LCD TVs that work on Amiga

[amigamaniac]

Hi All,

I want to compile a list of LCD TVs that work on Amiga to have on my website. If the LCD TV works with the composite output from the Amiga A600 or A1200, then it will work with my RGB adapters.

If anyone is using, or has used an LCD TV with their Amiga(s) successfully, please reply to this thread with the brand and model details

If such a list already exists, please direct me to it, but please reply to this thread anyway if your TV is not on that list (if one exists).

This will be very useful information for the Amiga community

Thanks!

[fitzsteve]

JVC LT-17E31BJE works with the composite output but picture is better via RGB Scart.

[alexh]

All LCDTV's will work with Amiga via RF, composite or (better) RGB SCART when in NTSC & PAL modes because the Amiga outputs a standard Television signal.

Some will look better than others due to different scaling chips. Some have a slight flicker.

Always look to get a 4:3 one rather than a 16:9 one if the Amiga will be its principle use.

[Cammy]

Unfortunately some LCD TVs flip out and blank the screen when a non-interlaced signal goes into them through S-Video, so they're useless for Amiga games. I've taken my CD32 down to the TV shop and tested it on a lot of them, and this was the case on a few models, but I didn't take note of which ones. The CD32 intro screen worked, being interlaced, but as soon as a game started the screens would go blank, sometimes flashing the graphics onscreen for a split second before going blank. I booted up Workbench and did tests with interlaced and non-interlaced PAL and NTSC screenmodes and got the same results.

Also, 16:9 TVs usually have controls for switching to 4:3 mode, as well as useful zooming modes that make Amiga games fill the screen, so there's no need to avoid them. It's just best to test your Amiga with it first, or make sure you can return it if it doesn't.

I currently use a borrowed 19" MXT LCD1904HDD through an RGB-S-Video Adapter and enjoy using for Workbench and games. I think I'll be giving it back soon if I end up keeping the 15.6" LCD TV I plan to buy on Monday. I made a demonstration of my Amiga running on the MXT LCD which you can view here - [ Show youtube player ]

[fitzsteve]

Originally Posted by Cammy

Also, 16:9 TVs usually have controls for switching to 4:3 mode, as well as useful zooming modes that make Amiga games fill the screen, so there's no need to avoid them. It's just best to test your Amiga with it first, or make sure you can return it if it doesn't.

Theres quite a few games that are almost widescreen and look great on the zoom! The Dizzy games's for example.

[Cammy]

And Super Street Fighter II: The New Challengers (with Cammy)

[alexh]

Originally Posted by Cammy

Unfortunately some LCD TVs flip out and blank the screen when a non-interlaced signal goes into them through S-Video, so they're useless for Amiga games.

I hear what you're saying but most Amiga's do not have S-Video output. LCDTV's are usually tested to work with video games consoles such as the PSOne which output non-interlaced signals.

I cannot say I have tried every LCDTV on the market but I have tried a good few and using RGB SCART (correctly wired) they have all worked for me. Just one or two have the flickering (I think they try to display non-interlaced pictures as interlaced, ignoring the field flag).

I realise that in Europe we are lucky to have SCART and US and Oz sometimes miss out.

Originally Posted by Cammy

Also, 16:9 TVs usually have controls for switching to 4:3 mode, as well as useful zooming modes that make Amiga games fill the screen, so there's no need to avoid them.

Surely there is? On a 17" 16:9 LCDTV, 4:3 mode is a big reduction in pixel area vs a 17" 4:3 LCDTV.

Originally Posted by Cammy

Theres quite a few games that are almost widescreen and look great on the zoom!

Won't zoom corrupt the aspect ratio giving the games an un-natural look?

I guess that is Stretch not Zoom?

But don't you loose the edges? Hmm maybe not. I guess if the game has black borders at the top and bottom in PAL 4:3 you are right, it probably looks good in Zoom on 16:9 TV. Hmmm there are quite a lot of PAL games like this I seem to remember... ok so you are probably right may it aint so bad

Originally Posted by Cammy

I've taken my CD32 down to the TV shop and tested it on a lot of them

Cammy gives some good advice about testing. If you are going to buy one. Ask if you can bring it back and exchange it for a different model or refund if it does not work with your equipment.

[stevsurv]

Originally Posted by alexh

I hear what you're saying but most Amiga's do not have S-Video output. LCDTV's are usually tested to work with video games consoles such as the PSOne which output non-interlaced signals.

I find this hard to believe. PSones are old and long dead.

[alexh]

Find it hard to believe but it will be true for a lot of companies.

A testing lab for Digital TV's in the UK used to have almost every VCR you can think of for output compatibility testing even though hardly anyone buys VCR's for close to half a decade. Tens of cassette operated cam-corders dating back to the 90's. Flavours of games consoles from PSOne via composite through to Xbox360 1080 component. Every DVD player/recorder chipset on the market dating back to the late 90's. Every digital camera chipset which had TV out. Tens of thousands of devices in total.

In my current company (External Hard drives) Win9x compatibility testing is still done on all new products and new drivers. Even though half the motherboards sold today do not have Win9x drivers. The lab has hundreds of computers with motherboards dating back to Intel BX and every time a new USB chip is released they all get tested with it.

