Well, I think everyone's tired of me plugging the Mysterious City of Cold, so some time I'll have to do some more cartoons.

Well, I've been using a 14" M1438S monitor for about eleven years now. It wasn't a particularly good monitor back then, but as a boy it was all I could afford. NOW, it's really showing its age.

Is there any way to connect a classic '060 A1200 to an up-to-date, much better monitor, or have all such hardware; scan doubler, flicker fixer etc., been discontinued, making them nearly impossible to get hold of? I really don't want something second hand!

Last edited by RoqueFort on 19-Mar-2009 at 11:33 AM.
Last edited by RoqueFort on 06-Dec-2008 at 05:49 PM.

_________________
SEX SUX

Sex doesn't prove to me that sex doesn't suck.

@RoqueFort

The new scandouber from Individual Computers is available and seems really good.

@fryguy

Indivision's scandoubler is a very good hardware, but you have to be lucky (according to your monitor brand, model etc) to have HighGFX on the Workbench.

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@fryguy

OK, will have to investigate that. Will see if it's internal, thus forcing me to open my A1200 tower. I haven't done that in about nine years, since I painted the side panels and installed the accelerator & such.

_________________
SEX SUX

Sex doesn't prove to me that sex doesn't suck.

@RoqueFort

There is nothing to afraid about. Just read the manual. It's easy. Many people said that had problems according how much power they have to give to push the Indivision into Lisa Chip. I hadn't this problem. When you will hear 2 clicks, you are ready to go.

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@Phantom

Erm, I've never heard of Lisa chip! I thought it was just Paula, Gary, Denise and Agnus/ FatAgnus!

I really DO have to investigate, BEFORE buying the hardware and the manual. Regarding "HighGfx," I don't really need that, as I never use a resolution higher than 640x512 (Hi-res laced.) I think any monitor compatible with IC's Scan Doubler should allow that!

_________________
SEX SUX

Sex doesn't prove to me that sex doesn't suck.

@RoqueFort

Lisa chip is the custom chip for the Amiga video output (RGB port). Anyway if you will gonna use only the standard Amiga resolutions, you will not have problem at all.

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@RoqueFort

For AGA Agnus was replaced by Alice und Denise by Lisa.

Link to the Indivision AGA 1200 for additional information:

http://amigakit.leamancomputing.com/catalog/product_info.php?products_id=821

Please contact us with any questions you have.

_________________
Amiga Kit Amiga Store
Links: www.amigakit.com | New Products | A600GS

@RoqueFort

Quote:

RoqueFort wrote: @Phantom Erm, I've never heard of Lisa chip! I thought it was just Paula, Gary, Denise and Agnus/ FatAgnus! I really DO have to investigate, BEFORE buying the hardware and the manual. Regarding "HighGfx," I don't really need that, as I never use a resolution higher than 640x512 (Hi-res laced.) I think any monitor compatible with IC's Scan Doubler should allow that!

How do you get 640x512 laced on your monitor without the flicker? I have the same monitor only rebadged Acorn

_________________
Founder of NWAG - North West Amiga Group

Night Operations

A1200 020/28MHz + 64Mb / 4Gb CF / OS 3.1.4.1 / 1438S
A500+ / 2Mb
A600

@amigakit

Quote:

amigakit wrote: Link to the Indivision AGA 1200 for additional information: http://amigakit.leamancomputing.com/catalog/product_info.php?products_id=821 Please contact us with any questions you have.

It says it produced high graphics but does it boost your chip RAM or will it eat more of it?
2Meg chip RAM never has been enough when you want your OS to look decent and run software. It's either one or the other

_________________
Founder of NWAG - North West Amiga Group

Night Operations

A1200 020/28MHz + 64Mb / 4Gb CF / OS 3.1.4.1 / 1438S
A500+ / 2Mb
A600

@RoqueFort

If you look at picture nos 9,36,37,66,69 and 71 taken at the MAG Bash you will see my classic Amiga which is fitted with an Indivision and displayed on a newish 19" TFT monitor.

