Sharing a LCD monitor twixt Amiga & PC

Jherek Carnelia · 28 December 2001, 21:46

I would like to set up my old A1200 and, because space is limited, I want to share my LCD monitor with my Amiga. Whilst using 'serious' apps at DblPAL mode I believe that it is possible that the Amiga will send the correct frequencies to the PC monitor, however the 15Khz horizontal refresh rate of low res games will not work. I am thinking of doing this:

- get some kind of monitor sharing box for DblPAL modes
- taking the RF output into a TV Card on the PC for games

Has anyone tried such a setup?
Do such 'boxes' exist for monitor sharing?
What does the TV Card display look like?

Amiga1992 · 10 January 2002, 19:54

I recommend you to get a AV to VGA box. You connect the composite output of your A1200 to this box, and then you connect this to the monitor. It will display it perfectly, no need for double pal or whatever. of course, these boxs use to be poop, and the quality is not very good.

You have another option, which is great if you do not mind forking out a couple hundred buckaroos. Buy an XRGB2 box. This magic box will allow you to connect almost any device to your VGa monitor. It takes RGB, SVideo and composite outputs, and displays them on any PC monitor with great quality (and with emulated scanlines if you feel like it!).

This would be great because you could make a cable to connect the RGB output of your Amiga to the XRGB2, and then youll be getting a helluva display on your LCD monitor.

I'd say you buy one of these, you will never regret it

Besides you will be able to connect everything to the monitor (VCR, DVD, SNES, Genesis), thus saving lots of space!

Jherek Carnelia · 30 January 2002, 21:15

Thanks Akira - I had a look for the XRGB2 and I agree it is the ideal solution, however to spend 200 quid on a magic box to display the output from an A1200 I picked up for 10 quid seems to ruin the rosy glow I gained with the 'bargain price' I paid!

I was really looking for a cheaper solution...
I have seen some talk of scan doublers - if anyone has used one of these I would be grateful for an opinion on them (unless they are the AV to VGA adaptors that Akira mentions, in which case I already know that they're not much use

).

CodyJarrett · 30 January 2002, 22:06

Ah! A person from Portsmouth!

I remember my university years in dear old Pompey...

Miggy2TheMax · 31 January 2002, 06:15

Quote:

Originally posted by Jherek Carnelia
Thanks Akira - I had a look for the XRGB2 and I agree it is the ideal solution, however to spend 200 quid on a magic box to display the output from an A1200 I picked up for 10 quid seems to ruin the rosy glow I gained with the 'bargain price' I paid! I was really looking for a cheaper solution...
I have seen some talk of scan doublers - if anyone has used one of these I would be grateful for an opinion on them (unless they are the AV to VGA adaptors that Akira mentions, in which case I already know that they're not much use ).

I have a scan doubler/flicker fixer.. I bought one new not so long ago (2yrs ago). It got imported from Germany and the display quality I get is AWSOME .. Handles all sorts of resolutions from the 1200/500 .. great stuff... but .. one minor problem it set me back $100(US) so if you can get one cheap great! The games never looked sharper .. I was very impressed and pleased with the product.. hope that helps.

DrBong · 31 January 2002, 15:49

@ Jherek
I recommend using a scandoubler plus monitor switchbox if your only need is to play games in PAL. Get a flickerfixer instead if you think you will need to use the Amiga's productivity modes as well as PAL.
Unfortunately, prices of brand new scandoublers or flickerfixers aren't pretty, usually ranging from 40 UKP for scandoublers to 50-60 pounds for flickerfixers. Secondhand prices are much better, though. I bought an external flickerfixer off Amibench (www.amibench.com) a few months ago for 30UKP. If you're patient you should be able to find one there for that sort of price or perhaps cheaper. Otherwise you can post a wanted ad there.

kriz · 31 January 2002, 16:08

yeah, get a scandoubler (with or without flicker fixer). I have one (External one from Eyetech with flicker fixer) it works perfect and it displays all screenmodes on any pc monitor .. truly plug and play hardware

!

Jherek Carnelia · 31 January 2002, 20:33

Thanks for your help guys!

