Funky colors with my "new" 1084 CRT and my Amiga 500

[Huxley_D]

So I snagged a 'new' Commodore 1084 (plain 1084, not 1084S or anything) while visiting the Amiga 30th Anniversary expo this past weekend, and I've got it hooked up to my A500 via RGB cables. However, there's something weird about the colors - I think the display is missing some (or all) of the "red" spectrum, as all my games look odd while on the display.

I dug up another RGB cable and tried it, and with this cable, EVERYTHING is red / blue, but no green. Weird.

Are there different RGB cables for various Amiga models that have the same connectors on both ends? Meaning, could the cables that I have (which "fit" fine) have the wrong pinouts for this A500 and 1084?

Does this just sound like a couple of bad cables? Anyone have a known-good cable to sell (ideally in the US)?

EDIT: Snapped a couple pics so you guys can see what I'm trying to describe above





EDIT #2: I tested the 1084 with my old Super Nintendo (going into the composite input), and it looked great - sharp, colorful image. Yay - the CRT and internals are at least capable of displaying a good image!

Next, I took apart the 25-pin end of my second cable (the one that only showed images in various shades of purple), and found a single wire had come loose inside. I fiddled with touching that loose wire to the pin it should be soldered to while the Amiga was running, and the picture instantly became clear, sharp, and correctly-colored. Yay - the Amiga is outputting good RGB video, and the RGB socket on the 1084 is okay!

Conclusions: I'm gonna borrow a soldering iron and see if I can repair this cable, but at the very least, I've confirmed that both the Amiga and the monitor are good, and I just need a decent cable. Hooray!

[Huxley_D]

Sounds like bad cables (there used to be a seller offering new ones on ebay?).  Another common problem is cold solder joints on the connectors inside.

Edit:  Test it with the composite input.  Colors okay that way?  Then you know it's just the D-Sub or DIN connector (depending on which model of 1084 you have).

Right on, thanks for the info. I'm going to dig out my Super Nintendo and test that using the Composite inputs and see if the colors look okay that way. Upon closer inspection, both of my RGB cables are pretty ratty, so I'm hoping I just need a better cable (as opposed to repairing or replacing the CRT I just bought)

[Huxley_D]

In the usa,you can grab them off ebay here:

http://www.ebay.com/itm/Amiga-Monitor-DB-23-Female-to-DB9-Male-6ft-/271183793716?_trksid=p2141725.m3641.l6368

$7.61 w/free ship

Thanks for the link! I don't think that cable will work for me, since my 1084 has the round DIN-type plugs on the back, not the D-sub type in this auction. Anyone know the right name or part # for the type of cable I'm describing?

[Huxley_D]

DB23-f to DIN6.  Did you look at the links I posted earlier?  :lol:

I'll take a look!

[Huxley_D]

You want something really fun to look at?  This is one of my favorite links:

http://gona.mactar.hu/Commodore/monitor/Commodore_monitors_by_model_number.html

Scroll right to see all the variants of 1084.  "Thanks", Commodore!  :p

Boy, they were pretty determined to make this easy on us, weren't they?!

[Huxley_D]

@huxley_d

Before buy anything check the connector of the back of monitor, move it gently with the amiga connected, maybe is the monitor not your cable.

Update!

I tested the 1084 with my old Super Nintendo (going into the composite input), and it looked great - sharp, colorful image. Yay - the CRT and internals are at least capable of displaying a good image!

Next, I took apart the 25-pin end of my second cable (the one that only showed images in various shades of purple), and found a single wire had come loose inside. I fiddled with touching that loose wire to the pin it should be soldered to while the Amiga was running, and the picture instantly became clear, sharp, and correctly-colored. Yay - the Amiga is outputting good RGB video, and the RGB socket on the 1084 is okay!

Conclusions: I'm gonna borrow a soldering iron and see if I can repair this cable, but at the very least, I've confirmed that both the Amiga and the monitor are good, and I just need a decent cable. Hooray!

[Huxley_D]

Update! I borrowed a soldering iron from a kind stranger on a local Facebook group, and got the broken wire reconnected. Despite my super-amateur soldering skills, the repair was successful and my A500 is now pumping out lovely, glorious color!