Path: utzoo!utgpu!jarvis.csri.toronto.edu!clyde.concordia.ca!uunet!zephyr.ens.tek.com!tekigm2!timothym
From: timothym@tekigm2.MEN.TEK.COM (Timothy D Margeson)
Newsgroups: comp.sys.ibm.pc
Subject: Re: Sony CPD-1302 Multiscan with VGA?
Message-ID: <7815@tekigm2.MEN.TEK.COM>
Date: 11 Jan 90 22:37:20 GMT
Reply-To: timothym@tekigm2.MEN.TEK.COM (Timothy D Margeson)
Distribution: na
Organization: Tektronix, Inc., Vancouver,  WA.
Lines: 65

Hi,

About the Sony 1302 and VGA... this is not the 1302A...

I have one of the first 1302 monitors. That is, one manufactured prior to
VGA becoming real. I have tried various VGA boards with the following results
and have done a mod to the monitor... details follow...

With any VGA card, the 1302 works well so long as you do not change from
graphics to text modes alot. The vertical size changes radically and almost
randomly. It seems the autosize circuitry is designed to switch gains at
vertical rates near 70 Hz. So, 640x480 at 70 Hz gives different sizes at
different times. Quite a pain in the rump. This also means that when changing
to the 640x400 at 50 Hz for text ensures that if the monitor didn't swich
gains the first time, it will the second.

Another strangeness is when changing modes, the monitor has this bounce in
the display. The vertical size changes, bounces up and down a few millimeters,
finally to settle.

I called Sony. They informed me of a mod that can be performed by repair
centers (only Sony centers I believe). The mod changes the charcateristics
of the vertical size control circuit, so that it is not so sensitive to
the 50 Hz to 70 Hz range.

I installed the mod. A matter of changing two resistors and retweaking the
monitors geometry and pincushion.

All of the VGA modes now display at the same image size (very close to being
identical). However, when using non-standard modes, 1024x768 interlaced,
800x600, 640x400, the size is no longer well controlled. 800x600 is larger
than the standard screen, therefore the worst offender in my book. 1024x768
is a little compressed, but usable.

EGA 640x350, certain incarnations (some programmers ideas of how to use EGA),
show some compression vertically. But well within usable limits. I use the
program Quicken 2.0, and the 43 line EGA mode is plain wierd on the Video 7
1024i I just purchased. But this problem is only apparent with Quicken 2.0,
Q 3.0 doesn't have the problem... You decide.

For the bulk of the programs I use, 640x480 is fine, only in OrCAD does
anything greater appeal to me (then 2048x1672 sounds nice).

So, a users real commentary... I've been there, I've conquered... Am I happy
with the results? Well, if I were buying new, I think the Seiko 1430 would
be my choice (again no 800x600 though). I will not be rushing out to buy a
new monitor because the new fonts of the 1024i are my biggest complaint. They
are just plain shitty!! No pulling punches there... the old Vega Deluxe font
is far superior in legibility and clarity. Now to get my font stealer program
to work, pull the fonts from the Vega Deluxe ROM, and download them to the
1024i.

Anyway, I did the resistor mod myself, it wasn't that bad, but then I have
a deep background in electronics hardware... the adjustments can be made with
almost any VGA board driving the display and a good DVM, and patience :-)

To prevent lunies from trying this fix and smoking monitors, I will save
'the fix details for E-Mail, and will reply as time permits...


-- 
Tim Margeson (206)253-5240
PO Box 3500  d/s C1-022                          @@   'Who said that?'  
Vancouver, WA. 98668
e-mail replies to: timothym@tekigm2.MEN.TEK.COM