A former colleague works for a company which makes enterprise level MPEG audio encoders for digital download servers and they still use the Diamond Rio MP3 player from the 90's as part of their compatibility testing!

It may seem old can dead but perhaps it just seems that way because you just don't have any experience of what kind of legacy testing goes into testing consumer level (especially video) equipment? Or maybe you do but it is for companies with a much looser testing policy?

[ck1200]

Originally Posted by Cammy

I currently use a borrowed 19" MXT LCD1904HDD through an RGB-S-Video Adapter and enjoy using for Workbench and games. I think I'll be giving it back soon if I end up keeping the 15.6" LCD TV I plan to buy on Monday. I made a demonstration of my Amiga running on the MXT LCD which you can view here - [ Show youtube player ]

Great little vid is that the amiga room then

[Gordon]

Samsung SyncMaster 940MW
got my 600 wunning on RGB scart and CD32 on SVIDEO

excellent for games

[stevsurv]

Originally Posted by alexh

Find it hard to believe but it will be true for a lot of companies.

A testing lab for Digital TV's in the UK used to have almost every VCR you can think of for output compatibility testing even though hardly anyone buys VCR's for close to half a decade. Tens of cassette operated cam-corders dating back to the 90's. Flavours of games consoles from PSOne via composite through to Xbox360 1080 component. Every DVD player/recorder chipset on the market dating back to the late 90's. Every digital camera chipset which had TV out. Tens of thousands of devices in total.

In my current company (External Hard drives) Win9x compatibility testing is still done on all new products and new drivers. Even though half the motherboards sold today do not have Win9x drivers. The lab has hundreds of computers with motherboards dating back to Intel BX and every time a new USB chip is released they all get tested with it.

A former colleague works for a company which makes enterprise level MPEG audio encoders for digital download servers and they still use the Diamond Rio MP3 player from the 90's as part of their compatibility testing!

It may seem old can dead but perhaps it just seems that way because you just don't have any experience of what kind of legacy testing goes into testing consumer level (especially video) equipment? Or maybe you do but it is for companies with a much looser testing policy?

Small company testing precedures perhaps. But manufacturers don't go backwards with testing their stuff via OLD outdated technology.

[alexh]

True, but manufacturers have testing labs which are decades old and they never throw test sources away.

Beko (the worlds largest TV manufacturer you've never heard of) had a PSOne in their test lab.

Testing is cheap, in-field firmware updates & product recalls are expensive.

[DDNI]

syncmaster 940mw
Supports VGA, DVI, SCART, AV, RF SVideo and Composite.

I connect my Amiga via SCART.
Only downside, is that it is widescreen. so if you want native size miggy screens, then you have to accept black sides...

[roy bates]

ok ive got three here:

MURPHY
model:TV26UK10D 26 inch

MURPHY
model:C3298F 32 inch

GOODMANS
model:LD2262D 22 inch

all are very cheap and work in compisite/rgb in pal/ntsc modes and have vga with sound
picture quality is great for such a cheap lcd.

[utri007]

I've Samsung 19" LCD-TV, I bought it used, it cost for me 55€

It has VGA, 2 SCARTs and Composite

Picture quality is perfect I'm sOOOO happy with it, hires modes are rock steady etc.

I've connected it 2 amigas and Commodore 64 through composite

[Photon]

I think for lists like these to be feasible, since there are so many models, of which so many models don't work or are bad or just accept composite and so on, we need a different approach.

There just aren't worthwhile odds for anyone to buy one out of the mainstream stores near him, or even in his country, and tips across countries are even less useful. :'(

My best tip is still to go to lots of TV stores and ask to connect an Amiga via SCART.

If the list is going to work I'd base it on one list for each country, and then allow only "pricerunner-like" sites and eBay links, and let people add models to a list if they want, but only allow for-real tip posts as non-dead purchase links to such sites. Ie. "I got this one here in a store in Svalbard in 2007, it works." is right out

I think someone could base a successful spare-time small company on just importing a good working TV suitable out of the Hong Kong catalogues, brand it as "Retro TV" for "retro consoles" and selling them worldwide.

[jman]

Originally Posted by Photon

My best tip is still to go to lots of TV stores and ask to connect an Amiga via SCART.

Not in my country, lol.

But I agree with what you mean.. I'm looking too for a small, "el-cheapo" branded LCD monitor/TV for my Amiga and such a reference would be useful.

[Photon]

Originally Posted by jman

Not in my country, lol.

I know a lot of stores might not let you do that, I wrote this to point out that TVs that work with Amigas are so rare that you can't "order" one - connecting an Amiga to it is the only way to know.

Maybe they would let you connect another PAL SCART console, like Playstation? The image you see would give an idea of what to expect with Amiga.

[Nipedley]

My Toshiba WLT66 26" LCDTV works great with my Amiga 1200 via composite.

The weirdest thing is, it won't properly with my Megadrive 1 (via RF or RGB Scart). RGB scart won't give a picture at all (blank screen), RF will give a picture but it will flicker up and down about 6 pixels about once a second. Good way to get a migraine.

Great news for the amiga, but I have to use an old 14" CRT for my Megadrive. Sad face