Atari ST with VGA Monitor?

[koolmoecraig]

Is it possible to run a 1040st/1040ste with a modern VGA/LCD monitor? In color?

 

Thanks!

[ParanoidLittleMan]

Sure. Please use search - this is discussed zillion times here.

[MaDDuck]

Sure. Please use search - this is discussed zillion times here.

 

Think you can maybe recommend one?

The search pulled up mixed results. Monochrome seems easy, but low/med resolution should work fine with any composite to VGA/HDMI adapter.

[Android8675]

ST color output is in 15Khz so you need an older monitor that supports lower frequencies if you want to output straight to a VGA connector. The NEC Multisync 1970VX will do it, all you need is the Best Electronics ST->VGA cable. There's a Dell 20" LCD model that may also support 15Khz.

 

Here's a list of 15Khz monitors.

 

If you want to output to ANY vga monitor you need to find a scan doubler and make a special cable to convert the signal. There are TONs of threads here that cover lots of different ways to connect an ST to a modern monitor, but take it from someone who's been mucking around with this for a few years now, the SC1224 is a much simpler solution. Look for the JVC model. Otherwise it's wise if you read a bunch of different methods and figure out for yourself what you want to try to accomplish. Having a working knowledge of the ST video system will help you in the long run.

 

What PLM said still holds, search and read everything you come across. Exxos is a hardware wizard, he's got some cool mods that'll clean up a video signal once you get it connected to your monitor of choice.

[MaDDuck]

ST color output is in 15Khz so you need an older monitor that supports lower frequencies if you want to output straight to a VGA connector. The NEC Multisync 1970VX will do it, all you need is the Best Electronics ST->VGA cable. There's a Dell 20" LCD model that may also support 15Khz.

 

Here's a list of 15Khz monitors.

 

If you want to output to ANY vga monitor you need to find a scan doubler and make a special cable to convert the signal. There are TONs of threads here that cover lots of different ways to connect an ST to a modern monitor, but take it from someone who's been mucking around with this for a few years now, the SC1224 is a much simpler solution. Look for the JVC model. Otherwise it's wise if you read a bunch of different methods and figure out for yourself what you want to try to accomplish. Having a working knowledge of the ST video system will help you in the long run.

 

What PLM said still holds, search and read everything you come across. Exxos is a hardware wizard, he's got some cool mods that'll clean up a video signal once you get it connected to your monitor of choice.

 

 

Thanks a ton!!

I'll prob. go to SCART to my Framemeister, it should be able to handle atari's low/med resolutions fine, but I may have to run a second cable for high resolution

Edited August 22, 2016 by MaDDuck

[ataricrypt]

I bought the Benq BL702A monitor. It's great but I get weird vertical lines during loading or when doing something heavy, like a demo or game. Wishing I could find a 14" CRT if I'm honest, one of the Atari or Philips monitors. A vga (for colour) is good but a CRT would be better overall (imho.) Cool Novelties have a colour vga cable: http://coolnovelties.co.uk/coolnovelties/atari-st-video-cables/290-atari-st-to-vga-multi-sync-rgb-colour-monitor-cable.html and I would always recommend Exxos who Android8675 mentions. :-)

Steve

[MaDDuck]

I bought the Benq BL702A monitor. It's great but I get weird vertical lines during loading or when doing something heavy, like a demo or game. Wishing I could find a 14" CRT if I'm honest, one of the Atari or Philips monitors. A vga (for colour) is good but a CRT would be better overall (imho.) Cool Novelties have a colour vga cable: http://coolnovelties.co.uk/coolnovelties/atari-st-video-cables/290-atari-st-to-vga-multi-sync-rgb-colour-monitor-cable.html and I would always recommend Exxos who Android8675 mentions. :-)

Steve

 

Ahh....

But will the coolnovelties cabe allow you to switch between low/med and high resolution? If so how? Is there a key or something to hold down to force it to boot one way over the other?

[ataricrypt]

I believe there are switch boxes but I'm not so sure about what you ask tbh. Sorry.

I did buy two of their cables. The colour one I mentioned above and also a standard vga too, which does high res.

Thinking about it, it would be great to have a little switch or something to force the ST to reboot into high <> low res... hmm

[Android8675]

 

Ahh....

