Atari ST colour modes (Low-Res and Medium-Res) run at a horizontal scan frequency of 15kHz — a frequency almost no modern VGA monitor supports, since anything made in the last two decades expects at least 30kHz. High-Res monochrome runs at roughly 35kHz and gets along fine with most displays, but colour gaming is a different story entirely.
Panel Technology Matters More Than You'd Think
- MVA/PVA panels — the surprise winners. Their flexible crystal alignment tolerates unusual 15kHz signals far better than standard panels. A NEC MultiSync LCD1970NXp with an MVA panel handles Medium-Res colour reliably, once you fine-tune the H.Size setting.
- IPS panels — a mixed bag. Some work (a widescreen Lenovo ThinkVision LT1952p reportedly fills the screen beautifully via an ST2VGA adapter), others don't, and there's no way to tell without testing.
- VA panels — a dead end. Modern VA displays like the Dell SE2722HX and SE2422HX have a minimum horizontal frequency of 30kHz, ruling out native 15kHz signals entirely.
- The universal fix — an Open Source Scan Converter (OSSC) upsamples the 15kHz signal for any HDMI monitor, at the cost of extra hardware and money.
If you're chasing 15kHz authenticity, buy the specific panel model people have already confirmed working in the forums — don't trust a spec sheet that just says "supports VGA."