If anyone sees an external scan doubler for sale in uk/europe drop me an email please

external

poppe · 03 February 2002, 18:51

about the scandoubler/flickerfixer and monitor switch solution. i was in for this sollution too for a few months ago. i didn´t get that scandoubler couse all my money went away when i had to buy books for my university studies. but anyway, i was told back then that the monitor switch is a pretty bad idea if your into graphics and want a clean and sharp picture couse it sort of scrambles the output a little. is this true? hope anyone using a monitor switch can answer this couse i´m saving for that scandoubler right now and need to know if it´s best to get one used 15" vga monitor for the ami or a monitorswitch to use my pc 17" monitor...

also, does a monitorswitch allow you to switch between the pc and the amiga display when both computers are switched on?

and last, the amiga display from old games using standard pal. how good is this display on a 17" svga monitor? I´ve heard people complaining on the pixelsize and stuff and then turning back to there old tv och philips/commodore monitors instead just couse they liked the more "fuzzier" and unpixelated resolution on the standard amiga monitor better...

think that was all..

regards.

Miggy2TheMax · 03 February 2002, 22:35

Quote:

Originally posted by poppe
about the scandoubler/flickerfixer and monitor switch solution. i was in for this sollution too for a few months ago. i didn´t get that scandoubler couse all my money went away when i had to buy books for my university studies. but anyway, i was told back then that the monitor switch is a pretty bad idea if your into graphics and want a clean and sharp picture couse it sort of scrambles the output a little. is this true? hope anyone using a monitor switch can answer this couse i´m saving for that scandoubler right now and need to know if it´s best to get one used 15" vga monitor for the ami or a monitorswitch to use my pc 17" monitor...

also, does a monitorswitch allow you to switch between the pc and the amiga display when both computers are switched on?

and last, the amiga display from old games using standard pal. how good is this display on a 17" svga monitor? I´ve heard people complaining on the pixelsize and stuff and then turning back to there old tv och philips/commodore monitors instead just couse they liked the more "fuzzier" and unpixelated resolution on the standard amiga monitor better...

think that was all..

regards.

I dont know about loosing quality with monitor switches, as I've never used them.. but I'm contemplating getting one. As for playing games on a 17inch monitor,IMO its better, things come up brighter sharper.. pretty nice .. I like it very much, and feel that its better than a 1084s monitor. I'd be more concerned about the pixel effect on LCD monitors.. anyone using a miggy with an LCD monitor ?

15 February 2002, 02:51

i have a real a3000 [with toaster] i use with both a 1084s and a 17" VGA CRT [and a tv monitor for pgm out], i also emulate it on my pc with an 800x600 lcd, and there isn't much pixelation because the amiga runs at most 640x400 [highres, not overscanned, slightly more with overscan] anyway.

28 December 2001, 21:46	#1
Jherek Carnelia Dazed and Confused Join Date: Dec 2001 Location: portsmouth/uk Posts: 242	Sharing a LCD monitor twixt Amiga & PC I would like to set up my old A1200 and, because space is limited, I want to share my LCD monitor with my Amiga. Whilst using 'serious' apps at DblPAL mode I believe that it is possible that the Amiga will send the correct frequencies to the PC monitor, however the 15Khz horizontal refresh rate of low res games will not work. I am thinking of doing this: - get some kind of monitor sharing box for DblPAL modes - taking the RF output into a TV Card on the PC for games Has anyone tried such a setup? Do such 'boxes' exist for monitor sharing? What does the TV Card display look like?

