Connecting a1200 to LCD TV

Right, my new obsession is coming together and has however now exhausted my cash, but there is one more thing i would like to sort out, and that is getting the best display on a 37" LCD TV.

Setup is an a1200 with 3.0 roms, currently a 4mb hawk memory card (but Blizzard 1230 IV with 64mb is in the post), I have just changed from one of the preformatted 4gb CF cards to an 8GB one where I had to set up the partitions etc myself (and found it all quite a palaver) but anyway....I also installed classic workbench adv on it in honour of the soon to arrive Blizzard, as it says it is for A1200s with accelerator cards and 3.0 roms.

Its connected to the Panasonic LDC using just the yellow/red/white cables. The best picture seems to be setting the panny to 4:3 but there must be a better way - when I play around with the screen modes all sorts of weird stuff happens. Am only really just getting back into the amiga stuff so please treat gently.....

Only proviso is that the Blizzard card has killed me from a cash point of view so expensive hardware is out for the moment. There may be nothing more I can do but at least I have asked.
Thanks for any suggestions.

Well the least expensive way to get a decent picture is to buy an RGB SCART cable.
Amigakit sell them, for just under £14 HERE or you could have a look on the other bay.
After that, it's scandoubler flicker fixers such as Jen's Indivision AGA, which are a few more pennies.

Theres also the GBS 8220:

http://www.amibay.com/showthread.php...=flicker+fixer

:thumbsup:

Cheers, will that give much advantage over my current setup (the scart cable I mean)?
How about software settings etc and resolution?

Thanks again for helping.

An RGB Scart cable will provide a much better picture than a composite one provided by your current setup.
Workbench will be a lot more pleasant experience for a start. Games will also look a lot better using an RGB connection, but you will be fine using your current setup for a while yet.
Taj has also pointed out a handy external alternative, although it will take a bit more messing about to setup than just a Cable.

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Originally Posted by Tajmaster

Theres also the GBS 8220:

http://www.amibay.com/showthread.php...=flicker+fixer

:thumbsup:

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But those cost more than a SCART cable and they do an even worse job of scaling than the TV will.

do your TVs all still have scart then? they used to here in Australia, but not anymore.

At the moment yes, I haven't seen any indication that the standard will be removed. But then I'm not that plugged in to the electronics retail world.

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Originally Posted by Hell_Labs

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Originally Posted by Tajmaster

Theres also the GBS 8220:

http://www.amibay.com/showthread.php...=flicker+fixer

:thumbsup:

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But those cost more than a SCART cable and they do an even worse job of scaling than the TV will.

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Once properly configured my gbs 8220 gives a crystal clear display with my samsung 40" LED tv. Using a rgb scart cable with my tv gave a blocky (high res) picture that i felt was worse than composite:picard

I think for value for money and picture quality the gbs 8220 is the way to go: http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/HD-CONVERT...item27bf884080

I get the impression that the gbs 8220 has made the indivision less relevant.

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Originally Posted by r0jaws

Well the least expensive way to get a decent picture is to buy an RGB SCART cable.
Amigakit sell them, for just under £14 HERE or you could have a look on the other bay.
After that, it's scandoubler flicker fixers such as Jen's Indivision AGA, which are a few more pennies.

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Apologies for jumping in on someone elses thread; does the Indivision actually add additional screen modes to WB3.1 ? Ive seen it mentioned loads of times but not clear on exactly what it does....

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Originally Posted by Snoozy

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Originally Posted by Hell_Labs

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Originally Posted by Tajmaster

Theres also the GBS 8220:

http://www.amibay.com/showthread.php...=flicker+fixer

:thumbsup:

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But those cost more than a SCART cable and they do an even worse job of scaling than the TV will.

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Once properly configured my gbs 8220 gives a crystal clear display with my samsung 40" LED tv. Using a rgb scart cable with my tv gave a blocky (high res) picture that i felt was worse than composite:picard

I think for value for money and picture quality the gbs 8220 is the way to go: http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/HD-CONVERT...item27bf884080

I get the impression that the gbs 8220 has made the indivision less relevant.

