What monitor for the Amiga?

[Lordie]

Im looking for a monitor that I can use to play my old Amiga A500, A600 and A1200 games on.

My question is: Having bought an Amiga RGB to SVGA connector cable (the monitor I tried to connect it to displays the image but it wraps itself around in a tube shabe) will a MicroVitec monitor display these old games correctly?

I was considering this:

http://www.microvitec.co.uk/products/14%20inch%20plastic%20case.htm

Or maybe one of these:

http://www.microvitec.co.uk/products/15%20inch%20tft%20monitor.htm


Or should I just get some kind of scan doubler thing?

[DDNI]

they start at £499 for a 14"...! They are made to order for industry....

[DDNI]

Buy an AMIGA to SCART lead and use your TV

[fc.studio]

On using a SVGA monitor with an Amiga RGB to VGA adapter+VGA cable you will have a large Workbench display but you will not be able to play games.
On using an Amiga RGB to Scart cable you will play games but Workbench screens stays at low 640x256 resolution (without flickering).

The best CRT monitor you can buy for Amiga are Microvitec 1438, Amiga M1438S (14") or Amiga M1538S (15"). All these monitors, branded Amiga too, were manufactured by Microvitec. Amiga branded monitors have stereo audio speakers included in their cases.
Unlike old 1081 or 1084 these monitors auto-sync from 14kHz to 40kHz and can display any Amiga resolution (AGA included) from PAL 640x256 (for games compatibility) to DBLPAL 640x512 (for bigger Workbench screen) + others.

Sometimes you can find them on e-bay surely at very cheaper prices than your industrial newer Microvitec.

[Lordie]

Thanks for the info so far! :)

Would one of these scan doublers be of any use for my old games?

Would the display from an Amiga -> Scart cable be that much worse than using an old amiga monitor or a scandoubler?

[fc.studio]

- Scandoubler allows you to connect to your Amiga the CRT VGA/SVGA monitor born for PC. Since they sync from about 30kHz the scandoubler doubles the 14kHz Amiga output to this value and therefore you can connect them without losing compatibility for games (requiring low-res PAL). Obviously, on this monitor, you can have higher resolution for Workbench.
Unfortunately, there are very rare LCD monitor that work with scandoubler.

- I think an M1438S has a better display than older 1084, 1081 and TV with Scart connection, but about TV probably it depends on its quality.

[Mick_AKA]

Cheap TFTs and VGA boxes are your friend ;)

[blade002]

Be sure though that if you get Scandoubler that it can handle Interlace modes if you wish to use that mode for Workbench. My Scan Doubler is great for low resolution screenmodes for games, but absolute SHIT for Interlace mode in Workbench.

[Hewitson]

they start at £499 for a 14"...! They are made to order for industry....
Wtf?? Apart from the fact that they are multisync what is so good about them?

[Charlie]

The whole 'how to get decent Amiga output these days' is something of a pain. There's lots of threads here @ the EAB about it - worth a search.

It's arguable that the Amiga & its games were made with CRT in mind so for ease it would be worth finding a multi-sync CRT that will scan down to the Amiga & also handle WB. (Amiga-branded monitors obviously - but how knackered will an old CRT be..?) Some TFT-TV's have been rumored to handle Amiga-outputs. (built-in scan-doubler + flicker-fixer)
Then again most of us already have monitor(s) - likely TFT. Room for yet another monitor..? It will be a BIG surprise if you have / can find a TFT that will scan low enough...
...So a v. expensive scan-doubler (flicker-fixer) will be needed...
...or some other method of connecting the two:
-Run the Amiga through your PC's TV card..? (depends on what your TV card can do)
-A VGA box from fleaBay..? (search the forum for good choices)
Amiga->S-Video..? (Zetr0 has been making some of these - ask nicely and he may add you to his growing list of orders)
-Get a GFX card for your miggy..? :rolleyes
-Use to TV-out on your Amiga..? :help
-The above mentioned options..?

They've all got pro's + cons with regard to quality, authenticity, price, flexibility - none 'perfect'.

Um, there's always emulation:
(Win)UAE - Amazing!
Amithlon - High-end Amiga.
X-Aimga - Authentic System.
Fellow - For low-end x86 box.

[DDNI]

Wtf?? Apart from the fact that they are multisync what is so good about them?

Nothing!
I spoke to Microvitec, and they told me that they are used as displays on manufacturing units costing upwards of £100k.
£499 is an insignificant part of the total unit cost.
Additionally, the monitors are only made to order, therefore the economy of scale demands a high price.

[Lordie]

I dont mind spending money on a scan doubler, if there isnt too much tweaking involved.

Emulation is alright but transferring all the adf images via serial cable I find quite tedious.

Btw I spoke to someone at Microvitec already, the price they quoted me for a new Desk-Scan 1402 was £850 plus shipping plus vat!!

[DDNI]

Hmmm it would seem that you sounded like you had more money to be extracted than when I phoned! :)

One fella (last year) at microvitec told me they had some old 1438s knocking about the place. I think they were asking £100 plus p&p.