Any way to hook a stock 800XL up to an LCD monitor?

[bfollowell]

Is anyone aware of any way to use a newer LCD monitor for my 8-bit and 16-bit Atari systems? I guess I could pickup a cheap LCD television that has a composite input and use it as a monitor for my 8-bit but I already have an older Dell LCD monitor and would like to be able to use it for whichever of my systems I happen to be using as the moment, including my ST. Is anyone aware of any interfaces I could purchase or any interface projects I could find details of online and build myself?

Thanks to anyone with any information.

- Byron

[bbking67]

The difficulty with this is that many TV's misinterpret the Atari signal and you get a squished image or an image that is panned partially off-screen. Some TV's will work... certain older LF Flatron's seem to be most desirable.

 

Most of the TV's are 16:9 and the images are usually best in 4:3.

 

The next problem is that most new TV's have no S-video input, and a custom S-video cable is definitely the best way to output Atari signals. Easy to solder together a cable... if you have an XL, you'll need to do one of the S-video mods for the Atari as well. The 800XL composite out is pretty sad, so doing a video mod is highly recommended if you want decent video (composite or S-Video).

 

Personally I recommend using a computer monitor with a compatible upscaler.

 

For 8-bit Atari, there are video upscalers which can do the job.. but quality is variable. Of the units that work, some output very mediocre video and others to a good job. It all depends on expectations... the best device seems to be the XRGB2, which sells for a ton of $$$. I bought a used DVDO iScan and it works very well. i have a few other upscalers, but some don't work well with Atari and others are sub-par (pixel crawling and blurry images).

 

As for the ST, outputting the colour is more challenging. There are some bare boards (http://www.jammaboards.com/store/cga-ega-yuv-to-vga-arcade-hd-converter-pcb-gbs-8220-gbs-8220.html) that can be used to convert to VGA colour. This seems to be about the best option. The mono output can fairly easily be converted if that's all you need (http://atariage.com/forums/topic/170385-st-to-vga-monochrome-only-adapter/). You can probably find schematics for the mono-to-vga st adapter.

 

Good luck!

Edited May 4, 2014 by bbking67

[eeun]

I've got one of those $25US S-video to VGA converters, and it works great with my 8-bits (at least the ones that can output s-video).

 

The ST is a different kettle of fish, and you can see some of the longer threads here and Atari-forum looking for one perfect solution (there isn't one).

The Jamma boards are variable, and depending on the board you get, and depending on your ST, and possibly the phase of the moon, you might get good results or bad results.

There are $90 RGB to VGA converters on ebay that seem to get better results than the Jamma, but they're also considerably more expensive.

If you modify your ST for s-video output, then the $25 converter becomes a reasonable option.

[576XE]

I think that a REAL problem lays in that thing that modern devices have DIGITAL input !!!

 

If you obtain some multysync ANALOGOUS device you never see one problem there.

 

Your question need to be - HOW we can get near perfect image for our pets in ANY case?

And EVEN if we have DIGITAL devices.

 

You'll have NO answer.

Like about an another global question - Is Prolific good or bad?

 

Really I have good prolific but i know that thousands have bad.

Is it the answer?

 

You need your OWN experience.

And say a word about it. We all need that.

[ricortes]

I'm an odd mix of pragmatism and compulsive. I have a SONY HD200 receiver, ~$1000 new, hooked up to a LCD VGA monitor I bought for $8. I still have my old 1702 and it works great, just trying to limit my carbon footprint. Of course the SONY has a Power PC core driving it so it is probably a wash. Only RF in so it works with everything in fairly low quality. Direct TV is trying to eliminate all third party hardware manufacturers so these types of Sat receivers among others should be appearing around recycle and discount shops. Thing is I am trying to get some other Atari items like a 5200 and 2600 up, so it fits for now.

 

If you want to know some multipurpose LCD/computer VGA that take composite/s-video in, I have a couple of those too. You can eBay/thrift shop them or probably just find a suitable one that I haven't listed. The one that gets the most use from me is a Samsung SyncMaster 150MP. Another one is a Magnavox HDTV.

