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Amiga computer related discussion => Amiga Hardware Issues and discussion => Topic started by: Antiriad on January 13, 2005, 08:38:19 PM

Title: Could this device make it "cheap" and easy to connect a VGA monitor on an Amiga?
Post by: Antiriad on January 13, 2005, 08:38:19 PM
After I did some research on the internet I found the following device that claims it can connect any NTSC/PAL 15.76Khz/15.650Khz Scan rate device to a VGA monitor after scan doubling.

This device has also a component R-G-B input meaning that If you split the signals in 3 RCA input and fit it to the device it will be able to work with the Amiga.

The only thing that seems to be questionable is the Sync(black) signal cannot be connected to this device and the sync has to be done on the G signal.

Does this device look promising?
What is the easiest way to convert an Amiga VGA signal to Component or S-Video.

Thanks

Mike

Opppsss I forgot to copy the link :pissed:

Mayflash VGA Scan Doubler Box (http://www.mdgamesource.com/index.asp?PageAction=VIEWPROD&ProdID=418)
Title: Re: Could this device make it "cheap" and easy to connect a VGA monitor on an Amiga?
Post by: Thomas on January 13, 2005, 08:58:40 PM

Well, you should give a link to "this device" or at least mention its name behind the sentence with "the following device" in it.

Generally all I know is that "those devices" usually cost just as much as an Amiga scandoubler or even more, so you can as well take a device that is meant to run on an Amiga.

Bye,
Thomas
Title: Re: Could this device make it "cheap" and easy to connect a VGA monitor on an Amiga?
Post by: Antiriad on January 13, 2005, 09:16:05 PM
BTW I see them on E-bay for $34.

Not bad...when you consider that an A520 goes for 20$ or more
Title: Re: Could this device make it "cheap" and easy to connect a VGA monitor on an Amiga?
Post by: JimS on January 13, 2005, 10:37:02 PM
The thing you have to find out is what they mean by "component". That also refers to the output of DVD players and is not the same as the Amiga's analog RGB. It's something like Y U V instead. Take a look at the maker's web site here:
Myflash (http://www.mayflash.com/xbox/xb010/xb010.asp)
The trick will be to find a circuit to convert RGB into YUV.
Title: Re: Could this device make it "cheap" and easy to connect a VGA monitor on an Amiga?
Post by: Matt_H on January 13, 2005, 11:09:08 PM
I think this would work for Amigas that have composite video jacks already (1200s, 600s, CD32s, others with a 520 box), as such a port is identical to those (the yellow one) used on games consoles.

The thing is, though, the quality on the composite video port is pretty awful when compared to the RGB port. I find text nearly unreadable in NTSC:HiRes.

The description says there's VGA input, but it might only be for passthrough (IE, there's 31KHz computer using the monitor already). If that's *not* the case, then a C= silver VGA box adaptor might work for the Amiga, and that would be a top-quality signal.

EDIT: I meant composite, not component. ;-)
Title: Re: Could this device make it "cheap" and easy to connect a VGA monitor on an Amiga?
Post by: FastRobPlus on January 13, 2005, 11:14:40 PM
Quote

Matt_H wrote:
I think this would work for Amigas that have component video jacks already (1200s, 600s, CD32s, others with a 520 box), as such a port is identical to those (the yellow one) used on games consoles.


That yellow jack is composite, not component.  
Composite is the lowest quality video out you can have, save for R/F out.  The device does suppor both however.  They call composite "AV" output.


If the device in the description can accept Y/C video, that would be a little better, and interlaced video would be somewhat readable.

-edit-
And the device can accept S-Video (aka Y/C video)
-end edit-

To get component out of a stock Amiga - are there external genlocks that do this?  It's a little unsightly, but external Amiga genlocks are getting pretty common and cheap.  And this would make a solution for 500 users that would be ideal, if the genock could also output S-Video or composite video for TV use in addition to component video for upconversion to a VGA monitor...
Title: Re: Could this device make it "cheap" and easy to connect a VGA monitor on an Amiga?
Post by: Matt_H on January 13, 2005, 11:19:01 PM
@ FastRobPlus

Doh! Yes, composite, that's what I meant.

