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Amiga computer related discussion => Amiga Hardware Issues and discussion => Topic started by: Super TWiT on June 16, 2010, 03:49:28 PM
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I have a couple of questions about the amiga a520 and the capabilities of a monitor:
1: I've heard that the a520 doesn't work with all models. Is that true?
2: Is there any advantage to using a real monitor? Can it display more screenmodes?
The reason I ask is that I might be able to get an amiga 1000 monitor for free. However, since I have an a520 I don't know if I can justify picking one up.
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An Amiga RGB monitor is going to blow away anything that outputs a composite or RF signal. Resolution, color saturation & accuracy especially.
IIRC, you'll also have trouble switching between PAL & NTSC modes with the 520 adapter as well. If you only intend to play games on your Amiga, then perhaps a larger screen using composite output will be good enough.
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I have a couple of questions about the amiga a520 and the capabilities of a monitor:
1: I've heard that the a520 doesn't work with all models. Is that true?
2: Is there any advantage to using a real monitor? Can it display more screenmodes?
The reason I ask is that I might be able to get an amiga 1000 monitor for free. However, since I have an a520 I don't know if I can justify picking one up.
You cant even compare a A520 with a Cmonitor. In my honest opinion the A520 is crap, and Id use a real monitor any day. You will be able to show difrent screen modes alot better on a monitor, using Dpaint with HAM mode on a monitor looks great.
but it all depends on what requirements you have and what you are going to use your Amiga for.
This is all my opinions, surley someone will bash me, but this is how I see it.
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Yes you should go and get the RGB monitor.
Like the others have said, the A520 never did a particularly good job of video output of either composite or RF. Since I am guessing you are in the USA, you won't be able to display PAL video on your TV (at least not in colour).
Where as with the Amiga RGB monitor (is it a 1080 or 1084 that you are considering?) you will get sharp, crystal clear video and the ability to display both NTSC and PAL video (good for euro games and demos).
Unless you absolutely need a bigger screen than the Amiga RGB monitors, you would be silly to pass it up.
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What kind of problems does the a520 have with pal/ntsc switching and screenmodes?
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What kind of problems does the a520 have with pal/ntsc switching and screenmodes?
It's wired up for either/or, not both. An RGB monitor will handle any 15KHz mode the Amiga can output, with maximum signal quality.
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What kind of problems does the a520 have with pal/ntsc switching and screenmodes?
Problem is that it doesn't display them. At least not PAL ones, anyways.
This is of course assuming you are using an NTSC Amiga with an NTSC A520.
At best you will get a black and white picture. Worst: a rolling black and white picture.
Go with the monitor. You'll be better off.
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You could as well make (or let someone with some soldering skills make) an RGB SCART adapter yourself. It's very straightforward, the signals are the same, no circuits needed.
Or, well, if you live in the USA and cannot get any SCART TV's, you can also use this RGB-to-component encoder (http://www.jrok.com/hardware/RGBv4/)
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If RGB isn't an option, this is a good device to get. http://amigamaniac.com/RGB_to_PAL_NTSC_adapter.html
Much better than the A520.
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So, other than a commodore monitor, there is no way to get pal and ntsc to work on the same setup? I have an a500 with a fatter agnus and ks 1.3. I just don't wan't to take a whole lot of room at this point.
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So, other than a commodore monitor, there is no way to get pal and ntsc to work on the same setup? I have an a500 with a fatter agnus and ks 1.3. I just don't wan't to take a whole lot of room at this point.
I think the device tone007 linked to will do both. And then there's the Indivision ECS, of course.
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It does both but what about my tv? Will modulate a pal signal to work on an ntsc tv?
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2: Is there any advantage to using a real monitor? Can it display more screenmodes?
Amiga Monitor has way the hell better picture quality!
Amiga monitor has ALL the advantages and none of the disadvantages of a crappy tv.
Amiga monitors can easily display PAL and NTSC.
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Ah well, I asked the guy that was selling it if I could pick it up, but he said its sold.... So guess that answers that. But is there any way I could get a standard ntsc tv to display both?
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Most TVs in the US are NTSC only, at least older CRT types are.
One of these would convert PAL to NTSC, though this particular one doesnt seem to have S-Video, which is the best way to go if you don't have VGA/RGB.
http://cgi.ebay.com/High-Quality-PAL-NTSC-TV-Video-System-Converter-Y33-/120500335330?cmd=ViewItem&pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item1c0e6132e2
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I have tried my Amiga with composite and s-video (the Amigamaniac) adapter and all my US TVs, tubes and LCD....
None of the combinations work with PAL...
