X68000 Monitor

[Broken]

Hi I'm from the Uk and I need a monitor that works with a Sharp X68000. Do anyone know any that work? I've got a Iiyama vision master pro PC (Pro 450 model) monitor which I heard worked but the port on the back is too small. I'm not sure if there's another lead or converter I can get to get it going? Any help would be cool.

[NFG]

Most VGA monitors will work just fine, you need only an X68->VGA pin adaptor.  You can make one for about ten bucks.

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Hi thanks for replying. I think I bought some loose pce games off you a number of years ago. The lead I have is a x68 to x68 (db15 to db15). I think I need a db15 x68 to hd15 (vga I think). I did a search for these hoping one would work along with any adapters for my existing cable. Is the only way to get one is to make one?

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Hi ok I tried to get a cable that would work but no one seems to sell one. Would you have to make up your own cable and know the pin outs? I'm not sure about the adapter. Are there any pin out diagrams anywhere? You seem a bit of a genius at this kind of thing from what I've seen. If you would make me one if you have time I'd really appreciate it and pay you. Anything would be cool.    

[NFG]

There are pinouts for the X68 on gamesx.com, and there are VGA pinouts everywhere.  It's really easy to make one yourself, but if you're intent on sending me money I won't dissuade you.

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Hi I could send you some money but I could have a go at it myself as it could highten my self esteem! I checked the x68000 pin outs from gamesx. I've known about the site for awile. If I messed it up I could pay you to do it if it's cool. Are you sure it will work? I guess what I'd have to do is open up one end of the x68000 lead and attach the wires to the corresponding pins on the vga end. Is this right? The x68 cable I have lets you get inside the ends but the vga cable doesn't. I take it you'd have to find a vga cable that lets you get inside the end to solder the wires to the right pins. Again really appreciate your replies and anything would be cool.

[NFG]

You can buy a VGA connector and hood (the enclosure) for about $3 from any electronics shop.  It's a very common part.  Just cut off one end of your existing cable (easier than unsoldering and trying to re-use the wires) and then do exactly what you said above.

Special note for first-timers: Check out the soldering instructions on the wiki.  They'll help.  My first fifty mods had really appalling soldering.  =(

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The corresponding colour wires need to be soldered together for the corresponding matching pin outs.

X68000 Cable Pin Out Colours   VGA Cable Pin Out Colours

Pin 1 Red (inner white)   Pin 1 (inner pink)
Pin 2 Red Ground (outer)   Pin 6 (Outer of Red)
Pin 3 Green Inner (white)   Pin 2 Green Inner
Pin 4 Green Outer (white)   Pin 7 Green Outer
Pin 5 Blue Inner (white)   Pin 3 Blue Inner (white)
Pin 6 Blue Outer                   Pin 6 Blue Outer
Pin 14 Red thin wire H-Sync   Pin 13 white thin wire H-Sync
Pin 15 green thin wire V-Sync   Pin 14 black thin wire V-Sync
   
Remaining Wires                   Remaining Wires

Yellow (double) � Pin 7 white  
Ys- Pin 8  black Ground               Yellow - Pin 11 IDO
                                                Brown � Pin 10 + Pin 5 Sync Ground + Ground

Black (triple) � Pin 10 Red Audio L
- Pin 11 White Audio R
Pin 12 Black Ground                                                  
   
Possibly Black Pin 8 Ground could correspond to Brown Pins 10 + 5?   

As for these other pins above I don�t know. Maybe they aren�t needed? I�ve really appreciated all your help up to now but anything would again be extremely appreciated as getting this X68000 going with the monitor would be cool. Here is where I got the info for these pin outs;

X68000 = http://www.gamesx.com/wiki/doku.php?id=av:japanese_rgb-15

(Top diagram X68000)

VGA = http://www.interfacebus.com/Design_VGA_PinOuts.html

Also couldn't seem to get a VGA with a removable hood in the Uk - they all seem to be moulded. I know I had the pin out for it but it didn't stop me taking all the plastic off. It was moulded pretty well and it took ages to get all the plastic off. I guess it came in useful for double checking and physical comparison purposes.

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Hi again sorry about the last pin outs, I organised them right but when they were posted, the format changed. I'll try again for a better organised view. It was all originally in a table. Not sure if you can put tables on forums?

