Indivision vs converter box?

[runequester]

So between an Indivision card and one of those converter box things that lets you use tv signal devices like consoles and amigas to a VGA monitor...are there any significant differences?

The indivision is a lot more expensive and you have to open up the box but for basic games playing, do I get something cool in return ?

[tasmanian guy]

So between an Indivision card and one of those converter box things that lets you use tv signal devices like consoles and amigas to a VGA monitor...are there any significant differences?
 
The indivision is a lot more expensive and you have to open up the box but for basic games playing, do I get something cool in return ?

I recommend that you head over to www.amigamaniac.com especially if you have an LCD TV with svhs input in.
 
I find 640x512 and higher, even super high res very usuable, for games it gets even better!  
 
Only $30AUD odd dollars the only thing I don't like about it, is the bare pcb, I'd like to get a case for it one day but dont know where I could get one that fits.  
 
Very well recommended though!

[runequester]

I actually want to use a VGA monitor, but I'll check it out since we're buying a new TV soon

[CommodoreMan]

I just recently got an Indivision ECS for my Amiga 2500, those things are held on by the power of prayer heh, I had to do some rigging to make it stable also had to move a capacitor on the main board, to even make it fit in place and my mobo was suppose to be a revision that you didnt have to do that with, uuuuuggggh,  thankfully my soder skills arent bad.

[koshman]

Yeah, the SVHS converter from Amigamaniac is highly recommended. You can buy SVHS -> VGA box for another $20-25, they are plentiful on eBay and you're set for gaming/demo needs on a VGA monitor with A1200.

The thing with Indivision (apart from it being quite expensive) is that, as CommodoreMan said, it's not really a plug & play device, but rather plug & pray. I guess it isn't the manufacturer's fault, but the way it works - being stuck on top of a chip inside the Amiga that isn't designed for it in the first place - may cause (and often does based on the reports) a lot of issues with heat, mobo revisions etc. When it works fine it is a very good device that even allows you to run WB in 1024x768. When you're out of luck and encounter one of the issues it still usually works OK for lower res stuff - games/demos, but then you're really better off with Amigamaniac's solution which is significantly cheaper and the image quality is certainly comparable. As I said it's nice product, but it's not the second coming that many make it out to be and there are other options if you're okay with WB in Pal/NTSC Hires Laced and games/demos.... I for one prefer external solution, too.

[runequester]

Is it this one you guys are talking about?

http://www.amigamaniac.com/RGB_to_PAL_NTSC_adapter.html

or am I not finding it ?


If thats it, once he has them finished, that looks like a way cheaper solution, altogether.

Thanks guys

[tasmanian guy]

Is it this one you guys are talking about?
 
http://www.amigamaniac.com/RGB_to_PAL_NTSC_adapter.html
 
or am I not finding it ?
 
 
If thats it, once he has them finished, that looks like a way cheaper solution, altogether.
 
Thanks guys

That is the one, I was a bit of a doubter about how good SVHS could be on a LCD TV, but for the bang per buck and is flicker free, it does an amazing job!  
I just wish the amigamaniac had the option of a case for them to make it more like a consumer grade product than a hobbyist project, and I would  be happy to pay an extra $10 to $15 for that!

[koshman]

And you could buy e.g. this http://cgi.ebay.com/PC-Video-S-Video-To-VGA-box-Conversion-Converter-T-11_W0QQitemZ110517494364QQcmdZViewItemQQptZLH_DefaultDomain_0?hash=item19bb5b225c  - to connect the SVIDEO signal to a VGA monitor. I'm using one just like that and it works well.

[skurk]

And you could buy e.g. this http://cgi.ebay.com/PC-Video-S-Video-To-VGA-box-Conversion-Converter-T-11_W0QQitemZ110517494364QQcmdZViewItemQQptZLH_DefaultDomain_0?hash=item19bb5b225c  - to connect the SVIDEO signal to a VGA monitor. I'm using one just like that and it works well.

Actually, I received this exact model yesterday.  The price (£13.99 with free shipping) was so affordable I just had to get one :-)

I'm going to give it some testing and will post my conclusions here.

[pampers]

That look all interesting as a cheaper alternative to Indivision. Does it works propely?

[TheGoose]

Actually, I received this exact model yesterday.  The price (£13.99 with free shipping) was so affordable I just had to get one :-)

I'm going to give it some testing and will post my conclusions here.

Think you will find it does not give a satisfying picture. Tried a similar device.

[koshman]

Actually, when I go from an Indivision in my A4000 to this solution I'm using with A1200 I don't notice any difference. I'm not saying that they are indistinguishable and haven't really compared them next to each other, but I'm quite demanding and when I don't notice degradation it should be just fine for most people. Plus I'm speaking about WB in Pal Hires Laced so if the OP is mainly interested in games/demos in Lowres then Indivision is overkill I think.

[pampers]

Actually, when I go from an Indivision in my A4000 to this solution I'm using with A1200 I don't notice any difference. I'm not saying that they are indistinguishable and haven't really compared them next to each other, but I'm quite demanding and when I don't notice degradation it should be just fine for most people. Plus I'm speaking about WB in Pal Hires Laced so if the OP is mainly interested in games/demos in Lowres then Indivision is overkill I think.

Would you have any chance to get a few picture just to compare?

[koshman]

Strange, I just tried it now and the picture through the converter was significantly worse than Indivision. But I could swear that a few weeks ago when I was testing a newly arrived A1200 it was much better. It seems there is some interference in it - a brighter stripe is constantly crossing the screen and there is other picture corruption. It is possible that this is caused by the fact that the converter is a bare PCB and therefore more prone to interference, but I'm just guessing. I will investigate it futher but until then I have to withdraw my previous statements, because under these conditions the Indivision is clearly better.

[alexh]

Don't forget you cannot buy Indivision A1200 anymore.