Monocrome Monitor

[weGuru]

Little of topic....Buuuuuuuuuuut...

I have this Werry Werry Old computer called VAX Station 2000. This old timer only have a Monocrome Video Card with a BNC connector.
I have a Monocrome Monitor with standard VGA connector...
Is there a way to Make or buy something that converts a BNC connector to a VGA connector?

[motrucker]

in a word,       no.

[justthatgood]

There are some cables that allow you to be able to use a BNC and convert it to a VGA style connect (like some CCTV use), but why would you want to. That's more trouble then what is it's worth for what you are using it for.

Get a real monitor.

[weGuru]

I cant use a Normal Color monitor on the VAX....It only supports monocrome...

[justthatgood]

Well this I know. You are working with some very archaic stuff there. Tell me why would one want to go through the trouble of using a VAX machine like that. Are you trying to format some old MFM drives for some reason.

Even if you do have that up, do you have an OS for it. Don't you have to have a special license to use that?

It's that kind of stuff that made me very sick trying to use my SGI machine. All the proprietary software, licenses, keys.

Thank goodness for Open Source and the internet. Still makes me shudder when I remember starting at an amber and black Zenith workstation screen when I was a child. Yeah working on GWBASIC programs too...

[Amiduffer]

Hi WeGuru.

Get in touch with the folks at http://www.weirdstuff.com in Sunnyvale California. It's a HUGE warehouse jammed with OOOOLD computer equipment, and an amazing variety of cables, so they might best be able to help you find a better card or monitor, or whatever you need to upgrade that puppy.

[weGuru]

I collect old computers. SGI, Mac, HP Apollon, IBM RS6000, DEC, Sun, Amiga etc....Even got a few new SGI,s to play with..
I have VMS for the VAX so that is no problem. The License is also in order..

[Zac67]

This page has lots of info about the VS2000. I couldn't find much about the mono video port at first glance though.

A VAX always has some license of VMS that came with it. And 'of course it runs NetBSD!'

[tonyvdb]

Ok let me ask here, not sure if I read this right? On the video output of the VAX is it just a single BNC connector? if so then any TV display with an rca input (not 75ohm) should work just fine. BNC is used alot still on Pro end video equipmemt and adapters to go from BNC to RCA is easy to find.

on the last link that was posted there is what apears to be a VGA output the pins are labled:
Video Connector (J5)
1 - vid_red     2 - color_ret   3 - mono_ret
4 - +5VDC       5 - mouse_rcv   6 - kbd_grnd
7 - ground      8 - +12VDC      9 - vid_mono
10 - vid_green  11 - vid_blue   12 - -12VDC
13 - mouse_xmit 14 - kbd_rcv    15 - kbd_xmit

Not sure if this is a standard VGA output but if it is VGA monitors are still availavle.

[Zac67]

The color output might be XGA compatible - but the VS2000 in question doesn't seem to have one.
There's no clue whether the BNC is 15kHz (i.e. video compatible). I don't think so.

BTW: The antenna input and the composite (or mono) video signal both have 75 Ohms impedance.