The Atari Xl line of personal computers did not include a connection from the on-board video chip to the video connector for the Chroma portion of the video, making true s-video output impossible without modification. This tutorial walks you through the Ultimate Atari Video (UAV) Rev. D modification installation.
There are several options for updating the video on an old Atari XL computer, including the excellent (but often out of stock) Sophia 2 board, which essentially replaces the entire graphics chip (GTIA) and provides independent RGB/YPbPr/VGA and DVI outputs. The Sophia 2 was out of stock when I set about upgrading my stock 1200XL, so I went with the much more basic but still excellent UAV Rev. D board. I purchased the board from The Brewing Academy, who is the official licensee for the board. Here's what they have to say about the board:
These boards were developed by Bryan Edewaard and sold by him for a long time. He has now sold the rights for the rev. D version to The Brewing Academy and we are producing them for all machines. What does it do?
- Has an on-board regulator to create a clean video power source.
- Has a 3-channel video amplifier designed for 75 ohm loads.
- Has a pixel re-clocking circuit to remove skew and better align the 4 luminance signals into a perfect pixel edge.
- Has a carefully designed chroma-shaping circuit.
- An adjustable pot on the board which controls the phase between the chroma and luma signals. A nice side-effect of this that you can change the artifact colors. There's also a jumper to invert the chroma which swaps the positions of the artifact colors.
While, with the right cable, you can connect a stock 1200XL to a more modern LCD monitor, you would need to use the composite connector, which is pretty low quality. This mod will allow connection using s-video (or HDMI, if you have an s-video to HDMI adapter). This is the cable I'm using. It has both s-video and composite, so would also work on an un-modified XL.
A huge shout out goes to several users on the AtariAge message board who posted very helpful instructions and photos on this post, which I used to do my installation. I couldn't have done it without the help of that post. This guide is meant to be a true "idiot's guide" to installing the mod, without having to wade through multiple forum posts, but it wouldn't exist without them.
Let's get started! You'll need:
You'll probably also want:
This is all in addition to an Atari 1200XL Computer (you can find tutorials for other versions of the XL, like the 800XL...
]]>I was looking for a humidifier to help our dry skin (and nasal passages!) during the winter, when the heater tends to dry everything out. Based on good reviews, I purchased the Honeywell HCM-350 Germ Free Cool Moisture Humidifier, and it did not disappoint!
This was not my first humidifier. Several years ago I tried a different one (can't remember the make/model), but hated it because it created a wet mist that dampened everything in the room. I'd wake up to find my face, sheets, and pillow (along with everything else in the room) coated with tiny droplets of water. Turns out my previous humidifier was an ultrasonic humidifier, while the HCM-350 is an evaporative humidifier. What this means is that the HCM-350 blows moisture off a wicking filter, helping it evaporative into the air quickly. It's not possible to over-humidify with evaporative technology because you can't add more moisture to the air than it can hold. The mist is totally invisible. At first you might think it's not doing anything, but after several hours you'll notice a significant drop in the water level, letting you know it was effectively moisturizing the air.
Another plus is that it's quiet. On the lowest setting, it's nearly inaudible. On the medium or high settings, there's a gentle and somewhat pleasant whir that makes for some nice white noise.
The HCM-350 is also easy to use. The tank pulls out easily with one hand, and can be filled from most bathroom faucets. It has a convenient carry handle and a wide, easy to open tank opening. Finally, there's no bright light on the unit to keep you up at night, which is a huge plus if using in the bedroom.
I highly recommend the Honeywell HCM-350 Germ Free Cool Moisture Humidifier for anyone looking for a home humidifier.
Here's a list of benefits, taken from Honeywell's website:
Provides an efficient solution for counteracting the effects of dry harsh winter air by adding essential moisture to any room. Soothe dry skin with added moisture so hands and lips are no longer dry.
Maintaining an indoor humidity level between 40-60% can reduce the survival of flu viruses on surfaces and in the air.*
Studies have shown that keeping indoor air at an RH level of 40-60% reduces survival of flu viruses on surfaces and in the air compared to lower RH levels.*
Comfortable humidity helps purify the air and keep throat and nasal passages hydrated. This can help you breathe better and sleep more comfortably.
Low humidity causes wood to lose moisture and shrink. Extreme changes can causes warping and cracking.
Symptoms of dry air include curled leaves and dry leaf tips. Flower buds may even turn brown and fall off. Using a humidifier can...
]]>I've been trying to reduce the amount of plastics we consume, and eliminating plastic dish soap bottles was on the list.
