RGB Monitors

[chadtower]

So, what RGB monitors would people recommend, and are there TVs that take RGB?

[Anthony1]

First off, you can't just get any RGB monitor. There are tons of TV's and stuff out there that have RGB capabilities, but most modern monitors will NOT sync this slowly. Monitors of the Sony Multisync variety of old (e.g. the 2A) are capable of syncing to these frequencies. Also, monitors marked as "Amiga Compatible" should sync to these frequencies as well.

Amiga monitors will work. Atari ST (Colour) monitors will work. Arcade monitors (raster only) like a Wells-Gardner monitor will work. Certain early model NEC Multisync monitors will work.


Another option is to get a Scart TV Monitor from England. They are basically very large RGB monitors. The good thing about one of these, is that there are ready made RGB cables for various systems for them. You just need to get the Euro Scart RGB cable for whatever system you want to use and....BINGO! You're in business. The other good thing about them, is that you can get sizes that are much, much larger than normal RGB monitors like the very popular Commodore 1084.

Of course the HUGE downside of getting a Scart TV from Europe, is the cost to ship the thing over here. I couldn't even imagine how much it would cost to ship something like that all the way to the U.S.

However, I would suggest starting out with a Commodore 1084 monitor. If you get a Commodore 1084S-D1 like I have, then it also has stereo speakers built in, and a headphone jack. They are small, they are only 14 inches, but if you sit close to them, you really don't notice that they are small. And the detail that you see is just so amazing, that it's hard to go back to a blurry TV, once you get used to a true RGB signal. You see every little pixel so clearly.

Also a nice thing about the Commodore 1084 being so small, is that I will take mine with me on trips, or to a buddies house or whatever.

You can get Commodore 1084 monitors at thrift stores and flea markets for like 20 or 30 bucks. You can't beat that. If you don't have the patience or time, to find one in the wild, you can sometimes find them on Ebay. I saw a couple on Ebay a couple of weeks ago. I think with shipping, they ended up costing the final bidder like 50 or 60 bucks.

Or just go to www.google.com and do a search for:

Commodore 1084S-D1

see what pops up. I know a couple of mom and pop video game stores sell them for around 65 bucks. You can definitely find them cheaper than that, if you look good enough.

Also, one last thing. I might have stumbled onto a source that can make RGB cables to order for people. So once you get your RGB monitor, let me know and I can see if the guy can make a cable for you. He would probably charge about 30 bucks plus shipping for the cable.

Good luck, and let me know after you first see your first game in RGB. If you have a Super Nintendo, you really have to see Super Ghouls and Ghosts in RGB. It is so freaking sweet!!!

[chadtower]

Thanks for all the info... I'm actually thinking of making my own. It will be diving into areas I've never done before (soldering) but I've done many similar things (love tivo hacking). I should be able to extend my skills into this, the question is when I will have the chance. I had a commodore monitor back in the day... don't think it was RGB, but it did have a/v inputs I used with my Duo at the time. Does a monitor like the Commodore 1084 have a/v inputs as well so if I pick one up I can use it until I get going with rgb?

[congobongo]

I have a Commodore 1084S-D1. What's the easiest system to do an RGB mod on? Been wanting to do one ever since I got it but my electrical skills are weak so I need something easy.

[chadtower]

From my one hour of research, it looked to me like you didn't even have to mod a saturn, just build an rgb cable with that chip (forget the name now) that strips the sync out and reads the saturn video port pinouts properly... I think the SNES was something like the same.

[chadtower]

Okay, so take a look at this:

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=3423584105&category=3668

How does that fit into the RGB monitor picture? I have two 20" monitors that take those type of inputs... they're pretty old. Would it be possible to hack up a cable going into one of those?

[Anthony1]

Okay, so take a look at this:

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=3423584105&category=3668

How does that fit into the RGB monitor picture? I have two 20" monitors that take those type of inputs... they're pretty old. Would it be possible to hack up a cable going into one of those?


No, that is the wrong kind of RGB cable. That is a RGB BNC cable. They are different from what you need. If you want to hack into a cable, basically what you need to do is order a existing Scart RGB cable for whatever system from either Europe or Japan. They will both have 21 pin connectors on them. However, they have very different pinouts. So depending on whether you get a Euro one or a Japanese one, it will be different. Basically you take apart the Scart end of it, and label the wires that are going to the different numbered pins, so you know which wire is which. Then you get the connector for whatever RGB monitor you have and find out the pinout for that. Then you simply connect the wires to the corresponding pinouts. Not exactly easy, but not rocket science either. I personally have never done it, though I'm in the process of trying.

[Anthony1]

I have a Commodore 1084S-D1. What's the easiest system to do an RGB mod on? Been wanting to do one ever since I got it but my electrical skills are weak so I need something easy.


I think the Sega Genesis RGB cable is the easiest to make. From what I understand it's very basic.

Here is a link:

http://www.gamesx.com/avpinouts/genesisav.htm



But like I said, I might have found a guy that will make you whatever cables you need for 30 bucks plus shipping. So keep that in mind.

[bizounce]

Damnation, my parents made me rid of my sweet sweet Commodore Monitor. It's what I used when I had acquired my Playstation back when it was first out and boy did that monitor make it that much more enjoyable.

[chadtower]

Hrm... this definitely sounds like a project for me later on, maybe this winter. for now I have too many projects ahead of it and more necessary than it... I'll just have to keep my eye out for a decent rgb monitor.

[AB Positive]

I'm hoping to give the TG-16 a RGB mod myself, just trying to find more info on the Turbo Grafx (US) pinouts.

-AG

[Anthony1]

I'm hoping to give the TG-16 a RGB mod myself, just trying to find more info on the Turbo Grafx (US) pinouts.

-AG


check this out:

http://users.erols.com/tiltonj/games/tech/tg16av.html

and this:

http://joyce.eng.yale.edu/~bt/turbo/files/pce.video.hack