X68000 Cable Pin Out Colours                 VGA Cable Pin Out Colours

Pin 1 Red (inner white)              to              Pin 1 (inner pink)
Pin 2 Red Ground (outer)           to             Pin 6 (Outer of Red)
Pin 3 Green Inner (white)           to             Pin 2 Green Inner
Pin 4 Green Outer (white)           to             Pin 7 Green Outer
Pin 5 Blue Inner (white)              to             Pin 3 Blue Inner (white)
Pin 6 Blue Outer                         to             Pin 6 Blue Outer
Pin 14 Red thin wire H-Sync         to            Pin 13 white thin wire H-Sync
Pin 15 green thin wire V-Sync      to            Pin 14 black thin wire V-Sync


Remaining Wires X68000                                    

Yellow (double) � Pin 7 white Ys                          
Pin 8 black Ground

Black (triple) � Pin 10 Red Audio L
Pin 11 White Audio R
Pin 12 Black Ground      
                                                               
                                                                                                                           
Remaining Wires VGA  

Pin 11 IDO Brown
Pin 10 + Pin 5 Sync Ground + Ground

[NFG]

The colours of your wires have nothing to do with anything.  The colours in your cable may or may not match the colours in anyone else's cable.  Manufacturers often buy cables from multiple sources, and they won't always use the same wire colours.

So, with that in mind, I'm confused: What's your question/point/goal here?

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Hi I know the colours of the wires aren't always relevant and won't always match - I noted them as I was doing the pin outs. My main point was showing which wires matched according to the pin out diagrams and these wires below which seemed to remain as the pin out diagrams gave no info about where each one connected to. Possibly they aren't needed?

Remaining Wires X68000

Yellow (double) � Pin 7 white Ys
Pin 8 black Ground

Black (triple) � Pin 10 Red Audio L
Pin 11 White Audio R
Pin 12 Black Ground


Remaining Wires VGA

Pin 11 IDO Brown
Pin 10 + Pin 5 Sync Ground + Ground

[Endymion]

I'm still unclear what the problem is. When I got my X68000, courtesy of our esteemed host, modding the cable with a VGA terminal was utter simplicity. You've laid it all out, just connect the dots, then power it up.

[NFG]

1. Always connect all your grounds.  This is mandatory.
2. There's no use for audio on a VGA connector.
3. There's no Ys (computer data present) on a VGA connector.
4. VGA doesn't require the ID lines.


I think that about sums it up.  If there's nowhere for the signals to go, then you don't have to connect 'em.

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Hi made up the cable using these;

Pin 1 Red (inner white) to Pin 1 (inner pink)
Pin 2 Red Ground (outer) to Pin 6 (Outer of Red)
Pin 3 Green Inner (white) to Pin 2 Green Inner
Pin 4 Green Outer (white) to Pin 7 Green Outer
Pin 5 Blue Inner (white) to Pin 3 Blue Inner (white)
Pin 6 Blue Outer to Pin 6 Blue Outer
Pin 14 Red thin wire H-Sync to Pin 13 white thin wire H-Sync
Pin 15 green thin wire V-Sync to Pin 14 black thin wire V-Sync

I didn't use the Ys (computer data present), ID lines or audio from the X68000 end.

I connected all the grounds together including Pin 10 + Pin 5 Sync Ground + Ground from the VGA to the Pin 8 black Ground (Ys) and Pin 12 Black Ground
(audio) from the X68000 end.

Is all this cool? I thought I'd double check before trying it out as I don't want to blow anything. Again any advice would be really cool and all your advice up to now has been cool! Also cheers for the Birthday greeting from your site - hotmail sent it to my junkmail but I'll get it into my inbox for the future! Another cool feature from your site!

[NFG]

Don't forget to ground pins 5 and 10 on the VGA connector.  Once you do this your cable should work fine.

Also, there's no real need to call them 'inner' and 'outer'.  All the ones you call 'outer' are just ground, and all grounds are the same.

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Hi cool the cable worked! Thanks for all your help and time. This is going to sound pretty stupid but how do you get the games to work? I noticed in the instructions of a few games that there's something about a mkdir command. I think this is make directory as I heard the software runs using files and commands similar to Windows DOS. I couldn't really get everything as the instructions are of course in Japanese. Again anything would be well appreciated.

[NFG]

Unless you're trying to install the games on your HD you won't need the MKDIR command.  Just insert a floppy and turn on the machine.  That's it.