Mediator PCI A1200

girv · 10 October 2004, 02:29

I'm considering damning the expense to hell and getting myself a Mediator PCI SX plus graphics card for my A1200 as the 700(ish)x550(ish) AGA display looks rubbish and hurts my eyes when displayed scandoubled on the PC monitor. Two concerns concern me however and hopefully a friendly EAB member with a Mediator in an A1200 can help

1) How stable is the setup? I've no time to be fighting with dodgy hardware or drivers.

2) Is there a device that will switch output from the gfx card to the native Amiga chipset when I want to run a game or whatever? A full on KVM seems overkill for this and it would be better if it switched automatically when the native output became "active".

Thanks!

blackcornflake · 10 October 2004, 03:58

1) I have found the hardware and software to be very well realised, and very stable in use. Not had any problems so far, anyway.

2) I don't know if they are still readily available, but Eyetech make/made a variety of video switchers along these lines. I don't know if any of their models feature automatic switching of screenmodes, though. Would be very cool if they did, but those that were on sale when I bought my Mediator all required button pushin. I think some up to date research might be called for.

girv · 10 October 2004, 19:47

Do you have a scandoubler / flickerfixer in your system then? If its an internal model, does the Mediator fit around it alright?

I do now recall Eyetech having something that might have switched automatically between the Amiga and gfx card outputs but it might have been specially built for the BVPPC cards.

A quick look on their website shows the following:

ADPT-VGA-UMON-K UMON universal kbd op'd mon sw gfx/SDFF
ADPT-VGA-UMON-M UMON universal man op'd mon sw gfx/SDFF

I guess these are manual switches.

blackcornflake · 10 October 2004, 20:02

Yeah, my A1200 has an internal sd/ff. No fitting issues - the Mediator leaves lots of room.

backtoskooldaze · 12 October 2004, 23:31

Hi,I have a full mediator setup mostly bought from power computing

I found the whole thing very easy to setup and when registering your mediator+spider usb card etc with elbox you then get updated drivers which then install over the the old drivers.
I use a monitor switch box so i can switch from aga output to voodoo 3000 it is very simple to use and really cheap to buy (ebay)

Monitor switch box works a treat

blackcornflake · 12 October 2004, 23:52

Ah, sorry girv - didn't initially respond about the Eyetech items you listed. Yes, as far as I am aware, user intervention is required by those units to switch modes. The keyboard controlled one sounds pretty cool, though.

backtoskooldaze: same setup here.

Methanoid · 13 October 2004, 09:43

I think U can route the native graphics into a TV card and set that to fill the screen and then play games (well WHDLoad ones anyway) fullscreen on the same monitor with no switches. I was gonna do that but sold my Amiga kit instead but there are people who did it on the Mediator Support mailing list...

blackcornflake · 13 October 2004, 14:33

Ah yes, of course.

As a PCI busboard, the Mediator supports TV cards (or at least those that Amiga drivers have been written for). This could be a very neat solution.

backtoskooldaze · 13 October 2004, 18:22

Hi Girv,I have tried the tv capture card option in the amiga but too be honest the picture quality is not that good oppose to running the AGA through the scandoubler.I used a program on the amiga called newscreens which was suppose to be able to use aga games etc.. through the voodoo graphics card.I managed to run games but i could only get a screen in the top left hand corner which did make the games look nice and crisp but i could not get a full screen??? So i gave up and stuck to the monitor switch box it was far easier and less hassle just a flick of the switch and i was cooking

Bamiga2002 · 13 October 2004, 23:18

Quote:

Originally Posted by girv

2) Is there a device that will switch output from the gfx card to the native Amiga chipset when I want to run a game or whatever? A full on KVM seems overkill for this and it would be better if it switched automatically when the native output became "active".

Thanks!

There seems to be one here, somewhat expensive though:

http://www.powerc.com/cgi-bin/psearc...id=4&act=gpage

backtoskooldaze · 17 October 2004, 13:31

I must stress get a monitor switch box off ebay they are sooooooo cheap

girv · 17 October 2004, 16:59

Does the TV card option work with games and suchlike that take over the machine?! Or do you mean for OS-friendly software that opens 15Khz screens?

