LCD screens that work with the VGA out, DVI adapters, etc

Hey all

With much thanks to Rohan, I now have the VGA adapter installed in my MPC 3000.
(On that note, I'd also like thank Rohan for resurrecting an MPC that I had FUBAR'ed quite severely.. The man's MPC knowledge runs deep, but hey, most of you already know that).

I'm now in the market for an LCD panel that works with the MPC 3000, or any known alternatives people are using.

I know about the HP LCD people have had success with (i forget the model number, but it didnt seem to be readily available when i last checked a year or so ago) and the ASUS VW161/VW161D.

I've heard that some people have also had success in using VGA to DVI adapters.

Anything else anyone would care to add?

Cheers

Any LCD that supports sync on green will work.

thanks for your response... im a frequent visitor to your site, its an amazing resource, kudos!

not afraid to admit that i have no idea what "sync on green" is, and i havent seen that listed in the specs for any monitors ive looked at so far

if you have a minute would you be able to elaborate?

cheers

Arks wrote:not afraid to admit that i have no idea what "sync on green" is, and i havent seen that listed in the specs for any monitors ive looked at so far

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Component_video_sync

There is a list monitors here under "SoG tolerant"

http://forums.nekochan.net/viewtopic.php?t=8113

Sync on green monitor not necessary.

VGA output has seperate vertical and horizontal sync outputs.

I had posted up a link to a list of monitors that support sync on green, but the link is now dead... Sorry man...

b.read wrote:I had posted up a link to a list of monitors that support sync on green, but the link is now dead... Sorry man...

You do not need a sync on green monitor.

The IB-CRT option outputs a seperate vertical and horizontal sync signal, it does not output a sync on green signal.

There is no need for a list of monitors that support sync on green.

This rumour seems to have started from a question to an LCD supplier that doesn't know what they are talking about.

I've seen you post that before...got any links supporting that? There seems to be more people that believe otherwise...you know?

b.read wrote:I've seen you post that before...got any links supporting that? There seems to be more people that believe otherwise...you know?

Don't need any other links, I have looked closely at the two IB-CRT boards that I have, and the documentation that comes with them.

The boards output a seperate vertical and horizontal sync signal.

That means they are not sync on green.

Have a look at the link posted earlier in this thread...
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Component_video_sync

Separate sync
Uses separate wires for horizontal and vertical synchronization. When used in RGB (i.e. VGA) connections, five separate signals are sent (Red, Green, Blue, Horz. Sync, Vert. Sync).

Sync-on-green (SOG)
Combines composite sync with the green signal in RGB. Only three signals are sent (Red, Green with Sync, Blue). This synchronization system is used in - among other applications - many systems by Silicon Graphics and Sun Microsystems through a DB13W3 connector.

The IB-CRT interface sends 3 seperate signals, which are the green signal, the horizontal Sync, and the vertical sync. These are 3 signals out of the 'seperate sync' definition above. It does not send red and blue, out of the five seperate signals mentioned, as it only displays a green signal.

I have made a box to send that green signal being output from the IB-CRT board into the red and/or the blue input of the monitor, so that you can change the colour of the MPC display on the monitor. This box can disconnect the green signal from the monitor, and only send it to the red and/or the blue inputs of the monitor.

If it was sending a sync on green signal to a sync on green monitor, then it would not work when the green signal was disconnected from the green input to the monitor, and would not work when the green signal was being sent to the red and/or blue inputs instead of the green input of the monitor, but it does work, which means it is not sending a sync on green signal, and is using the seperate horizontal and vertical sync signals that the IB-CRT is outputting.

If you want to beleive some incorrect rumour that was started by a response from an OEM LCD screen supplier, that doesn't know what they are talking about, that is up to you.

Just because many others beleive it, that doesn't mean it is correct, because it is not.

no need to get grumpy...just trying to find out the real scoop...thanks for the vga lesson


So, why are so many people having a hard time finding a compatible monitor and what should they be looking for?

b.read wrote::lol: no need to get grumpy...just trying to find out the real scoop...thanks for the vga lesson


So, why are so many people having a hard time finding a compatible monitor and what should they be looking for?

Not getting grumpy, just trying to make the real situation understandable.

I think that the real problem is in finding a monitor that will sync to the particular frequencies of the signal that the IB-CRT board is outputing.

I bought a second hand Acer LCD from a regular computer fair/sale. I took along my MPC with me and went from stall to stall, asking sellers if I could plug it into their monitors and see which ones worked, then bought one that did work.

Here is the IB-CRT Operator's Manual...


You can see that it outputs the green signal on pin 2, pin 1 and 3 would normally be red and blue signals, but these are not used as it only displays a green image on the external screen rather than a colour image.

You can also see that it outputs seperate horizontal and vertical sync signals on pins 13 and 14.

If it was sync on green output, it would not have seperate sync signals on pins 13 and 14, the sync would be included in the green signal.

I think the real problem is finding monitors that will sync to the 31.468 kHz horizontal and 60 Hz vertical sync signals.

My Acer LCD screen actually reports that the signal is 29 kHz horizontal and 59 Hz vertical, in the info section of the onscreen menu. I would have to hook it up to an oscilliscope to get totally accurate measurements of what it is really putting out.

Pretty interesting stuff...whoever can figure out how to fashion their own would be able to sell quite a bit if the price were low enough...if that's even possible?