A500 (1.3) output in black & white

[gurthuk]

Bought an A500 off eBay which arrived today. Everything works fine although the TV image is black & white almost all of the time. It briefly jumped into a very fuzzy colour screen before jumping back while I used my Action replay MkIII. I'm using the A520 modulator to connect to a TV so I'm thinking it could be that, I've flicked the H / L switch on the modulator to no effect.  Has anyone came across this problem before?

>>

Spent this evening just cleaning it as it was a bit of a state - notes to self when buying any computer equipment off eBay:

1) Ask if they smoke
2) Ask if they smoke in the house
3) Ask if they have a dog
4) Ask if they ever wash

[brianb]

My A500's composite video output is monochrome (Black & white).  Never tried it with a A520 modulator though...

Sounds like your modulator isn't modulating...

I hear you on the cleaning...  Scary stuff I found in my A1200 and A500 keyboard.   Lot of windex and paper towels...

[gurthuk]

Perhaps I could try the A520 on my Amiga 1200 to rule that in or out - should work shouldn't it?

[davideo]

Three silly questions  :crazy:

Is your TV tuned into the Miggy correctly?

Are you sure it's a PAL 520 and not an NTSC?

Have you tried the phono connection on the 520?

Dave G  8-)

[gurthuk]

No such thing as a silly question...

I haven't checked the tuning to be honest. It's already tuned in for my A1200 so I simply swapped the computer and it fired up the screen instantly. The black & white is very crisp.

No I'm not sure, the keyboard is UK so I presuming the A520 is the original one and so PAL.

Yes, I got a very faint picture. In truth I should have tried tuning the TV in to that. The audio through the A520 works.

[davideo]

My bad - instead of the phono (as in audio) I meant the colour composite out - have you tried connecting that to an input on the TV?

Whenever I've had to use a 520 I've never used the aerial lead but the composite lead. You normally get a better picture.

Dave G  8-)

[ajlwalker]

Hope you get to the bottom of it.  However, you are in the UK, so you probably have a SCART tv.  My old A500 looked great connected via SCART.

[gurthuk]

Yeah SCART is pretty much the way I'm going to go with this. I'd just like to rule the modulator 'in' and not discover the fault is with the A500 motherboard.

[davideo]

Have you tried the 520 on your 1200?

I'm sure you can use them in the monitor output connection.

Dave G  8-)

[gurthuk]

Did think of that but only after packing the lot away for the night. A job for the weekend I think...

[davideo]

I'll keep my fingers crossed for you  ;-)

Dave G  8-)