Re: monitor on IIgs

[supertimer@aol.com (Supertimer)]

"Bill Garber" <willy46pa@comcast.net> wrote:

>> Yes--the monitor is a Mac monitor, and is not capable of synchronizing
>> to the NTSC scanning frequency of Apple IIgs video.
>>
>> You need the monitor intended for the IIgs, or another analog RGB monitor
>> capable of 15kHz horizontal sync (there are a few, but they are all older
>> monitors).
>>
>> -michael
>
>GarberStreet is presently working on a sync doubling device,
>and we hope to be able to offer it at a very reasonable price.
>This device should enable us to use any VGA monitor capable
>of scanning at 31.5 kHz, at 640 x 480 resolution, maybe higher,
>but if your monitor can scan to 640 x 480 it should work. I know
>that there is the Cheese Video Box, but that one only does from
>composite video to VGA. We hope to have a prototype in the
>next couple months which will in fact connect directly to the video
>port on the IIgs and the cable on the VGA monitor. If anyone
>wishes to add any info that will help us in this endeavor, please
>feel free, but also please do it in a positive and professional
>manner. We are serious about this and negative input will only
>serve to cause a negative response.

This sounds like an excellent project.  I would suggest looking
at the Amiga scan doublers.  The Amiga used monitors which
synced on the same frequency, 15kHz, as the IIGS.  In fact,
those Amiga monitors could be used on the IIGS with a cable
that Alltech Electronics and others used to sell.

Scan doublers are common on the Amiga.

A IIGS version taking the Amiga's as a blueprint, should be
feasable.  It is just too bad Apple IIGS interests died out
before this happened and because Commodore and Apple
were once competitors, Amiga folks had no interest in the
IIGS.

I used to know someone at our local Apple II user group,
when it was still active, who was a television technician.
He could change the scan frequency of a Mac/VGA monitor
so that a IIGS can be connected directly.  Of course 99.9%
of IIGS users will not have this knowledge and indeed
should not attempt to open the monitor.  CRTs contain
lethal electricity which is stored even when the monitor
is unplugged.