10 October 2004, 02:29	#1
girv Mostly Harmless Join Date: Aug 2004 Location: Northern Ireland Posts: 1,109	Mediator PCI A1200 I'm considering damning the expense to hell and getting myself a Mediator PCI SX plus graphics card for my A1200 as the 700(ish)x550(ish) AGA display looks rubbish and hurts my eyes when displayed scandoubled on the PC monitor. Two concerns concern me however and hopefully a friendly EAB member with a Mediator in an A1200 can help 1) How stable is the setup? I've no time to be fighting with dodgy hardware or drivers. 2) Is there a device that will switch output from the gfx card to the native Amiga chipset when I want to run a game or whatever? A full on KVM seems overkill for this and it would be better if it switched automatically when the native output became "active". Thanks!

12 October 2004, 23:31	#5
backtoskooldaze Registered User Join Date: Mar 2002 Location: UK Posts: 103	mediator+switchable video ouput:) Hi,I have a full mediator setup mostly bought from power computing I found the whole thing very easy to setup and when registering your mediator+spider usb card etc with elbox you then get updated drivers which then install over the the old drivers. I use a monitor switch box so i can switch from aga output to voodoo 3000 it is very simple to use and really cheap to buy (ebay) Monitor switch box works a treat

13 October 2004, 18:22	#9
backtoskooldaze Registered User Join Date: Mar 2002 Location: UK Posts: 103	mediator+tv out Hi Girv,I have tried the tv capture card option in the amiga but too be honest the picture quality is not that good oppose to running the AGA through the scandoubler.I used a program on the amiga called newscreens which was suppose to be able to use aga games etc.. through the voodoo graphics card.I managed to run games but i could only get a screen in the top left hand corner which did make the games look nice and crisp but i could not get a full screen??? So i gave up and stuck to the monitor switch box it was far easier and less hassle just a flick of the switch and i was cooking

17 October 2004, 13:31	#11
backtoskooldaze Registered User Join Date: Mar 2002 Location: UK Posts: 103	mediator+switchable video ouput:) I must stress get a monitor switch box off ebay they are sooooooo cheap

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10 October 2004, 03:58	#2
blackcornflake Moderator Join Date: Feb 2002 Location: Cereal box Posts: 794	1) I have found the hardware and software to be very well realised, and very stable in use. Not had any problems so far, anyway. 2) I don't know if they are still readily available, but Eyetech make/made a variety of video switchers along these lines. I don't know if any of their models feature automatic switching of screenmodes, though. Would be very cool if they did, but those that were on sale when I bought my Mediator all required button pushin. I think some up to date research might be called for.

10 October 2004, 19:47	#3
girv Mostly Harmless Join Date: Aug 2004 Location: Northern Ireland Posts: 1,109	Do you have a scandoubler / flickerfixer in your system then? If its an internal model, does the Mediator fit around it alright? I do now recall Eyetech having something that might have switched automatically between the Amiga and gfx card outputs but it might have been specially built for the BVPPC cards. A quick look on their website shows the following: ADPT-VGA-UMON-K UMON universal kbd op'd mon sw gfx/SDFF ADPT-VGA-UMON-M UMON universal man op'd mon sw gfx/SDFF I guess these are manual switches.

10 October 2004, 20:02	#4
blackcornflake Moderator Join Date: Feb 2002 Location: Cereal box Posts: 794	Yeah, my A1200 has an internal sd/ff. No fitting issues - the Mediator leaves lots of room.

12 October 2004, 23:52	#6
blackcornflake Moderator Join Date: Feb 2002 Location: Cereal box Posts: 794	Ah, sorry girv - didn't initially respond about the Eyetech items you listed. Yes, as far as I am aware, user intervention is required by those units to switch modes. The keyboard controlled one sounds pretty cool, though. backtoskooldaze: same setup here.

13 October 2004, 09:43	#7
Methanoid Retired Quartex Sysop Join Date: Sep 2001 Location: Roman Verulamium Age: 58 Posts: 1,873	I think U can route the native graphics into a TV card and set that to fill the screen and then play games (well WHDLoad ones anyway) fullscreen on the same monitor with no switches. I was gonna do that but sold my Amiga kit instead but there are people who did it on the Mediator Support mailing list...

13 October 2004, 14:33	#8
blackcornflake Moderator Join Date: Feb 2002 Location: Cereal box Posts: 794	Ah yes, of course. As a PCI busboard, the Mediator supports TV cards (or at least those that Amiga drivers have been written for). This could be a very neat solution.

17 October 2004, 16:59	#12
girv Mostly Harmless Join Date: Aug 2004 Location: Northern Ireland Posts: 1,109	Does the TV card option work with games and suchlike that take over the machine?! Or do you mean for OS-friendly software that opens 15Khz screens?

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