• Please review our updated Terms and Rules here

"Universal" monitor compatible with Tandy 1000 and other vintage machines?

I

ilyaz

Experienced Member
Joined
Jun 11, 2012
Messages
148
Location
MD near DC, USA
Not sure if this is the right forum for my post but I decided to put it here since it's related to a Tandy computer.

The other day I picked up 3 machines that someone threw away:
1. Tandy 1000 TL/3
2. HP Multimedia 6140S with Win98
3. Northgate Computer Systems box

All three machines boot up but since I only have a monitor and keyboard for #2, I can't go much further.

My question is this: is there such a thing as a monitor, preferably flat-panel that would have universal compatibility to various vintage machines? Since I come across different types of old hardware from time to time, I would be willing to invest in one if it exists and does not cost a fortune.

Thx!
 

Attachments

  • IMG_8319.jpg
    IMG_8319.jpg
    83.2 KB · Views: 4
  • IMG_8320.jpg
    IMG_8320.jpg
    85.2 KB · Views: 4
  • IMG_8321.jpg
    IMG_8321.jpg
    88.8 KB · Views: 4
  • IMG_8322.jpg
    IMG_8322.jpg
    89 KB · Views: 4
  • IMG_8324.jpg
    IMG_8324.jpg
    91.5 KB · Views: 4
some of the early nec multisync lcd's will handle oddball signals as well too, as long as they are analog rgb and close to vga timings

also maybe a LCD TV, I have a stupid cheap craig brand one that will display anything you toss at it (again analog no ttl video without conversion)
 
Dell 2001FP (20 inch LCD) will do analog 15khz RGB, VGA, DVI and will take composite video from your Tandy 1000. It won't do TTL RGBI from the Tandy directly, but you could build a simple converter to convert it to 15khz RGB, which the 2001FP will display.

15khz is out of spec, but there are many reports the monitor will display it.

Your Northgate system appears to use VGA as well. With a PS/2 to AT keyboard adapter, you should be able to use the keyboard you have on it.

The 1000TL/3 uses an oddball keyboard, it's an XT keyboard with a PS/2 connector. You'll probably need to pick up an AT/XT switchable keyboard, and possibly an AT to PS/2 adapter, if you can't find the original Tandy keyboard.

EDIT: You could just put an 8 bit VGA card in the 1000TL/3, and all three systems would use VGA. Also, the 1000TL/3 doesn't have composite video, from what I could see in pictures...
 
Last edited:
That's a great lead, thank you both. LCD is ok, it's just means I'll have to throw out more junk out of my basement to have space for it :)
 
HoJoPo said:
Dell 2001FP (20 inch LCD) will do analog 15khz RGB, VGA, DVI and will take composite video from your Tandy 1000. It won't do TTL RGBI from the Tandy directly, but you could build a simple converter to convert it to 15khz RGB, which the 2001FP will display.

15khz is out of spec, but there are many reports the monitor will display it.

Your Northgate system appears to use VGA as well. With a PS/2 to AT keyboard adapter, you should be able to use the keyboard you have on it.

The 1000TL/3 uses an oddball keyboard, it's an XT keyboard with a PS/2 connector. You'll probably need to pick up an AT/XT switchable keyboard, and possibly an AT to PS/2 adapter, if you can't find the original Tandy keyboard.

EDIT: You could just put an 8 bit VGA card in the 1000TL/3, and all three systems would use VGA. Also, the 1000TL/3 doesn't have composite video, from what I could see in pictures...
Click to expand...

Thx! The Northgate does have a VGA card + I have an AT keyboard for it.

Tandy has a 9-pin monitor connector (CGA?) so that the keyboards means this will be the toughest to crack
 
ilyaz said:
Thx! The Northgate does have a VGA card + I have an AT keyboard for it.

Tandy has a 9-pin monitor connector (CGA?) so that the keyboards means this will be the toughest to crack
Click to expand...

The Tandy does have one advantage... 16 color graphics for late 80's games. Quite a few games have better graphics(16 color CGA aka TGA) and sound on the Tandy, so getting a CGA monitor for it (or adapter) might be the best use of it.

However, if you just want a '286 system to work with, adding a VGA card to it would make it compatible with your existing monitor, all you'd need is a VGA switchbox to connect all three for ease of use.

You can always play the games that don't support VGA under DOSbox, as it will emulate Tandy graphics and sound.
 
HoJoPo said:
The Tandy does have one advantage... 16 color graphics for late 80's games. Quite a few games have better graphics(16 color CGA aka TGA) and sound on the Tandy, so getting a CGA monitor for it (or adapter) might be the best use of it.

However, if you just want a '286 system to work with, adding a VGA card to it would make it compatible with your existing monitor, all you'd need is a VGA switchbox to connect all three for ease of use.

You can always play the games that don't support VGA under DOSbox, as it will emulate Tandy graphics and sound.
Click to expand...

So the Northgate is a 386 system that boots but does not see the HDD which is probably fried. So not sure if I want to work on it or just take it apart. In the latter case... it has a VGA card. Any chance I can actually add it to the Tandy? But in this case I would need a floppy with a driver, right? Which I don't have of course.
 
ilyaz said:
So the Northgate is a 386 system that boots but does not see the HDD which is probably fried. So not sure if I want to work on it or just take it apart. In the latter case... it has a VGA card. Any chance I can actually add it to the Tandy? But in this case I would need a floppy with a driver, right? Which I don't have of course.
Click to expand...

Actually, the VGA card may be 8 bit compatible, some are 8/16 bit compatible cards. You might have to change a jumper on the card. No, you don't need a driver, the BIOS on the VGA card will initialize it for the system and allow it to work in DOS.

For the Northgate 386, it would be fairly easy to find an IDE controller if the existing hard drive isn't IDE, and then add an IDE to CF adapter or DOM (disk on module) for flash storage. So, if it's working, I wouldn't part it out. It may be worth some money to a collector, as Northgate was one of the big manufacturers back then...
 
HoJoPo said:
Dell 2001FP (20 inch LCD) will do analog 15khz RGB, VGA, DVI and will take composite video from your Tandy 1000. It won't do TTL RGBI from the Tandy directly, but you could build a simple converter to convert it to 15khz RGB, which the 2001FP will display.

15khz is out of spec, but there are many reports the monitor will display it.

Your Northgate system appears to use VGA as well. With a PS/2 to AT keyboard adapter, you should be able to use the keyboard you have on it.

The 1000TL/3 uses an oddball keyboard, it's an XT keyboard with a PS/2 connector. You'll probably need to pick up an AT/XT switchable keyboard, and possibly an AT to PS/2 adapter, if you can't find the original Tandy keyboard.

EDIT: You could just put an 8 bit VGA card in the 1000TL/3, and all three systems would use VGA. Also, the 1000TL/3 doesn't have composite video, from what I could see in pictures...
Click to expand...

There's an AT to XT project here on vcfed that lets you use an AT/PS2 keyboard with an XT computer; using a suitable series of pin adapters, you can use any modern PS2 keyboard on an XT machine.

I also picked up this: http://www.hagstromelectronics.com/products/ke18atxt.html

It works just fine, I'm using a Logitech K100 ps2 keyboard on my Tandy 1000 systems with it.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top