The Indivison is well worth investing in, it's easy to fit and breathes life into your A1200. The AGA port it not needed as the Indivision, as well as high workbench resolution will also handle AGA which in the main applies to most games.

Hope this helps !!


EDIT

the shortcut to the photos is here:

http://picasaweb.google.com/skipp604/MAGBashNovember2008

Last edited by IanO on 04-Nov-2008 at 08:00 PM.

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Quote:

Phantom wrote: @RoqueFort Lisa chip is the custom chip for the Amiga video output (RGB port). Anyway if you will gonna use only the standard Amiga resolutions, you will not have problem at all.

My... shows how much I actually know about my beloved Miggy which I've stuck by through years of anti-Amiga stick and pro-PC propaganda.

Guess it's a little late to learn more, as some time I intend to leave it behind in favour of an AmigaOne, or a MiniMig which I know even less about.

_________________
SEX SUX

Sex doesn't prove to me that sex doesn't suck.

Quote:

Earthling wrote: @RoqueFort How do you get 640x512 laced on your monitor without the flicker?

Erm... I don't.

For years I've been staring at little pixels on a 14" screen, flickering up and down... can't be good for one's eyes.

At least the flicker is less noticeable on a TV... AFAIK the scandoubler doesn't affect the graphics produced from the composite video output (yellow phono socket) which I use to dump my Amiga-generated anims to video or recordable DVD. So, I can't really do anims in a higher resolution than 640x512.

However, to animate with a resolution much higher, like 1280x1024, then scale them down to 640x512 afterwards, would be a lot more convenient. It would be/ would HAVE BEEN easier to draw things like the pigeon in MCoC, which take up more than the whole screen, and would be quicker to do camera movements and zooms. This, on a larger monitor without having to squint and extensively use Dpaint's zoom tools, and without the terrible flickering making me sick, will be/ would have been so cool.

_________________
SEX SUX

Sex doesn't prove to me that sex doesn't suck.

Quote:

Earthling wrote: @amigakit It says it produced high graphics but does it boost your chip RAM or will it eat more of it? 2Meg chip RAM never has been enough when you want your OS to look decent and run software. It's either one or the other

The paltry 2 meg also causes great restrictions in the audio department, which I've mentioned a lot of times before, so yes, this is a concern.

_________________
SEX SUX

Sex doesn't prove to me that sex doesn't suck.

Quote:

amigakit wrote: Link to the Indivision AGA 1200 for additional information: http://amigakit.leamancomputing.com/catalog/product_info.php?products_id=821 Please contact us with any questions you have.

OK, have been investigating the Indivision from that link.

Need to make sure it's exactly what I want and will work, otherwise I'll get an earful, "I told you so- you've wasted your money," and it will give ammunition to Class A PC-Losers who hit me with anti-Amiga stick at every opportunity.

Had a look at the reviews on that linked page, and was a bit concerned with some of Charles Lane's comments...

"Take care with physical compatibility and some other add-ons.rn-Will not fit with a FastATA adapter without two pairs of rom-socket risers. Even then not enough room in a desktop - tower only."

Don't know/remember what a FastATA adapter is, so I don't think I have one. I do have Eyetech's Mk5 EZ-tower though, so if it's tower only, that's fine.

Another quote though...

"Will not fit with most keyboard adapters..."

Well, my A1200T has an A4000 keyboard plugged in, so I hope that's OK!

Finally...

"You'll need to work out a mounting solution for the VGA connector yourself - Cutting a hole in the rear trapdoor is probably the easiest option."
Wha?!? Cut a hole?!? This thing's supposed to be easy to install?

Please explain!

Now, one thing about classic Amigas which was always great, and damn near essential for me, is the fact that the video signal they give out is the same signal as a TV, VCR or in my case DVD recorder, so everything on the Amiga screen can be recorded directly to tape, or DVD RAM/-R for me.

