Re: What is this Amdek card??

[Chiral <escanfail@gmail.com>]

On Jun 17, 7:05 am, Sterling <sterl...@ilc.net> wrote:
> On Jun 16, 6:35 pm, Chiral <escanf...@gmail.com> wrote:
>
>
>
> > On Jun 5, 2:13 pm, Knut <kr-l...@nogarbage.online.no> wrote:
>
> > > pitz wrote:
> > > > On Jun 4, 1:17 pm, Knut <kr-l...@nogarbage.online.no> wrote:
> > > >> That card looks simpler than my card, which is made by Apple. My card
> > > >> doesn't have the 10 pin header, only the 16 pin header, and only two
> > > >> switches in the dip-switch. The jumper puts 5V on one pin in the 16 pin
> > > >> header on my card. There is a 15pin flatcable that goes from the 16 pin
> > > >> header to a female 15 pin D type connector. (To use it with the CGA
> > > >> monitor I needed to regenerate a vsync and to invert the sync signalshttp://home.online.no/~kr-lund/A2E-CGA.htm).
>
> > > > That Apple RGB card, coupled with the Video7 Mappler adapter (which
> > > > probably has the same function as the circuit you have) outputs great
> > > > to a CGA monitor.  The Video7 Color Enhancer for the IIc likely has a
> > > > similar mechanism inside (but different pin connections at the 15-pin
> > > > D connector), because it generates the same image on the CGA monitor.
>
> > > >http://picasaweb.google.com/simplepractices/Posts#5343584224512999154
> > > >http://picasaweb.google.com/simplepractices/Posts#5343584230712843682
> > > >http://picasaweb.google.com/simplepractices/Posts#5343584230011130466
> > > >http://picasaweb.google.com/simplepractices/Posts#5343584230983369666
>
> > > I also created a circuit to jumble around the CGA colors to the best fit
> > > for the apple rather than the straight (using one GAL22V10).
>
> > > It is very nice but I think I will swap to either use one of the
> > > taxan/kaga monitors or to use a card that has VGA/multisync output
> > > instead of the RGB card.
>
> > > That RGB card doesn't represent all colors correctly (with NTSC as a
> > > reference) and sometimes colors text screens badly. There is a switch to
> > > write to to fix the textscreens, a poke which can be done before
> > > starting a program. If I'm correctly informed Video7 designed that card,
> > > there is also a '(c)1984 Video7' on the card as well as the Apple text.
>
> > > I was not satisfied with 80col using NTSC and didn't like to use a b&w
> > > monitor for games so I got the RGB card with which both works. I had
> > > actually realized beforehand that I would have trouble getting a
> > > suitable monitor because of the timing. I had hoped I could get
> > > something working and the CGA monitor became the solution.
>
> > > BTW
>
> > > to the original poster the pinning for that taxan/kaga plug would be
> > > 1 open 2 red 3 green 4 blue 5 ground 6 ground 7 hsync/csync 8 vsync
> > > 1 is the upper one of the two that are a little separate as seen on the
> > > monitor with 1 and 5 to the right. 5 is below 1. Like this
> > > 4 3 2  1
> > > 8 7 6  5
> > > and it is used with analog RGB, mode II.
>
> > > When I now looked at the docs I had, again, I see that I need to use
> > > mode I for my RGB card as the signals are TTL and there is an intensity
> > > signal and the negativ composite sync... and as this mode uses the DIN
> > > plug so I can make another cable. I'll try that now. I can even use the
> > > color swapper I made for the CGA monitor, I think. :-)
>
> > > Knut
>
> > Here's the story on the jumpers. When I was 8 (i have one of these
> > cards) the red jumper came off and no one knew where to put it.
> > Eventually, I got ahold of some wise fellow at amdek (this was 1992 -
> > 1993) and he found the proper connections for me. I have remembered
> > ever since (and i still use my //e anyways).
> > The red jumper goes on the left leg of R7. The blue jumper goes on the
> > right leg of R34.- Hide quoted text -
>
> > - Show quoted text -
>
> Nice Chiral, thanks!
>
> I totally relate to that story and will record the information with
> the card.
>
> Now I just need to find a monitor somewhere that I can use with the
> card...
>
> The Apple Color II seems impossible to find now days, not to mention
> whatever monitor this special cable goes to.
> But some think a regular CGA monitor would work from the D9 on the
> back.
> What monitor did you drive with your Amdek card?

I have an Amdek Color II Plus. Made in July of 1983 (I was -5 months
old :-P )
As far as I know, these monitors are hard to find. For a while I was
looking for one as a spare, but I've never seen one. Even in 1992 it
was very hard to get any information. A shoutout is deserved to
"Ruben", the Amdek engineer who, after 3 months, found the correct
jumper positions written, effectively, on a napkin.

We may be the only two people who know this information.