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How do you connect the amiga to this to get good results? And also I assume it just comes as per the picture? Cannot really have that sitting next to the TV like that - am just about getting away with the amiga itself etc.

@WonkeyDonkey

The Indivision, per se, doesn't add anything, but it guarantees standard output frequencies which makes it possible to use a wide variety of screenmodes which would not display properly on many/most monitors otherwise. See the HighGFX package on Aminet for example. The end effect is that you can use eg. 1024x768 or 1280x720 without a graphics card.

There are also some developments towards a Picasso96 driver for the Indivision, which would in that case be treated more like an actual graphics card, but this is still work in progress as far as I know.

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Originally Posted by ajk

@WonkeyDonkey

The Indivision, per se, doesn't add anything, but it guarantees standard output frequencies which makes it possible to use a wide variety of screenmodes which would not display properly on many/most monitors otherwise. See the HighGFX package on Aminet for example. The end effect is that you can use eg. 1024x768 or 1280x720 without a graphics card.

There are also some developments towards a Picasso96 driver for the Indivision, which would in that case be treated more like an actual graphics card, but this is still work in progress as far as I know.

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Thanks ajk, my plans longer term include an A1200 so Im collecting facts and ideas as I go along.

:)

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Originally Posted by CrazyC

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Originally Posted by Snoozy

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Originally Posted by Hell_Labs

But those cost more than a SCART cable and they do an even worse job of scaling than the TV will.

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Once properly configured my gbs 8220 gives a crystal clear display with my samsung 40" LED tv. Using a rgb scart cable with my tv gave a blocky (high res) picture that i felt was worse than composite:picard

I think for value for money and picture quality the gbs 8220 is the way to go: http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/HD-CONVERT...item27bf884080

I get the impression that the gbs 8220 has made the indivision less relevant.

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How do you connect the amiga to this to get good results? And also I assume it just comes as per the picture? Cannot really have that sitting next to the TV like that - am just about getting away with the amiga itself etc.

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You will need an rgb video amiga plug and the cable supplied with the gbs 8220 is then soldered onto the connection terminals within the amiga rgb plug.

You can buy a plastic housing from maplin to hold the gbs 8220 within. You will also need a 5v 2a power supply if i remember correctly.

Well, the Amiga port plus phone plugs to RGB Scart really did make a difference.

I am trying to get the resolution etc right but am not quite sorting it out.

Am using the PAL Hi Res laced mode - super high res squashes everything. The screen is slightly offset though.

Any suggestions for best output to a 37" LCD Panasonic?

On a TV that deinterlaces it well, I prefer Hi Res Laced 640x512 as it looks good and is quite fast. Just add some overscan to fill the screen.

Modes like 800x600 are a lot slower, and I'm not sure it would work well to send resolutions higher than PAL (720x576) over SCART.
(My Samsung LCD doesn't accept the same modes over VGA and SCART at least.)

Cheers

Just add some overscan - sorry am slightly lost - on the Amiga or TV?

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Originally Posted by CrazyC

Cheers

Just add some overscan - sorry am slightly lost - on the Amiga or TV?

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on the amiga, its in prefs if you use a harddrive.

On the amiga. Overscan is a program in the prefs folder that lets you expand the size of the screen. If the image is only slightly offset that might be enough, plus you get a slightly larger desktop.

Thanks all. Will give it a go when SWMBO lets me back on it.

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Originally Posted by Snoozy

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Originally Posted by Hell_Labs

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Originally Posted by Tajmaster

Theres also the GBS 8220:

http://www.amibay.com/showthread.php...=flicker+fixer

:thumbsup:

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But those cost more than a SCART cable and they do an even worse job of scaling than the TV will.

---

Once properly configured my gbs 8220 gives a crystal clear display with my samsung 40" LED tv. Using a rgb scart cable with my tv gave a blocky (high res) picture that i felt was worse than composite:picard

I think for value for money and picture quality the gbs 8220 is the way to go: http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/HD-CONVERT...item27bf884080

I get the impression that the gbs 8220 has made the indivision less relevant.

