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From: njd@ihuxl.UUCP (DiMasi)
Newsgroups: net.micro.atari8
Subject: OMNIVIEW - usage with various monitors
Message-ID: <1946@ihuxl.UUCP>
Date: Fri, 19-Sep-86 13:23:42 EDT
Article-I.D.: ihuxl.1946
Posted: Fri Sep 19 13:23:42 1986
Date-Received: Sun, 21-Sep-86 18:43:14 EDT
Distribution: na
Organization: AT&T Bell Labs, Naperville, IL
Lines: 41

*** RELINE THIS PLACE WITH YOUR MESS ***

I am on the verge of purchasing CDY's OMNIVIEW 80-column chip for my 130XE,
especially since CDY now advertises that an 80-column terminal emulator is
included with it, but I am a bit concerned about the possibility that I
will not be able to read the 80-column display on my composite color monitor
(an AMDEK Color-1 Plus).  RGB monitors have become very affordable recently,
but the 130XE (like all other 8-bit Ataris) lacks an RGB monitor output.
I have heard that composite monitors exist which have a monochrome high-
resolution setting, but I have not been able to find one by looking in
stores or in ads by mail-order outfits.

So, I would appreciate any information anyone may have on any of the
following:

1. CDY recommends that a non-composite monitor be used with OMNIVIEW for
   "serious" 80-column work.  Some time ago (last year?) someone posted 
   an article saying that he could easily read OMNIVIEW's display on his 
   TV set! Does anyone else have any experience with reading the display on
   TV sets, composite monitors, monochrome monitors, etc?

2. Does anyone know of any composite monitors with a "high-res" monochrome
   mode that are currently available?  Is there any way to "tweak" a 
   composite monitor to make it display "high-res" monochrome?

3. Does anyone know if a commercial "box" exists to convert composite video
   output to RGB (somehow, I doubt it)?  Failing that, has anyone ever
   built one?  If so, how well does it work (resolution, etc.)?  Are 
   modifications to any circuits inside the computer required?  Can I get
   plans (please keep in mind that I have no experience in building circuits
   straight from schematics)?  Do the other graphics modes (I understand
   that OMNIVIEW uses GR. 8) look any better on an RGB monitor than on a
   composite monitor?  BTW, thanks to John Sangster at MITRE for letting
   me know about the existence of the SIGNETICS chip.

I realize that there are a lot of questions here.  So, if I receive replies
by mail, I will summarize to the net.

							Thanks in advance,
							Nick DiMasi   {:-{)>
							..!ihnp4!ihuxl!njd