/W owner who doesn't want to
dish out the $275 for a color monitor but still wants to get into the world
of color.  The price was listed at $119 when I ordered it for $84, but has
since been dropped to $99, so it may be available for less (but I don't
want to know about it :^)

One thing that's mentioned in the instructions is that the ST's clock
crystal (32.0424 MHz) is just a bit too fast to allow decent synching on
the NTSC 15734 Hz sync rate (the clock crystal's freq. should be as near
an even multiple of the NTSC sync rate as possible).  Practical Solutions
claims to have a slightly slower crystal that is a better match (I guess
it would be about 31.9713 MHz).  Anyone heard anything about switching
this crystal?

Rich Murray

    So what's a VideoKey?

re: -.1

It's a black box that plugs into the 1040's monitor port and converts the
ST's output into RF so I can use a TV to view color output.

    Hi,                                  
                                         
    All the new 1040's sold in the UK are now fitted with a inbuilt
    modulator to drive the RF i/p to a TV. 
                                         
    Atari are really pulling people about, the "NEW" 520 now has a 1M 
    drive, some distributors are upgrading the 520 to 1m before you buy 
    it, there are special deals with and without 400 pound worth of games,
    1040 have/have not modulators, Megas may/may not have blitters already
    installed. Some m/c have OLD TOS roms, others have newer version,
    note NONE have v1.04. YET!                                        
                                                       
    The reason for this note is to warn people thinking of buying an
    ST :-                                
    *******CHECK EXACTLY WHAT YOU ARE GETTING WITH YOUR "DEAL" IT may
    NOT BE WHAT YOU THINK  ******************
    (you could end up with more or less )     
                                                  
                              
    Cheers
    
    Pat K.