Period correct monitor for ][ and ][+

[RWallmow]

I am wondering what a period correct monitor for the ][ and ][+ would be?

I know most/many used TV sets, but were there any monitors that were popular? I know Amdek didn't come along till about 1978, so an early one would probably be correct for a ][+, but not an original ][.

My goal here is to be able to set up all my various Apple II's in period correct looking configurations (internal upgrades like CFFA's are fine by me, but I want them looking original), ultimately I might end up hunting down a mid 70's vintage 12" TV set for the ][ if I can't find an appropriate monitor, but I wanted some opinions on monitors first.

It's so much easier for my later apples, they all have a "matched" monitor for them, lol

 

[dorkbert]

I think the publicity photos used 9" Sanyo monitors. But I am incline to think any 9" monochrome monitor will do, as Apple did not start marketing monitors till Apple III (late in the life of II+)

 

[RWallmow]

I think the publicity photos used 9" Sanyo monitors

That's the kind of info I am looking for, I really have no idea who was even in the monitor business in the 1970s. Knowing Apple used Sanyo is a great start for me though, Thanks!

But I am incline to think any 9" monochrome monitor will do, as Apple did not start marketing monitors till Apple III (late in the life of II+)

Yeah, I know the Monitor /// was their first, I have toyed with getting one for my ][+, it would technically be correct since my ][+ is a later one, but I might still try to find myself an Amdek one, I always loved their monitors, lol.

 

[dorkbert]

That's the kind of info I am looking for, I really have no idea who was even in the monitor business in the 1970s. Knowing Apple used Sanyo is a great start for me though, Thanks!

I don't think Apple actually shipped that monitor with their system per se; their publicity photo used it and dealers bundles that monitor with systems. That monitor comes up on and off on fleaBay, though I think the sellers are on crack (asking price for monochrome monitor are over $100, which I think is nuts.)

 

[RWallmow]

I don't think Apple actually shipped that monitor with their system per se; their publicity photo used it and dealers bundles that monitor with systems. That monitor comes up on and off on fleaBay, though I think the sellers are on crack (asking price for monochrome monitor are over $100, which I think is nuts.)

Yeah, its hard to find any vintage monitors or TVs on eBay under $100, Amdek, Zenith, RCA, etc...

I am going to keep my eyes out at recycling centers and garage sales for TVs those are more likely to pop up than monitors.

 

[olePigeon]

I've been toying with the idea of buying a vintage broken monitor for really cheap, then replacing the tube with a composite LCD display from one of those cheapy LCD TV.

 

[HoJoPo]

I bought a Sanyo black and white security camera monitor for use on my Apple ][ system, model VM 4509 (manufactured in April, 1981, though they were made before then). It looks perfect next to a stack of two Disk ][ drives on top of my Apple ][.

Displays sharp text in 40 columns, decent monochrome graphics, and legible 80 column text as well.

 

[vwestlife]

Prior to the AppleColor IIe, the definitive color monitor for the Apple II series was the Amdek Color-I.

 

[RWallmow]

Prior to the AppleColor IIe, the definitive color monitor for the Apple II series was the Amdek Color-I.

View attachment 16044

Yeah, I do really like the Amdek for my ][+, that's how I am leaning, and they are out there and obtainable.

 

[RWallmow]

I bought a Sanyo black and white security camera monitor for use on my Apple ][ system, model VM 4509 (manufactured in April, 1981, though they were made before then). It looks perfect next to a stack of two Disk ][ drives on top of my Apple ][.

Displays sharp text in 40 columns, decent monochrome graphics, and legible 80 column text as well.

Yeah, I have seen a number of security monitors out there, I figured they would work well, just wasn't sure if that's what people were using back in the heyday of the ][.


I appreciate all the replys so far, got some models and brands to look for

 

[HoJoPo]

A mid-70's TV and a Sup'R'Mod would be very period correct... probably one of the most common configurations back in the day.

 

[RWallmow]

A mid-70's TV and a Sup'R'Mod would be very period correct... probably one of the most common configurations back in the day.

That or a modified TV with the RF section bypassed, I know that was common among the hardware hacking folks. I need to check my boxes of goodies, I believe I do have a Sup'R'Mod somewhere.

 

[qubitz]

After starting off thinking an old Sanyo VM-4209 or VM-4509 security monitor would be the right choice, I eventually realized you've got to have color. If you want old (ie 1978) I'd say go for an old Sony portable TV like the KV-9000U (you'll need the Sup'R'Mod), or if you want a bit newer I think Amdek is a great choice.

There's really no right or wrong here, just whatever suits your needs and preference.

 

[RWallmow]

Just updating my thread, I just found and won a working 1977 9" B&W CCTV Monitor off of ebay. Sounds like a perfect match for my ][ (which I still have yet to get, holidays have been too busy to schedule a pickup).

