Best Commodore 4000 Monitor?

[danbeaver]

I liked the Amiga M1764

and the '70 Olds was huge and couldn't corner but at least it (should have) had a Rocket 88.

[Oldsmobile_Mike]

I liked the Amiga M1764

and the '70 Olds was huge and couldn't corner but at least it (should have) had a Rocket 88.

I've always heard the M1764 was very unreliable.  And rare.  Probably because they all broke.  Good luck finding one.  Also it's AT, not C=, since that seems to matter?

Oh, and she had a 455, baby!  

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kQZV6q00sUc

[danbeaver]

My recently Retr0brited M1764 still works fine, although I use a 32" flat screen for my A4KT and X1000.

And I bet with that big 455 she had a ton of oversteer

[fondpondforever]

What's the difference between the 1960 and 1962 Monitor?

[RobertB]

My vote goes for the Sony GVM-1311Q multisync monitor.  Mine was just rebuilt by Ray Carlsen.

Oh, and she had a 455, baby!  

From 1971 to 1985, I had an Oldsmobile Delta 88 with the Rocket 350 V8.  Strange to call it a Rocket when it only had a 2-barrel carburetor.    The Delta 88 was totaled in '85 when a hit-and-run driver crashed into it while it was parked.  (sniff)  Fortunately, the driver did not run too far before being caught.

And your 455 had a 4-barrel!
Robert Bernardo
Fresno Commodore User Group
http://www.dickestel.com/fcug.htm

[Oldsmobile_Mike]

My vote goes for the Sony GVM-1311Q multisync monitor. Mine was just rebuilt by Ray Carlsen.

From 1971 to 1985, I had an Oldsmobile Delta 88 with the Rocket 350 V8. Strange to call it a Rocket when it only had a 2-barrel carburetor. The Delta 88 was totaled in '85 when a hit-and-run driver crashed into it while it was parked. (sniff) Fortunately, the driver did not run too far before being caught.

And your 455 had a 4-barrel!

After it's popularity in the '50s, Oldsmobile started tagging everything with the "Rocket" moniker. My favorite was the "Super Rocket", or the "Toronado Rocket" in 1967. Popping the hood on one of those babies and seeing the big "Ultra High Compression" sticker across the air cleaner, not to mention that they were front-wheel drive, was a sight to behold!

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Oldsmobile_V8_engine#Super_Rocket

I had three Oldsmobiles, '70, '76, and '79, a 1972 Buick Electra 225 "deuce and a quarter", a '68 Dodge Dart, and pretty much a yard full of cars, back in the day, half of which belonged to my friends, that I'd work on. That's why "Oldsmobile_Mike", BTW. Because "Mike" is such a common name (not to mention my last name is very common, as well), people would call me "Oldsmobile_Mike" as a way to differentiate. I had two hobbies: working on cars, and Amiga's.

We could geek out about cars all day long, I'd be okay with that, but I think we've derailed this thread far enough. Ha! :roflmao:

[Oldsmobile_Mike]

What's the difference between the 1960 and 1962 Monitor?

I think the 1960 was made by Lite-On, or Philips, and the 1962 was made by Electrohome.  When you get down to the nuts and bolts of it, there's really almost no difference between most of these monitors.  For example the 10-or-so different models of 1084.  One might have the tilt/swivel base, and the other might not (like the difference between the 1940 & 1942).  Commodore was the cheapest of the cheap, back in the day.  They'd outsource monitor manufacture to whichever company could crank them out for a few pennies less, and then slap a Commodore badge on them.

You really want something unique, but also retro?  check out the A2024.  I think The Amiga Lounge had one of those for sale recently, might still have it!

[fondpondforever]

According to this website the 1962 was an Escom Model as this database 'Excludes Escom Monitors'. I thought Commodore made 1962 Monitor's. :confused:
 
 http://gona.mactar.hu/Commodore/monitor/Commodore_monitors_by_model_number.html

[Oldsmobile_Mike]

According to this website the 1962 was an Escom Model as this database 'Excludes Escom Monitors'. I thought Commodore made 1962 Monitor's. :confused:

http://gona.mactar.hu/Commodore/monitor/Commodore_monitors_by_model_number.html

After Commodore declared bankruptcy in 1994 "ownership" of the Amiga went through many hands. Without going to Wikipedia to check my exact dates, I believe Escom AG owned Amiga from 1995-1996 until they, too, went bankrupt. Under Escom ownership Amigas were sold under the "Amiga Technologies" brand, or AT. Their line consisted of A1200's, A4000T's, and some re-branded monitors, M1438, M1764, stuff like that (and I guess 1962's). That's why you'll hear people talking about "Commodore A4000T's" and "AT A4000T's", with the Commodore branded ones being much more rare. Functionally they're nearly identical to their C= branded predecessors, a change to a faceplate here, a change to a floppy drive there, etc.

