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Amiga computer related discussion => Amiga Hardware Issues and discussion => Topic started by: Nikolai on December 19, 2007, 10:31:54 AM

Title: Amiga 500 on a CRT TV?
Post by: Nikolai on December 19, 2007, 10:31:54 AM
So I was just curious how it would be possible to use an A500 on a Flat screen CRT (Toshiba 14AF42). The TV is NTSC and has composite, s-video, RF, and Component inputs. Just need to know what kind of converter cables would be needed to keep the best video quality (or if its even possible w/o too much quality degrading).

Thanks! :D
Title: Re: Amiga 500 on a CRT TV?
Post by: orange on December 19, 2007, 10:38:33 AM
too bad it lacks scart/rgb; best and most expensive choice would be getting RGB->component.
Title: Re: Amiga 500 on a CRT TV?
Post by: alexh on December 19, 2007, 11:41:29 AM
You need an A520 modulator and then you can use composite, or (shudder) RF.
Title: Re: Amiga 500 on a CRT TV?
Post by: orange on December 19, 2007, 12:31:32 PM
or RGB->S-video adapter, that should be somewhat better than composite but not as good as component.
Title: Re: Amiga 500 on a CRT TV?
Post by: DrDekker on December 19, 2007, 12:34:41 PM
If you're really, really desperate you can always use the composite out (adjacent to the 23-pin video port) - but it's B/W only.
Title: Re: Amiga 500 on a CRT TV?
Post by: Nikolai on December 19, 2007, 12:50:55 PM
Hmmm...well I think I'll try the 520 adapter for now. neobitz (http://www.neobitz.com) has a very interesting mod for RGB to Component that only requires some good soldering skills (which I have :D), but again I think I'll a wait a bit for that.

Found an A520 on ebay, starting at 20$...hmmm...probably gonna spike to 40 or 50 soon though.. :(
Title: Re: Amiga 500 on a CRT TV?
Post by: CLS2086 on December 19, 2007, 06:40:40 PM
Be a warior, add a scart to your CRT !  :angry:
Title: Re: Amiga 500 on a CRT TV?
Post by: Zac67 on December 19, 2007, 06:51:46 PM
RGB through SCART is the obvious solution, but lacking that, the cheapest way to get a decent output is to get an old s-video ("SVHS") capable genlock (<$10) and use that as an adapter.

PS: qualitywise it's
RGB > component > s-video >> composite > RF
Title: Re: Amiga 500 on a CRT TV?
Post by: Tomas on December 19, 2007, 06:52:18 PM
Quote

Nikolai wrote:
So I was just curious how it would be possible to use an A500 on a Flat screen CRT (Toshiba 14AF42). The TV is NTSC and has composite, s-video, RF, and Component inputs. Just need to know what kind of converter cables would be needed to keep the best video quality (or if its even possible w/o too much quality degrading).

Thanks! :D

It sadly lacks scart, which means you wont really get that great picture out of it. The best would be to import a tv from EU or something.
Both RF and composite sucks alot and svideo out put is not possible unless you hack a tv modulator or similar yourself.
All tvs in EU has had scart since the 80s which is superior to all those inputs with the exception of component.

I really find it weird that no one thought of making modulators with lets say component, svideo output. i think these would have sold great and i think there is even a market for it today.
Title: Re: Amiga 500 on a CRT TV?
Post by: rkauer on December 19, 2007, 06:59:06 PM
 Or buy an used A520 and convert it to S-VHS output!

 How? See this page (http://web.archive.org/web/20040611102716/http://www.starnet.com.au/davem/overclock/A520.html).

 I translated the original instructions to brazilian portuguese and the results are lying in Aminet (http://aminet.net/docs/hard/s-vhs-a520.zip).
Title: Re: Amiga 500 on a CRT TV?
Post by: Tomas on December 19, 2007, 07:18:40 PM
Quote

rkauer wrote:
 Or buy an used A520 and convert it to S-VHS output!

 How? See this page (http://web.archive.org/web/20040611102716/http://www.starnet.com.au/davem/overclock/A520.html).

 I translated the original instructions to brazilian portuguese and the results are lying in Aminet (http://aminet.net/docs/hard/s-vhs-a520.zip).

Easier said than done for people like me with near zero electronic/soldering skills
Title: Re: Amiga 500 on a CRT TV?
Post by: rkauer on December 19, 2007, 07:35:11 PM
 Not my problem, chap! :-D

 But not a terrible problem for you, too. Simply take/buy/steal the components needed (and the instructions) for the hack and give all the stuff to someone who have the skills. Even if you need to pay the fella, it's an easy and inexpensive convertion.:eureka:
Title: Re: Amiga 500 on a CRT TV?
Post by: rrete on December 19, 2007, 07:50:11 PM
Check that your flat panel has scart with RGB input in the user's manual. If it's ok try with the original db23 to scart cable you must work with it. I have Sony CRT 32" and a 14" and works fine.
 
Title: Re: Amiga 500 on a CRT TV?
Post by: Nikolai on December 19, 2007, 07:52:36 PM
I have pretty good soldering skills (YAY FOR STAIN GLASS ART CLASSES!! :D), but yeah, those schematics and component stuff meant nothing to me. :(

I would love to just go out and buy a scart tv, but I'm rather short on money right now for that sort of thing :(
Title: Re: Amiga 500 on a CRT TV?
Post by: rkauer on December 19, 2007, 07:53:03 PM
 SCART exists only in Europe!

 Us, poor outsiders, don't have this option avaliable... :-(
Title: Re: Amiga 500 on a CRT TV?
Post by: Nikolai on December 19, 2007, 08:15:39 PM
Would buying a db23 to vga adapter and then a vga to svideo cable work? Or would this degrade the quality after so much conversion? This setup seems like the least expensive (I cringe at the site of the prices of those all-in-one converter boxes) and doesn't take good knowledge of modding computers or knowing someone who does.
Title: Re: Amiga 500 on a CRT TV?
Post by: orange on December 20, 2007, 07:23:10 AM
@Nikolai
hmm, that might work, quality should be same as neobitz RGB->svideo. I think you wouldn't need db23->vga, just rewiring should do.



Its worth mentioning that there are scart and there are 'scart' sockets. Many 'scarts' have composite or s-video only and lack true RGB on those 21 pins.
Title: Re: Amiga 500 on a CRT TV?
Post by: weirdami on December 20, 2007, 07:47:31 AM
Quote
Found an A520 on ebay, starting at 20$...hmmm...probably gonna spike to 40 or 50 soon though.. :(


I totally forgot about the Christmas price boost on ebay again this year. :-(