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Hercules gb222 incolor card questions

It's a digital output card that will attach to an EGA or multisync with EGA capabilities. It's an odd card; it displays 16 colors at EGA resolution, but is utterly incompatible with EGA software. So you'll need drivers for applications that use the capabilities.

Otherwise it's pretty much like a Hercules Graphics Plus (the monochrome RAMfont version). The RAMfont is kind of cool in that you can define about 3000 color characters (12 bit character mode) or 16000 (14 bit character mode).

It was a dismal failure, VGA pretty much clobbered it.
 
I bought the card because I knew it was not an I/O card that was described. I thought it was a late model Hercules mono card but it had way to many chips on the card. Wish I had a EGA monitor to test it. I do have an old multisync VGA monitor with a 15 pin is there an adapter to 9 pin I can use?

Thanks

framer
 
I don't think that your VGA monitor can get down low enough in scan rates to sync to the thing, but wire up a cable and see what happens. It either won't work or it will.

I use a VGA monitor on my AT&T PC6300 and it works just fine. Even though the inputs are nominally 1V P-P, they don't seem to mind being driven by +5V.

Hercules said that the InColor wouldn't work with a monochrome (MDA type) monitor, but I don't know if anyone has tested that assertion. But then, what would be the point of the color?

Edit: I went digging a bit and the answer to why a monochrome display won't work with the InColor card is now apparent. The MDA uses scanning (H/V) frequencies of 18.43KHz and 50 Hz. The InColor uses frequencies of 21.8KHz and 60 Hz. This would stress a monochrome display quite a bit. I suspect your old VGA multisync won't go that low--that horizontal frequency is firmly in the EGA area. Most VGA monitors won't sync below about 24KHz.
 
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...unless the VGA monitor in question is a modern LCD with a composite or Y/C input port. Then they usually do sync below 24KHz (to 15.7KHz obviously).
 
No sir, but that's because I haven't tried. In the 1980s, I jumped from CGA to VGA, and I do the same in my retrocomputing. I don't own any EGA cards or monitors.
 
Well it looks like I'll hold it for a bit and see if I can get a EGA monitor somewhere... I've only been looking for years, came close once but it one of those things that have eluded me.

framer
 
It seems to me that one of our regulars offered a Sony 1302 a few months back with no takers. The old multisync/multiscan monitors shouldn't be that rare. Look for NEC, Sony and Mitsubishi in particular, get the model number and check the specs.
 
Chuck(G) said:
It seems to me that one of our regulars offered a Sony 1302 a few months back with no takers. The old multisync/multiscan monitors shouldn't be that rare. Look for NEC, Sony and Mitsubishi in particular, get the model number and check the specs.
Click to expand...

FWIW, if you're referring to Chromedome45's non-functional Sony 1302, it was chunked, however the OP might wish to contact Stone - I believe that he might still have an NEC multisync for sale.
 
I shall check that out after I get back after xmas. A longshot request, I'll be traveling along I-95 over the next week. Anyone that want to sell or donate an EGA monitor please PM me and I'll pick it up.

Thanks,

framer
 
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