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128 RGBi

ChrisUnionNJ

ChrisUnionNJ

Experienced Member
Joined
Jan 27, 2012
Messages
236
Location
Union NJ
Hi guys I have been looking for away to use the rgb display on my 128 flat deck and 128DCR if I recall the rgb is it's
really called rgbi..

Chris :happy5:
 
I should have been clearer in what I was asking i'm looking for a modern way using current LCD displays..
 
Agreed, that is a great price, but keep in mind these converters were made for arcade machines and only support RGB, not RGBi. In other words, half the colors will be gone.
 
Bleah. I took the ad copy's word for it supporting "CGA" and didn't track down the manual. Not supporting intensity makes it somewhat less attractive.

(It's actually not entirely clear to me, looking at it, that is supports digital RGB. The one manual I could find had very... sketchy, information. It seems to use "CGA" as a synonym for "NTSC-ish scanrates". It talks about accepting "EGA", but it says it does so through a five pin connector. Sorry, but wouldn't EGA need at least, what, seven plus a ground?)

If it *did* support digital I might still be interested in it for a non-color application but at this point I'd need proof it does digital before slapping any money down. (Granted a fix to the "digital" problem could just be the right resistor, but nonetheless...)
 
I own something that might be the exact same board, bought off eBay from China. There are 13 a dozen if you look on eBay. From my experience, the major issue with this converter is lag. For text applications without realtime needs, it might be sufficient.

If anyone wants, I can conduct some careful testing which types of digital signals it takes. I kind of know how to convert digital RGBI to analog RGB for use e.g. with European SCART TV's, but didn't get to making a proper cable for my C128's yet.
 
The one thing I was thinking it could be useful for if it accepts digital is as a converter for Commodore PET video signals. The American PETs, at least, output a signal which is enough off-spec from NTSC that I've had zero luck wiring together a "simple" PET-to-Composite converter to give me anything but a rolling picture. My thought is if the converter chip has enough range to lock onto the PET signal, well, problem solved.

Lag would be annoying for games but it probably wouldn't matter for programs designed to run on an 8032.
 
Look here...

http://www.commodore128.org/index.php?topic=3877.100;topicseen


I own one of these, currently wired to a Amiga to svideo adapter from Amiga maniac. On my setup the colors are a little off, but look good on my 15K NEC Lcd.
He has posted the eagle files if you want to make your own, or others are trying to get a large enough order to produce another run.

Just remember, any soultion that works for the 128 also works for our old PC's. I use mine for my tandy 1000sx and my 128.

Later,
dabone
 
Regarding PET composite video, I've experienced just as bad results on PAL monitors as you have on NTSC. Perhaps a composite monitor with very generous scan rates would work better, at least with 40 column PETs. Of course since I own a converter board, I could look into the matter when time permits.
 
I've looked seriously at building a S-Video & Composite to HDMI converter board to replace the RF modulator can in a Commodore 64 (w/ embedded audio). I ran into two issues. The first is the TVS and TMDS conditioning parts requires PCB tech outside the capabilities of most discount board houses. Doing simple prototype spins would be very costly (>$500). Second, there are many cheap readily available such converters already. When you can buy one in it's own enclosure for $35 that will work with any vintage computer, I can't see many people spending >$100 on my design that will only work in a C= 64. The similar is likely true for other less common platforms like the PET.
 
carlsson said:
... Of course since I own a converter board, I could look into the matter when time permits.
Click to expand...

Might be worth a laugh to investigate when you have time to waste on it. If these $35 converters can manage to make sense of the PET's video output one could easily spend more than that fruitlessly searching for the right combination of homebrew components and an appropriately forgiving composite monitor.
 
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