My search led me to a company called etee, who produce a range of plastic-free products, including some dish soaps. I decided to try the etee Citrus Sunshine Scented Dish Soap Concentrate, which comes as a 3-pack of liquid soap, each sealed in a pod made of beeswax and tree resin, as well as a few other plant based oils - therefore, they're fully compostable!
The ingredients are all plant-based as well: alcohol ethoxylate (plant-derived grease-cutting agent), polyglucoside (plant-derived cleaning agent), amine oxide (plant-derived cleaning agent), hydroxyethylcellulose (plant-derived viscosity modifier). The citrus scent comes from citrus essential oils.
Yes, but with caveats. Since I have a well in my sink to hold dish soap, I add water to a mason jar, squeeze in the contents of a pod, then give it a shake. I then pour some into the dispenser well. This worked well at first, but after a time I noticed I was barely getting any suds. I shook up a new batch, but this time left it in the mason jar. That batch worked well at first, also, but I noticed that after a while the soap partially separated from the water and clumped at the bottom. A quick shake solved the issue, but if using a built-in well in the sink, that's not possible. If you don't have a soap well in your sink, you can re-use an old dish soap bottle or you can buy a mason jar with dispenser lid from etee's website. I would avoid using a built-in soap well with this product, though.
]]>I have been on a lifelong quest for good slippers, and after many (many) pairs, have finally found the perfect pair for me: The Boot, by Glerups. Read on to find out why I think they’re great, and why finding a good pair has been so difficult.
My problem with slippers is that while I want a comfortable pair that keep my feet warm, I have a serious overheating problem. With most slippers, particularly those with thick fleece or shearling liners, my feet get too hot and start to sweat. I’ve tried unlined slippers of various materials, and either they’re not warm enough, not comfortable enough, or they don’t last.
I thought I had found my perfect pair when I bought some Halfinger slip-ons, made of boiled felted wool. Felted wool is very warm, but breathable, so there is no problem with overheating. The problem with the Halfinger’s, though, was they didn’t last. After a single winter plus spring, I had worn a hole in the big toe area. Turns out I wasn’t alone - plenty of online reviews had the same issue. So, my search continued.
That’s when I found a review for the Glerups. They’re also made from boiled felted wool, but are said to be much more durable and better constructed. The reviewers at The Wirecutter had this to say:
“In addition to being the most comfortable woolen slippers we tested, these were far and away the most durable. The sample fabric we tested from the Glerups slippers on the tensile tester maxed out around 300 pounds of force (nearly double what it took to bust through the material from the Acorn slippers)—it even temporarily halted the test device. The fabric dented, but did not give out and break. To add to the durability, Glerups also constructs its slippers from a single piece of felt with an additional layer of wool for the insole, plus a sewn-on outsole (either calfskin or rubber). This means that the fabric should never separate from the sole, and the design has far fewer potential points of wear than any other slippers we looked at.”
At the time of this writing I’m just starting my fourth year with these slippers (purchased in December of 2017), and they’re still in perfect shape.
The Glerups are incredibly comfortable, warm, but don’t make my feet sweat. The boots are easy to slip into without using a hand to pull them on - just step right on in. Glerups makes three styles: the boot, a backless slip-on, and a shoe. (Note: the shoe was the least favorite of The Wirecutter review team.) All three styles are available with a soft calfskin sole (which is what I have) that’s perfect for indoor-only use, as well as a hard rubber sole (which they call a “camp sole”), good for indoor and outdoor use.
If you’re looking for a great pair of slippers that will last a long time, check out Glerups.
I purchased The Boot with leather...
]]>This is an archived review of The Alarm (with Modern English and Gene Loves Jezebel), at Ace of Spades, Sacramento, on August 3, 2019.
This content originally appeared on sacramentopress.com. The site no longer exists, but an archive can be found here.
Review and Photos by Tony Cervo
The Alarm brought their SIGMA LXXXV Tour, along with friends and fellow Brits Modern English and Jay Aston’s Gene Loves Jezebel, to sell out Sacramento’s Ace of Spades on Saturday night.
The Alarm has long been known for its anthemic style of music. Look no further than 2019’s Record Store Day release of ‘Strength: Live ‘85,” a previously unreleased show recorded at the Boston Orpheum Theatre on November 9th, 1985. Filled with songs from the band’s first two albums, ‘Declaration’ (‘84), and ‘Strength’ (‘85), songs like “Sixty Eight Guns,” “The Stand,” “Knife Edge” and “Spirit of ’76” showcase their ability to write (and perform) a proper rock anthem. All of those songs, and more, were on full display Saturday night. Newer songs, like “Brighter Than the Sun” from this year’s “Sigma” album, and “Peace Now” from last year’s “Equals” album fit right in with the anthems of yore.
