X68000 and the Microvitec M1438

[RetroRepair]

Hey guys,

I was wondering if anyone knew if the X68000 would plug straight into this monitor? The cable looks like it'll fit but I have heared the pinout is non standard on these machines, plus the pinout for the Microvitec isn't available online.

Any help would be appreciated!

[caius]

Hi, Microvitec M1438 is the perfect choice for any X68000.I have a M1438S and it works perfect with whatever risolution X68000 ouputs.
Building the cable is very easy, you have to follow the two  pinouts and match the corresponding signals.In particular, this is the M1438 A/V connector pinout:

http://ataricomputers.altervista.org/Monitors_Amiga_M1438S.html

Pay only attention that some models of M1438 have DB15 VGA connector instead of DB23 Amiga one.

[RetroRepair]

Yeah I believe the one arriving today has the DB15 connector (not Amiga branded).

Do you know the pinout for that one or if it will just plug straight in?

[RetroRepair]

Ok well turns out it's a HD15, not DB15 so I guess some wiring is in my future. At least it's not some oddball connector I can't get the pinout for!

Cheers caius

[caius]

Ok well turns out it's a HD15, not DB15 so I guess some wiring is in my future. At least it's not some oddball connector I can't get the pinout for!

Cheers caius

As far As I know, Microvitec M1438 is a re-badged version of the Commodore 1962 monitor.DB15 connector of your Microvitec M1438 is a standard VGA so you should follow this pinout.

[RetroRepair]

Yes I was just pointing out that VGA is hd15 and NOT db15. Nice little monitor though, very retro

[R3dRuM]

Hi, Microvitec M1438 is the perfect choice for any X68000.I have a M1438S and it works perfect with whatever risolution X68000 ouputs.
Building the cable is very easy, you have to follow the two  pinouts and match the corresponding signals.In particular, this is the M1438 A/V connector pinout:

http://ataricomputers.altervista.org/Monitors_Amiga_M1438S.html

Hi,

I've got an Amiga M1438S monitor (Microvitec) and just found this thread . As caius has mentioned in the quoted message,  my monitor has the 23 pins RGB connector, as you can see in the following image:



The thing is that I'm currently using a VGA cable for my x68k (I don't have the original one) which I use to connect the Sharp with a TFT NEC monitor that supports 15Khz, 24Khz and 31Khz, and now I want to replace this TFT with the Amiga M1438S monitor. The question is, what kind of cable or adapter are you guys using to connect the x68k to the monitor? is there somewhere I can order one?

I've thought also to buy an adapter like the two listed below (in order to be able to connect my x68k VGA cable to the Amiga monitor):
- http://www.ebay.com/itm/361509837130
- http://amigakit.leamancomputing.com/...roducts_id=577

What do you think?

Thank you!

[caius]

You should put aside the old VGA cable that you used to connect your X68K to the NEC monitor since the video input connector of the Microvitec M1438S has a different pinout.Neither try to use some pre-assembled adapters, thery could also produce damages if not correclty wired inside.
My advice is to assemble the cable yourself, I did it and it work great also for FM-TOWNS.It's very simple.
You have all the signals on both sides, the Microvitec accept also separate H-SYNC and V-SYNC which are the ones outputted by the X68K.

Here are the two pinouts (X68K and Microvited M1438S)

http://www.gamesx.com/wiki/doku.php?id=av:japanese_rgb-15

http://ataricomputers.altervista.org/Monitors_Amiga_M1438S.html

P.S.
Is the old VGA cable assembled by yourself?Which is the model of your older NEC monitor?

[R3dRuM]

Is the old VGA cable assembled by yourself?Which is the model of your older NEC monitor?

The VGA adapter was assembled by a mate, I think that he followed this schema:

Code Select Expand


VGA CONNECTOR         FUNCTION           X68000 CONNECTOR
=============================================================

Pin 1 --------------------- RED ------------- Pin 1
Pin 2 --------------------- GREEN ----------- Pin 3
Pin 3 --------------------- BLUE ------------ Pin 5
Pines 5,6,7,8,10 ---------- GND ------------- Pines 2,4,6,8,12
Pin 13--------------------- HSYNC ----------- Pin 14
Pin 14--------------------- VSYNC ----------- Pin 15


And the NEC monitor is a TFT NEC MULTISYNC LV15M:



So, is it dangerous to try to connect the Microvitec/Amiga monitor with this RGB->VGA adapter for the M1438S (http://www.ebay.com/itm/361509837130) to the VGA adapter that I have in my x68k?

Thank you caius.

[caius]

In theory it should work but you can't know how this adapter has been wired internally so there is the risk to fry something.I' m still for the homemade solution.

[R3dRuM]

In theory it should work but you can't know how this adapter has been wired internally so there is the risk to fry something.I' m still for the homemade solution.

Yes, I agree... the thing is that I do not have the knowledge/materials needed to make the cable by myself.

PS. If you can make one for me, I would happily pay you what the ebay adapter costs so that you can drink a few beers on me (without obligation!!)

