Connecting a Saturn to a PC monitor

[Drenholm]

So... Is it possible to connect my Saturn to my PC's monitor?

Here's hoping that it doesn't turn out that I should have asked this in Saturn Dev and it gets moved again... Sorry if that is the case.

Looking at the pinouts, I see that VGA requires both horizontal and vertical sync, while the Saturn (apparently) delivers composite sync, so I may need a separator for that. Of course, I could just buy a VGA box, but I'd prefer to find a simpler (and less expensive ) way. This may well not be possible; I don't know.

My monitor may not be the best around (ADI Microscan, 15", I think it's probably about at least 5 years old!) but this would be an interesting thing to try.

 

[ExCyber]

To do anything useful with it, you need a monitor that can display a signal with 15.75KHz horizontal scan rate. Most VGA monitors won't sync below 30KHz.

 

[Drenholm]

Thanks for the reply.

I believe there are devices available to double the horizontal rate somehow? But using such a device would probably make it just as much worth my while to buy a VGA box...!

Maybe my TV isn't that bad. It would have been cool, though, unless the added sharpness would show up the Saturn's low resolution badly!

 

[Scared0o0Rabbit]

There devices that can take the rgb signal output from the saturn and upscan it to 30khz for use on a vga monitor, the xrgb2+ is one of them, and to buy one you're looking at a couple hundred dollars in cost.

The cheap vga boxes you see are nothing more than displaying composite video on a vga monitor and are absolute rubbish.

 

[Drenholm]

Thanks for your reply, ScaredOoORabbit. Cool picture, by the way.

Guess I'll just use my trusty TV! I think I will get a new one, though.

By the way, you mentioned composite video - I'm getting a phono cable for my Saturn any time now; aren't there cheap boxes available on eBay and such which can display signals from such a cable?

I thought they would be referred to as component video, but I am probably wrong, given my general lack of experience with this kind of thing; I'm sure you know more than me.

Thanks again!

 

[Scared0o0Rabbit]

any cheap box you use to display video from a composite source on a vga monitor is only going to look like composite video (at best). It's not worth bothering with connecting to a vga monitor unless you want to take the plunge, spend a couple hundred, and get the parts to do it the right way.

 

[dj898]

think if you can get old Commodore RGB monitor and RGB cable for Saturn you may be able to modify the cable to connect your Saturn to the monitor...

those monitors can sync at 15KHz from what I heard...

 

[ExCyber]

There are a bunch of 15.75KHz RGB monitors, and a handful that can range from that all the way up through VGA (original series NEC Multisync from ~20 years ago, for instance).

 

[dj898]

problem is finding one in decent condition in your local area...

 

[Drenholm]

(runs away to search)

Thanks guys!

 

[mal]

Originally posted by dj898@Wed, 2005-01-12 @ 07:48 PM

problem is finding one in decent condition in your local area...

[post=127657]Quoted post[/post]​

Quite true.

I did however find a 15kHz - 24kHz monitor at work which is perfect for low res and medium res arcade games.

 

[dj898]

Huh?

you work in hospital???

he he...

 

[mal]

Originally posted by dj898@Thu, 2005-01-13 @ 06:51 AM

Huh?

you work in hospital???

he he...

[post=127691]Quoted post[/post]​

No, but I am a theatre tech.

You'd be surprised the number of people who ask "Which hospital?"

 

[Scared0o0Rabbit]

the gvm 2020 I think it is... that's a 20" monitor that'll syn from 15khz to vga. I've wanted to get one for a while, just haven't wanted to pay for one ^_~