Lead by vocalist Mike Peters, The Alarm opened their set with “Blood Red Viral Black” from the ‘Sigma’ album, immediately followed by “The Stand” – an early favorite inspired by Stephen King’s novel of the same name – before getting into “Peace Now” from the ‘Equals’ album. Although “Peace Now” is a newer song, the sold-out crowd was singing along, getting particularly loud during the “not another brick in the wall” refrain.
Singing along would be a recurring theme throughout the set. The Sacramento crowd wasn’t messing around – they knew the words and weren’t afraid to join in! The entire set was energetic and fun, with songs spanning the band’s 38 year career, including additional hits like “Rescue Me,” “Sold Me Down the River” and “Strength.” The night ended with a rousing rendition of “Sixty Eight Guns,” which sent the crowd home happy if not a little hoarse from all the singing.
The night began, however, with Jay Aston’s Gene Loves Jezebel running onto the stage and going full-bore through their set, which included crowd favorites “Jealous,” “The Motion of Love” and “Desire (Come And Get It).”
Shortly after Jay Aston and crew left the stage, it was time for Modern English, who also had a fun set. The band is best known for the 1982 hit “I Melt With You,” with singer Robbie Grey joking near the end of the set “Ok, we’ll play THAT song,” acknowledging that’s what people really wanted to hear. Lucky for everyone in attendance, their other songs are really good, too.
This is an archived review of the Jimmy Eat World show (with Verno), at Ace of Spades, Sacramento, on June 16, 2019.
This content originally appeared on sacramentopress.com. The site no longer exists, but an archive can be found here.
Review by Nolan Erck, Photos by Tony Cervo
Reviewing a show is easy when the band is good. Rarely is a show perfect, for there’s often a point or two of constructive criticism that can be included. And if the reviewer is doing nothing but gushing like a fanboy, it can often feel like a fake account of what happened. Maybe the writer is friends with the band and just wants to be nice. Or is worried about upsetting the band’s publicist. Well, I’m not friends with Jimmy Eat World (yet?). And I’ve traded a couple messages with their publicist, but we’re not old college buddies. So you can believe me when I tell you this: on Sunday night at Ace of Spades, Jimmy Eat World was flawless.
Yes, flawless.
The show ran like a well oiled machine in every sense of the phrase. From the show opener “Pain,” through the encore, there wasn’t a lull in energy anywhere. High notes in songs like “A Praise Chorus” were nailed perfectly (and believe me, I was watching, that’s one of my personal favorites). Ditto for everything from guitar solos, to lighting cues. And if you’re a gear nerd like me, you’ll appreciate how often Jim Adkins and Tom Linton change instruments with rocket precision. (The same goes for touring member Robin Vining, who switches between keyboard, guitar, and backing vocals throughout the night.)
Each song was better than the last. We watched the entire show, we listened to every song, we looked for the common places a band will have technical issues, or do the usual “tour tricks” to get through a difficult song while faking a more challenging part – no such mistakes ever showed up. It’s staggering to see a show this tight – was that really only the third night of the tour?!
Older songs? Check. We heard “Blister,” “Lucky Denver Mint” and “For Me This Is Heaven” off the ‘Clarity’ album. Long time fans that complain about not hearing the classics had nothing to worry about.
Newer songs? Check. Not only did they play “Get Right” and “Sure and Certain” off the latest album ‘Integrity Blues,” but we were also treated to “Love Never” from the recent 7-inch. (The record collecting nerd in me always appreciates a band that still releases new music on vinyl.)
Various other crowd favorites filled the rest of the set, including “Big Casino, “A Praise Chorus,” “23” and “Futures,” among many others. And of course, several songs from the uber popular ‘Bleed American’ record. The 90-minute set was capped off with “The Middle,” sung by pretty much everyone in the 1000-person capacity crowd.
If there were anything to critique from the night, it might be a tiny question about the...
]]>This is an archived review of the P!nk show (with Julia Michaels), at the Golden 1 Center, Sacramento, on April 10, 2019.
This content originally appeared on sacramentopress.com. The site no longer exists, but an archive can be found here.
Review and Photos by Tony Cervo
Wow. I could end the review right there, and that would perfectly sum up P!nk’s “Beautiful Trauma” show. But I’ll continue anyway…
P!nk made a dazzling entrance in her first headlining concert in Sacramento Wednesday night. As the curtain at the back of the stage fell, P!nk could be seen dangling from a giant chandelier, doing acrobatic moves above the stage while singing the Grammy-nominated opening number “Get the Party Started”.
