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Amiga computer related discussion => Amiga Hardware Issues and discussion => Topic started by: bbond007 on October 15, 2011, 05:22:21 PM

Title: Did I get a bad DCTV? No color!
Post by: bbond007 on October 15, 2011, 05:22:21 PM
Hello All

I bought a DCTV unit off ebay. I have never seen one, and I have no idea how it works or what I'm going to do with it, but this can't be right.

Anyway, I have tried this thing with 2 different LCDs which accept composite. Both display color when connected to the Amiga, but when connected to the DCTV I don't get any colors (or colours if you prefer)

I have tried adjusting the pixel clock and the tint controls. No dice :(

I have enclosed a screenshot.

Thank,

-nate
Title: Re: Did I get a bad DCTV? No color!
Post by: mechy on October 15, 2011, 05:34:55 PM
Quote from: bbond007;663608
Hello All

I bought a DCTV unit off ebay. I have never seen one, and I have no idea how it works or what I'm going to do with it, but this can't be right.

Anyway, I have tried this thing with 2 different LCDs which accept composite. Both display color when connected to the Amiga, but when connected to the DCTV I don't get any colors (or colours if you prefer)

I have tried adjusting the pixel clock and the tint controls. No dice :(

I have enclosed a screenshot.

Thank,

-nate


Are you trying to use a NTSC dctv on a PAL machine or visa versa?

mech
Title: Re: Did I get a bad DCTV? No color!
Post by: bbond007 on October 15, 2011, 06:23:20 PM
Quote from: mechy;663610
Are you trying to use a NTSC dctv on a PAL machine or visa versa?

mech


Yes, I have a PAL a1200, but I did try and switch to NTSC mode in early boot.  

Thanks,

- nate
Title: Re: Did I get a bad DCTV? No color!
Post by: mechy on October 15, 2011, 06:53:25 PM
Quote from: bbond007;663614
Yes, I have a PAL a1200, but I did try and switch to NTSC mode in early boot.  

Thanks,

- nate

switching screen modes won't make a difference because the dctv gets timing off the video port. a pal machines timing will still be different no matter the screen mode.If there is a way around it i have no idea.
The only reason i knew about this was a friend with a pal 1200 has the same trouble back in the day.

you need a PAL version of the dctv for this to work right i think.

Mech
Title: Re: Did I get a bad DCTV? No color!
Post by: beller on October 15, 2011, 08:04:32 PM
Quote from: mechy;663617
switching screen modes won't make a difference because the dctv gets timing off the video port. a pal machines timing will still be different no matter the screen mode.If there is a way around it i have no idea.
The only reason i knew about this was a friend with a pal 1200 has the same trouble back in the day.

you need a PAL version of the dctv for this to work right i think.

Mech


I agree...looking at the pic it definitely looks like an NTSC vs PAL issue
Title: Re: Did I get a bad DCTV? No color!
Post by: bbond007 on October 15, 2011, 08:10:07 PM
Quote from: beller;663622
I agree...looking at the pic it definitely looks like an NTSC vs PAL issue

http://www.amiga.org/forums/showpost.php?p=652356&postcount=21

i don't know... seems like its be successful before.

I don't think there is a difference between PAL and NTSC over the RGB port, just the timing.

I don't think its like the CD32 where you get some weird hybrid signal out the svideo when you switch...
Title: Re: Did I get a bad DCTV? No color!
Post by: beller on October 15, 2011, 08:16:49 PM
I saw that post as well....if it should work then there's surely something gone bad in the DCTV given the output in the picture.
Title: Re: Did I get a bad DCTV? No color!
Post by: Framiga on October 15, 2011, 08:31:49 PM
Quote from: bbond007;663624
http://www.amiga.org/forums/showpost.php?p=652356&postcount=21

i don't know... seems like its be successful before.

I don't think there is a difference between PAL and NTSC over the RGB port, just the timing.

I don't think its like the CD32 where you get some weird hybrid signal out the svideo when you switch...


that link is from an Australian user. 50 Hz power source there ..
Title: Re: Did I get a bad DCTV? No color!
Post by: desiv on October 16, 2011, 12:20:16 AM
Quote from: bbond007;663624
i don't know... seems like its be successful before.

That surprised me when it was posted...

Quote from: bbond007;663624
I don't think there is a difference between PAL and NTSC over the RGB port, just the timing.

There's supposed to be a difference.  Timing and color space are both different with NTSC/PAL.
At least outputting from the DCTV composite port.  If you have a DCTV RGB converter, RGB all the way thru I might expect to work, but I understood you to be taking composite from the DCTV?

I would expect it to do exactly what yours is doing....

desiv
Title: Re: Did I get a bad DCTV? No color!
Post by: Tension on October 16, 2011, 12:38:17 AM
What's this about CD32s outputing strange S-video signals??
Title: Re: Did I get a bad DCTV? No color!
Post by: slayer on October 16, 2011, 01:09:02 AM
Nope, you definately got a faulty DCTV, this happened to one of my computer associates way back in the day, in fact I picked it up a few years later for nothing when I brought his expanded A2000...

I have about 4 of these units... I remember paying $750.00 for my first one back in 1993 or something... it was quite useful for generating fast animations...
Title: Re: Did I get a bad DCTV? No color!
Post by: bbond007 on October 16, 2011, 01:13:35 AM
Quote from: slayer;663653
Nope, you definately got a faulty DCTV, this happened to one of my computer associates way back in the day, in fact I picked it up a few years later for nothing when I brought his expanded A2000...

I have about 4 of these units... I remember paying $750.00 for my first one back in 1993 or something... it was quite useful for generating fast animations...


I probably ended up with the same unit.

Bummer
Title: Re: Did I get a bad DCTV? No color!
Post by: bbond007 on October 16, 2011, 01:17:14 AM
Quote from: Tension;663650
What's this about CD32s outputing strange S-video signals??

If you have an NTSC cd32 and you select PAL mode in the early start the signal you get out the svideo is at the PAL frequency but the color signal is still at NTSC. Its a huge PIA. But RGB has no color encoding like SVIDEO.
Title: Re: Did I get a bad DCTV? No color!
Post by: bbond007 on October 16, 2011, 01:30:25 AM
Quote from: desiv;663646
That surprised me when it was posted...



There's supposed to be a difference.  Timing and color space are both different with NTSC/PAL.
At least outputting from the DCTV composite port.  If you have a DCTV RGB converter, RGB all the way thru I might expect to work, but I understood you to be taking composite from the DCTV?

I would expect it to do exactly what yours is doing....

desiv


One of my monitors will accept both pal and NTSC composite and the other accepts NTSC. The computer was running the NTSC frequency.