Re: Genuine Apple monitors for IIgs?

[Mitchell Spector <mitch2gs@hotmail.com>]

russotto@grace.speakeasy.net (Matthew Russotto) wrote:

>In article <AvATa.56059$EZ2.20503@nwrddc01.gnilink.net>,
>news.verizon.net <mpender@hotmail.com> wrote:
>>Does anyone know if the Apple Multiscan 17" monitor works with a IIgs?
>
>It will not.

    Off hand, from what I remember, the only RGB display produced by Apple
that worked with the Apple IIgs was the AppleColor RGB (A2M6014). You
could also connect up an Apple Monitor 100, from the Apple III era, but as
it was digital RGB you'd be limited to 16 colors (and they wouldn't even
properly correspond to any video mode).

>>I checked references at Apple's web site, but they don't indicate whether or
>>not it can scan down to 15.75 kHz.
>
>It can't, but even if it could, the //GS is interlaced.

    It is? I think you're mistaken. The IIgs produced only non-interlaced
(200 line vertical resolution) video output. The expection to this was if
you plugged in an Apple II Video Overlay Card, which supported a
320x400 and 640x400 interlaced video mode. The AppleColor RGB
actually has an interlaced mode NOT used by the standard Apple IIgs
video, it's capable of doing up to 640x400. It's hard on the eyes though.

    I have an old NEC MultiSync 3D, it works directly with the IIgs if you
use a VGA-to-Mac adapter. In NTSC-RGB mode you get visible 
scanlines but it's still much sharper than the AppleColor RGB. Overall
though I prefer the AppleColor RGB, it has much nicer color saturation
and it's higher dot-pitch that generally makes it less sharp, allows 640
mode dithered colors to appear more solid. I remember some of FTA
demos that did animation in the border area (X-MAS Demo?) threw
the NEC monitor out of sync temporarily. I'm able to use the monitor
in standard VGA mode too, since I have a Second Sight. :)

    I also have an old display from an Amiga 1000 which would work
too, but I'd first have to track down the proper cable. 

Mitchell Spector