Path: utzoo!utgpu!watserv1!watmath!att!dptg!ulysses!andante!mit-eddie!wuarchive!zaphod.mps.ohio-state.edu!ub!rutgers!cbmvax!hood
From: hood@cbmvax.commodore.com (Scott Hood)
Newsgroups: comp.sys.amiga.hardware
Subject: Re: Ecs
Message-ID: <16086@cbmvax.commodore.com>
Date: 27 Nov 90 15:48:05 GMT
References: <1294@iceman.jcu.oz> <16016@cbmvax.commodore.com> <302.2750f724@vger.nsu.edu>
Reply-To: hood@cbmvax.commodore.com (Scott Hood)
Organization: Commodore, West Chester, PA
Lines: 70

In article <302.2750f724@vger.nsu.edu> manes@vger.nsu.edu writes:
>In article <16016@cbmvax.commodore.com>, hood@cbmvax.commodore.com (Scott Hood) writes:
>> In article <1294@iceman.jcu.oz> glmwc@iceman.jcu.oz (Matthew W Crowd) writes:
>> 
>> No, you will not.  You will only be able to use the Productivity display
>> mode is you have a VGA monitor and not a multisync monitor.  However, if
>> you have the A2320 display enhancer, then you don't need the ECS chip
>> set and you CAN use a VGA monitor for all screen display modes.  I am
>> assuming that you have an NTSC machine.  Some VGA monitors will not work
>> well with PAL machines and the A2320 because they are set for 60Hz
>> veritcal retrace and the PAL machines will produce a 50Hz vertical
>> retrace signal, thus only use a VGA only monitor with NTSC based
>> machines if you have the A2320.  It is a little cheaper.
>> 
>> (BY the way, Commodore sells a VGA only monitor called the 1930 which
>> can be used in BOTH NTSC and PAL machines with the A2320 installed as
>> well as our PC compable line of computers for less money than our 1950
>> monitor.)
>
>Do you mean a multisync/multiscan monitor or a true VGA monitor?
>
>The reason I ask is that I attempted to hook a 'VGA' monitor to a 
>amiga 3000, I could only get it to display in the Productivity mode.
>Using a Multiscan monitor made the difference.
>
>Is the A2320 different in this regard?
>
>> Scott Hood
>> 
>> -- 
>> --
>> Scott Hood, Hardware Design Engineer (A3000 Crew),  Commodore-Amiga, Inc.
>>    {uunet|pyramid|rutgers}!cbmvax!hood   hood@cbmvax.cbm.commodore.com
>>   "The views expressed here are not necessarily those of my employer!" 
>
> -mark=
>     
> +--------+   ==================================================          
> | \/     |   Mark D. Manes                    "Mr. AmigaVision" 
> | /\  \/ |   manes@vger.nsu.edu                                        
> |     /  |   (804) 683-2532    "Make up your own mind! - AMIGA"
> +--------+   ==================================================

That is very interesting!  In the general case you should only use a
multiscan monitor, like the 1950, because it can to ALL display modes,
from about 15Khz to 31.5Khz, includeing proper interlacing of the 15Khz
interlaced display modes.  Most of the VGA monitors I have used where
able to handle the display enhancer's 31.5Khz output just fine, but of
course where not able to handle the 15Khz video display modes.  I am
reluctant to recommend just a VGA only monitor unless I have see the
specs and tested myself, which is the case for the 1930 monitor.  I have
also used the Zenith VGA-only flat screen monitors with very nice
results (except for the sizing control adjustments needed to get the
proper aspect ratio).  The productivity modes where programed to work
with the VGA spec from IBM and that may be why you got the results that
you did.  Some VGA monitors even try to get very smart about what they
are connected to by looking at the ID bits 0,1,2 on the DB15 connector.
Given that, I have no idea what those types of monitors will do when
hooked up to the A3000 or an A2000 w/A2320 installed.  The golden rule
here is, if in doubt - try it out!!

Regards,
Scott Hood

>                     
-- 
--
Scott Hood, Hardware Design Engineer (A3000 Crew),  Commodore-Amiga, Inc.
   {uunet|pyramid|rutgers}!cbmvax!hood   hood@cbmvax.cbm.commodore.com
  "The views expressed here are not necessarily those of my employer!"