I did get an s-video to VGA adapter and with that (and the Amigamaniac adapter (he's just starting a new run by the way), I can display NTSC and PAL on my computer monitor.
I bought the wrong cheap svideo-VGA adapter tho. It has a glitch and some of the colors are lower than they should be. But other adapters in the same price range ($30) are working for people.
Of course, that's $30 for the Amiga s-video adapter and another $30 for the s-video to VGA adapter. So it's getting up there price wise..
But it also does composite to VGA so I use it for my other systems.
Interesting, composite - VGA on my cheapo adapter doesn't drop colors. So I have been using that for gaming and deciding if I will spend ANOTHER $30 on the better adapter or do something different..
desiv
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@Super TWiT
get the monitor, 1084s included a composite video input so you could feed a TV signal from other device if you want and continue watching tv. On the other hand if your TV had SCART it would be easy to build a cable for it although IIRC it's not common in USA.
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Ah well, I asked the guy that was selling it if I could pick it up, but he said its sold.... So guess that answers that. But is there any way I could get a standard ntsc tv to display both?
This is a frustrating thread to read.
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I have a couple of questions about the amiga a520 and the capabilities of a monitor:
1: I've heard that the a520 doesn't work with all models. Is that true?
2: Is there any advantage to using a real monitor? Can it display more screenmodes?
The reason I ask is that I might be able to get an amiga 1000 monitor for free. However, since I have an a520 I don't know if I can justify picking one up.
You don't need an a520 with an A1000. A1000 has color video out (which is what I would use) and it also has an RF modulator built in (need a c64 style large din type cable I think) if you have a really old tv that had no video in.
A1000 video out is really really good quality. If I remeber the A500s/A2000s video out was B/W(why? why? why? 4096 colors in B/W?? Grrr!!! Comodore) so you need the a520 which is garbage if you ask me. If you are using it for games and things this is my preferred method anyway. If you use an RGB monitor games don't look as good as you see all the pixels.
Though for Workbench and things like Flight Simulator it is much easier to read small text on an RGB monitor.
EDIT:
Oops. Think I miss read. Where you going to get a monitor for free? I thought you meant an A1000 and wanted to know if you should buy a monitor for it or not. Sorry.
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I have a couple of questions about the amiga a520 and the capabilities of a monitor:
1: I've heard that the a520 doesn't work with all models. Is that true?
2: Is there any advantage to using a real monitor? Can it display more screenmodes?
The reason I ask is that I might be able to get an amiga 1000 monitor for free. However, since I have an a520 I don't know if I can justify picking one up.
The picture quality will be highly superior on a monitor since it uses RGB instead of RF or composite. Antoher alternative could be to use RGB to SCART cable to use it with a tv which also will give much superior image compared to a tv hooked up with RF, component or even s-video.
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You don't need an a520 with an A1000. A1000 has color video out (which is what I would use) and it also has an RF modulator built in (need a c64 style large din type cable I think) if you have a really old tv that had no video in.
A1000 video out is really really good quality. If I remeber the A500s/A2000s video out was B/W(why? why? why? 4096 colors in B/W?? Grrr!!! Comodore) so you need the a520 which is garbage if you ask me. If you are using it for games and things this is my preferred method anyway. If you use an RGB monitor games don't look as good as you see all the pixels.
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Good point. Using composite monitor is like having a free interpolator built-in to smoothen the pixels (for low-res). RGB monitor is better for higher resolutions. Why they put B&W composite in A500/A2000-- I guess to try to make it cheaper. But A520 is decent for most uses. You can always use SuperGen's (or some other good genlock's) composite/svideo outputs if you need the higher quality.
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Indivision ECS is, in my opinion, the way to go, though it's a bit pricey. I have a 1084S, which is a fine CRT, but it's not going to last forever, and I don't fancy becoming a TV/CRT tech. I think moving my Amiga 2000 to an LCD monitor has probably extended it's life by years.
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I have a couple of questions about the amiga a520 and the capabilities of a monitor:
1: I've heard that the a520 doesn't work with all models. Is that true?
2: Is there any advantage to using a real monitor? Can it display more screenmodes?
The reason I ask is that I might be able to get an amiga 1000 monitor for free. However, since I have an a520 I don't know if I can justify picking one up.
LOL think VCR to HD TV 1080p as a comparison to the A520 and a Commodore 1084S. ;)
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Ah well, I asked the guy that was selling it if I could pick it up, but he said its sold.... So guess that answers that. But is there any way I could get a standard ntsc tv to display both?
Where are you located?
I have an extra Amiga RGB monitor if you want it for cheap, but I had bad experience shipping monitors it would have to be picked up.