CGA output on EGA monitor. Compatible?

[per]

As you problably know, my 5153 monitor didn't ship well, and I'll need a new CRT to get it working (I assume it's pretty expensive and difficult to get the right one).

So, now, I'm looking at some 3rd party EGA monitor in the back of my classroom (it looks like an old VGA monitor, but it is EGA), and I wonder if I can use that with my CGA card.

But how compatible are they? many sites states that EGA monitors can handle the rates and signals of the CGA, but that it got some of the high-intensity colors wrong. Another site states that one of the sync signals are positive edge triggered instead of negative edge triggered (or opposite).

The EGA monitor I'm looking at got an "Invert" switch on the back, maybe that's for CGA compability...

But can anybody clarify what's compatible and not compatible of behavour of CGA and EGA monitors?

 

[Chuck(G)]

Why not just try it? I doubt that it's possible to ruin it by driving it with a CGA signal.

 

[mikey99]

I use my IBM 5154 EGA monitor attached to a CGA adapter all the time.
It works great. Even looks better than the 5153 because the EGA monitor
convergence is much better than the 5153. I haven't noticed
any problems with the colors, although I havent really paid attention.
Now you just need to find an EGA card !

 

[per]

Why not just try it? I doubt that it's possible to ruin it by driving it with a CGA signal.

There is just one problem, the monitor is at the school, connected to a heavily yellowed Commodore PC 30 III inside a locked shelf with a EGA-Only ATI VGA wonder (the "autodetect monitor" one) and some genetic I/O card.

It hasn't been used since 2000 or something, but when it was used, it was used to meassure the amount of sun-rays that hit some solar pannels on the roof.

I can of course try to do some talking with the IT responsibile at the school, but I don't know if that'll be enough.

 

[Marrr]

I assume it's pretty expensive and difficult to get the right one

Yes, if you're searching for the original IBM CGA monitor.
But there's no problem (at least here) to get eg. Commodore 1084S monitor with TTL RGBI input, which seems to be 100% CGA compatible.

 

[Unknown_K]

I use a Magnavox monitor sold with a Commodore 128 to run CGA mode on an XT. CGA just needs Digital TTL doesn't it?

 

[Fallo]

Yes, if you're searching for the original IBM CGA monitor.
But there's no problem (at least here) to get eg. Commodore 1084S monitor with TTL RGBI input, which seems to be 100% CGA compatible.

On the other hand, I've heard that the 5153 doesn't work with the C128. Apparently the picture rolls or it can't sync with the C128's RGB output, or something of that nature.