vga adapter to amiga 500/500+

[amigajani]

hi! im just new user in here,
and i have a 1 question ?
is there anyone who know , how to build
vga adapter to amiga 500 or amiga 500+ , and some instruction
would be , helpfull
thank you  :-)

[redrumloa]

Welcome to Amiga.org! Enjoy your stay:-)

About the VGA adapter, unfortunately there is no easy hack project to accomplish this. If you have an Obese Agnes you can make a simple cable and use a VGA monitor in productivity modes, but that is no good for games or many programs. It also looks pretty terrible. :-(

[Ilwrath]

Yeah... The problem is that the Amiga outputs video modes that are half the refresh frequency of VGA screenmodes.  This is not an easy problem to compensate for.

The silver "VGA Adaptor" that most people sell, are not VGA adaptors at all.  They simply change the plug from Amiga DB23 to PC HD15.  As Redrum said, these can be built or purchased very easily, but they won't really help your problem.

Your problem is, that the video signal from the Amiga is not within VGA specs.  In order for games/demos, etc to work, this can only be fixed by a complex (and expensive) "scan doubler."  

If you only want to see Amiga Workbench, you COULD install the ECS Agnus/Denise combo in your A500, cut a couple traces, and then run OS 3.1 in productivity modes...  But that's probably not the solution you are looking for...

[amigajani]

yes , thank you for quick answer,  
that means, i must by a1200 or higher version amiga`s.

is this adapter easy to build ( a 1200 model ) ?

i like to use vga -monitors to amiga`s
because original 1084 model is so old, and some days these monitor`s are out of action ( unfortunately )

but thanks again

( amiga user in finland )

[McTrinsic]

You need a Scandoubler/Flickerfixer that will double the output frequency of your Amiga.

Some are external, some internal.

The best is the internal ICD Flicker Free Video 2, followed by the Multivision 500.

They pop up occassionally on eBay for about 50-75 $, a bit cheaper if you speak german, there is a nig market in germany for Amiga things.

It is roughly as big as the market ebay.com offers, which is including the UK and Australia if you make a search for "Amiga" and filter out the Amiga things.

Have fun,
McTrinsic

[amigajani]

yes , you are right about that ,
i just already looking for some instruction all over the internet , and i dont find anything about working adapter of cable , some project & testing only hmmmm.....
i must find A1200 or higher model

but thank you anyway

( amiga user in finland )

[Ilwrath]

yes , thank you for quick answer,
that means, i must by a1200 or higher version amiga`s.

Really, the only Amiga that has true VGA support standard is the A3000.  

The A1200/4000 (also ECS Agnus/Denise modified A500/2000) CAN use a VGA standard screen with the silver DB23->HD15 connector, but will only work for Workbench and RTG-aware applications.  (Very few games/demos work like this)

Really, the best bet is to follow McTrinsic's advice and get a scan doubler.  Then you'll have full software compatability.  (Just like plugging an Amiga into an old 1084, only a much crisper picture.)

[Cyberus]

@Ilwrath

I don't disagree with what you say in principle, but if they aren't 'adapters' then what are they? I don't think the word 'adapter' is misleading at all, as it allows you to physically plug a monitor into your Amiga...

I have an adapter that allows me to plug European plugs into UK sockets - it doesn't step down the voltage though!

[Ilwrath]

@Cyberus -

I have an adapter that allows me to plug European plugs into UK sockets - it doesn't step down the voltage though!

Yes, but would it not be misleading, if you merely called it a European power adaptor?

The DB23->HD15 adaptor should be called exactly that.  A DB23->HD15 adaptor.  The VGA standard deals with input signals and frequencies, not a plug.  

Case in point, I have an older VGA monitor from an SGI that has a 13w3 connector.  The monitor accepts a standard VGA signal range though.  Therefore it is a VGA monitor, despite the fact it doesn't have a HD15.  The presence or lack of a HD15 plug doesn't magically alter the VGA-ness of an object.

Since the DB23->HD15 doesn't bring a normal Amiga scan mode into the VGA range, it's not proper to call it an Amiga VGA adaptor.

[amigajani]

by McTrinsic on 2004/3/18 22:23:27  :-D

yeess, thank you

this is very valuable hint to me , now i have to change to get
this item for me " someday "

you write " there is a nig market in germany "
is this market in Berlin ??
i travelling almost every year in Berlin ( love parade ).

[Noster]

@amigajani

> is this market in Berlin ??

I think he means the Amiga-market on the german ebay sides (www.ebay.de), there are always between 1000-2000 Amiga-articles available.
Another idea instead of buying a new Amiga, buy the simple DB23-DB15 VGA-adapter and try to get a NEC Multisync 3D monitor via eBay. These old 14" monitors are quite cheap (the expensivest should be the shipping), these multisynch-monitors are able to display all Amiga-modes without the need of a flicker-fixer (scan-doubler)..

Noster