While P!nk mesmerized the audience with what would be the first of several aerial acrobatic displays, a multitude of dancers and vibrant set-pieces graced the stage below. No doubt most of the audience kept their eyes locked on P!nk and the chandelier above, until she finally touched down and paraded around the various catwalks jutting out into the audience, joining the dancers in well choreographed moves that seemed equal parts organic and well practiced.
The Beautiful Trauma tour began March 1, 2018, so is now a month into its second year. The tour is scheduled to conclude October 5, 2019, in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil as part of the Rock in Rio Festival, after a total of 157 shows. If you want to see how an arena show should be produced and executed, go see this show. It’s the high water mark for arena shows, to be sure. Part pop/rock show, part high-flying circus performance ala Cirque du Soleil, part choreographed dance routines, and all unadulterated fun.
The stage sets changed throughout the night, with props such as trees descending from the rafters, large props coming and going from the stage (including, at one point, a gigantic inflatable Eminem during “Revenge”, on which the two artists collaborated), and the large video wall behind the stage constantly changing to help set the mood and make the set feel immersive.
As for the aerial acrobatics – again, wow! Several times throughout the night P!nk would ascend to the sky above the crowd, sometimes strapped to a harness, other times without wires (or safety net)! Sometimes it was just P!nk doing flips, twists, and other acrobatics, but at one point she was joined by another acrobat, both without wires. He kept himself aloft by holding on to chords anchored to the track high above. During this aerial duet, P!nk kept from falling to the ground by holding on to the other acrobat, sometimes lying or standing on top of his vertical body, and at one point he was keeping her aloft with nothing but his feet. As he held himself upright with the chords, he had one foot between her knees and the other underneath her neck, keeping her horizontal to the crowd far below. It was truly spectacular.
The biggest aerial feat came near...
]]>This is an archived review of the Elton John show at the Golden 1 Center, Sacramento, on January 16, 2019.
This content originally appeared on sacramentopress.com. The site no longer exists, but an archive can be found here.
Review and Photos by Tony Cervo
Sir Elton John brought his “Farewell Yellow Brick Road” tour to Golden 1 Wednesday night, playing for nearly three hours to a sold-out crowd. The tour, Elton’s final tour in his 50 year career, began in September of 2018 and will conclude in December of 2020 after a run of over 300 shows worldwide. By the time the tour is over, Sir Elton will have played over 4,000 shows in his career. For me, though, this was my first (and last) time seeing Elton John live.
The first album I ever bought was Elton John’s Greatest Hits. It had been out a few years when I saved up enough money from mowing lawns and washing cars in the neighborhood to buy my first album. I’ll admit the album I really wanted was KISS Destroyer – but the dreadfully small record section at Montgomery Ward didn’t have it, or anything else that caught my eye, and my mom wasn’t buying in to my “need” to stop at a real record store (or at least Gemco, which had a decent selection). But I knew a few of the songs on the Greatest Hits album, so it was my first album by default. It became, and has remained, one of my favorite albums. So, to finally see the legend perform those songs (and many more) live was a dream come true many years in the making, and I know I wasn’t alone.
The mood in the crowd Wednesday night was one of celebration. Many were dressed in crazy Elton-like costumes, wearing oversized heart-shaped novelty glasses, sequined hats, or in some cases full-on Captain Fantastic getups. The excitement was palpable. Some, like me, were seeing Sir Elton for the first time (“I can’t believe we’re finally seeing him!” was overheard numerous times), while others were watching their last show of many.
No matter who in the audience has seen Sir Elton the most, none can hold a candle to his band members. Unlike many artists who put together a new touring band for each tour, the core of Elton’s band has been amazingly consistent over the years (and it shows – the band is extremely tight). Sir Elton’s first tour began in early 1970, and consisted of Elton on piano, Nigel Olsson on drums, and Dee Murray on bass. Nigel is on-hand for the farewell tour, and as Sir Elton remarked “he was there for the first show, and he’ll be here for the last”. Altogether, Nigel Olsson has played nearly 2,400 of Sir Elton’s 3,800+ shows (as well as most of his albums).
On guitar was Davey Johnstone, who’s been with Sir Elton since 1971 and has played over 2,900 shows as part of Elton’s band. Percussionist Ray...
]]>This is an archived review of the Metallica show at the Golden 1 Center, Sacramento, on December 7, 2018.
This content originally appeared on sacramentopress.com. The site no longer exists, but an archive can be found here.
