Re: Apple RGB monitor

[spec@vax2.concordia.ca (Mitchell Spector)]

In article shack@onyx.southwind.net (Randy Shackelford) writes...

>Mitchell Spector (spec@vax2.concordia.ca) wrote:
>:     There is a rare exception, if you have the 'High Resolution
>: Display Video Card' (Apple part no. 820-0185) it will connect
>: directly to the monitor and adjust its frequency to match. This
>: card works only in NuBus slotted Macintoshes, so that leaves you
>: with support for mostly the Macintosh II line. Even so, I would
> 
>Actually there are plenty of Quadras, Performas, and early Pmacs using
>nubus too. 

    I wasn't aware there were PowerMacs with Nubus slots, I suppose
it's similar to how most Pentiums still have ISA slot support. Have
you tested the card in some of the more recent machines? It should
work, unless there are minor incompatibilites (the card is a decade
old).

>The card is the normal Apple 8 bit video card and wouldn't
>be overly rare I would think.

    I meant rare in terms of a setup. I don't imagine there are 
many Macintosh people using a first generation 8-bit video card
with an AppleColor RGB (IIgs) monitor. :)

>: cause eye strain in a few short minutes or less. 3) The maximum
>: resolution it supports, in interlace, is 640x400. Most Macs use
>: a slightly higher vertical resolution, meaning part of the image
>: will get chopped off. 4) The maximum refresh rate supported is
> 
>You sure about that? Normally Macs can determine the resolution of their
>displays via sense codes. 

    Well, I spoke to a few people who've tried it. They mentioned 
that the top and bottom of the display were chopped. It should be
able to support a 512x384 resolution though, might just require a
proper configuration (again, as the first video card Apple made,
it's possible auto-configuration was not one of its features).

>:     Bottom line--unless you have a NuBus slotted Macintosh and
>: that above video card (and don't mind if your display is blurry,
>: partly cut and potentially causes eye-strain and headaces) then
>: your better off finding a modern display, or at least one made
>: for the Macintosh. :-) You can use a PC SVGA display, with a
>: small and fairly inexpensive (sometimes free) video adapter as
>: well, which gives you a wider option for picking monitors.
> 
>I got a secondhand NTSC nubus card which I use in my IIx. That's a bit
>blurry on a composite color monitor but usable. You could use a less than
>optimal display for some things such as running a file server.

    Yep, I agree. In fact I suggested in the past if you need an 
emergency monitor or something to run some diagnostics on, it would
be usable for that kind of task. A file server is another idea, or
anything else where you just briefly need to check a read-out on
the screen. I have enough trouble these days just looking at the
screen on my Apple IIgs (it looks great for playing SuperNintendo
games though ;-).

Mitchell Spector
spec@vax2.concordia.ca