 

The picture quality is better then anything from the days when our Atari were new. They accept just about anything from VGA to RF. Both have built in stereo and remote control functions. The inputs are switchable so you can do stuff like have your computer on the VGA, 2600 on RF, and 800XL on composite, and satellite receiver on S-Video at the same time. I've even used mine as a mp3 player in a pinch. Very versatile for people like us to span 40 years of video standards.

[bfollowell]

Well, the older monitor I want to use is a Dell 2005FPW. It's a 20.1" widescreen that just happens to have just about every input conceivable, including composite and s-video. It will stretch an image to fit or, if I choose, which I would, it will display the image natively in pillarbox mode. I'm excited to give it a try. It may look like crap but I can't imagine it could look much worse than my old 800XL used to look on a real 1980s television set! If I can get it to working I may even lookup the s-video mod you guys were talking about. I'll Google it later. Do any of you have any good related links?

 

Now if I could just find some way to use the same monitor for my ST to display all three resolutions. Then I'd be in retro heaven!

 

- Byron

[+remowilliams]

I've got two dell 2408WFPs and they are great computer monitors. However despite the plethora of inputs they have anything less than VGA/component (i.e. composite, svideo) looks like complete ass on them due to their video processor/scaler.

 

Personally I recommend using a computer monitor with a compatible upscaler.

 

the best device seems to be the XRGB2, which sells for a ton of $$$.

 

This route finally dropped my dependence on CRTs. I use an XRGB mini which can handle the A8/ST (and just about every other retro system) fantastically, but as you mention it doesn't come cheap...

 

[RickR]

How about a TV tuner card for a PC. PC hooked up to monitor, Atari hooked up to TV tuner card. ATSC cards are very inexpensive.

[bbking67]

Yes I have a Dell 2408 and the extra inputs are crapola. xrgb is the way to go. I really like the iScan HD... very good, and often come up cheap on ebay, I paid less than $50! I'm not sure how good a TV tuner would work... probably terribly, but then i am pickier than some. It's all a matter of expectations. I use a Commodore 1702 and 1902 and I like the image quality, so I expect an LCD to come close. 99% of the time they don't.

[+David_P]

How about a TV tuner card for a PC. PC hooked up to monitor, Atari hooked up to TV tuner card. ATSC cards are very inexpensive.

There are USB NTSC tuners for under $10 on some sites; they aren't great, but usually they are good enough.

[bfollowell]

No, I would probably never consider using a tv tuner card. I mean, I've heard they work, some of them pretty well, but if I need to have a separate computer to act as a main component to hook my old computer up to a modern monitor, I'd probably just wind up using the excellent Atari800WinPlus emulator instead.

The xrgb sounds nice but a price of almost $400 is insane. I may get one someday but I doubt the boss would approve that purchase anytime soon, and I wouldn't blame her. I'll start saving my pennies now and maybe buy one in a year or two or look at lower priced but decent alternatives.

 

I'm still going to checkout my monitor. It's not that I don't believe it when you guys say how bad those inputs look but, I mean, can it really look that much worse than the 8-bits originally looked on an eighties era television set to begin with?! I guess the answer is probably, yes, yes it can, but I sort of need to see it for myself.

 

Thanks for the advice guys.

 

- Byron

[bfollowell]

I think I have my summer projects all lined up.

 

It would take a purchase of several items, a minor video mod to my 800XL and a cable build for my ST, but I think I've found a solution that, for about $200, will allow me to use the VGA input of my Dell LCD monitor, or any other LCD monitor I may purchase in the future, to display my 8-bit Atari as well as all three resolutions of my 16-bit Atari.

It sounds like a fun project. I may start sometime this summer. If I do, I'll make certain take plenty of photos and document my progress.

I've attached some of the links that I've been reading through. Now I just need to find a decent 800XL S-Video mod link.

Thanks again for all of the advice and discussion guys.

- Byron


http://www.best-electronics-ca.com/monadapt.htm
http://www.ambery.com/rgbcgatovgac.html
http://www.atarimania.com/faq-atari-400-800-xl-xe-what-video-display-devices-and-speakers-can-i-use-with-my-atari_17.html
http://www.avtoolbox.com/upconpage.shtml