[rescue] The other question...need Amiga advice!?!

[Curtis H. Wilbar Jr.]

>To: rescue at sunhelp.org
>From: abuse at cabal.org.uk (Peter Corlett)
>Subject: Re: [rescue] The other question...need Amiga advice!?!
>Date: Sat, 31 May 2003 01:22:02 +0000 (UTC)
>
>Curtis H. Wilbar Jr. <rescue at hawkmountain.net> wrote:
>[...]
>> Don't the A1200's have a VGA connector ?
>
>Nope. They have a DB23 (that's right, not 25) connector that contains
>analogue RGB suitable for a SCART TV. They also have a video output on a
>phono socket that is in the local standard, i.e. PAL for the UK models.
>There is also an output suitable for plugging into a TV. Again, for the UK
>models, this is a UHF PAL-I signal (normally on C36 or thereabouts).

SCART TV ?  Wouldn't older VGA monitors (I have a real old NEC for
instance that I built a cable for syncing with upright video game signals
(NTSC rate)) sync to that ?

>
>For all intents and purposes, Amigas sold in Europe and Australia output PAL
>video, and those to the USA output NTSC. VGA output on the Amiga is
>basically a software hack, and only works with OS-legal programs.
>
>There is a small adaptor shipped with the A4000 that converts the DB23 video
>to HD15 suitable for plugging a VGA monitor into. It's no more than a bit of
>TTL though, and won't magically make the machine output VGA - this requires
>said software hack.

This is what I've seen used before.  but it would allow a monitor that 
could sync to those low frequencies to lock on and work, wouldn't it ?

>
>Unless I'm mistaken (and I'm still too scared to look in the junkbox :), I
>believe I have about thirty of said DB23 connectors that are of absolutely
>no use to me at this time.

If they are not specific to PAL, and they are "global", I wouldn't mind
a couple... I'm sure they would come in handy some day... some day I
plan to have an Amiga ?  I'm sure other list members probably would want
one too....

>
>> Wouldn't they work with a VGA monitor (possibly requiring a "flicker
>> fixer" thingy (which is a scan doubler no ?) ?
>
>It is possible to sample each PAL scanline, and output it twice at double
>the speed to produce a signal that VGA monitors will usually lock on to.
>These are not generally cheap devices. You might prefer a unit that is not
>specific to the Amiga, so you can adapt other video devices to display on
>VGA monitors.
>
>> The voltage thing isn't a realy problem.
>
>Well, yeah, that's the easy bit. If all else fails, you merely need a PSU
>that provides +5v, +12v and -12v. A standard AT supply can easily be
>modified to do this.

that's about what I thought... I have some bricks that do all those
voltages as well... they probably generate enough current, and if not
an AT or ATX supply could easily do this.

>
>> As for only being able to play games without an expanded one... .that is
>> one of the big reasons I'd want an Amiga... there were some facinating
>> games for those that were way way way ahead of their time.
>
>Pretty much *every* game expects a PAL display . They mostly boot the OS out
>of the way and program the video hardware directly assuming PAL - the
>developers have never seen a NTSC Amiga.

Are you saying prety much every game expects a PAL display ?  What about
games sold in North America and other NTSC standard countries ?

>
>Hanh on, did I mention that an Amiga newbie doesn't want to attempt to hook
>one up to a VGA monitor because it won't work properly? :)

Well... not a VGA monitor of today's standards as they won't sync to that
low a fequency... but the old NEC Multisync I have probably could... at
least it does to NTSC... pal frequencies are not all that far off (in
multisync terms).

>
>-- 
>PGP key ID E85DC776 - finger abuse at mooli.org.uk for full key
>_______________________________________________
>rescue list - http://www.sunhelp.org/mailman/listinfo/rescue

-- Curt

Curtis Wilbar
Hawk Mountain Networks
rescue at hawkmountain.net

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