You have much to learn, young padawan.

[Damion]

According to this website the 1962 was an Escom Model as this database 'Excludes Escom Monitors'. I thought Commodore made 1962 Monitor's. :confused:
 
 http://gona.mactar.hu/Commodore/monitor/Commodore_monitors_by_model_number.html

You probably saw this, but: click

I have an Amiga World magazine somewhere with a review of the 1962. It was not C= branded, but targeted the Amiga market.

Commodore was the cheapest of the cheap, back in the day. They'd outsource monitor manufacture to whichever company could crank them out for a few pennies less, and then slap a Commodore badge on them.

The 1084 at least had several tube manufacturers, some better than others. The earlier ones with Orion and Hitachi (Japanese) tubes were the best IMO.

Best of the C= branded multisync monitors: 1950 or 1960

Honestly, while adequate none of them were really all that fantastic.

[fondpondforever]

Thanks guys, that makes sense now. I still don't understand how Commodore's 1960 Multisyc Monitor was released in 1991 whereas it's 1940 Bisync Monitor was released in 1993. You would think it would be the other way round or were these release dates incorrect.

[Oldsmobile_Mike]

Thanks guys, that makes sense now. I still don't understand how Commodore's 1960 Multisyc Monitor was released in 1991 whereas it's 1940 Bisync Monitor was released in 1993. You would think it would be the other way round or were these release dates incorrect.

From what I recall, the 1960 was a "high end" model released roughly around the same time as the A4000 came out. The 1940 was a "lower end" model released to go along with the A1200. That's why the 1940 was cheaper and had speakers. It was for gamers. The 1960 was for productivity and had a higher dot pitch.

Really I think you're reading too much into these model numbers. Just because 1960 > 1940 sequentially doesn't mean anything in terms of the specs or capabilities of the model.

[fondpondforever]

Ok, I understand. What would a 1940 be like on a 4000? Would you need to install a graphics card to make up for the Multisync of the 1960 which this Monitor does not have.

[Oldsmobile_Mike]

Ok, I understand. What would a 1940 be like on a 4000? Would you need to install a graphics card to make up for the Multisync of the 1960 which this Monitor does not have.

"What would it be like"?  I would not use a 13" CRT monitor of any type in 2014.  I use 1084's especially as doorstops, they are horrible, horrible on the eyes, lol.    But to answer your question, since the 1940 supports both 15KHz and 31KHz output, it should allow you to display most of the standard screenmodes of a stock A4000.

Any Amiga graphics card is going to exceed the capabilities of all of these monitors.  Look at the specs of one of the better Amiga graphics cards.  Now compare this to the capabilities of these monitors you're looking at:

http://amiga.resource.cx/exp/picasso4

As you can see, this particular card can do up to 1600x1200 resolution.  None of these junky C= monitors will support that.  You'd have to get a real monitor.  

[fondpondforever]

Appreciate your support, although I want to keep the authentic Commodore Retro Experience. Get the 1960, Get the 1940, Get the 1960, Get the 1940, ahhhhhhhh I can't make a decision!!! :crazy:

[Oldsmobile_Mike]

Appreciate your support, although I want to keep the authentic Commodore Retro Experience. Get the 1960, Get the 1940, Get the 1960, Get the 1940, ahhhhhhhh I can't make a decision!!! :crazy:

That's what I figured.  Neither of them come up for sale very often, I'd say get whichever you can find first, and be prepared to do a little work on it to "get it right".

There's a 1950 for sale right now with a fairly reasonable buy-it-now price:

http://www.ebay.com/itm/COMMODORE-1950-MONITOR-Amiga-CLEANED-WORKING-multisync-vga-crt-vintage-/321612132369