Review by Tony Cervo, image courtesy of Golden 1 Center
Metallica brought their now almost three-year-long ‘WorldWired’ Tour to Golden 1 Center Friday night, and they did not disappoint the sold-out crowd. In support of the band’s 2016 album “Hardwired… to Self-Destruct,” Sacramento was the 22nd stop (of 37 scheduled dates) on the second North American leg of the tour. The first major North American leg, in 2017, was held almost exclusively in stadiums, while this time around it’s slightly more intimate arenas like the 19,000 capacity Golden 1 Center. The arena shows feature a 360-degree stage set up in the center of the arena, allowing more fans to get “front row” spots along the rail.
Instead of an opening band, comedians Jim Breuer and Joe Sib opened the show, with Breuer acting as hype man, and Sib acting as DJ. Breuer cracked a few jokes and told a few stories (including the time he flew on Ozzy Osbourne’s private jet), but mostly tried to get the crowd pumped up for the main act. He took his microphone into the stands to find a five-year-old fan and a young woman of 68-years–the oldest and youngest Metallica fans in attendance. Breuer also welcomed anyone attending their first Metallica show into the “Metallica family,” as fans are known.
After a 30-minute break there was a sing-along, with the lyrics to famous songs from Black Sabbath, Judas Priest, Iron Maiden, and others projected on screens above the stage. This got the crowd going crazy, with the majority of the sold-out crowd singing along loudly. Unfortunately, it would be another 20 minutes before the band would finally take the stage at 9:17pm.
Following a long-standing tradition of playing Ennio Morricone’s “The Ecstasy of Gold,” with footage from ‘The Good, The Bad, and The Ugly’ playing on the video screens suspended from the ceiling, the band made their way to the stage before launching into “Hardwired,” followed by “Atlas, Rise!,” both off their tenth (and latest) album. Both songs are fast-paced thrash, far more reminiscent of Metallica’s earlier work than the mid-career – let’s call it “experimentation” – that came out of a string of albums from 1996 through the early 2000’s. Most bands who’ve been around 35 years tend to go light on the new songs when playing live, sandwiching them in the middle of the set, and most fans use the new material as a good time to use the restroom or get another beer. That Metallica opened with two new songs, and played five total from their latest album, is a testament to the quality of the new material.
]]>This is an archived review of the Cith of Trees Festival, Sacramento, on September 22, 2018.
This content originally appeared on sacramentopress.com. The site no longer exists, but an archive can be found here.
Review by Nolan Erck, Photos by Tony Cervo
Sacramento is a lucky town. By my count there were roughly a zillion great live music options this past weekend in our fair city. Among them was the City of Trees Music Festival, celebrating its fourth annual year. The all-day affair was sold out, chock-full of great music and food, and easily one of the best entertainment values of the weekend.
Bands and food vendors from near and far came to Papa Murphy’s Park in a similar fashion to last year’s festival. In 2017 there were two stages next to each other, and the bands would alternate, ala the main stages at Vans Warped Tour. This year, City of Trees mixed it up – the two stages were at opposite ends of the venue from each other; checking out all the bands meant lots of walking. But that also made it easy to scope out the food vendors. Win-win.
And with that, we now present The City of Trees Awards…
Biggest Surprise of the Festival easily goes to ONOFF. I’ve seen this band’s name on various show announcements, but hadn’t had the chance to check them out until now. ONOFF are a really solid rock band with a monster sound – how does a three-piece sound that huge?! Watching these guys was the biggest reason to be bummed about the two stages being so far apart – the crowd was much smaller here, and ONOFF deserved to be seen by the larger audience at the main stage. Fans of Foo Fighters and Biffy Clyro, do yourself a favor and go watch this band the next time they play at a local club.
The Workhorse Award gets handed to Blue October without question. With the sun not quite setting until the end of their time slot, these guys had to figure out how to do their big-rock-and-goth Peter Gabriel-esque thing in essentially broad daylight. While wearing all black outfits, in that Sacramento heat. Everyone at City of Trees should now be a Blue October fan. In 45 minutes they played hits including “Into The Ocean” and the new single “I Hope You’re Happy” (from their latest album, also titled “I Hope You’re Happy”) – every song was extremely well dialed. Give these guys a raise, and their sound person too. Switching between guitars, violins, and electric mandolin at a festival date is a technical mess just waiting to happen. Blue October are total pros. If there was a problem, it wasn’t noticeable. The crowd got their money’s worth from a band that seemed really happy to be there, and gave the other acts a serious run for their money. You can just tell Blue October is the kind of band that will be great in a small...
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