@ Thread

Redmond Cable (http://www.redmondcable.com/) could probably wire up an Amiga RGB to S-Video or component cable.

EDIT: Added link
Title: Re: Could this device make it "cheap" and easy to connect a VGA monitor on an Amiga?
Post by: FastRobPlus on January 13, 2005, 11:20:43 PM
Is Redmond cable still around?  

I guess I could go check, but that's a whole 5 minute drive by car!!!   Do they have a phone #?
Title: Re: Could this device make it "cheap" and easy to connect a VGA monitor on an Amiga?
Post by: Antiriad on January 14, 2005, 12:14:21 AM
This Device Supports RGB Component. The amiga has 3 Component Wires plus a Sync wire. I believe this device will sync on one of the 3 (Green) I believe.
Title: Re: Could this device make it "cheap" and easy to connect a VGA monitor on an Amiga?
Post by: B00tDisk on January 14, 2005, 01:07:35 AM
Of course, you could always get one of these:

http://www.cnn.com/2005/TECH/ptech/01/13/creation.box.ap/index.html

They cost almost what most Amigans are willing to pay for CSPPC cards!   :lol:  :lol:  :lol:
Title: Re: Could this device make it "cheap" and easy to connect a VGA monitor on an Amiga?
Post by: shaf on January 14, 2005, 02:28:08 AM
Rob Wrotw "Is redmond Cable still around?"

The were 2 years ago, I bought an Amiga RGB Cable for my 1080 Monitor after losing to other cable while moving.

Cheers

Shaf
Title: Re: Could this device make it "cheap" and easy to connect a VGA monitor on an Amiga?
Post by: FastRobPlus on January 14, 2005, 03:09:00 AM
Yeah - I clicked the link that Matt posted.  They are still alive and well!  Might be worth calling them to see if they have any excess exotic Amiga cable invenory they don't want.

Actually, I think this flicker-reducing idea of Anti's just might work.  It's really more of a question of what the quality would be.
Title: Re: Could this device make it "cheap" and easy to connect a VGA monitor on an Amiga?
Post by: Ilwrath on January 14, 2005, 03:26:15 AM
Quote

This Device Supports RGB Component. The amiga has 3 Component Wires plus a Sync wire. I believe this device will sync on one of the 3 (Green) I believe.


Jim S is absolutly correct.  Component Video is not RGB.  Even though the component video cables are colored Red Green and Blue, they are NOT RGB values. They are Y-Cr-Cb (or YUV or Y-Pr-Pb - whichever you prefer to call it).  I can guarantee that Component Video is certainly not the same as Sync-on-Green RGB!  

You could build a circuit to convert it, though.  There are plans on-line.  I've been tempted to loop by the local electronics store and pick up the parts to build one.  Shouldn't be more than few bucks worth of resistors and gates, along with a few RCA jacks and a case.  But so far, I've been too lazy to try it, myself, so I can't tell you what you'd expect from the output quality.
Title: Re: Could this device make it "cheap" and easy to connect a VGA monitor on an Amiga?
Post by: leirbag28 on January 14, 2005, 03:38:45 AM


 I think it would definitely work............if it works for Game consoles.then it works for Amiga............but I recommend using S-Video.............and the only Amiga with that is CDTV and CD32.....but if you connect a Genlock like the SuperGen SX, it gives you S-Video OUT. But with a genlock connected, you cant switch to PAL if the genlock is NTSC or Vice Versa.

