RGB monitor on C64?

[blackevilweredragon]

My father bought me a Commodore 64 on eBay today, one that is still in the box...

Here's my question however:  I have an RGB monitor that says it's designed for the Commodore 128, and has "Digital RGB" input.  Can I use my C64 on it?  Or am I going to have to use the "Seperate Video" on the back of my monitor, which is just S-Video along two RCA jacks?

[kendrick]

As far as I know, there's no composite video or RGB output on the original Commodore 64. You get distinct chroma and luma (from two of the pins on the proprietary A/V port) or you get an RF signal tuned for whatever region you're in. There were later revisions of the 64 (called the C-64C, if I remember correctly) but they were different only cosmetically as far as I know.

You may be interested to know that the Commodore 128 could not only output a low-resolution RGB signal, but could do so independently of the RF signal. The C-128 was one of the first home computers that could drive two monitors with two different images simultaneously, and a handful of games took advantage of the feature.

-KKC, seeing if he can post after a marathon virus cleaning session...

[blackevilweredragon]

As far as I know, there's no composite video or RGB output on the original Commodore 64. You get distinct chroma and luma (from two of the pins on the proprietary A/V port) or you get an RF signal tuned for whatever region you're in. There were later revisions of the 64 (called the C-64C, if I remember correctly) but they were different only cosmetically as far as I know.

You may be interested to know that the Commodore 128 could not only output a low-resolution RGB signal, but could do so independently of the RF signal. The C-128 was one of the first home computers that could drive two monitors with two different images simultaneously, and a handful of games took advantage of the feature.

-KKC, seeing if he can post after a marathon virus cleaning session...

the C64 that will be coming, it says it has a cable that is for the "Seperate Video" port, and a RGB cable...  so it must have it, but I think it's analog..

[JB]

As far as I know, there's no composite video or RGB output on the original Commodore 64. You get distinct chroma and luma (from two of the pins on the proprietary A/V port) or you get an RF signal tuned for whatever region you're in.

Actually, the C64 is incapable of outputting RF. It outputs composite video. The RF "switch" is a complete modulator, much like on a Genesis 2.

[Guest]

Eh-heh... got the C64 and Vic20 mixed up. C64 has an integrated RF modulator outputting on an RCA jack. Still has composite video on the DIN, though.

[blackevilweredragon]

hmm, well it appears that i won't be able to use RGB..

and ill have to see which version of the C64 I get, as some have a 5-pin AV connector, and some have an 8-pin..  the ones that have an 8-pin have seperated chroma (s-video), which my commodore monitor also accepts...

[kendrick]

You're probably right about the C-64 producing composite natively. My memory might be skewed by the fact that I always used the chroma/luma cable.

About the 5-pin and 8-pin connector? As far as I know, every C-64 has an eight-pin socket, but it will accept the 5-pin plug. Back in those days, they saved money on any component part substitution they could get away with.

-KKC, having one of those months...

[blackevilweredragon]

You're probably right about the C-64 producing composite natively. My memory might be skewed by the fact that I always used the chroma/luma cable.

About the 5-pin and 8-pin connector? As far as I know, every C-64 has an eight-pin socket, but it will accept the 5-pin plug. Back in those days, they saved money on any component part substitution they could get away with.

-KKC, having one of those months...

I did a google check..  early models only had a 5-pin socket, and no s-video..  later models had an 8-pin socket, and had s-video..