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"blocky" picture on a SCART lead.


It's supposed to be blocky. The pixels aren't supposed to bleed together.

The GBS is a one size fits none solution, it's utterly crap at what it does. It tries to scale the input to a user defined size on a new screenmode, but there's so much noise added into the signal that 1:1 mapping is impossible. About the only thing they're good at is 320x256 and that's only because the huge pixel size hides the added noise. Even then you get what basically amounts to composite with jailbars.

Maybe, I mean maybe, you'll get picture quality on par with SCART, if you're either very careful routing the cable away from sources of interference, or you replace it with something shielded. Effort and cost is not worth the results.

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Originally Posted by Hell_Labs

The GBS is a one size fits none solution, it's utterly crap at what it does. It tries to scale the input to a user defined size on a new screenmode, but there's so much noise added into the signal that 1:1 mapping is impossible. About the only thing they're good at is 320x256 and that's only because the huge pixel size hides the added noise. Even then you get what basically amounts to composite with jailbars.

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If you don't like them, don't use one then!
Pretty simply!
Its pointless telling people how crap they are, when over half the worlds population doesn't have anything else available!

They serve a purpose, and for ~$30, they do it extremely well... 15 years ago, Amiga owners would have loved something like the GBS8200!

So because I don't like them I'm not allowed to say I don't like them? I'm not free to express an honest opinion?
Alright then! :double

I don't get the "over half the worlds population doesn't have anything else available" remark, either. Care to tell us how you came to that?

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Originally Posted by Hell_Labs

So because I don't like them I'm not allowed to say I don't like them? I'm not free to express an honest opinion?
Alright then! :double

I don't get the "over half the worlds population doesn't have anything else available" remark, either. Care to tell us how you came to that?

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what is available?

I didnt say that, but you're offering a solution that wont even suit everyone. So if there is nothing else suitable, then it seems the gbs is still often the best solution.

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Originally Posted by AmmoJammo

I didnt say that, but you're offering a solution that wont even suit everyone. So if there is nothing else suitable, then it seems the gbs is still often the best solution.

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It doesn't have to suit "everyone" (it'd be proper weird if it did, most people don't have amigas!), it has to suit the OP. He has a SCART socket on his telly. Problem solved. No soldering, to mincing about trying to tidy up a PCB and a bunch of wires. No crap GBS picture quality.

@Roy For TV sets? RF, Composite, S-Video, SCART, Component.

we only have a few options really dont we?


compi****e lead,well need i say more?
scart, pretty good if you set supports the screnmodes.
gbs8220, not perfect but cheap and it works on ALL amigas on ALL modern tv's
indi mk2, good but expensive and only with specific models of amigas.


i dont know what all the bickering is about,its just options.


we are talking about connecting a amiga to a modern tv arnt we?

Indis work with any amiga, just buy the right one.

Still, Neither the Indi or the GBS make sense here.

It's a television.

The Amiga natively outputs Television resolutions and frequencies.

Why add another layer of crap?

My tv doesn't have scart? I want to use a pc monitor not a tv? Now what?

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Originally Posted by AmmoJammo

My tv doesn't have scart? I want to use a pc monitor not a tv? Now what?

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You're not CrazyC, This is his topic asking for a solution to his problem, as it applies to him.

This topic is specifically about Connecting an A1200 to a TV in the United Kingdom, where SCART is standard. Hope that helps you.

So your solution is to move to the UK? Lol

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Originally Posted by Hell_Labs

Indis work with any amiga, just buy the right one.

Still, Neither the Indi or the GBS make sense here.

It's a television.

The Amiga natively outputs Television resolutions and frequencies.

Why add another layer of crap?

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did you buy one? an indi i mean.

just curios,obviosly you dont like the gbs ive got no problem with that.but the gbs is still an option and wont cost 125gb pounds.so why say anything about a gbs being more expensive than a scart lead it isent that much more is in comparison.

