Michael Black wrote:
On Tue, 4 Oct 2011, Michael J. Mahon wrote:I fear a lot of those NTSC monitors have disappeared by now. Occasionally I see something tossed that might be color (I say maybe because it's not a recongizable brand so it might be a monochrome monitor for security cameras), but the days when I found obvious color monitors lying on the sidewalk or at garage sales has passed. It makes sense, since the days of the computers that went with them have passed into history.IUnknown <stevementzer@gmail.com> wrote:On Oct 4, 3:03 pm, Steven Hirsch <snhir...@gmail.com> wrote:On 10/04/2011 09:06 AM, Leandro M Polimeno wrote:Some possibilites are :* Using a simple COMPOSITE -> VGA box, not so good image.* The same converter but with the "help" of:http://www.amigamaniac.com/RGB_to_PAL_NTSC_adapter.htmlUsing it with the S-VIDEO port, maybe the easier and cheap method if you dontneed/looking for an awesome image.Problem is, most converters have serious problems reproducing the Apple IIGS video signal. It's been discussed to death in this group over the years.I brought up the Highway/CYP unit because I _know_ from my experience andothers here that it works quite well. SteveThe only downside to the highway/cyp unit appears to be the cost..... on average around $180 USD. Ouch.Which is why trying to find an AppleColor RGB locally (Craig's list, Freecycle, Goodwill, etc.) is a good thing to try first. Anyone old enough to know how to fix an analog color TV can fix an AppleColor RGB.Replacement parts for certain unique parts (CRT, flyback transformer, etc.) can be an issue, which is why a couple of non-working "donor" monitors arehandy. Fifty years from now, when even VGA monitors are all dust, another solution will be a necessity, as opposed to a preference.I'm seeing a lot of tv sets being junked these days, presumably for LCD tv sets, and maybe because Canada finally went to DTV at the end of August. If I'd been in need of a monitor, I would have been watching those closely, to find one with video input.On the other hand, I've used a Commodore monitor since about 1997 as a "tv set", fed from a VCR. It's held up well. Oddly, I was using one before this one, and the on/off switch broke, and it just sits there. I have another one that I found with a broken on/off switch.So especially if someone is using a monitor in limited fashion with an old computer, I suspect the life span can be quite long, assuming it wasn't worn out before you get it.
Exactly.Occasional use is much better for old electronics than years of disuse followed by a sudden power on. That's tough on power supply caps.
If it's been years since a device was used, try wiring a 100W incandescent bulb in series with it and then turning it on for an hour or so. Oh, wait--100W bulbs are going away, too! ;-)
More seriously, essentially every equipment failure is the result of a single common part failing, which, when found and replaced, restores correct operation. If you like to use your vintage gear, learn enough
electronics to repair it--or lose it to the first failure. -michael NadaNet 3.1 for Apple II parallel computing! Home page: http://home.comcast.net/~mjmahon/ "The wastebasket is our most important design tool--and it's seriously underused."