AV to VGA adapter..

desiv

work in progress...
Joined
Oct 7, 2009
Posts
902
Country
USA
Region
Salem Oregon
OK, here's the early results on my VT-521 adapter I got. While not a flicker fixer, it does allow me to run my Amiga 500 (NTSC) on my VGA monitor.
Currently, I'm using composite output from my A520 adapter, and it's acceptable.
I assume with the s-video mod I'm thinking of doing to the A520, it would be even sharper, but I think it already looks a bit clearer than it did on my LCD TV I was using. (Probably do to scaling or ??)

First that that caught me off guard, it came with an adapter with a 220V plug. I found an adapter that was close enough, but wasn't comfortable with that. So I opened up the wallwart plug (just 2 screws, not glue!!) and hooked up a regular plug to it, so now I am using the correct plug. (For some stupid reason, I didn't unravel the wire until after I did this and realized the plug was actually pretty short, maybe 2'. I could have used a much longer wire on my plug wire I added (probably will go back and do that still) and I should have checked first, but it works..)

I took a picture, but I have to find a place to upload it to. We are moving and my webspace is closed on my old provider and not up on my new one..

Basically, it has 3 inputs. VGA, composite, and s-video.
The device comes with a VGA cable, composite cable, and an s-video cable. It also has an RCA to BNC adapter for using if your composite video source is BNC. (Not an adapter I ever had, so kual, although I doubt I will ever need it..)

Basically, I plugged it in and it worked. There is a button for source, and it toggles between the 3 inputs.
You also have full control of brightness, contrast, saturation, and hue (and a reset to default). Brightness was pretty low by default, so I upped it...

It also has a "Freeze" function that I haven't tried..

As I mentioned, I could get PAL to work, but my I had to toggle off and back to the composite input to get it to recognize that it had flipped to PAL (I used a game that let me left-click to choose PAL on the bootloader and the picture kept rolling until I reselcted the input) and my PAL is monochrome. No color.. Not sure if that's the device or the NTSC Amiga doing PAL or the A520 trying to do PAL....

Oh, almost forgot (OK, I did and I'm editing this in)
It also lets you select your output resolution.
Resolution: 800*600(60Hz), 1024*768(60Hz) and 1280*1024(60Hz)

I didn't notice much difference on my CRT (I did see some scrolling sparklies on 1280, but that could be the included cheaper vga cable or ??). I assume it would be useful if you were using an LCD and trying to match the LCDs resolution...

So far, it's an intriguing little device, and if it lasts should be useful for hooking my old computers/games to my VGA monitors...

desiv
 
Re: AV to VGA adapter..

Thanks for the information Desiv! I'd be very interested to see some pictures.

Take care,

Heather
 
Re: AV to VGA adapter..

OK, this probably won't work (I usually avoid all social networking sites of any kind, so I just setup this photobucket thing..) and it's not a great shot, but it's a start:

av-vga_1.jpg


OK, we'll see if this worked...

Hey, it worked! (2nd attempt, but still! :) )

desiv
 
Re: AV to VGA adapter..

That actually looks quite readable. Good job!
(y)
Heather
 
Re: AV to VGA adapter..

Broke and fixed my link (moved it to a new "album" and that broke it.. :) but I fixed it.).

Yeah, for composite, I was impressed.

I'm still planning on trying an S-Video mod on my A520 and see how S-Video works.
I can test the quality with my 3D0, it has both, and see what that looks like.

I'm thinking the s-video mod might still be monochrome on PAL, since the A520 is PAL/NTSC specific, but I'm not sure about that. We'll see. Not that PAL color is critical, but would be nice. :)

My guess is that the VGA "in" is just a pasthru, but I doubt it will hurt it to try. So at some time, I'll gut a DB25 and try it. (Since DB23's aren't as common.. :) ).

desiv
 
Re: AV to VGA adapter..

Didn't do too much tonight..
Moved the computer and stuff around. I don't see the sparklies at 1280 anymore, so it was probably a cable too close to something. But it doesn't look any different to me than 800 or 1024.

My only concern so far is that after about 30-45 minutes, the adapter felt pretty warm.
Maybe it's designed to run warm, but I'm not sure..

I might open it up and see if I can do something to keep it cooler....

desiv
 
OK, now new pics.. BUT.. I finally got my RGB-SVideo adapter from Amigamaniac!

Yeay! That's a great piece of hardware for a super price!!!

Anyway, hooked it up and works great.

Hooked it up to my Video adapter, and it works too!

