Path: utzoo!utgpu!jarvis.csri.toronto.edu!cs.utexas.edu!usc!apple!motcsd!mcdcup!mcdchg!att!oucsace!bwhite From: bwhite@oucsace.cs.OHIOU.EDU (Bill White) Newsgroups: comp.sys.atari.st Subject: Re: MULTISYNC RECOMMENDATIONS Summary: Go NEC. Message-ID: <1189@oucsace.cs.OHIOU.EDU> Date: 6 Mar 90 03:17:07 GMT References: <900223.22031795.042770@SFA.CP6> Organization: Ohio University CS Dept., Athens Lines: 56 In article <900223.22031795.042770@SFA.CP6>, Z4648252@SFAUSTIN.BITNET (Z4648252) writes: > Hello all, > > Second question.... how clear is the image in monochrome mode for a > multisync monitor? I use Spectre GCR daily and don't want that product to > be hurt. > > Larry Rymal: |East Texas Atari 68NNNers| I use a NEC Multisync 3D, which has resolution up to about 1024 by 800 or so. It's beautiful in color, even better than the Atari in my opinion, and the monochrome also looks better (IMHO) though I don't use it all that often yet because I rigged the cable and it gets a lot of noise. The reason I suggest NEC is becuase NEC monitors are pretty much the standard; they also have a good user base, and I've had few problems. One thing to make sure -- especially if you're using the monitor for photo- graphic use -- is to test it out in the store before you buy it (yes, I know it's cheaper mail-order). The reason is (actually this applies to ANY monitor) that in transport, the magnets on the CRT might have been knocked a wee bit out of convergence, leading to one corner being skewed. Or you might have a bit of color misconvergence. In my case the first monitor I got suffered from this (also a NEC 3D) but that was because the guy at the store dropped the box. One good thing about the NEC 3D is that it'll work with whatever you give it: 60Hz color, 50Hz color (including overscan), monochrome, extended resolutions in the (somewhat vaporous?) STE, and even interlaced if you want to rig that up (it can be done, tho I'm still working on it!). Also, the vertical resolution is so high that I can step the screen down one scanline at a time, and with time-exposure photography, get 640 x 600 in color! (The scanlines step about three times before ending up overlapping). The only disadvantage I can think of for the 3D is that it's not a flatscreen monitor, if this matters to you. It's about the same curvature of the Atari I think. BTW, there are oodles and oodles of different ways to hook up the cable for this monitor. I think there's an article in terminator.cc.umich.edu about making the proper cable; if not, just play around with it. The monitor chooses its sync based on the incoming signals, although certain options control how monochrome is handled (as a "color" signal or as an IBM-like monochrome signal. Choose the former; the latter tends to be fuzzy). Oh yes -- one bonus -- you can even use it for a high-quality TV, if you have an NTSC-to-RGB decoder, because it takes composite sync inputs as well as split horizontal and vertical. In fact, I think it'd work directly off a black-and-white signal, because it has a "green-composite-sync" input. Of course, your TV screen would be green, but maybe you like it that way. Just think about HDTV! Disclaimer: I have no affiliation with NEC other than as a satisfied customer. -- | Bill White Internet: bwhite@oucsace.cs.ohiou.edu | | CANADA BILL JONES'S MOTTO: | | It's morally wrong to allow suckers to keep | | their money. |