EGA? CGA? gortklaatuGA? (Amiga compatable color monitors)

[Sean Casey]

As you may know from a previous posting of mine, I am in the process
of evaluating color monitors for the Amiga. I want better text definition,
and that means going to a monitor with higher resolution and/or dot pitch.

I've called up all the major monitor manufacturers (Amdek, NEC, PGS, Sony,
and Taxan), and should be getting information in the mail soon. If there's
interest, I'll post a summary when I finally figure out what is usable with
the Amiga and what is not.

I've already gotten information from PGS and Taxan, and I'm not sure what
is usable. For example, Princeton Graphics Systems' top of the line
monitor is the SR-12P. This monitor is designed to be compatable with
the IBM Professional Color Graphics adaptor. Here's the specs:

Monitor: Princeton Graphics Systems SR-12P
Input: Analog video .6vp-p RGB positive, negative TTL,
composite sync
Resolution: 640x480 (non-interlaced)
Colors: 4096
Bandwidth: 30 MHz
Scan Freq: Horizontal 30.48 KHz, Vertical 60 Hz
Inp connector: 9 pin (DB9)
Price: Sugg retail $999, I have seen it for $600 mail order

I have no idea if this is useable or not. Where I work, we have a
Masscomp RGB monitor (1024x1024 256 colors). It has exactly four coax
inputs: Red, Green, Blue, and Sync. Why would you need nine?

Does anyone have any idea whether this would be compatable? Can you
give me some technical info on what kind of video out the Amiga produces?
Can it generate output for a standard TV set?

Thanks for listening,

Sean
--
===========================================================================
Sean Casey UUCP: cbosgd!ukma!sean CSNET: se...@ms.uky.csnet
ARPA: ukma!se...@anl-mcs.arpa BITNET: se...@UKMA.BITNET

[Rick Frazier]

In article <52...@ukma.ms.uky.csnet>, se...@ukma.ms.uky.csnet (Sean Casey) writes:
> Inp connector: 9 pin (DB9)

> I have no idea if this is useable or not. Where I work, we have a
> Masscomp RGB monitor (1024x1024 256 colors). It has exactly four coax
> inputs: Red, Green, Blue, and Sync. Why would you need nine?

nine pins aren't needed to supply the 5 lines that the amiga must send
(composite sync, analog r, g, and b plus ground), but the 9-pin d connector
(db9) happens to be a plentiful and inexpensive connector that you can get
nearly any place. Likewise for a 25-pin d (db25) for rs-232 signals
(only in sync communications does rs-232 need anywhere near 25 pins..)

The amiga puts out a pretty wide variety of signals, so it shouldn't
be too much trouble to get nearly any monitor to work with the right
cable, though the number of colors available are dependent upon the
set of signals you use.

standard connector:
analog r, g, and b signals
hsync* vsync* and composite sync *
"digital" r, g, b and i signals

rf modulator connector:
l, r, audio
composite video w/sync

If you want high resolution but don't mind monochrome, (to run word processing
or editing type applications, for example) just drop a mono monitor on the
composite port (the third of the video output connectors on the back)
and bang away at the old keyboard. I've put a small monitor on this port
and run microemacs whenever I needed a screen with lots of lines (like 40+).

You can get (I think it's still available) a document from Commodore
that contains the schematics of the Amiga and specs for expansion for
about $20 (if memory serves me right) that can help quite a bit in cases
like this. I don't have the address any more (lost it, like most of my mind..)

good luck

--
--Rick Frazier-- DISCLAIMER: The above is individual opinion (the result of my
imperfect recall of facts, real or imagined) in no way representing anyone else.
UUCP: {decvax,ucbvax,ihnp4}!decwrl!mips!rick DDD: 408-720-1700 x278

[George Robbins]

In article <52...@ukma.ms.uky.csnet> se...@ukma.ms.uky.csnet (Sean Casey) writes:
>As you may know from a previous posting of mine, I am in the process
>of evaluating color monitors for the Amiga. I want better text definition,
>and that means going to a monitor with higher resolution and/or dot pitch.
>

>I've already gotten information from PGS and Taxan, and I'm not sure what
>is usable. For example, Princeton Graphics Systems' top of the line
>monitor is the SR-12P. This monitor is designed to be compatable with
>the IBM Professional Color Graphics adaptor. Here's the specs:
>
> Monitor: Princeton Graphics Systems SR-12P
> Input: Analog video .6vp-p RGB positive, negative TTL,
> composite sync
> Resolution: 640x480 (non-interlaced)
> Colors: 4096
> Bandwidth: 30 MHz
> Scan Freq: Horizontal 30.48 KHz, Vertical 60 Hz
> Inp connector: 9 pin (DB9)
> Price: Sugg retail $999, I have seen it for $600 mail order
>
>I have no idea if this is useable or not. Where I work, we have a
>Masscomp RGB monitor (1024x1024 256 colors). It has exactly four coax
>inputs: Red, Green, Blue, and Sync. Why would you need nine?
>
>Does anyone have any idea whether this would be compatable? Can you
>give me some technical info on what kind of video out the Amiga produces?
>Can it generate output for a standard TV set?
>

>Sean

NO!! This is not useful...

You want: Analog Video, Composite Sync (or Negative TTL)

You need: Horizontal ~15Khz, Vertical 30/60Hz Interlaced

You can use CGA compatible monitors or EGA/PGA multisync monitors *IFF* you
invert the Horizontal and Vertical Sync *OR* they have an inverted sync
control switch.

The nine pins on the IBM compatible monitor include 2 grounds, 4 RGBI signals,
2 syncs and a spare - EGA has something like 1 ground, 2 syncs and 6 RrGgBb
signals - note that your Masscomp monitor actually has 8 connections if you
count the grounds...

Oh yeah - the Amiga produces output along the lines of various NTSC and EIA
standards, not exact, but good enuf for many purposes.

--
George Robbins - now working for, uucp: {ihnp4|seismo|rutgers}!cbmvax!grr
but no way officially representing arpa: cbmvax!g...@seismo.css.GOV
Commodore, Engineering Department fone: 215-431-9255 (only by moonlite)