NTSC HiRes Interlace, I think, looks great!
Not too sure about Super HiRes Interlace yet, will tweak some things and see. It just feels a bit squashed. Probably just need better sized icons.

Anyway, it works, and even in PAL!!
Mostly.. (Hmm :) ) Actually, it does, but since my Amiga boots into NTSC, my svideo-VGA adapter senses NTSC. I have to then toggle the Amiga to PAL and then power cycle the svideo-VGA adapter, to get IT into PAL mode. Once it's in PAL mode, I can reboot (not sure if it's needed, still testing, but it worked) and select PAL and then it works in PAL IN COLOR! (or is that COLOUR!!!).

I'm thinking if I modded my Amy for PAL on boot, the adapter would sense PAL and I'd be OK, but I'm not sure I'll need that.

I'll work on tweaking it a bit and getting some pictures.

Happy Camper here!!! (y)

desiv

p.s. Amigamaniac is AWESOME!! I heartily recommend his adapter. I probably should have bought 2 at the time, but finances around Christmas.. Oh well... It's a GREAT adapter!!! And CHEAP! (Inexpensive.. Don't tell him tho, he'll raise the price! :) :) )
 
ssst

ssst

Amigamaniac is a registred user here :shhh:

Ordered the same adapter for my A500 by the way.

Good seller, ordered in the past some memory and cables and rom switcher(y)
 
OK, had some camera issues (mostly user related), but here's a pic of my NTSC Amiga 1200, booted into PAL HIRES LACED with amigamaniac's adapter for SVideo and the VT adapter for VGA to my 17" CRT.

100_1205.jpg


Desi
 
@desiv

are you saying that now it de-interlaces as well, what AV-VGA box did you get ? was it an eBay Buy It Now?

If so you can link to these. (just state its not your item/auction as these go in the sale forums)
 
...are you saying that now it de-interlaces as well,

The whole de-interlace/flicker-fixer/scan doubler bit still confuses me a bit.

It is taking s-video from amigamaniac's adapter and conveting it to 1280x1024 on my PCs 17" CRT monitor.

what AV-VGA box did you get ? was it an eBay Buy It Now?

It is the VT-521 adapter. Yes, it was a BIN. On EAB, when I brought it up, someone mentioned he had one also.
His looks similar, but black with a few more buttons and costs less by a few bucks.
Posting from my Nolia 770, so don't have links handy, but will post them.
dealextreme (sp).com had both units.

desiv
 
OK, here's the Dealextreme link to the model I bought:
http://www.dealextreme.com/details.dx/sku.17894

Here's the link to the "other" model with more buttons and is a bit cheaper:
http://www.dealextreme.com/details.dx/sku.28534

I have never used dealextreme, I include the links for info purposes only.

I'll have to see how I can verify whether or not the VGA output is de-interlaced or not. I didn't "notice" a lot of flickering that I can remember.

But I was mostly happy I had any decent image, and to be honest, I ran my Amiga back in the day on my 1084S in interlace mode and it didn't bother me.
:)

I'll see what I can tell..

amigamaniac has said he can source those (and has one he will test as well), although I'm not sure which model he has.

desiv
 
the manual

the manual

claims to deinterlace,

---------- Post added at 17:53 ---------- Previous post was at 17:50 ----------

does it autoselect input vga or composyte?
 
Mine doesn't autoselect the input.

There is a button that toggles between the 3 inputs.

However, when I powered everything last night, it came up right on s-video.

So, either it remembers your last setting, s-video is the default, or it autoselects on power on. I'll check that when I get home.
(Interesting is that I also have a composite feed from my Amiga hooked up, so there were 2 "live" inputs. I don't have a PC hooked up to VGA currently. I'll try some combinations and see if there's a "preference" order or ???)

desiv
 
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what would be interesting

what would be interesting

txs for you're respons, it would be interesting for some rtg users to switch automatic between aga (composite or using amigamaniac device ) and the rtg device.

I had to invest in the scandoubler from indivision aga, wich is 100 eu, and have two inputs on my monitor, so already fixed up wit this config.

Trouble is already had to hardware hack it to get the 1024x768, and since then trouble with the quality, just refitted it once more! and know it works troublefree once more, but not planning to get a couple of pci cards out every day:mad:

(i own know an rgt card so migth consider using another solution)
 
thanks

thanks

Currently using the Amigamaniac adapter, only tested the composyte, since I do not have the piece of hardware conversion thingie, and did not look for it.. The one I had reserved had more pins

The A520 is not available at reasonable prices at the moment, but of course will turn up some day.:roll:
 
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