Was there ever a 8-bit computer cord to output RGB?

[wberdan]

I was just curious about that... was the composite video out the best it gets for the Atari 8 bit computers, or is there an even higher quality video connection available?

 

willie

[Shawn Jefferson]

Seperate video (chroma-luma) is generally considered to be better. Some of the 8-bits (XL series generally) needed a simple modification to output this though.

[wberdan]

Seperate video (chroma-luma) is generally considered to be better.  Some of the 8-bits (XL series generally) needed a simple modification to output this though.

 

yeah, and RGB is better still. i figured that there must be a cable you can buy to output RGB though, since the atari 800XL (what I use) has this funky 8 or so pin connector on the back that fans out to composite and mono.

[Bryan]

No, there is no reasonable way to get RGB because the GTIA chip produces signals specifically for TV use.

 

-Bry

[deathtrappomegranate]

Monitor-socket to composite video connectors are available on eBay; more so in Europe than North America.

 

I never use RF leads on my 8-bit Atari or Commodore machines now, as these leads do give better quality output.

 

They also allow us "Europeans" to use NTSC machines having monitor sockets, without the necessity for NTSC-PAL conversion hardware.

[Curt Vendel]

I have a VERY old modification to to tap the internal RGB lines of the 800, add some TTL's to them and bring them out as RGB out of the system, you still loose 8 lum's so you no longer have the full 256 colors, but it is conceivable to make it work.... I would be curious to see if the SC1224 Atari ST monitors could then be used, lemme find the mod, scan it and post it, I just saw it not too long ago in one of the filing cabinets.

 

 

Curt

[Fröhn]

yeah, and RGB is better still.   i figured that there must be a cable you can buy to output RGB though, since the atari 800XL (what I use) has this funky 8 or so pin connector on the back that fans out to composite and mono.

 

As said before, the 8-bits directly produce a chroma and luma signal. there is no rgb signal anywhere in the machine. also i wouldnt consider rgb better for computers with low amounts of colors. just look at the amstrad computers how ugly pictures look if you have rgb with very few bits per color channel.

[Bryan]

The RGB mod just uses the LUM pins as R, G, and B. Your total palette becomes 8 colors that are nothing like the originals. Someone would need to duplicate GTIA and change the output circuits to get real RGB.

 

-Bry

[Gunstar]

Monitor-socket to composite video connectors are available on eBay; more so in Europe than North America.

 

If it's true that they sell more of them in Europe, then you must be practically swimming in them, because you can just type "Atari cable" on E-bay and you'll see a bunch of them at any given time, the C64/128 can use the same type.

 

I never use RF leads on my 8-bit Atari or Commodore machines now, as these leads do give better quality output.

Yes they do.

 

They also allow us "Europeans" to use NTSC machines having monitor sockets, without the necessity for NTSC-PAL conversion hardware.

 

That works on both sides of the Atlantic.

[Curt Vendel]

You can always take the easy route and buy a Video to VGA adapter, I have a couple of Black Box units that allow me to use LCD screens with my 800 and XE computers, I use an LCD monitor on my TT030...

 

However what would be great is to look at getting video to RGB seperation off the composite signal (basically unfolding the signal back out to seperate lines without loosing colors, then making it so you could use the Atari SC1224's since they are in such abundance. I had looked at the TDA3330 a long time ago and built a couple of experiments off of that chip, it had some fair to good results, but I never continued persuing it.

 

For around $50 you can always use this:

 

http://www.viewsonic.com/products/video_bo...ox_vb50hrtv.htm

 

 

 

 

 

Curt