But will the coolnovelties cabe allow you to switch between low/med and high resolution? If so how? Is there a key or something to hold down to force it to boot one way over the other?

 

You want the Best Electronics VGA cable, it has a switch that lets you boot High or Low/Med, the wiring for the 2 different modes is slightly different and High mode has to ground a pin to tell the ST to boot in High mode.

 

I believe there are switch boxes but I'm not so sure about what you ask tbh. Sorry.

I did buy two of their cables. The colour one I mentioned above and also a standard vga too, which does high res.

Thinking about it, it would be great to have a little switch or something to force the ST to reboot into high <> low res... hmm

 

Wiring is different.

 

There are lots of pinout examples on google images search on how to make a cable for both High and Low/Med modes, I think I actually gathered the parts to make my own one time, there's a fair amount of resistors that help with signal quality and you need a 4PDT switch (12 contact switch) to switch between Color and B&W. You can do it, not terribly difficult. I just broke down a blew money on the Best Electronics cable though. (Bradly is close by, I just went and picked it up)

[MaDDuck]

 

You want the Best Electronics VGA cable, it has a switch that lets you boot High or Low/Med, the wiring for the 2 different modes is slightly different and High mode has to ground a pin to tell the ST to boot in High mode.

 

 

Wiring is different.

 

There are lots of pinout examples on google images search on how to make a cable for both High and Low/Med modes, I think I actually gathered the parts to make my own one time, there's a fair amount of resistors that help with signal quality and you need a 4PDT switch (12 contact switch) to switch between Color and B&W. You can do it, not terribly difficult. I just broke down a blew money on the Best Electronics cable though. (Bradly is close by, I just went and picked it up)

 

 

So the Best Electronics VGA cable it is then.

PERFECT

Thanks a million!

[Android8675]

 

 

So the Best Electronics VGA cable it is then.

PERFECT

Thanks a million!

 

Just to reiterate, the cable will only work in color with a monitor that can display 15Khz modes. Most monitors are capable of displaying High Mode, but Low/Med mode the 15Khz mode isn't widely supported anymore.

[pixelmischief]

In addition the options presented - and I know I am going to get my ass kicked for suggesting them - are a couple of devices that will "scan double" the ST video signal to VGA standard. Ambery sells the "15Khz RGB CGA to VGA RGBHV Converter Scaler" and Gonbes makes the GBS-8220. Both devices are much reviled, as you will see almost immediately from the number and variety of vitriolic responses my post invokes. For my part, however, bot provided reasonable service. The Ambery is turnkey with the Best VGA cable, but quite inferior to the Gonbes. The GBS-8220, however, requires a little bit of cable splicing and inline device soldering. I've tried everything you can imagine and the solutions rank, in my opinion, as follows:

1. XRGB Freimmeister. Simply the best. Excellent scan-doubling and upscaling. Scanlines. HDMI out. The whole nine. You'll pay.

 

2. NEC 1970VX with Best VGA Cable and SLG-1000 scanline generator. Absolutely gorgeous, but limited to the 19" of the monitor and you sometimes have to recenter the image when switching resolutions.

 

3. Gonbes-8220 with inline sync, Best VGA Cable and SLG-1000 scanline generator. Very nice and exportable to any monitor that will take a VGA signal. Some artifacts and blurring however; especially apparent at the desktop.

 

4. Ambery box with Best VGA cable, SLG-1000 scanline generator. The Ambery has visible interference in the video signal no matter what I do, but the scanlines help. Again, plug and play but mediocre.

 

5. Atari ST SCART cable into SCART-to-HDMI. It's OK when it works and convenient for being HDMI, but some video modes just will not convert; at least on my device.

 

6. Atari SC-1224 Monitor. Plug and play, gorgeous picture. But it's a postage stamp. An old postage stamp that will stop working eventually.

[MaDDuck]

I love my XRGB framemeister!!! It makes my SNES, AES, XE, C-128 and Amiga look absolutely perfect!

 

I have an F18 board installed in my TI-99/4A and a converter to go HDMI and it looks perfect.

 

I use an HD Retrovision component cable to keep my Sega Genesis system looking as close to perfect as possible

 

The pixels are so sharp, you could cut yourself.

 

I think the BEST ELECTRONICS cable should do it, I'll have it hooked unto a multi sync NEC Multisysnc 19 inch, 1990S for a perfect picture.

