Sony PVM-2043MD

[xttl]

Hi,

I recently bought a Sony PVM-2043MD 20" video monitor. I know it's probably a bit silly to buy these here in the land of SCART as they're usually kinda expensive, but I thought that maybe I'll get a better picture out of this monitor than from a TV or my old Commodore 1081. Better as in clearly defined nice big rectangular pixels, like on a PC emulator in 320x240 fullscreen mode or such. :-) I guess a cheap TFT TV might actually look like that too, but TFTs suck so I don't want one. Maybe in a few decades when there will be no more working CRT displays which can sync to 15kHz video... But by then, everyone has probably realized that TFTs indeed suck and have moved on to better technologies!

Anyway, I've got a couple of questions to ask about this monitor. I was supposed to get a manual with it, but couldn't find it anywhere in the box. esupport.sony.com has some manuals for the PVM series (and I actually found everything I wanted to know about the "user interface" from there), but not for this particular model. So...does the monitor accept composite video directly as EXT SYNC in RGB mode? From reading some posts at these forums, it seems like most models in the Sony PVM series do. But if anyone knows for sure whether this model does, I'd like to know.

The input BNC connectors look a bit odd compared to the output connectors (and compared to something you'd find in old computer networking equipment, for example). Can I just go and buy standard 75 ohm BNC connectors for the SCART adapter, or should I buy matching connectors, and what might they be called? Here's a pic which should show the difference: http://koti.phnet.fi/~vv/pvm2043md/pvm3.jpg

Is there any way to test the monitor really works before I get the SCART adapter assembled? There's a standard S-Video input there, but I don't have any S-Video cables for my consoles, can you guess why? :-) And I don't have any equipment with a standard S-Video output connector either. Use your PC, you say? I've lost the adapter for my video card. :-) It seems to power on, does the usual loud degauss routine and then starts emitting the characteristic "oh, there's a TV in this room" hum, if you know what I mean. The brightness/contrast controls however don't seem to do anything. Adjusting brightness and contrast does work on my C1081 even if there's no signal (black turns to gray)...

Anyway, thanks for your possible replies in advance. I just hope I'm not in for a big disappointment when this beast finally displays something...

[Guest]

if you just want to test it out you can buy a rca to bnc adapter and hook up something into it (consoles, vcr or whatever) and plug that into Line A or B.

your pvm looks to be sync-on-green

[xttl]

Yeah, I got the impression that it probably supports sync-on-green from the manuals for other PVM models on Sony's site. However, unless I'm terribly mistaken, not all consoles output SOG. PS2 does it, but does it do it in 15kHz mode or only in VGA mode? What about other consoles? That's why I think I might eventually have to use the EXT SYNC input too. I think the EXT SYNC toggle button will work in RGB mode too. Well, at least I hope so!

I'll probably try to get an adapter like that as soon as possible. Either that or a S-Video cable for PSX/PS2. I'd just like to know if it's normal on this monitor that the brightness and contrast controls don't do anything if there's no signal. Like I said, they do work on my old C1081 without feeding it anything, but I guess it's just a much dumber device than this one!