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Originally Posted by AmmoJammo

So your solution is to move to the UK? Lol

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No, because I'm not providing you a solution. I'm providing CrazyC a solution.

Do you need a grownup to help you with the big words?

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Originally Posted by Hell_Labs

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Originally Posted by AmmoJammo

So your solution is to move to the UK? Lol

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No, because I'm not providing you a solution. I'm providing CrazyC a solution.

Do you need a grownup to help you with the big words?

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Yes, perhaps you could call your mummy for me.

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Originally Posted by roy_bates

did you buy one? an indi i mean.

just curios,obviosly you dont like the gbs ive got no problem with that.but the gbs is still an option and wont cost 125gb pounds.so why say anything about a gbs being more expensive than a scart lead it isent that much more is in comparison.

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I'm waiting on the next wage slip before I pick up another Indi. It's hooking up to a real computer monitor, so it actually makes sense to use it. They're pretty good kit.

The problem with the GBS is that it's just wrong for this scenario. The GBS is for getting a 15Khz RGB signal from <whatever> to your real computer monitor as cheap as possible, sacrificing everything along the way.

The TV doesn't need something to convert the signals for it. So the GBS has no advantage here.

Hells Labs, maybe your using an old tv for which scart is a reasonable option.

I am using a £1300 Samsung LED tv and i can assure you that scart looks useless on it and the gbs 8220 looks almost (but not quite) perfect.

Pictures please? That telly must be massive to cost that much. I wouldn't be surprised if the built in scaler is worse, the assumption by Samsung being anyone who buys a telly that big is using a HD source.

I got rid of my scart cable i'm afraid..its a 40" LED tv 8000 series

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Originally Posted by Snoozy

I got rid of my scart cable i'm afraid..its a 40" LED tv 8000 series

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I'm more interested in seeing the GBS wiring job and the picture it's giving :)

pictures on their way..

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Originally Posted by Snoozy

pictures on their way..

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Ta.

Slightly OT. I've just been browsing LCD TV's on Amazon and found this one. :lol::lol:


http://www.amazon.co.uk/NEC-MultiSync-LCD8205-display-widescreen/dp/B001VGGGLE/ref=sr_1_28?s=electronics&ie=UTF8&qid=1338826983&sr=1-28

Here are the pics

great pics snoozy :thumbsup:

Fourth screenshot shows it's mangling up the dithering in the scroll bar, and its a bit blurry. Not brilliant, really. What settings?

I suppose you can't do better if you want to run it on a living room sized lcd tv, bar S-Video. Personally I'll be sticking with my proper monitor.

No mangling from where i'm sitting, don't forget there will be a slight degradation in image from picture capture...it looks better on normal viewing.

I customised the settings on the gbs 8220 to suit my tv...to me this is as good if not better than crt.

The 1200 is running on os 3.9 screen mode: Pal High Res Laced.

Scart is a blocky waste of time by comparison. (on my led tv at least)

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Fourth screenshot shows it's mangling up the dithering in the scroll bar

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where is that ?

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Originally Posted by johnim

great pics snoozy :thumbsup:

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Thanks:), I got my camera back so will go and put picture of enclosure of the gbs 8220 on harrisons thread.

(maybe harrisons gbs 8220 thread should be made a sticky, i have to go and have a look for it again lol)

http://www.amibay.com/showthread.php?t=20468

here snoozy

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Originally Posted by johnim

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Fourth screenshot shows it's mangling up the dithering in the scroll bar

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where is that ?

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http://i.imgur.com/MT2OJ.png

Adjust your brightness and contrast if need be, make sure you're wearing your glasses if you have glasses.

If I can spot that through a camera taken without a tripod then it must be loads worse in real life. I have exactly the same trouble with my GBS board and that's on a CRT, where I don't have to worry about a "native resolution".

If I was feeding the Amiga directly into a 15Khz CRT and it looked like that, I would call it something called "broken" and either fix it or buy a new one.

And that's another thing. The GBS is a scaler... which is then being fed into another scaler because it doesn't give out anything close to what a TV that large would have as native res. Might as well transmit it by smoke signal.