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Amiga computer related discussion => Amiga Hardware Issues and discussion => Topic started by: mantisspider on November 30, 2003, 01:21:48 AM

Title: scandoubler / flickerfixer problems
Post by: mantisspider on November 30, 2003, 01:21:48 AM
Hi guys

I have a scandoubler/flickerfixer i had it for a few years and it costs me £100.

it loads up okay but after 5 mins it starts flickering and then becomes more and more flickery.

On the back are some jumpers 'enable' and 'phase' and a screw that has the label 'adjust'.
I cant tell where the jumpers are supposed to be so i just left them the way they where when i bought them. I assume the screw changes how flickery it is. I changed the screw a bit and it started less flickery but after a few minutes it still becomes flickery...

any way to make it stay flickerless forever or is the amiga always going to flicker like mad?

cheers
Title: Re: scandoubler / flickerfixer problems
Post by: voytech on November 30, 2003, 01:45:34 AM
Shouldn't that be FlickerFixer :-D

In real, what video settings you use? Maybe your settings are messing..
Title: Re: scandoubler / flickerfixer problems
Post by: mantisspider on November 30, 2003, 02:45:39 AM
its a scandoubler and flickerfixer. for £100 you would hope so.

i actually tried it on all settings however no matter the resolution the flickers are the same
Title: Re: scandoubler / flickerfixer problems
Post by: Karlos on November 30, 2003, 02:51:34 AM
What system do you have? Is a gfx card not an option?

I found my PC's TV card made a reasonable FF for my second A1200.
Title: Re: scandoubler / flickerfixer problems
Post by: mantisspider on November 30, 2003, 03:07:03 AM
dont have any PCI dude, :-( i got talked into buying the scandoubler/flickerfixer from Golden Image... i cant sell it for £100 to anyone can i?
Title: Re: scandoubler / flickerfixer problems
Post by: zipper on November 30, 2003, 08:25:47 AM
That's the way those thingies tend to work. They drift out of tuning when warming up and need that screw adjustment. When in thermal equilibrium the output should remain reasonably stable. A bigger box with fan could make the need for adjustment smaller. But I just turn the screw in my Eyetech SD/FliFi
Title: Re: scandoubler / flickerfixer problems
Post by: mantisspider on November 30, 2003, 09:12:38 AM
cheers zipper,
at least its external so thats a blessing.
Title: Re: scandoubler / flickerfixer problems
Post by: Madgun68 on November 30, 2003, 09:53:51 AM
Mine's the same way.. So I just adjusted it when it warmed up and left it that way. It usually needs a minute or two to stabilize and then it's fine.
Title: Re: scandoubler / flickerfixer problems
Post by: voytech on November 30, 2003, 10:04:48 AM
Sounds like crap's been produced and sold for big bucks.. I don't like this.. :evil:
Title: Re: scandoubler / flickerfixer problems
Post by: mantisspider on November 30, 2003, 12:11:56 PM
@voytech

lol i could say this is how the amiga market has been for a long time. But to be fair when the Scandoubler/Flickerfixer came out it was an exciting thing to allow your amiga to be connected to a SVGA monitor. With the decent graphics cards nowadays people dont see the fuss. Not sure it was worth £100 though. Bastards!
Title: Re: scandoubler / flickerfixer problems
Post by: amiga1260 on November 30, 2003, 12:51:23 PM
Which Amiga do you connect to the scandoubler?

Do not use a standard A500/A600 or A1200 PSU, they are not powerful enough to power a scandoubler.
Title: Re: scandoubler / flickerfixer problems
Post by: haymiggan on November 30, 2003, 01:10:36 PM
Quote
Not sure it was worth £100 though. Bastards!


If it makes you feel better, i just paid 100£ for a internal eyetech SD/FF, but it is the only SD/FF that fits on my A1200 Powerflyer setup...

and also it was the very last one they had!

Call me fanatic :)
Title: Re: scandoubler / flickerfixer problems
Post by: Ryu on November 30, 2003, 02:43:52 PM
i have an internal sd/ff from eyetech and have never experienced such problems.... but then I dont have a scew to turn or switches to switch either. Its probably different because its internal...., either way I hardly ever use it but it is still a life saver when its needed.
Title: Re: scandoubler / flickerfixer problems
Post by: Jose on November 30, 2003, 04:35:17 PM
@Ryu

The only thing I didn't like in those was the way you got the VGA connector out of an A1200 case, you basically had to leave the case open.

@all
Does anyone has stripes over the screen? I once had a flicker fixer but had to send it back cause I couldn't get it to produce a decent image in my Nokia446Pro
Title: Re: scandoubler / flickerfixer problems
Post by: adolescent on November 30, 2003, 07:52:13 PM
Quote

Jose wrote:
@Ryu

The only thing I didn't like in those was the way you got the VGA connector out of an A1200 case, you basically had to leave the case open.


Easy enough to remove the unneeded RF adapter and put the VGA connector there.  That is what I plan to do.
Title: Re: scandoubler / flickerfixer problems
Post by: Jose on November 30, 2003, 10:35:54 PM
Good idea! I was thinking about making a custom plate for the little expansion port on the rear right side (already have a PrtJunior) but that's better.
Title: Re: scandoubler / flickerfixer problems
Post by: ChaosLord on November 30, 2003, 10:43:56 PM
I own 3 flicker fixers at home and used a 4th one at the store.

I never had any problems with them. 1988-2003
Title: Re: scandoubler / flickerfixer problems
Post by: mantisspider on December 02, 2003, 05:06:06 AM
I found something that looks exactly like the one I have.

MV1200 scandoubler/flicker fixer (http://www.amiga-hardware.com/mv1200.html)

I use it in the A1240 in a Tower with a big PSU powering it.

Quote
The MV1200 should be plugged in and the Amiga switched on for at least 5 minutes before attempting this procedure to ensure that the MV1200 has reached operating temperature. Try to have as many vertical lines on the screen as possible, or load a picture which contains many alternate black and white lines. Use a small screwdriver to move the potentiometer labelled Adjust. Please note this is a high performance multi-turn multi-precision potentiometer which can be turned about 20 times from end to end.


ChaosLord, what models ff/sd do you have? they internal for 1200s?
Title: Re: scandoubler / flickerfixer problems
Post by: Jope on December 02, 2003, 09:08:27 AM
This is how analogue flickerfixers work.

Analogue circuits always drift due to temperature changes, so just let it warm up and then adjust the picture with a good set of flickerfixer test patterns.

Digital scandoublers/flickerfixers don't exhibit this problem, but you can't connect one externally - it needs signals from the chips.

I guess I should tune my A2000's flifi again, it's gone terribly out of sync.. Then again, I normally only use it for the early startup menu..
Title: Re: scandoubler / flickerfixer problems
Post by: ChaosLord on December 02, 2003, 10:22:50 AM
Quote
ChaosLord, what models ff/sd do you have? they internal for 1200s?


1988: The Original Microway FlickerFixer installed in video slot of A2000.

1990: The builtin flickerfixer of the A3000 (x2)

2000: I bought an A1200T and it came with an internal flickerfixer.  I have no idea what kind it is.
But it is beautiful.  :-)