03 February 2002, 18:51	#9
poppe Junior Member Join Date: Apr 2001 Location: Umeå Age: 46 Posts: 196	monitorswitch and scandoubler... about the scandoubler/flickerfixer and monitor switch solution. i was in for this sollution too for a few months ago. i didn´t get that scandoubler couse all my money went away when i had to buy books for my university studies. but anyway, i was told back then that the monitor switch is a pretty bad idea if your into graphics and want a clean and sharp picture couse it sort of scrambles the output a little. is this true? hope anyone using a monitor switch can answer this couse i´m saving for that scandoubler right now and need to know if it´s best to get one used 15" vga monitor for the ami or a monitorswitch to use my pc 17" monitor... also, does a monitorswitch allow you to switch between the pc and the amiga display when both computers are switched on? and last, the amiga display from old games using standard pal. how good is this display on a 17" svga monitor? I´ve heard people complaining on the pixelsize and stuff and then turning back to there old tv och philips/commodore monitors instead just couse they liked the more "fuzzier" and unpixelated resolution on the standard amiga monitor better... think that was all.. regards.

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10 January 2002, 19:54	#2
Amiga1992 Registered User Join Date: May 2001 Location: ? Posts: 19,645	I recommend you to get a AV to VGA box. You connect the composite output of your A1200 to this box, and then you connect this to the monitor. It will display it perfectly, no need for double pal or whatever. of course, these boxs use to be poop, and the quality is not very good. You have another option, which is great if you do not mind forking out a couple hundred buckaroos. Buy an XRGB2 box. This magic box will allow you to connect almost any device to your VGa monitor. It takes RGB, SVideo and composite outputs, and displays them on any PC monitor with great quality (and with emulated scanlines if you feel like it!). This would be great because you could make a cable to connect the RGB output of your Amiga to the XRGB2, and then youll be getting a helluva display on your LCD monitor. I'd say you buy one of these, you will never regret it Besides you will be able to connect everything to the monitor (VCR, DVD, SNES, Genesis), thus saving lots of space!

30 January 2002, 21:15	#3
Jherek Carnelia Dazed and Confused Join Date: Dec 2001 Location: portsmouth/uk Posts: 242	Thanks Akira - I had a look for the XRGB2 and I agree it is the ideal solution, however to spend 200 quid on a magic box to display the output from an A1200 I picked up for 10 quid seems to ruin the rosy glow I gained with the 'bargain price' I paid! I was really looking for a cheaper solution... I have seen some talk of scan doublers - if anyone has used one of these I would be grateful for an opinion on them (unless they are the AV to VGA adaptors that Akira mentions, in which case I already know that they're not much use ).

30 January 2002, 22:06	#4
CodyJarrett Global Moderator Join Date: Mar 2001 Location: UK Age: 46 Posts: 6,160	Ah! A person from Portsmouth! I remember my university years in dear old Pompey...

31 January 2002, 15:49	#6
DrBong HOL / AMR Team Member Join Date: Dec 2001 Location: Australia Posts: 2,632	@ Jherek I recommend using a scandoubler plus monitor switchbox if your only need is to play games in PAL. Get a flickerfixer instead if you think you will need to use the Amiga's productivity modes as well as PAL. Unfortunately, prices of brand new scandoublers or flickerfixers aren't pretty, usually ranging from 40 UKP for scandoublers to 50-60 pounds for flickerfixers. Secondhand prices are much better, though. I bought an external flickerfixer off Amibench (www.amibench.com) a few months ago for 30UKP. If you're patient you should be able to find one there for that sort of price or perhaps cheaper. Otherwise you can post a wanted ad there.

31 January 2002, 16:08	#7
kriz Junior Member Join Date: Sep 2001 Location: No(R)Way Age: 41 Posts: 3,200	yeah, get a scandoubler (with or without flicker fixer). I have one (External one from Eyetech with flicker fixer) it works perfect and it displays all screenmodes on any pc monitor .. truly plug and play hardware !

31 January 2002, 20:33	#8
Jherek Carnelia Dazed and Confused Join Date: Dec 2001 Location: portsmouth/uk Posts: 242	Thanks for your help guys! If anyone sees an external scan doubler for sale in uk/europe drop me an email please external

15 February 2002, 02:51	#11
tonsofpcs Posts: n/a	i have a real a3000 [with toaster] i use with both a 1084s and a 17" VGA CRT [and a tv monitor for pgm out], i also emulate it on my pc with an 800x600 lcd, and there isn't much pixelation because the amiga runs at most 640x400 [highres, not overscanned, slightly more with overscan] anyway.

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