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Amiga computer related discussion => Amiga Hardware Issues and discussion => Topic started by: XDelusion on October 21, 2011, 07:33:34 AM

Title: Headless eMac
Post by: XDelusion on October 21, 2011, 07:33:34 AM

Aside of low Graphical Memory, my only real gripe with using MorphOS on an eMac is the crappy crappy crappy monitor which displays WAY to freaking dark, so much so that even boosting the brightness and what not does nothing to improve my movie watching experience, though it does manage to give me an instant head ache.

So I'm considering this at the moment, would be a fun project if it ain't any more difficult than it looks here.

Has anyone tried this?

http://www.lbodnar.dsl.pipex.com/eServer/

Title: Re: Headless eMac
Post by: commodorejohn on October 21, 2011, 07:45:45 AM

Seems like an awful lot of trouble to go to when you could trade it in for a Mini or (better yet) a Power Mac G4.

Title: Re: Headless eMac
Post by: Wolfe on October 21, 2011, 11:52:31 AM

Well, it could be a fun learning experience and you could custom case it in an old custom painted LC, IIsi, IIci case, or use an LCD in place of the CRT in its original case, or make a Steam Punk unit  $$$ . . .

But, it seems like a big hassle since used macs are so cheap!

Title: Re: Headless eMac
Post by: tone007 on October 21, 2011, 02:04:38 PM

I did it many years ago with a G3 iMac that had a dead screen.

(http://cbmvax.com/jungle/tupperware.jpg)

It was easier on that one, though, it had a standard 15 pin Mac monitor connector on the board that I just converted to VGA with an adapter.

Title: Re: Headless eMac
Post by: Matt_H on October 21, 2011, 04:26:19 PM

Loss of brightness is apparently common with CRTs - all of my VGA CRTs are now suffering from it (my Commodore monitors are all fine, interestingly). You could probably pillage a better screen from another eMac for negligible amounts of money.

EDIT: Oh, other solution: MorphOS CGX prefs allow you to set default gamma/brightness/contrast settings in software. Similar to the monitor calibration function in OSX Displays prefs. These settings are what make my aging CRT usable.

Title: Re: Headless eMac
Post by: koaftder on October 21, 2011, 04:33:31 PM

Most of the time there are two pots on the rear of a flyback transformer in a CRT monitor. Usually one controls the beam spread and the other controls the beam intensity. I'd give that a try before scrapping the CRT junk.

Title: Re: Headless eMac
Post by: XDelusion on October 22, 2011, 08:02:33 PM

I'll look for those pots...

In the mean time I think this would be one of those projects only worth doing for the fun of it. Obviously I'd rather have a Power Mac or a Mini with 64Mb of video RAM, but if I could re-case this, I'd consider keeping it and then later just registering a second copy of MorphOS for another Mac.

My problem at is finding connectors that plug into the eMac mother board so that I can make some adapter cables.

Title: Re: Headless eMac
Post by: XDelusion on October 25, 2011, 07:56:31 PM

So should I just use solder to connect all the pins that should be GND, 12v, etc. Together then solder the corresponding cable to those points?

Title: Re: Headless eMac
Post by: TheGoose on October 26, 2011, 12:16:06 AM

@tone,

:lol:  just love your mods.


Hold on, gotta boot up the bin here, fire off some emails. And organize my socks.

Title: Re: Headless eMac
Post by: XDelusion on November 06, 2011, 08:08:40 PM

So here is my work in progress...

http://www.amiga.org/forums/album.php?albumid=146

Rather than re-type my problems I'll just let you read them here:

http://www.morphzone.org/modules/newbb_plus/viewtopic.php?topic_id=8109&forum=11

Title: Re: Headless eMac
Post by: XDelusion on November 11, 2011, 06:47:26 AM

Success, photos and how to coming soon! :)