How do I build a video switching system between big TV in composite and RGB monitor?

[MaxFordham]

Okay, can you tell by my title what I'm trying to do here?

I want to switch between using my Amiga on a 1084 in its best quality and using it on my big-screen TV without having any analog RGB connection on the big TV, and without having to unplug and plug over and over.

So I have the DB23-DB9 cable, a DB9 switch, and then another DB9-DB23 cable, and some sex changers and null-modem adapters, trying to make a switching system because of how, stupidly, the 500 doesn't have composite video without the 520. (I have a 600 also, which looks like it does have composite video, but maybe it's only PAL; I'm not sure--anyway, that yellow jack's output is only B/W too.)

DB23-23 switches are very scarce for some reason, and are very expensive. DB25 switches aren't very expensive but then I don't know where to find a DB25-23 cable. But maybe I could just use a female-females 25 switch and a male-male 25 cable back to the A520 on one end, and then just find a 25M-9M cable for the 1084 on the other end.

Maybe it would have been smarter if I had just tried that first. But for whatever reason, I didn't think of it first. So I first tried just using a DB9 switch, two 9-23 cables, and a 25-pin sex changer or null-modem adapter for going back to the 520 on the one end with. I even bought a db9 nuller just in case that would work if the 25 one didn't. I've tried all kinds of combinations but can't make it work!

If the video signal only needs 6 pins, then why won't converting down from 23-9 (as is simply and perfectly done to monitors like the 1084), and then back up from 9 to 23 (to go back to the 520 from one end of the switch) work? And if it only needs 6 pins, then why have the 23 in the first place?

Has anyone here been successful with a switching system like this? Should I have just tried the DB25 switch?

[amiman99]

It took me few times read to figure out what you are trying to do, I think I got it.
I think that's a lot of custom cables to make, to get it working like you want it. I'm not sure what signals from RGB are needed for A520, it could be less the 9pins or more, I'm not sure.
I think the best way to do it is to get an External Genlock with RGB PASS-Through, that way you can hook up RGB (using RGB pass-through) to 1084 monitor and composite out to your TV (using video out).
Make sure it's the one with 2 knobs (fade in/out RGB/Composite)
Something like this one: http://www.bigbookofamigahardware.com/bboah/product.aspx?id=437

[MaxFordham]

(Hey, can we get a moderator to move this thread into the hardware section, please, and then delete these lines that are requesting it? I hadn't found that section before now, but that would be more appropriate than here, I see.)


Thanks for your response! (Although... I have a hard time understanding why something I did my best to write very clearly still ends up as something that you claim you have to read over and over in order to understand.)

Well, I don't know if I need custom cables or not. These things seem to fit okay, but... yeah, maybe for the pinning to match, I'd have to have custom cables. As I said already, this really just uses 6 pins. I don't know why it ever had a 23-pin connector in the first place.

Oh, that piece of hardware would send both signals out at the same time, wouldn't it? Even better, since that would be one less switch to have to throw, and it would also be good for the occasional mirroring experience wanted.

Oh, but I just read about it, that page said that this brand/model suffers from quality trouble.

And I don't understand what the composite video through and the keying are supposed to do. Yes, I know how to chroma-key and luma-key, etc., and yes, I have a video switcher that does those things, and yes, I have nonlinear editing that does those, but I don't understand how they would work with this device. However, just something that will output RGB and composite at the same time or easily switchable would be fine for me.

I'll look and see if there are other brands that might have better quality than this page you showed me says the RocGen+ has.

Thanks

[Oldsmobile_Mike]

Why not just get an Indivision? That will let you use two displays simultaneously. Hook the 1084 to the Amiga's 23-pin output, and the TV to the Indivision output (most TV's support standard HD15 VGA input). And done. Or you can go the complicated route and build a switcher, lol.

[MaxFordham]

Oops! The genlock in the picture IS the RocGen+. I don't know why I responded about it as if it were not. That's the one that that page says suffers from poor quality. I'll have to edit my previous response.

UPDATE:
There, I've edited my previous response accordingly.
___________________________________________________________________

Why not get an Indivision?

1. Because I didn't know about that device either, until now. Maybe I would, now, though. But...

2. because from what you're saying, it sounds like it doesn't have composite or s-video output so that I could connect it to something like a DVD recorder or a PC's or Mac's capture card (since I don't yet have a way for the Amiga to record its own video internally and spit it right to DVD from inside there) for the occasional recording of something from it the Amiga.

3. Because my TV actually does not have an XGA/VGA input, so I'd still have to figure out how to convert from there to component or composite. (For some reason, while some newer TVs still have composite, not all even have s-video anymore, as is the case with my big one.)

[ajk]

The composite output on the A600 is in colour, so if you could use that instead of the A500, you have all you need. Or if composite is not good enough and your big TV has VGA, you could get an Indivision ECS and then connect the VGA output of that to the TV, and the original Amiga RGB to the 1084, and STILL have the composite signal to use when recording

The Indivision ECS also works with the A500 but of course you won't be left with a colour composite output in that situation.

If the output of the A600 is for some reason monochrome, it's probably a PAL/NTSC issue. It should be possible to configure it as an NTSC machine (not 100% sure on the details here, never actually needed to do it).

EDIT: Oops sorry didn't see your later post. If the TV has no VGA input you'd indeed need an extra converter for that. Or an A1200/A4000, since the later Indivisions for the AGA machines have HDMI/DVI output.

[amiman99]

This one might work too for you:  GVP G-Lock
(I don't have one, so I can't vouch for it myself)
http://www.ebay.com/itm/Great-Valley-Products-G-Lock-Genlock-for-Amiga-Computers-/321438124989?pt=US_Vintage_Computing_Parts_Accessories&hash=item4ad7348bbd

[Oldsmobile_Mike]

I so love the Indivisions in both my systems... nothing like the 21st century convenience of being able to make use of any modern monitor or projector (for such a reasonable price), that I'm going to try chiming in here one more time.

 How about this?  Get an Indivision, hook the 1084 to the Amiga's 23-pin output, and then use a VGA-to-composite converter on the HD15 output of the Indivision?  (since I see you're using an A500.  The newer models of Indivision for A1200/4000 have DVI or HDMI output.)
 
A quick google search for "VGA to composite adapter" yields hundreds of products.  I'd buy from somewhere like Amazon that has a liberal return policy, in case you wind up with one that for whatever reason doesn't work with the VGA output on the Indivision.  You could use this if you want to do screen capture on a PC, alternatively I've seen some PC video capture cards that have a direct HD15 (VGA) input for capturing video in higher quality.
 
Or, as a last "suggestion", get a TV that has VGA input?  I know, I know, not everyone wants to go out and buy a new TV, just saying because this was kind of a requirement for me when I went TV shopping, haha.  
 
Good luck with your project!