Thank you again.

[caius]

I can't promise it since I'm currently busy in a lot of other jobs.Give me some days and I will back to you

[R3dRuM]

Finally I've managed to get a direct x68000 --> m1438s rgb adapter. The x68000 looks awesome on this monitor

Thank you anyway caius!

[caius]

Finally I've managed to get a direct x68000 --> m1438s rgb adapter. The x68000 looks awesome on this monitor

Thank you anyway caius!

Forgive me if I didn't contact you but I'm still terribly busy with job and real life.Anyway I'm glad you solved your problem.Did you assemble the cable yourself?

[R3dRuM]

Forgive me if I didn't contact you but I'm still terribly busy with job and real life.Anyway I'm glad you solved your problem.Did you assemble the cable yourself?

Don't worry at all caius, I understand it. I sent an email with the two pinouts to an online shop from here (Spain) that assembles all kinds of cables and adapters for vintage computers/consoles, so they made the cable for me and it works like a charm... finally I can fully enjoy my x68k

[cawley1]

Guys,
I am about to attempt to wire up my X68000 to an Amiga M1438S monitor, but as this is the Amiga version with the 23-Pin plug (where my 25 year old modulator extension cable will make an excellent donor cable!) I wanted to check my pinouts with someone who may be able to reassure me.

1 Red               (3)
2 GND
3 Green            (4)
4 GND
5 Blue              (5)
6 GND
7 Ys (+5v)       (23)
8 GND
9 N/C               -
10 Audio L        -
11 Audio R        -
12 GND            -
13 N/C             -
14 H-Sync        (11)
15 V-Sync        (12) 

Left hand number is X68000 pinout and right hand number is Amiga pinout.

I assume I don't need to connect 9, 10, 11, 12, 13 as they are all either N/C or audio related, which is not on the Amiga plug.
For pins 2, 4, 6 & 8 which are all ground, can I connect these to the pins 16-20 on the Amiga plug as these all show Video GND on the pinout?

Amiga Pinouts...
1 External Clock
2 External Clock Enable
3 Red Out
4 Green Out
5 Blue Out
6 Digital Intensity
7 Digital Blue Out
8 Digital Green Out
9 Digital Red Out
10 Composite Sync Out
11 Horizontal Sync Out
12 Vertical Sync Out

13 Return External Clock/Digital GND 
14 Genlock Overlay
15 Clock Out
16 Video GND
17 Video GND
18 Video GND
19 Video GND
20 Video GND
21 -12V
22 +12V
23 +5V

Let me know,
Thanks,
Paul

[repoMan]

Sure, in fact you need to, ideally, to connect every ground in each side. The more GNDs connected, the better shielding you get.

Your schema is correct except in one point, never wire two output voltages! (7-23). You only need to solder RGB,HSYNC,VSYNC and all GND, that's all.

[cawley1]

Hi repoMan,
Thanks for the reply - I actually asked a mate who said *exactly* the same including connect as many GND as possible and don't connect up the +5... I will let you all know how I get on.

Cheers,
Paul

[repoMan]

Right, post pics of the Microvitec if you get it working, it's a great CRT monitor!

[cawley1]

Hi Guys,
Checked in to look at other posts and realised I had just left this thread 'hanging', so here is an update.

The monitor cable worked fine - I got a signal in both 15kHz and 31kHz! My friend suggested that I should remove the unneeded wires going to the pins in the monitor side (they are still connected) as even though I cut them back in the X68000 side, they could still cause shorts or other issues.

However, I was finding the constant fiddling with the monitor a big pain in the ass, and the screen area was never going to be right without opening it up to make further size adjustments... The front of the monitor only has vertical stretch, and horizontal left and right movement - all controls are present, but they put them INSIDE the bloody case on the main PCB. I already opened it up previously and adjusted them to make them correct for use with my Amiga, and the thought of the constant changing resolutions on X68000 would have needed me to keep the side off to enjoy them properly!

So, I found a really nice Sony Multiscan 15 SFII VGA CRT on eBay locally for about £20 and (with the caveat that it only does 31kHz) it is utterly beautiful with the X68000 and as all adjustment controls are on the front of the monitor, make it a better proposition for me, even if I have to piss about 'in the dark' every time I want to play Final Fight, Ghouls'n Ghosts, Street Fighter II or Strider! I had always planned to use VGA anyway, and was just waiting for the correct cable adapter to arrive.

The only possible downside is the pixels are maybe 'too good' with the Sony. The Microvitec still has RGB scanlines, and you don't get these on the Sony, so it can look a bit like running an emulator through CRT, as it's almost too perfect an image!

I am contemplating the BenQ BL702A, which has good write-ups on the Amiga forums and does both 15kHz and 31kHz, but there is no rush, I am sure at 31kHz the picture will not be as good as the one on my Sony, anyway! I also don't trust a flat panel screen on systems that were designed for CRT, but I will likely pick one up at some point.

So, hope that helps - if you need any advice doing it yourself, give me a shout.
Thanks,
Paul