I wonder if anyone else would find this useful?

[iconoclaST]

A while back, I was faced with a dilemma of connecting different types of video equipment to my Commodore 1080 RGB monitor. It began with wanting to play my Sega Saturn using RGB. As I live in the states, SCART, as nice as it is, has no support here at all. I also had no video cable for my Saturn at all, so I routed the side and fed all the A/V connections to a DB25 plug, and called the port "AUV" (Advanced User Video).

Well, later on, I came across two Atari ST computers, but wanted an RGB source for them. Rather than designing a whole new cable from scratch, I made a cable that connected to the existing AUV cable I put together for using the Saturn with the monitor. I also made a VGA version which grounded the mono detect line and combined the RGB signals, to utilize the ST's High Resolution display mode. Then I made one for connecting my Commodore 64. I've since replaced that monitor with a Sony HR Trinitron broadcast monitor, and I shelved AUV for a while.

Now that I find myself making oodles of video cables all over again, I'm finding that BNC connectors are expensive to build, as well as being a pain to work with. If SCART was used here in the states, it would have made life a LOT simpler. So I'm back to building an AUV box for my monitor (So I don't have to keep buying more BNC connectors and coax cable) and cables for my ST and my A500 to connect to that box.

I'm building a few more cables, and refining my work with my AUV standard, and I was just wondering if this might be useful to anyone else? Chances are, it's not, but if anyone does have an interest in a simplified connector that sort of stands in place of SCART for people that live outside of Europe, I'd be more than happy to share this with anyone else for them to utilize or improve upon.

Basically, it's two cables. One you make for your monitor(s), and one you make for the specific device. Of course, I don't see it having a practical purpose for a lot of people, but if anyone has one particular monitor they'd like to use with a bunch of different computers/consoles/other equipment, then I will be more than happy to share this, even if any monkey could have come up with it.

[iconoclaST]

Well, I have this together, if anyone is interested in using it, giving feedback, or giving suggestions on features to add.

I will probably be putting together diagrams on mating this to certain computers and consoles.

As far as monitors, there might be a few I can create a diagram for, but as they vary so much (Even amongst Commodore monitors), there's no way I could create a diagram for each.

This design is also open to input from others as well. I've left 13 pins unassigned for specifically for expanding this connector, and I think I've mostly covered the basics. I will be adding to this as well, as I build more cables to utilize AUV. I know at the very least, I will be at least be adding the ST's mono-detect signal to one of the pins.

[coldfish]

I used to convert everything to RGB for use with my monitors. Once you've seen RGB, there's no going back to horrible composite or even S-video.  

My little 5" LCD display has a 9 pin micro DIN connector which inputs: RGB, C-sync and LR audio. It's a nice compact plug that is easy to source.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mini-DIN_connector

[adolescent]

Why not just make one cable to adapt the monitor to SCART, then buy off the shelf SCART cables/parts?  

I have the same delema with my XRGB-2+ but I'm planning to just make a SCART to Japanese RGB converter and buy Euro cables for everything that doesn't have a Japanese RGB cable available.

[iconoclaST]

The reason is that I live in the USA, where SCART is practically unknown, and not really on the shelves in the first place. Hence, this is made from the off-the-shelf parts we do have over here. (And namely, I'd love to use SCART, but DB-25 is far easier to come by over here)

[adolescent]

@iconoclaST

Fair enough.  I've been getting my cables/parts from the UK and HK but I guess if you have to get them at a "real" store you're stuck.

BTW, wouldn't it be better to have seperate grounds for each of the connections.  Or at least better to seperate the audio ground from the video ground?

[iconoclaST]

Sometimes, separate grounds are better, but more often than not, most devices just use a common ground for all signals, so that one is in the spec. I believe the Amiga 500/2000 do as well...I don't remember seeing separate grounds for those (well, at least on the 9 pin end). But many of the pins aren't used up yet, so we'll see.

IIRC, the audio lines of the Amiga 500/2000, following the traces of their jacket grounds just goes to a common ground on the PCB.

Admittedly, much of this WAS designed around the ST, which uses a common ground pin for everything. As soon as I can find a 23 pin D-sub connector, or an Amiga cable that I dare to cut and splice into, I'll let you know my results.

[yorgle]

Personally, I bring everything to a D9 CGA-spec connector, or HD15 VGA-spec connector for my stuff. (Multiple monitors, multiple computers and JAMMA rigs.)  I started off with a custom DB25 based connector, then found it was more useful to use an already-existing standard instead.

(Yes, i use VGA HD15, but only as far as the pinout names.  it might be hooked up as RGB, but it might sync lower than VGA scan rates, etc.)

[iconoclaST]

Ah, well, looks like we all have our solutions

By the way yorgle, how is Rochester? I just turned down an opportunity to move there, and I'm wondering if I'm missing out on much.