| Posted By
JamesC
on 2006-11-11
15:14:53
|  LCD TV/Monitor Usage on the Plus/4
I don't know if I'm the first to try this, but it seems I'm the first to report some results.
Here in the States, a lot of C64 and 128 users are complaining that they can't find an LCD monitor or television that displays the signal from their Commodore machines.
I recently purchased a Philips LCD television/monitor, model 20PF5120. I purchased this specifically because it's meant to support NTSC *and* PAL signals, and it has several input connections: RCA jacks, composite input, and DVI, as well as the standard RF signal input. You can see it here: http://www.walmart.com/catalog/product.do?product_id=4321127
I have (just half an hour ago) attached my NTSC plus/4 to this via the RCA jacks, using a standard Commodore monitor cable, and receive a picture.... this is more than a lot of North American Commodore users can say of their LCD displays.
I notice that the picture isn't as sharp as it is on a standard tube-based monitor, though. If I take the second video plug (the sharpness signal) and touch it to the video connector, the picture is much better. I can run this through the unused stereo audio input and get a better picture as well, but then I get a buzzing from the speakers. (Which is normal, since I'm running a video signal through an audio source.)
The next step, which I probably won't get to today, is to drop a PAL Kernal into my Plussy and see if I can get a PAL signal. I'll use SVS's 31 Line Demo (http://plus4world.com/sd.php?pid=11048) to test this, since that demo doesn't do diddly-squat on an NTSC setup.
I'll see if I can snap some pictures and post them later....
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Posted By
Me
on 2006-11-12
01:31:22
| Re: LCD TV/Monitor Usage on the Plus/4
Don't forget to change the xtal, too....
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Posted By
JamesD
on 2006-11-12
02:35:08
| Re: LCD TV/Monitor Usage on the Plus/4
Well, I know my MAGNAVOX (I've seen it under other names too) monitor/TV doesn't sync with and computer's composite output. Well, ok it *will* sync to the Tandy Coco if I keep hitting reset until it comes up but everything else looks like the center of the image is in the top left corner.
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Posted By
Bionic
on 2006-11-12
10:45:24
| Re: LCD TV/Monitor Usage on the Plus/4
The best way is actually to build a Plus/4 -> svideo adapter. Much better quality than composite.
Many flat panels support this input. I am using a Dell 2001FP without any problems. Only the built in deinterlacing is sometimes annyoing.
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Posted By
JamesC
on 2006-11-12
10:46:50
| Re: LCD TV/Monitor Usage on the Plus/4
Don't forget to change the xtal, too....
Yes, Jim......
Well, I know my MAGNAVOX (I've seen it under other names too) monitor/TV doesn't sync with and computer's composite output.
Are you attaching to the RCA inputs (labelled video-in, audio-in-left, audio-in-right), or to the component inputs (labelled Y-Pr-Pb)?
I am going straight to the old-style RCA jacks, like I am attaching an older VCR to the LCD. But then, a Magnavox name does not mean that it's the same as a Philips unit. I'm seeing a lot of Magnavox brand stuff assembled by Philips' Funai division, and all it is is a rebadged Emerson/Sylvania unit.
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Posted By
JamesC
on 2006-11-12
10:49:30
| Re: LCD TV/Monitor Usage on the Plus/4
The best way is actually to build a Plus/4 -> svideo adapter. Much better quality than composite.
The intent is to find a suitable LCD monitor before building a cable. This way I know it's not a defect in something I assembled myself. 
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Posted By
Bionic
on 2006-11-12
11:02:42
| Re: LCD TV/Monitor Usage on the Plus/4
The intent is to find a suitable LCD monitor before building a cable. This way I know it's not a defect in something I assembled myself.
Well, then .. the chances may be better when buying a proper computer monitor That walmart thing you linked to looks like poor mans LCD TV (which probably is exactly what it is supposed to be). Too lowres for HDTV and computers, 4:3??
http://accessories.us.dell.com/sna/productdetail.aspx?c=us&l=en&s=dhs&cs=19&sku=320-4687
-> Same price, 20", 1600x1200, much better contrast and svideo input.
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Posted By
JamesC
on 2006-11-12
11:10:57
| Re: LCD TV/Monitor Usage on the Plus/4
Well, then .. the chances may be better when buying a proper computer monitor That walmart thing you linked to looks like poor mans LCD TV (which probably is exactly what it is supposed to be). Too lowres for HDTV and computers, 4:3??
The WalMart link does have some inaccuracies in the specifications. This is why I wanted to test it myself before announcing that it works (or doesn't work).
My unit is an LCD television, yes. I bought it for my bedroom, as my older tube televsion is 13 years old. I don't need anything bigger for late-night televsion viewing. I have a proper HD bigscreen in the living room for movies and normal hours television viewing.
This unit does not have proper HDTV tuner, but will display a 1080i signal if fed from an external HD tuner. There's also a button on the remote for 16:9 display by adding black bars to the top and bottom.
I won't go into why I didn't buy a proper widescreen, HD tuner model. I'm happy with the unit I purchased.
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Posted By
Bionic
on 2006-11-12
11:22:18
| Re: LCD TV/Monitor Usage on the Plus/4
Oh, ok. As a TV it is probably much better suited than a monitor. I thought you were looking for a Plus/4 monitor.
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Posted By
JamesC
on 2006-11-12
11:31:11
| Re: LCD TV/Monitor Usage on the Plus/4
The first priority of this LCD is television viewing, yes. But why not get a "bonus feature"? The Commodore only needs a 480 display anyway.
I did pay extra for the Philips name and PAL compatibility, yes, but all my televisions, VCRs, and DVD players are Philips units.
This way when I misplace a remote, I can borrow one from another room.
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