Re: IIe Analog RGB - rare, unpopular, both?

[Warren Ernst <wernst@gmail.com>]

On Jan 28, 10:52 am, pitz <pitz.w...@gmail.com> wrote:
> I recently sold off my Apple IIe to someone who will probably use it
> more often than I would (since I use my IIgs more than the rest of my
> Apple II stuff).
>
> Included with what I sold is a Taxan RGB card.  There's not a lot of
> information I could find, but from what I gather, it is one of the few
> analog RGB cards for the Apple IIe.  There was a mention of Applied
> Engineering having two different ColorLink daughterboards (one analog
> RGB and one digital RGB) for their RamWorks card.  There is that
> document from Marco Orlandi that describes how to wire up the digital
> RGB card from Apple (Apple 80col/RGB card) to generate an analog RGB
> output.  And then there are the Taxan cards.  And the Second Sight
> cards.
>
> I've read that a lot of games were developed with the composite video
> output in mind, so using RGB is not a lot better.  I did try to run a
> program (II Write) a few weeks back and the difference was very
> evident.  I am not certain what resolution it used, but RGB output did
> not exhibit the ghosting effects evident in composite output, and the
> text in the menu bar was very sharp.
>
> Why hadn't Apple made an analog RGB card for the IIe, noting that they
> chose to have the IIgs generate analog RGB output from its video
> port?  Is there a difference in quality between digital and analog
> RGB?
>
> /Peter

I used a taxan RGB card in my //e for a few years at Beagle, and I
generally thought it was only "OK." It seems to be that //e monitors
are all something of a compromise, and RGB was no different, though
RGB was MUCH more expensive than the other options.

Though my memory is now fuzzy due to the mists of time, I seem to
recall that there were occasional ghosting effects with certain HiRes
cames with RGB. I think it was because certain games rather assumed
there would be color dithering going on via a conventional TV or
Composite monitor, and they created their sprites or shapes
accordingly. In other words, certain games just didn't "look right"
because the RGB made the colors "solids" rather than dithered. Why it
"looks right" on the GS's RGB monitor is beyond me.

Secondly, 80-column text was never quite a sharp on the RGB as it was
on a conventional green-screen. It certainly wasn't bad, but I was
using AppleWorks for like 8 hours a day back then, and at the end of
the day, my eyes hurt less on the green screen than the RGB monitor on
the //e.

Still, it was nice to have just one monitor rather than two when space
was tight in my dorm room, but I think I had the best of both worlds
when I had a green screen Monitor // as well as a TV-converter and a
long RCA cable for using the color TV when necessary: the "Correct"
colors and sharp 80-column text. This setup was also MUCH cheaper.

Finally, the Apple Color Composite Monitor //e was "good enough" for
most people: "correct" colors for games and "pretty good" 80-column
black and white text, and at a pretty good price that didn't also need
another card. I never had one or even saw one in action, so i can't
really comment on these impressions, however.

I think these things conspired to keep RGB unpopular with the //e
crowd.

-Warr