The old A1000, the A1200 and the CD32 have composite video-out phono sockets in addition to the usual red and white audio phono sockets for sending sound to the monitor, or maybe separate speakers if you have them. the CD32 even has an S-VHS socket!

To to the above direct Amiga-to-VCR recoding above though, all other Amigas (inc. the A4000 and A500) need a special lead that plugs into the Amiga's video port at one end, and the SCART, or possibly phono sockets of the TV/VCR/DVD recorder at the other end. In this event, you can't see the Amiga graphics on your monitor and a TV at the same time.

So, with the indivision installed, can you still see the Amiga graphics on the VGA monitor, and a TV/VCR at the same time, or does the Indivision displace the A1200's video port AND the composite video-out socket?

_________________
SEX SUX

Sex doesn't prove to me that sex doesn't suck.

@RoqueFort

Let me just alay your fears on a number of issues:

Quote:

Take care with physical compatibility and some other add-ons.rn-Will not fit with a FastATA adapter without two pairs of rom-socket risers. Even then not enough room in a desktop - tower only." Don't know/remember what a FastATA adapter is, so I don't think I have one. I do have Eyetech's Mk5 EZ-tower though, so if it's tower only, that's fine.

Firstly you have a tower so the desktop issue does not apply. If you don't have a fast ATA interface then installation could not be simpler as the Indivision pushes onto Lisa

Quote:

"Will not fit with most keyboard adapters..."

Not true - I've got a D-Box with a PC Key keyboard adapter and have managed to use that and the Indivison without any modification.

Quote:

"You'll need to work out a mounting solution for the VGA connector yourself - Cutting a hole in the rear trapdoor is probably the easiest option."

Thsi would only apply to desktop installation on;y. The VGA plug is supplied with a bracket so in a tower installation could not be simpler.


Quote:

So, with the indivision installed, can you still see the Amiga graphics on the VGA monitor, and a TV/VCR at the same time, or does the Indivision displace the A1200's video port AND the composite video-out socket?

I don't know if the Indivison overrides those outputs however the qustion I would ask is why use them when the Indivison can display high resolution workbench modes as well as AGA modes.

When you started the thread you posed the question "classic A1200 and a modern monitor". So the answer is yes and the Indivision option aside you could also fit a Mediator and radeon graphics card however that will only take care of Workbench and you would need to also use the A1200 video report and would ceretainly cost a lot more.

The proof is those pictures taken of my system at the MAG bash and despite the transporting of the tower back and forth the Indivision remained firmly attached to Lisa.

It looks to me as those you are persuading yourself not to get an Indivision by quoting all the negatives (which are not proper negatives in my view). It's the best and most innovative add on for the A1200 for years and worth every penny.

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@IanO

The only problem with Indivision is that if you have an internal hard disk drive into your A1200, you have to put it somewhere else. Also if you want to discard the RF-Shield you can do, or else you have to cut it with a appropriate tool around the Indivision.

Almost forgot. You have to forget about the hard disk cradle.

Last edited by Phantom on 07-Nov-2008 at 05:30 PM.
Last edited by Phantom on 07-Nov-2008 at 05:29 PM.

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@Phantom

Yes I agree those potentially can be issues with a desktop installation however as Roquefort mentions he has a tower, and he started this thread, I've concentrated on the positives to answer the question he posed.

_________________

@Phantom

Quote:

Phantom wrote: @IanO The only problem with Indivision is that if you have an internal hard disk drive into your A1200, you have to put it somewhere else. Also if you want to discard the RF-Shield you can do, or else you have to cut it with a appropriate tool around the Indivision.

The other problem is the type of Lisa you have. CBM ones fit great. HP not so good and NEC even worse. I have a HP Lisa and had to mod my Inidvision by sanding the chip holder down to get it to grab properly.

Rgrds
tribz

Last edited by tribz on 07-Nov-2008 at 08:09 PM.