how to use a TFT screen with A500

[daniel_swe]

Hello!

I know that this question is surely answered in many different threads.. But i havent yet found a straight answer!

Is it possible to use a standard TFT VGA screen with a 500?

If so, what hardware/software is needed?

[skurk]

Short answer: No.

Slightly longer answer: Yes, if you buy an external scandoubler, which is very expensive and almost impossible to find.  Skräckscenariot: One went for US $910 on eBay about a year ago.

Your cheapest and best solution is to use an LCD TV with RGB Scart cable (see Amigakit, Vesalia).  You'll get an almost perfect picture with that setup.  It's what I have on my A600, which I use the most frequently.

[hardlink]

skurk wrote:

Your cheapest and best solution is to use an LCD TV with RGB Scart cable (see Amigakit, Vesalia).  

You don't give your location, so now for the standard lament as in the other threads, if you are in North America, there are no Scart monitors anywhere. The companies mentioned would have to ship it to you from Europe. If anyone on this side of the pond ever succeeds in that, please post about it.

[daniel_swe]

thanks for the answer! Well i was afraid that it would be very difficult to get it to work with a VGA screen..


Well i live in sweden, so its a pal machine!

[Ruud]

skurk wrote:
Your cheapest and best solution is to use an LCD TV with RGB Scart cable (see Amigakit, Vesalia).  You'll get an almost perfect picture with that setup.  It's what I have on my A600, which I use the most frequently.

I also have my A1200 rigged up this way. Gives as good a picture as can realistically be expected from such an old machine.

[weirdami]

what about the brand new scan doublers from jens?

[Iggy_Drougge]

skurk wrote:

Slightly longer answer: Yes, if you buy an external scandoubler, which is very expensive and almost impossible to find.  Skräckscenariot: One went for US $910 on eBay about a year ago.

Surely the zero shouldn't be there?

[weirdami]

Iggy_Drougge wrote:

Surely the zero shouldn't be there?

Maybe more likely the 1 and 9 are swapped.

[skurk]

weirdami wrote:

Iggy_Drougge wrote:

Surely the zero shouldn't be there?

Maybe more likely the 1 and 9 are swapped.

I wish.  But no, the scandoubler went for a whopping US$910.  I remember this item specifically, because I tipped a friend about it and we both watched the auction as it went on.

Here's the link to it, however, it has expired now and all the juicy details are gone.

[NovaCoder]

Ruud wrote:
I also have my A1200 rigged up this way. Gives as good a picture as can realistically be expected from such an old machine.

You should see how good it looks on a 19" CRT via an IndivisionAGA then  :-D

For a 500/600 RGB to SCART with a TV is the best option (some TV's handle SCART better than others).

[Iggy_Drougge]

skurk wrote:
I wish.  But no, the scandoubler went for a whopping US$910.

Well, anything can go for absurd amounts of money if two idiots with too much money bid on the same item. The typical price for a scandoubler from my horizon is below 100 €. Considering that it's always been possible to buy scandoublers for a bit above 100 €, those who bid 910 dollars for a used one have no sense at all.

[orb85750]

What's wrong with this?  (at 1/10 the price)....

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&ssPageName=STRK:MEWAX:IT&item=260307314010

[SamuraiCrow]

@orb85750

It might work but you'd have to make an adapter cable from RGB analog or use a "silver box adapter" to hook it up to the adapter you've got listed there.

[iconoclaST]

Being from "this side of the pond" (NTSC-land), I've found that, at least on eBay, broadcast monitors that are capable of RGB input (as well as 50Hz and 60Hz vertical refresh) are quite commonplace. Aside from an aging Commodore monitor, these are the closest thing you'll probably find to a TV with SCART input. For about $20 worth of parts at Radio Shack, (Being two 8-foot coax cables with molded BNC ends, a small PCB, a DB9 plug/socket) and a small tube of solder) you can easily make an adaptor to plug your RGB cable into a broadcast monitor. I have one running with my PAL A2000 and I ended up spending less than I would have on an LCD TV, and getting a far better picture than an LCD TV would give, and slightly better than an aging Commodore monitor would give.

Aside from the added benefit that I can run 50Hz/60Hz without a hassle . (Being that most TVs here are 60Hz only)