T-SLG (Toodles Scanline Generator) Authentic retro look from your modern flatscreen

Tech Talk
421

  1. Verify you received everything in the kit you should have.
    2x resistors
    3x diodes
    1x chip labelled '74HC74’
    1x chip labelled '74HC125’
    2x small slide switches
    1x large slide switches
    1x female VGA connector
    1x male VGA connector
    1x printed circuit board
    http://img215.imageshack.us/img215/4470/newimg27.jpg

  2. Take the two resistors, and place them into the spots labelled R1 and R2. Feed the legs all of the way through the holes, and bend them outwards. These have no polarity; you can’t put these in backwards.
    http://img593.imageshack.us/img593/1262/newimg30.jpg
    Flip the board over, solder the legs in place, and clip the extra length of legs off. Do NOT lose those legs! You’ll need them for the next step.
    http://img545.imageshack.us/img545/7543/newimg32.jpg

  3. Locate the JP1 spot on the top of the board. There are three pairs of holes here. Use three of the extra legs clipped from the resistors and use one in each pair. Feed through the holes as far as possible, bend the legs outwards, flip over, and solder in place. Clip and discard any extra length of legs. These have no polarity; you can’t put these in backwards.
    http://img832.imageshack.us/img832/7762/newimg33.jpg
    http://img861.imageshack.us/img861/5935/newimg34.jpg

  4. Take one of the three black diodes, and insert it into the center spot for the three diodes. Be VERY certain that the band marked on the diode is on the same side as shown on the silkscreen. Once you’ve verified the first is in properly, put in the other two the same way. Bend the legs outwards to hold the diodes in place, flip over, solder, and clip and discard any remaining length of legs.
    http://img607.imageshack.us/img607/5915/newimg35.jpg
    http://img35.imageshack.us/img35/9458/newimg37.jpg

  5. Take the two small slide switches and place them in their spots for VSYNC and WIDTH. The actual slide of the switch is made to hang off the side of the board.
    http://img706.imageshack.us/img706/1866/newimg39.jpg
    Once in place, hold them down with your fingers, flip the board over, and solder one leg for each switch to hold it in place.
    http://img576.imageshack.us/img576/8097/newimg40.jpg
    Because of how it was held in place, the slide switch may not be resting flat on the top of the board like it should be. We’re going to adjust it now while there is only one pin soldered. Use one hand to hold the iron, and use the other hand to hold the pcb, with a finger on the top of the slide switch. Melt the solder with the iron. and use your finger on the other side of the switch to push the switch flat on the board. Let the solder cool, and check your work. When you feel the slider is as flush against the board as it can be, go ahead and solder the other two pins in place.
    http://img692.imageshack.us/img692/401/newimg41.jpg

  6. Take the larger slide switch and install it in the EVEN-OFF-ODD place with the slider hanging off the end of the board. Flip the board over, solder one pin in place, and adjust just like with the small sliders. Once the switch is in place as you like, solder the rest of the pins, including the larger side pins for extra strength.
    http://img717.imageshack.us/img717/84/newimg42.jpg
    http://img7.imageshack.us/img7/4509/newimg43.jpg

  7. Now comes the fun part. You MUST be certain during this stage; if you mess up here, fixing it is going to be difficult. So doublecheck the notches on the chips, and triplecheck the chip numbers!
    Take out the two chips and just set them next to the board for a moment.

http://img37.imageshack.us/img37/1221/newimg44.jpg
You’ll see the writing SN74HC74… on the top chip. The important part here is the 74HC74. You’ll see the same 74HC74 on the top chip spot in the pcb. STOP, dont you dare put the chip in yet! The chip itself has this funky notch on the left hand side. The white silkscreen on the board also has a notch, but on the OTHER side. So you’d have to make sure that the chip you’re putting in has the same numbers as the while silkscreen where you’re putting it, AND has the notch in the same end as the white silkscreen.
Hold one of the chips in your hand. read the numbers on the chip. Find the spot with those numbers on the board. Rotate the chip so the notches are both on the same end, and them insert into the spot. Repeat for the other chip.
http://img198.imageshack.us/img198/107/newimg45.jpg
Hold the chips in place, flip the board over and solder ONE leg of each chip in place. Them flip the board over, and compare it against this photo. If the chips dont have the same numbers after the HC, or the notches dont match this photo, then you better take a moment to figure out what went wrong.
Once you’re 100% certain, flip it back over and finish soldering all of the chip legs in place.

