I was never a sysop (due to not being able to afford the phone line at the time), but I was a co-sysop on The Watchman BBS here in Colorado Springs. I can't remember the Fidonet number off hand anymore, but I do remember every time the sysop left town, something broke that I usually couldn't fix remotly

I was on quite a few BBS's years ago, until I found the internet. Right around 94 was about my last regular logon to any BBS.

I was quite an avid BBSer here in the 303 (Denver CO) quite a few years ago. I ran a moderately large board called Ethereal Passage. I never got on FidoNet (as the hubs here in the area were complete asses, and I didn't want to pay LD charges on top of the $10 a month FidoNet charge) I was however a member of some some smaller localnets here in Colorado.


Damien Heiser

RioCar 12GB Blue SN: 120001043

i'm serial number 09000910 have i got an AR screen when did the AR screens start to appear.

While i think of it how about a history of empeg production with changes listed like AR screens, incar serial port prob, hot glued hard drive cable.

i'm serial number 09000910

Oh wow, didn't know they stamp empeg owners these days.

On a related note, can somebody who purchased a Rio Car recently post its serial number? It'd be interesting to know how many units have been sold total (assuming the same numbering scheme is still in effect).

Borislav

Guys, this is great Is there anybody who was NOT a member of Fidonet? Good to find you all here. I put so much time to set up The Millennium Empire (2:335/633) that hopefully it will be on line again via telnet. I'll let you know, if anyone is interested in seeing again some ANSI graphics on their monitors :)

Taym
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empeg mk II blue 12Gb 090000923

That isn't really possible - the serial number is applied to the main board before assembly. Sometimes a board will fail testing and go back for re-work, before finally resurfacing days/weeks/months later. Therefore an early serial number could benefit from late production enhancements.

Interestingly, we just received two Mk.2 empeg players from the factory last week with 0900xxxx serial numbers. I'm not sure what took them so long, or what they expect us to do with them!

Rob

If it is a huge problem give one to me i won't complain the girlfriend wants a new stereo for her car.

If you are thinking of selling them off cheap i would be intrested.

I also was a co-sysop in the early nineties. We converted the BBS to a website some years ago. We converted a lot of ANSI graphics to gif images, which looks quite cool.
You can see it here

Frank van Gestel

Ok, let's go back to my readability problem with my blue fascia. Finally a got a RED fascia to test on my empeg, and this is what I noticed.
The red fascia is MORE TRANSPARENT than the blue I had. Simply put, I can SEE the diplay itslef, it's frame, the components around it, the led on the top right of teh empeg, etc. I don't mean I can see when they are lit (that's obvious), I mean I can see also the plastic components and all the rest. Now, this NEVER happened with my blue fascia. With this RED one (AR), I definitely experience the same readability levels as many others here: unless the sun is DIRECTLY on the display, I can ALWAYS read it. In the worst cases I can only see the brightest of the 4 available "colors" of the display, but I can still read with no problem! Which is definitely great, of course. On the other side, I have to say that the emepg looks better with the blue fascia, when you can NEVER see what's inside it. But I prefer to be able to read, no doubt.

Now, what I have with the RED fascia, somebody else had with the BLUE, which is considered by many as THE MOST readable among all. This is absolutely false in my case! So, what I suppose is that it is NOT the color, but the "transparency" level that makes the difference! Maybe different fascias are produced with different level of transparency, and that's the whole point! If my empeg had been readable as it is now with the red fascia, I would have never started this thread! :)
So, I hope this helps to understand why some people like me found the empeg not readable in the sunlight.
Finally, I am waiting for my AR fascia that I requested from empeg in the hope to solve the readability problem. I'll let you know whether it is as transparent as the red I have now on my empeg, or as the blue that I have just removed.
Also, emepg guys, could you post a comment on this? I hope this helped you too to find out why some empegs are considered not easily readable in the sun.
Let me know, and of course thanks to everybody for your help.

Taym
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MK II BLUE 12GB 090000923

Errata Corridge: the RED fascia is NON-AR

Taym
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MK II BLUE 12GB 090000923

The red fascia is more transparent because it filters out much more light than the blue or green versions (the VFD itself generates a blue/green hue). Even so, the red display is still less bright than either blue or green.

It is interesting to hear that you find the red display readable - as far as I can remember you're the only person who has ever reported it that way around.

There were some very early blue displays that were very dark and unreadable, but those were only fitted to the first few Mk.2 players and replacements were offered.

Rob

Ok, than that must be my case. For some reason I got one of those, because the difference is really noticeable. As you said, I am the only one reporting this, that's why until I actually tried the red fascia I did not expect that that could be the problem. But now I can definitely tell you that the BLUE I have is much much less readable than the red. No comparison whatsoever.

Now, I already requested at carsupport a AR blue replacement fascia. If the regular non AR blue (not the "dark" one I got) is even more readable that the non AR RED I have, than I'll get it, I don't really mind if it is not AR. Do you think I can have one, or are you totally out of stock, including the non AR ones?
Thank you!

Taym
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MK II BLUE/RED 12GB #923

I don't see how a player with serial number 923 could have one of those fascias - only the first 50 units had them. They were deep blue, verging on purple, compared with the current screens which are closer to cyan.

We have no screens in stock right now. When we do get some in they will be AR coated. This has a negligable effect on the brightness, but greatly improves readability in sunlight.

Rob

As you can immagine I don't have an answer to that :), but your description really matches the fascia I have. It IS deep blue, not at all close to cyan... When mounted it does not look purple, but if taken off the player it does have some almost purple reflections, I have to say. Also, I noticed that the inner side of the fascia has a layer on it that looks almost silver when observed under the sunlight. Don't know if that is normal...

Anyway, again, the difference between the red one and the blue I have is way too big to be subjective.

As to the AR Blue, ok, there's no problem, I'll wait to receive that, which I have already ordered.

Thank you,

Taym
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MK II BLUE/RED 12GB #923

Ok, here is an example:
In this post, you see a blue MKII:

http://empeg.comms.net/php/showflat.php?Cat=&Board=install&Number=33036&page=0&view=collapsed&sb=5&o=14&part=1#Post33980

You can see the components behind the blue fascia. THAT never happens on mine, not even when the sun is right on it...


Taym
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MK II BLUE/RED 12GB #923

Also, I noticed that the inner side of the fascia has a layer on it that looks almost silver when observed under the sunlight. Don't know if that is normal...

That's the EMF filter coating. All faceplates need this in order for the unit to meet FCC emission requirements.

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Tony Fabris

Ok, I see. Just by curiosity, does the EMF coating reduce visibility? Not that it matters regards to my problem with the blue fascia, since also the red fascia has it, obviously...

Taym
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MK II BLUE/RED 12GB #923

It causes a slight reduction in brightness, but it's not greatly significant. This coating isn't optional - without it the player cannot be legally sold or used in many countries.

Rob