Making the RGB signal stronger? - Page 4

M pro · 04-02-2003, 03:55 PM

Ok here is the layout I used to get my LCD to work

As you can see the parts cost pennies and the layout is quite simple

Then after you make the cable install the latest version of Powerstrip. "I have PowerStrip 3.30 Build 366"

Load up Powerstrip and go to Display Profiles/Configure

then from there go to Advanced Timing options

From here click on custom resolutions

Now scroll down to you get to 640x480i (Arcade) and select it
Now this will tell you if your card will work with this setting.

If you look as setting you can see interlaced ticked, if your card has this grayed out then your out of luck and can’t do this.

But if it’s ticked after you click on 640x480i (Arcade) your good to go!
Click on add new resolution

now if all gone well your main monitor will go off as the sync will be to low for an ordinary monitor. If this is the case swap to your LCD ASAP! As you only get 10 secs to do this or your have to add the resolution again.

Then after you have your LCD hooked up you can adjust the position, but keep an eye on the pixel clock at the top and keep it at roughly 13.678 to 14mhz and you should be fine

that’s what I did to get my LCD working.

I have tested it with 3 TNT cards a geforce 2mx and a Geforce 4 TI and a Matrox Mystique and all work

what I couldn’t get to work was any voodoo cards from voodoo3 to 5

I tell you its amazing how hard it is to get a good pic of an LCD

Skraggy_uk · 04-02-2003, 06:04 PM

You sir are a gentleman. And will have made somebody happy.

I'm now trolling round my friends, to see if anyone has a broken PSone that they don't want, to see if I can buy a damaged main board from them to get a Multi AVout connector. then I can solder it to the VGA cable, and get a removable screen option.

That is the layout out I was planning, and I see that you only used one of the VGA ground wires. Cool.

Over in the UK, the cheapest chain store VGA cable I've seen is £15 (about 18USD approx), probably cheaper if I hunt through smaller shops, but big retail park/chain stores ones aren't cheap/

M pro · 04-02-2003, 06:27 PM

What I did was pop down to the local dump and got an old monitor for a couple of pounds then cut the cable of that.

Nice and cheep

tom61 · 04-02-2003, 10:10 PM

That's really interesting M Pro, I did not know the newer version of Power Strip had a built-in arcade monitor mode now(previously you had to figure out the dot-clock, refresh rate, etc. by yourself).

Skraggy_uk · 04-03-2003, 12:46 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by M pro
What I did was pop down to the local dump and got an old monitor for a couple of pounds then cut the cable of that.

Nice and cheep

You know, I had this crazy idea that you were in the states. Where abouts in the UK are you?

M pro · 04-03-2003, 02:18 AM

heheh i'm in sunny Milton Keynes!

Skraggy_uk · 04-03-2003, 02:50 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by M pro
heheh i'm in sunny Milton Keynes!

Passed through there on the train a few times, when I was at Uni in Luton as a Mature student (finished '97).

Only visited MK once, on business when we had a meeting with Nortel (used to work for Tiscali) at the new Datacentre we were building there. Old TSB Datacentre I think.

I'm up in Cheshire now, and working in Manchester.

frodobaggins · 04-03-2003, 03:28 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by Skraggy_uk
Mature student

Isn't this an oxymoron ?

Skraggy_uk · 04-03-2003, 03:45 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by frodobaggins
Isn't this an oxymoron ?

Yeah. Suppose so, but in the UK, if you don't go to university at 19, as soon as you leave school or college, you aren't normal.

I know in the states people go back and do a degree later in life to fit their work/family life, and it is quiet normal.

Here, only people who are bored, or been made redundant, or making a complete life change do it.

When I was at normal college age, I was bored with the computer programming course I was doing, and left. I ended up spending 6 years doing crappy jobs (factories, shops, selling double glazing and kitchens in the foyers of supermarkets, bar work, DJing in Bars and pubs), and being sickened with my self for what I threw away, but keeping myself sane by doing quizes at night in pubs, and making extra cash on my own by winning, when others where in teams of upto 8.

Then, at the time I had long hair, the company I was working for decided that men must have short hair, but women could have it as long as they wanted. I knew they wouldn't back down, but thought what the hell, sex descrimination shouldn't happen so I will fight this (it was tidily combed back, gelled or brylcreamed, and tied back). Decided that if they fire me, I will go to college, and claim compensation for unfair dismissal. As it happens, they did back down at the last minute, and I decided, what the hell, I'm going any way. Studied english lit at college, then at university (Plan was to go into journalism, but no media courses had space available), but discovered the internet, taught myself HTML, got a job bulding webpages, then over the last 5 years have taught myself enough Perl, PHP, and VBScript, Photoshop, Flash, and SQL to call myself a web programmer, and have gone from there. Ironic really considering the course I threw in.

And that was how I found myself at 24 living away from home for the first time (Sad I know, but home was cheaper, and I had all the freedom I needed), met my GF there, and discovered that she called a small town 20 mile form my parents. We've been together 8 years now, done the house buying thing.

Didn't get round to passing driving test in the UK, because of the cost and the time needed for lessons until I was 32.

And that is my life story, pathetic as it is.

Skraggy_uk · 04-03-2003, 05:00 PM

Well, back on Topic.

I splashed some cash today in maplins, and got a decent fine point soldering iron, a VGA cable, some extra fine solder, joint sleeves, and a 270 ohm resistor, and managed to desolder the PS2 AV multi out passthrough without trashing the board.

Hopefully tomorrow evening I shall start wiring up the connector lead and see if it is possible to actually make this a connected cable mod, rather than soldered directly to the screen controller.

Fingers crossed.

Just as a matter of interest, does it matter which way round a resistor is wired in?

tom61 · 04-03-2003, 05:29 PM

Quote:

Just as a matter of interest, does it matter which way round a resistor is wired in?

Nope, resistors aren't polarised.

Skraggy_uk · 04-04-2003, 01:45 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by tom61
Nope, resistors aren't polarised.

Cheers, you just made my life easier

NJay · 04-04-2003, 05:06 AM

Skraggy,
let us know how you get on with making the custom cable.

I currently have a 5.6inch screen in my car dash for the boot mounted pc and hence swapping over to a PS1 screen should be relatively straight forward.

Skraggy_uk · 04-04-2003, 05:11 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by NJay
Skraggy,
let us know how you get on with making the custom cable.

I currently have a 5.6inch screen in my car dash for the boot mounted pc and hence swapping over to a PS1 screen should be relatively straight forward.

Will do.

I don't know whether to make the adaptor as basically a hooded connector/gender changer, or make it with extended cables. I've got a 2 metre VGA cable too, so I may go to the stubby solution, Depends on how far the cable reaches from the boot.

NJay · 04-04-2003, 06:11 AM

I'm gonna be looking for a 4m VGA cable, heavily shielded, as the current 3phono (audio+composite) cable going to the screen is that long and just about reaches

I am hoping the the vga cable will be better as despite the shielding around the composite cable the HDD shows up as interferance on the current screen when in the car (fine when out of it).