C128 RGBI Electrical Characteristics
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From: JohnH. on 5 Oct 2006 20:48 As the original poster my target monitor is a Dell UltraSharp 2407WFP http://accessories.us.dell.com/sna/productdetail.aspx?c=us&l=en&s=bsd&cs=04&sku=320-4335. This monitor supports the following inputs type. · DVI · VGA · Composite · S-Video · Component (RGB, 3 RCA Jacks) In a perfect world, I'd like to get 80 Column RGBI (VDC) output in color on this monitor. If component is the easiest way to go, I'm all for it. Honestly, I probably don't know enough to grasp the difficulties in this. Am I correct in under standing that I could convert the RGBI output to SCART and then convert the SCART to Component (RGB, 3 RCA Jacks)? BTW, the 2407WFP is an awesome monitor. It allows me to do split screen and picture-in-picture views of 8-bits on the composite or S-Video ports and my Wintel PC on the VGA port. This is useful for referencing online docs while working with the 8-bit. John
From: xlar54 on 6 Oct 2006 20:12 I can honestly say, I have absolutely no idea what these people are saying, but the jist I get is this: Its hard if not impossible :) Personally, Id be fine with a device that connected the RGBI video on the 128 to a video capture card on the PC, and then displayed the video on the PC that way. Surely this is doable? Or not... I havent seen any TTL RGBI video capture cards lately.... JohnH. wrote: > I'm looking for a detailed description of the electrical > characteristics of the C128s RGBI output. A friend of mine is an > electronics engineer for Hamilton Beach. In an exchange of favors he > has agreed to help me build a color interface between C128 80 column > RGBI output and a modern flat panel monitor. > > I'm not sure if the output would be VGA, S-Video or component video > at this point. The starting point is obviously a fundamental > understanding of RGBI output. > > In my web searches I recall seeing a document that went into the > C128's RBI output in great detail showing voltage levels and timing. > I can't find that web site again. I'm beginning to doubt my > memory. Has anybody seen, or does anybody have a document like this? > > Thanks, > John
From: Joseph Fenn on 6 Oct 2006 22:31 John, if your successful with your friends help, let the whole gang know how you did it. Guys in UK were able to figure their way to create a box that would do the job, but not for ntsc. Only PAL display (Euripean). They never did succeed rgbi to VGA or SVGA. They were only successful with PAL box. Joe ********************************************************** * Ham KH6JF AARS/MARS ABM6JF QCWA WW2 VET WD RADIO SYSTEM* * Army MARS PRECEDED by AARS (Army Amateur Radio System) * * Hi State ARMY MARS COORDINATOR * **********************************************************
From: MagerValp on 7 Oct 2006 09:24 >>>>> "JA" == Jukka Aho <jukka.aho(a)iki.fi> writes: JA> The OP says he's not sure how to go about building such converter JA> and if its output should be a) VGA, b) s-video, or c) component JA> video. MagerValp comments on this by remarking that "RGB -> JA> component video" (i.e. option "c", not option "b", which was JA> s-video!) should be simple. S-video is called S-video or Y/C. I don't think I've ever seen anyone refer to it as component video - not even the old video stuff in our studio from the late 70s and early 80s. a> The main problem with that approach is that you are still driving a a> television at the end of the day. JA> Depends. The OP said he'd like information about building "a color JA> interface between C128 80 column RGBI output and a modern flat JA> panel monitor." That sounds like a PC LCD/TFT monitor to me, not a JA> TV. Indeed. JA> But admittedly, he then mentioned VGA signal, s-video signal, and JA> component signal, of which the latter two are usually only JA> available on tv sets, not PC monitors. Lots of PC monitors also have composite/s-video and even component inputs. Not that it matters of course - it's the same technology, regardless of if it's marketed as a TV or PC monitor. As for the original posters problem, I'll bet $5 that a simple RGBI -> RGB adapter and a cheap scart to component adapter will give him a nice, clear RGB picture on his monitor. -- ___ . . . . . + . . o _|___|_ + . + . + . Per Olofsson, arkadspelare o-o . . . o + MagerValp(a)cling.gu.se - + + . http://www.cling.gu.se/~cl3polof/
From: MagerValp on 7 Oct 2006 09:37
>>>>> "J" == JohnH <john(a)jrcc.net> writes: J> In a perfect world, I'd like to get 80 Column RGBI (VDC) output in J> color on this monitor. If component is the easiest way to go, I'm J> all for it. Honestly, I probably don't know enough to grasp the J> difficulties in this. Basically, it's most likely not difficult. J> Am I correct in under standing that I could convert the RGBI output J> to SCART and then convert the SCART to Component (RGB, 3 RCA J> Jacks)? SCART is just a connector, carrying sound, composite video, and analog RGB (and possibly S-Video as well). The benefits of doing RGBI -> SCART is that you can use a ready-made SCART -> Component adapter, which will convert the sync signal from separate H+V to composite sync for you. You could just do RGBI -> Component straight away, if you don't doing a little extra work yourself (or your friend's self in this case :) This is all based on the assumption that the Dell monitor will accept an analog RGB signal on its component input connectors. My experience, though limited, says it will, and google seems to agree with me (there's a reason you can pick up RGB -> Component adapters in every HiFi store :). If it doesn't work, the next thing I'd try is an RGBI -> VGA cable. Not scan rate conversion mind you, just bring down the signals to 0.7 Vpp. The monitor specs claim that it only handles 31 kHz and up, but I've seen several monitors that happily accept a 15 kHz signal. Now if neither of these two work, things get complicated, and your friend will have to work a bit for his money... :) J> BTW, the 2407WFP is an awesome monitor. It allows me to do split J> screen and picture-in-picture views of 8-bits on the composite or J> S-Video ports and my Wintel PC on the VGA port. This is useful for J> referencing online docs while working with the 8-bit. Ooh, nice. -- ___ . . . . . + . . o _|___|_ + . + . + . Per Olofsson, arkadspelare o-o . . . o + MagerValp(a)cling.gu.se - + + . http://www.cling.gu.se/~cl3polof/ |