 

I have been "chasing the unicorn" to get the best picture possible. I demand perfection.

 

 

BTW, you NEVER catch the unicorn! It's a lifelong quest for the best picture possible.

Edited August 23, 2016 by MaDDuck

[MaDDuck]

Hmmmmm...

It would not allow me to edit my post directly above this!?

 

I wanted to correct the monitor that my ST will be hooked up to; it will not be the NEC, but I'll have her on my Dell UltraSharp 2001FP. It should look great in all 3 resolutions.

[OldSchoolRetroGamer]

Hmmmmm...

It would not allow me to edit my post directly above this!?

 

You have a limited time window for edits unless you are a subscriber I believe.

[MaDDuck]

 

You have a limited time window for edits unless you are a subscriber I believe.

 

I am subscribing to this thread. I have gotten a treasure trove of info from it and and damn right I'm following.

[Android8675]

 

I am subscribing to this thread. I have gotten a treasure trove of info from it and and damn right I'm following.

I think he means unless you give AtariAge money to support the site and get the Subscriber tag under your portrait.

[vizfizz]

 

1. XRGB Freimmeister. Simply the best. Excellent scan-doubling and upscaling. Scanlines. HDMI out. The whole nine. You'll pay.

 

Out of curiosity, how do you hook up to this device? I'm sure it doesn't have a round 13 pin din cable input... so do you use the Best Electronics cable to hook up the ST to this via VGA and then connect your display via another RGB or HDMI out?

 

I'm currently using the Best Electronics Multisync cable directly into and NEC 1970VX and it works pretty good for low resolution, but 640x200 med rez I have problems. Characters don't fully draw and text is difficult. Its usable, but strenuous.

 

Brian

Edited August 30, 2016 by vizfizz

[vizfizz]

Also...what do you think about this related product?

 

http://www.ebay.com/itm/131917988071?rmvSB=true

Micomsoft Radio Waves Newspaper Up Scan Converter Unit XRGB-3 DP3913418

[MaDDuck]

I just use RGB, 15Hz or s-video cables from the SNES, AES, XE, C-128 and Amiga going into the box. It's a bad case of cable spaghetti, but it works great!

You will have to dig a bit to get all of the correct cables to do it.

 

As for going ST into it, my suggestion would be to go RGB SCART out for low/med and direct VGA to HDMI for high resolution.

[pixelmischief]

 

Out of curiosity, how do you hook up to this device? I'm sure it doesn't have a round 13 pin din cable input... so do you use the Best Electronics cable to hook up the ST to this via VGA and then connect your display via another RGB or HDMI out?

 

I'm currently using the Best Electronics Multisync cable directly into and NEC 1970VX and it works pretty good for low resolution, but 640x200 med rez I have problems. Characters don't fully draw and text is difficult. Its usable, but strenuous.

 

Brian

 

Yeah, I use my Best cable.

[tjlazer]

I also have the Best cable with use on a NEC 1970VX LCD and low res looks pretty good after you fiddle with the controls on the monitor. But Hi Res looks terrible! Lots of interference and not sharp at all. When I switch from color to Hi Res I have to mess with the contrast and brightness to make it looks better, and still looks like garbage. Anyone else have this problem?

[vizfizz]

I also have the Best cable with use on a NEC 1970VX LCD and low res looks pretty good after you fiddle with the controls on the monitor. But Hi Res looks terrible! Lots of interference and not sharp at all. When I switch from color to Hi Res I have to mess with the contrast and brightness to make it looks better, and still looks like garbage. Anyone else have this problem?

 

I have a 1970NX and yes.. I have the same problem. Low rez looks great. Medium is ok but not something I'd want to stare at all day. High is awful. You're right in that you can improve the high rez image with a little fiddling of the controls.. but compared to the SM124... it sucks. Using a Best VGA cable too.

[cjameslv]

Just saw this http://www.ebay.com/itm/Atari-Monitor-Master-Tested-working-/272399941908 looks awesome but what kind of cords would you need to goto vga then?

[tjlazer]

That will not help you to go VGA, that is just a switch box to switch between the SC1224 and SC124 monitors without swapping the cables.

 

You just need to get the Best VGA cable, that is all you need. And if you want to use a color LCD you need one that does 15KHz.

Edited October 5, 2016 by tjlazer