Path: utzoo!utgpu!jarvis.csri.toronto.edu!mailrus!ames!pasteur!helios.ee.lbl.gov!ncis.llnl.gov!oodis01!uplherc!esunix!blgardne From: blgardne@esunix.UUCP (Blaine Gardner) Newsgroups: comp.sys.amiga Subject: Re: Flicker Fixer and Multisync II Message-ID: <1211@esunix.UUCP> Date: 30 Jan 89 07:07:51 GMT References: <3772@crash.cts.com> Organization: Evans & Sutherland Computer Corporation Lines: 59 From article <3772@crash.cts.com>, by lgreen@pnet01.cts.com (Lawrence Greenwald): > Gap-Dragon@cup.portal.com (John T Manning) writes: >> >>I have an NEC Multisync II that I am using with my A2000 and am considering >>the purchase of a Flicker Fixer board. I have read the reviews and it sounds >>great but I would like to see some comments from real world users. Are there >>any significant problems that I can expect to face with using the Flicker >>Fixer and the Multisync II? How about minor problems? Thanks in advance. > > > I've used mine for the last year and I find it really makes life a little > easier (especially if you toggle workbench interlace on like I did). The only > minor problem with the Multisync is the black border you will get around the > screen. You can fix it vertically (via the V-size control knob) but there's > nothing that can be done about horizontal (wish they had placed a knob instead > of that stupid slide-switch!). I've got the original (not II) NEC Multisync hooked up to a flickerFixer, and it does look great. The Hwidth switch on the top is nearly useless, but if you know your way around monitors and high voltage electronics you can get some width adjustment. Inside the case on the main (bottom) PC board there's a slug tuned coil that controls the horizontal size. With a plastic hex tool, turn this out until you can see the slug clear the inductor's body (the plastic tube the slug threads into is transparent). You've now got the maximum horizontal width possible, about 1/2 of black on each side of the image on my Multisync I. Remember that there's 20-30 thousand volts inside that case, so don;t try this stunt if you don't have experience playing with high voltage. Another flickerFixer/Multisync related trick is a switchbox. Someone else (sorry, I forgot who) suggested this, and it works great. I bought a DB-9 switchbox for under $20, and built a couple of cables. I've got a DB23-DB9 cable from the Amiga's RGB out to the switchbox, and a DB9-DB9 cable from the flickerFixer's RGB out to the switchbox, and then a DB9-DB9 cable from the switchbox to the Multisync. I was worried about loss of quality in the image with all that cabling but there's no image degradation at all (and I'm fussier than most about a good looking screen). Why would you WANT flicker? Well I don't exactly, but the flickerFixer does cause image breakup on objects that move horizonatally at a moderatly quick pace. This is noticed mostly in games, but you can see it by waving the mouse pointer around. Some games like Emerald Mine are horribly afflicted by this, but now I can switch back to the stock Amiga video. Oh, I also have to make a couple of tweaks on the H-center and V-height knobs when I switch from flickerFixer to Amiga video, but that only takes a couple of seconds. This switchbox arrangement could also be helpful to anyone wanting to use a VGA/EGA videocard on the bridgeboard with only one monitor. -- Blaine Gardner @ Evans & Sutherland 580 Arapeen Drive, SLC, Utah 84108 Here: utah-cs!esunix!blgardne {ucbvax,allegra,decvax}!decwrl!esunix!blgardne There: uunet!iconsys!caeco!pedro!worsel!blaine "Nobody will ever need more than 64K." "Nobody needs multitasking on a PC."