Connecting vectrex to TV

[Jim Pez]

Has any one ever modded a vectrex so they could hook it up to a tv ?

[CatPix]

Technically this isn't possible :

The vectrex doesn't make a standard video signal in raster mode (line by line, what stadanrd video display expect) but instead the beam is moved across the screen in straight line... well, in vectoriel mode, that is, the computer tell the beam to go to a point A on the display, switch the beam on a certain luminosity, and move to point B .

 

Despite the Vectrex using a standard tube from a black and white TV, hooking the Vectrex to a raster display would require an added component to convert the vectorial graphics into raster - pixel picture then into a suitable video signal.

It is technically possible, tho the interest of the Vectrex is lost in the process.

[SiLic0ne t0aD]

How about Vectrex to a stereo receiver? I love Vectrex audio and i've been wanting to try it but never saw any good plans anywhere. If I could figure out how to mod it and get auxiliary outputs to a pair of RCA jacks mounted in the back, then pump it through my stereo to get the house a-rockin'

[haightc]

Shouldn't be hard, I was thinking about adding a headphone port to my vectrex

[+madman]

You could probably either tap the audio signal before it hits the LM386, at the sound chip's output or even just tap at the speaker connector depending on how hot the signal is.

[coleco1981]

what about being able to mod the vectrex so video output will work with a vector arcade monitor?

[Dripfree]

Here is a thought I have had and I'm sure it will show my ignorance on the subject. Im sure this idea of mine wont work, but it would be nice to know why. Obviously there is no plug and play option for video out on the vectrex. A few years back just for fun I made a sort of home made ocilloscope out of a cheap portable black and white tv from goodwill. I clipped the wires that control the vertical movement of the ray. The tv could only draw a horizontal line after that. I then took the wires for vertical control and ran them to some wire conectors on the side of the tv. After that I could hook up a keyboard or whatever and see the wave form. Isnt the tv now in a way a vector display? My theory is this... If you tapped into the vertical and horizontal control for the crt in the Vectrex and output it to some type of connector, then do the same thing to a crt television and hook them up, would the image for the vectrex display on the tv? Doing this would be insane in my mind and even if the theory was sound Im sure there would be voltage and scaling issues, but would something like this ever be possible if god forbid my Vectrex crt ever failed. This is far too invasive to be done as a mod, but I do wonder about perhaps a method of presarvation?

[Flojomojo]

I'm interested in seeing what more technical minded folks than me will say here. My first thought is, be careful not to electrocute yourself.