Re: Using IIgs with VGA monitor - how to go?

["Glenn Jones" <rg.jones@rogers.com>]

"Michael J. Mahon" <mjmahon@aol.com> wrote in message
20030403151211.06747.00000008@mb-fu.aol.com">news:20030403151211.06747.00000008@mb-fu.aol.com...
> In article <b6hisl$5a4p8$1@ID-60882.news.dfncis.de>, "Volkmar Friauf"
> <vf@apple2.com> writes:
>
> >Hi everyone,
> >
> >recently, picture quality of my IIgs Color monitor is degrading rapidly,
so
> >I've been looking for an alternative. Since I have a fine VGA display for
> >my PC, I am looking for a way how to use that display with my IIgs
> >(possibly with a monitor switch so I easily switch between IIgs and PC).
> >
> >I have thought about trying a SecondSight VGA, but first they are not
easy
> >to come across ;) , and second, I believe that this wouldn't be a good
> >solution for long, because of possible crashes and incompatibilities.
>
> Indeed, as well as being nearly impossible to come by, and quite
> expensive ($300?) when found.
>
> >So what is there else? Google told me that I could either use a "V-Box",
> >and converte the IIgs' composite video output to VGA. Or, I could use a
> >scan rate converter to convert the 15.7kHz HSYNC analog RGB signal to
VGA's
> >minimum 31kHz.
> >
> >The composite way would be much easier and cheaper, since such a V-Box is
> >available for about US$50, and I could use it off the shelf. On the other
> >hand, I fear that the result might be a mushy picture. Is that true?
>
> Yes.  I have tried one of these (the "Video Cheese Box"--no kidding ;-)
> with poor results on anything but normal hi-res graphics (not text), and
> even with that restriction, the result is only fair.
>
> >A scan rate converter such as the X-RGB 2+ is promosing sharper pictures,
> >but for a much higher price: the X-RGB 2+ seems to go for about US$250,
> >*plus* I would have to rig up a proper DB15-RGB to Japanese SCART cable.
Is
> >it worth the hassle?
>
> It may be, if you must have VGA.  But you should not expect too much,
> since the currently available solutions do not properly resample the input
> video, with the result that pixel positions are unstable and often
"jaggy",
> and spatial aliasing of fine patterns occurs.  At this time, no one has
yet
> found an anti-aliasing converter, but, since most LCD displays need just
> such a converter for scaling non-native resolution inputs, I'm hopeful
that
> a solution will soon exist at a reasonable price.
>
> -michael
>
> Check out amazing quality 8-bit Apple sound on my
> Home page:  http://members.aol.com/MJMahon/


Michael, we couldn't *talk* you into designing one for us could we?


Glenn