LCD TV recommedations

[blanning]

I was thinking of picking up an LCD TV this weekend, the idea being to hook it up to an amiga 500 or 600 and also other legacy computers and game consoles I might have hiding in the computer room.  I'd like something with a 15-pin vga port and component (r/g/b rca connectors), but mainly i'm interested in a composite and svga connector for obvious reasons.

I'm concerned that the picture will look terrible, or won't show up at all, or will force a 4:3 picture to 16:9, or the mouse pointer will submarine, or any other weird annoying behavior that might appear.

Bonus points for a TV that will accept NTSC and PAL frequencies through the vga port so I can obviate the need for an scan doubler.

Can anyone suggest a make and model?  Anything I should look for or avoid in terms of specs?

brian

[redrumloa]

Unless I am missing something here, you will still need a scandoubler to use the SVGA input. Your better bet would be get an LCD TV for the S-Video input and convert the RGB to S-Video. If you go that route, a cheapo BrokSonic 19" should work good. I use one for my 128T which also has RGB.

[redrumloa]

Here is the Broksonic displaying S-video (commodore composite->S-Video 320x200)



Here it is with S-Video again (Commodore 128 RGBi->S-video 640x280ish)



If you wish, I can post a picture of RGB interlace mode. It has no flicker and this is significant because the flicker on a 128 is far worse than an Amiga!

-Edit-
This is the TV, it is a cheapo.

http://www.brandsmartusa.com/ProductViewer.aspx?c=0&m=0&sc=0&pg=1&pgs=10&pid=33270&f=

[pkupcik]

... convert the RGB to S-Video.

Quick question, how would you convert the RGB to S-video?

[blanning]

Unless I am missing something here, you will still need a scandoubler to use the SVGA input. Your better bet would be get an LCD TV for the S-Video input and convert the RGB to S-Video. If you go that route, a cheapo BrokSonic 19" should work good. I use one for my 128T which also has RGB.

I was under the impression that some (all? none?) of the LCD TVs that also had VGA inputs could sync down to 15khz even when the signal was coming through the VGA connector.  That is, the supported frequency range was a characteristic of the TV and not the port where the signal was coming from.  I seem to remember someone talking about doing exactly this.  But I could just be nuts.

What are you using to convert the RGB to S-Video?  Is it just a cable that converts the 23-pin video connector to an S-video connector or is there electronics involved?

brian

[blanning]

This is exactly what I'm after.  :-)  I'd like these results with an amiga though.  I know the 500 has a composite connector, but it's black and white.  Would I need an a520 or is there a better solution here?

And does the 600 have a color composite connector?  I can't remember.

brian

[redrumloa]

I was under the impression that some (all? none?) of the LCD TVs that also had VGA inputs could sync down to 15khz even when the signal was coming through the VGA connector.  That is, the supported frequency range was a characteristic of the TV and not the port where the signal was coming from.  I seem to remember someone talking about doing exactly this.  But I could just be nuts.

What are you using to convert the RGB to S-Video?  Is it just a cable that converts the 23-pin video connector to an S-video connector or is there electronics involved?

brian

Hmm, I can't answer about syncing down to 15khz. I'd doubt it, but maybe some do.

For S-video conversion, see this thread.

http://www.amiga.org/forums/showthread.php?t=52179&highlight=s-video

I see in that thread I already posted a picture of interlace mode (640x480+).

[redrumloa]

This is exactly what I'm after.  :-)  I'd like these results with an amiga though.  I know the 500 has a composite connector, but it's black and white.  Would I need an a520 or is there a better solution here?

And does the 600 have a color composite connector?  I can't remember.

brian

See that thread I posted above. Your best bet is RGB->S-video. It requires a cheap adapter. I used one that required a little soldering, but an cheap Amiga specific one might be available.

[pkupcik]

I was under the impression that some (all? none?) of the LCD TVs that also had VGA inputs could sync down to 15khz even when the signal was coming through the VGA connector.  That is, the supported frequency range was a characteristic of the TV and not the port where the signal was coming from.  I seem to remember someone talking about doing exactly this.  But I could just be nuts

brian

I have a TV, Pioneer Kuro Plasma that in the specs says that it supports 15kHz RGB signal via VGA connector. I don't have my Amiga yet, but when it arrives I will test it and let you guys know.

[redrumloa]

Quick question, how would you convert the RGB to S-video?

See this thread:
http://www.amiga.org/forums/showthread.php?t=52179&highlight=s-video

Towards the bottom of the thread mentions an Amiga specific solution that requires no soldering. Just plug and go.

[pkupcik]

See this thread:
http://www.amiga.org/forums/showthread.php?t=52179&highlight=s-video

Towards the bottom of the thread mentions an Amiga specific solution that requires no soldering. Just plug and go.

Thanks, I emailed the guy that makes them to see when they would be available. Do you know if that solution works only for workbench or also for games?

[redrumloa]

Thanks, I emailed the guy that makes them to see when they would be available. Do you know if that solution works only for workbench or also for games?

It should work for anything.

[chris]

I was thinking of picking up an LCD TV this weekend, the idea being to hook it up to an amiga 500 or 600 and also other legacy computers and game consoles I might have hiding in the computer room.  I'd like something with a 15-pin vga port and component (r/g/b rca connectors), but mainly i'm interested in a composite and svga connector for obvious reasons.

I'm concerned that the picture will look terrible, or won't show up at all, or will force a 4:3 picture to 16:9, or the mouse pointer will submarine, or any other weird annoying behavior that might appear.

Bonus points for a TV that will accept NTSC and PAL frequencies through the vga port so I can obviate the need for an scan doubler.

Can anyone suggest a make and model?  Anything I should look for or avoid in terms of specs?

I don't know where you live, so I'm going to assume you're somewhere in Europe.

What you need is a LCD TV with a SCART socket, and an Amiga=>SCART RGB cable.

The TV will act as a flicker-fixer, so you'll be able to use Hi-res Laced mode.

The TV should have an aspect ratio button on it (if it hasn't, you've bought a really shonky TV) to allow you to force it to 4:3.

You'll have better luck and probably a better picture like this than with a scandoubler and a VGA LCD monitor, and you won't need to touch the VGA input on the TV at all.

[stefcep2]

i have tried 3 LCD TV's and NONE displayed PAL or NTSC via ther VGA port.  Composite did display Composite makes text hard to read, but is OK for games, and I play Gamecube and PS2 via component 16:9 with games that have that option.  Component makes a HUGE graphics improvement to the game consoles, MUCH sharper, more vibrant than composite.  There is someone on EAB building a box that will take Amiga's RGB and output component, VGA and Svideo.

[mingle]

Yeah, the issue of which LCD is best for the Amiga seems to crop up quite a lot. There still doesn't seem to be a definitive list.

Some people swear by SCART - I managed to find a SCART-equipped LCD here in Australia (very tricky in itself), but wasn't happy with the picture.

The easy option is to find one with S-VIDEO input. Still not the best solution, but better than struggling to find one with SCART (or compatible VGA input).

The best solution is probably to get an Indivison board and an LCD that handles 50Hz (vert) frequencies.

Mike.