  1. Insert the two VGA jack into their holes. They’ll click in place on the pcb. Flip it over and solder the 15 pins down. In case you have any problems identifying female vs male, here’s a handy picture to show you which goes where.
    http://img440.imageshack.us/img440/1980/newimg48.jpg
    http://img705.imageshack.us/img705/610/newimg50.jpg
    All done.

Easy troubleshooting tips:
-There are NO slider settings that can hurt anything. If you want to play with the sliders, do so freely. This is very much a ‘no fear’ device.

Symptoms

  • No scanlines or any other affect on the screen: The T-SLG is either OFF, or the VSYNC is set to the wrong polarity.
    -Screen is all dark; no scanlines. : The T-SLG is either set to the wrong VSYNC polarity, or the resolution is so high you can’t easily see the scanlines; move the WIDTH slider to ‘WIDE’.

If you run into any troubles, please post up your experiences in excruciating detail about the video devices being used, and all information about what setups you’ve tried that do work properly.

422

“When oh when” I wanna buy two sets, im on the edge of my seat! lol

423

How about ‘now’? :slight_smile:

424

Yep! just bought two. Thanks Toodles!

425

sent ya a pm Toodles =)

426

Wow Toodles you have out done your self this time $12 for the kit is crazy cheap. I hope your looking to push this outside the FGS

427

And at least half the initial 30 is gone. Ima ordering parts to get the other 20ish pcb’s kit’ed together, but, uh, yeah, they might not last long and there will likely be a 2 month wait before assembled ones are available.
I’m thinking of going with a blue PCB for this one. Any objections?

428

When RGB shielding comes back I’ll be down for some in a big way.

No objections to blue.

429

Blue is nice.

430

I’m just curious if there will be an option to get it in some kind of casing.

431

Not on the first runs of assembled ones. The VGA jacks are flush with the pcb, so the best I can think of is a plexi top and bottom with standoffs, similar to what what is available for the SLG300. When it’s released, I’ll post up measurements in case someone wants to crank some out on a laser cutter. If it gets popular enough, I could certainly look into tweaking the design to allow for a full enclosure.

432

Excited to try this run out. Waiting on the assembled ones though. Also: I’m a fan of the blue PCB.

433

Actually if its just top and bottom I’d go for that. I’m not an expert but it seems to do the job just fine that way.

434

having a full top/bottom plexi like the slg300o is too bulky. and it retails for more than the T-SLG for just the case. I still think the best option is for the super thin flex-plexi (1-1.5mm just for the bottom attached with some small screws the top is already perfect with the rgb shield. Those worried about casing should wait for rgb shielded model

The slg3000 plexi does not really do much the sides are still open to the elements. just a $20 add-on

435

If anyone wants just a bottom cover I could throw a kit together for like $1.50 1mm flexi-plexi four screws and 8-4 washers to accommodate for the protruding boards solder points. I have a ton of the plexi’s at the house

436

If you did that I’d definitely grab one when I pick up a 1.5 :slight_smile:

437

Hi !

Verry interresting project
Toodle, I’m interresting to buy some T-SMG, V1.4 is good for me
I leave In France, can you contact me please, I have some question about transaction.

Thks A lot

438

I would like to order one T-SLG v1.4 kit! What about the shipping costs (to The Netherlands - Europe)? Thanks.

Hope I’m just in time, pure accidentally I stumbled on this fresh project from mmmonkey’s guide.

Edit: oops, didn’t see your link to the shop. Hmm, $14,50 for shipping, no chance having it send in an envelope, so reducing shipping costs and taking the risks? I think it will fit, but it is up to you of course.

439

If I had ANY way possible to print postage for first class international, I’d consider it. Paypal wont let me, USPS.com wont let me. As it is, priority mail international is the cheapest option possible for international orders, and that already has a 2-3 week delivery time and no tracking. If you have any other options, I’ll definitely listen, but because I can’t print stamps/customs forms for international first class, it’s just not an option.

440

Well explained, thanks. I was indeed tending to the First-Class Mail, I see it a lot when people are sending DVD’s from the US through Ebay:
http://img689.imageshack.us/img689/685/schermafbeelding2011123.png
I guess the Post Office is too far away :). But no online sending is indeed the problem then, will probably still buy, since it’s still a lot cheaper than a SLG3000.