EDIT: This monitor has what looks to be a PL-259 connection, so I will have to build some kind of adapter cable to RCA. If it really is PL-259 I have some CB antenna cable I can hack an end off and crimp/solder on an RCA ;-)

 

[Corey986]

Ah so that was you... I was temped to bid on that but realized I have way too many monitors.

As for what is the "right" monitor. If you want color, a Sony trinitron KV9200 is perfect. It fits on top of the unit and can also let you put your disk drives next to it. I use a stand though because I don't want to scratch my rev 0. On my rev-0, I have a mfr date unit from late 1975, on my rev 4, I have a unit from 1977. They are really perfect size for the Apple II.

Some people argue that for a computer circa 1977 you should have a TV around 1970 because you wouldn't buy a new TV for your computer. But I think that when you spent almost 2,000 dollars back then on a machine with RAM which was about 1/3 the price of a new car, you might spend a few bucks to buy a new TV that fits on top and can show off color which was a major novelty back in 1977 and people may not have had a spare color TV other than the one in their living room.

However if you are talking B/W tv, on one of my sol-20, I use a late 1960's Sony TV that was factory modified for a VTR, so it has video inputs. I figure with B/W computer people did use what ever was around.

Cheers,
Corey

 

[RWallmow]

Ah so that was you... I was temped to bid on that but realized I have way too many monitors.

I dont really have an abundance of monitors yet, so I figured I would go for it ;-)

As for what is the "right" monitor. If you want color, a Sony trinitron KV9200 is perfect. It fits on top of the unit and can also let you put your disk drives next to it. I use a stand though because I don't want to scratch my rev 0. On my rev-0, I have a mfr date unit from late 1975, on my rev 4, I have a unit from 1977. They are really perfect size for the Apple II.

Some people argue that for a computer circa 1977 you should have a TV around 1970 because you wouldn't buy a new TV for your computer. But I think that when you spent almost 2,000 dollars back then on a machine with RAM which was about 1/3 the price of a new car, you might spend a few bucks to buy a new TV that fits on top and can show off color which was a major novelty back in 1977 and people may not have had a spare color TV other than the one in their living room.

I was going for more of whats typical in a business setting, I am guessing most businesses who bought ]['s would have gone with an expensive monochrome monitor for the sharper text. For a home user, though I have to agree wholeheartedly, they would have wanted color to show off the games, a small Sony color would be a good choice.

I still don't even know what REV my ][ is yet, nor the MGF date, I haven't seen it in the flesh, just some exterior photos, and its case serial number (17xxx). Fingers crossed now that the holidays are past, I can meet with the current "caretaker" to setup a pickup very soon

 

[vwestlife]

However if you are talking B/W tv, on one of my sol-20, I use a late 1960's Sony TV that was factory modified for a VTR, so it has video inputs. I figure with B/W computer people did use what ever was around.

You could also get a 1969 commercial-grade Packard Bell color TV with composite video inputs and outputs:

The small monochrome security monitors were popular with the Apple II because that way, the computer store could sell you a complete system -- and it helped make the II look more like a real business computer, and less like a video game console. (1977-1978 was the first video game crash, in which everyone got tired of the endless Pong clones that had flooded the market in the '70s, so microcomputer manufacturers were trying hard to differentiate their products from video games at the time.)

 

[RWallmow]

You could also get a 1969 commercial-grade Packard Bell color TV with composite video inputs and outputs:

That is so cool, I had no idea that there were any televisions prior to the 70's with composite inputs, if I ever found a television like that I would have to build it into my living room like it was meant to be ;-)

 

[billdeg]

1969 Sony Trinitron Color.

 

[dfwJim]

I was 9 in 1979 when my dad bought our Apple ][+. No disk drive at first, and I think 16k RAM. I had forgotten about the Sup'R'Mod, but yeah that's what we had, and some sort of switch box on the back of a 13" or so old Panasonic color TV. Actually I think we might have still had a black&white TV about the same size at the time and switched it out depending on whether it was more important to have color on the computer or watch color TV elsewhere in the house.

Later got a Disk II, gradually upped to 48k RAM and another Disk II.

I don't recall when dad bought the //e (or what happened to the ][+...possibly trade-in or sold), but it was apparently a package deal with the duo drive and the monochrome 80-col green monitor. Somewhere along the way he or I picked up an Amdek color monitor--used or new I don't recall--as pictured earlier. That and the monochrome were always at the Apple //e after that, and I switched depending on whether I was gaming or being productive.

But yeah, we had a main console TV, a "portable" small color TV and a leftover black & white TV, and the old TVs were relegated to monitor duty rather than buying a dedicated monitor. I had another friend or two with Apples, and I think the repurposed TV was the monitor of choice for them, too. My dad was self-described as introducing computers to his company, but from what I can recall the work Apple was more or less unique, and as his office actually starting using computers it was either mainframe terminals or IBM PCs with their standard monochrome MDAs. I don't know if there was a "period monitor" for Apple ][+'s.