S-Video looks almost as good as RGB on a 1084s so it should look pretty good on a VGA me thinks :-)

Title: Re: Could this device make it "cheap" and easy to connect a VGA monitor on an Amiga?
Post by: JimS on January 14, 2005, 04:04:27 AM
I did find an RGB to component circuit on the web a few weeks ago. It didn't seem too difficult. Like you say, some resistors and op-amps.
Title: Re: Could this device make it "cheap" and easy to connect a VGA monitor on an Amiga?
Post by: Ronmor on January 14, 2005, 04:53:53 AM
I think this will work on a Amiga. There is more info on Ebay.http://search.ebay.com/4x3-Video-Switcher-Video-to-SVGA-Converter_Desktop-PC-Components_W0QQsofocusZbsQQsbrftogZ1QQcatrefZC12QQfclZ1QQfromZR10QQsatitleZ4x3Q20VideoQ20SwitcherQ20Q26Q20VideoQ20toQ20SVGAQ20ConverterQQsacatZ3667QQcatrefZC6QQsacurZ1QQftrtZ1QQftrvZ1QQsalicZ1QQfsopZ1QQfsooZ1QQcoactionZcompareQQcopagenumZ1QQcoentrypageZsearch (http://search.ebay.com/4x3-Video-Switcher-Video-to-SVGA-Converter_Desktop-PC-Components_W0QQsofocusZbsQQsbrftogZ1QQcatrefZC12QQfclZ1QQfromZR10QQsatitleZ4x3Q20VideoQ20SwitcherQ20Q26Q20VideoQ20toQ20SVGAQ20ConverterQQsacatZ3667QQcatrefZC6QQsacurZ1QQftrtZ1QQftrvZ1QQsalicZ1QQfsopZ1QQfsooZ1QQcoactionZcompareQQcopagenumZ1QQcoentrypageZsearch)
 
Title: Re: Could this device make it "cheap" and easy to connect a VGA monitor on an Amiga?
Post by: shayes1981 on January 14, 2005, 05:01:31 AM
Definitely looks like it should work, especially if that VGA port isn't just a pass through.  That rigging up of stuff is what made the Amiga the Amiga, but sometimes you just want to make stuff work without hacking cables together :)  (Though if there really isn't any other way of doing it - give me the cables and I'll start hacking!)



Title: Re: Could this device make it "cheap" and easy to connect a VGA monitor on an Amiga?
Post by: adolescent on January 14, 2005, 05:36:51 AM
All I can say is you get what you pay for.  Don't expect great results out of a $40 scan doubler.  If you want a good RGB -> S-Video encoder you're looking at $100 minimum.  ~$200 for a quality scan doubler like the Micomsoft XRGB-2.

Title: Re: Could this device make it "cheap" and easy to connect a VGA monitor on an Amiga?
Post by: shayes1981 on January 14, 2005, 05:45:24 AM
Probably true :)  However, I bet it's better than looking at an A500 hooked up through an RF modulator to a B&W TV!

That's how my Dad used his C64 for years, then he thought he had a brain tumor from using it, and looking at it on a bad screen.  He finally figured it out, and in 1984, he bought a 1702 monitor - which is sitting behind me right now hooked up to my VCR, and still makes a great tv!
Title: Re: Could this device make it "cheap" and easy to connect a VGA monitor on an Amiga?
Post by: JimS on January 14, 2005, 02:43:12 PM
Quote

shayes1981 wrote:
Definitely looks like it should work, especially if that VGA port isn't just a pass through.  


If you go to the manufacturer's site, you'll see that the VGA port is a passthru, so you don't have to disconnect cables when switching between your peecee and the game or whatever other source. Too bad. You could use this on an amiga with composite, or s-video. For RGB you'll have to build something.

BTW, on the manufacturer's site they have an interesting little gizmo.... it lets you use a gameboy advance as a composite monitor.... now that's cool.

Title: Re: Could this device make it "cheap" and easy to connect a VGA monitor on an Amiga?
Post by: Srdjan on January 14, 2005, 04:00:58 PM
- I have it at home , i tried to use it with my Amiga 1200,
the picture was very low quality ......
Title: Re: Could this device make it "cheap" and easy to connect a VGA monitor on an Amiga?
Post by: FastRobPlus on January 14, 2005, 05:34:49 PM
Quote

Srdjan wrote:
- I have it at home , i tried to use it with my Amiga 1200,
the picture was very low quality ......


Was that with the 1200's composite output?