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36 lines
3.7 KiB
Plaintext
36 lines
3.7 KiB
Plaintext
---
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title: "Atari to VGA: Getting the ST Onto a Modern Monitor"
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section: "retro"
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tags: "retro"
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description: "How I connect the Atari Mega ST machines to modern VGA monitors, with three different RGB-to-VGA adapters."
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layout: base.njk
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parent: "/retro/"
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---
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<h1>Atari to VGA: Getting the ST Onto a Modern Monitor</h1>
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<div class="detail-content">
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<p>To get the Atari ST onto a modern monitor, I use RGB-to-VGA adapters. I have three of them: a passive MCSWITCH adapter on the "Low" machine, a self-built adapter on the "High" machine, and a newer active ST2VGA Enhanced that isn't in use yet.</p>
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<h2>The MCSWITCH (Low machine)</h2>
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<p>The <a href="/retro/atari-mega-st-fleet/">Mega ST 4 "Low"</a> uses an MCSWITCH adapter (ATARI Monochrome & Color VGA Adapter) by Olivier Gossuin. It shows all three ST resolutions on a suitable VGA monitor, with a switch for mono and color. The version documented on <a href="http://www.albersdoerfer.de/erweiterungen/stvga.htm" target="_blank">albersdoerfer.de</a> also has an A/V connector and volume buttons, but mine is an older revision without the volume buttons and with a slightly different look. I can't find my exact version at Olivier's anymore, nor a newer one, so the adapter I have is a bit of a rare older revision.</p>
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<h2>The self-built adapter (High machine)</h2>
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<p>The <a href="/retro/atari-mega-st-fleet/">Mega ST 4 "High"</a> uses a self-built adapter. I had to build my own because every off-the-shelf adapter blocks the VGA slot of the <a href="/retro/et4000-experiment/">ET4000</a> card, since both connectors sit at the same spot on the machine. My solution is a short cable leading to a small box, which carries the VGA connector and the mono/color switch, so the ET4000's own VGA output stays accessible. I followed the guide at <a href="https://pest.atari.org/www.logicsays.com/atari/mono/docs/atari_vga.htm" target="_blank">pest.atari.org</a> to build the RGB-to-VGA adapter itself.</p>
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<h2>The ST2VGA Enhanced (not yet in use)</h2>
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<p>I also bought a new active <a href="https://sidecartridge.com/products/st2vga-atari-st/" target="_blank">ST2VGA Enhanced</a> from SidecarTridge, but it isn't in use yet. Unlike the passive adapters, the Enhanced adds an active amplifier and filter stage for early or noisy Atari machines, and carries its own +5V supply over micro-USB. It's designed for machines with weak video output, visible "jailbars", or picky LCD inputs that fail to lock to the signal. I want to try it on the "Low" machine to see whether it cleans up the output on the <a href="https://www.amazon.de/dp/B0957KH8X7/" target="_blank">Dell SE2722HX</a>, which currently shows some faint vertical stripes, and hopefully removes them.</p>
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<h2>A note on monitors</h2>
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<p>Passive RGB-to-VGA adapters output the Atari's native timings, so color modes (ST Low and ST Medium) need a monitor that can lock to a 15 kHz horizontal sync signal. See my <a href="/retro/atari-monitor-compatibility/">monitor compatibility</a> page for which modern panels actually work. Mono mode (ST High) works on any standard VGA display.</p>
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<h2>Gallery</h2>
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<img src="stvga-low.jpg" alt="The MCSWITCH VGA adapter connected to the Atari" width="640" height="640">
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<p class="caption">The MCSWITCH adapter on the Mega ST 4 "Low" machine.</p>
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<h2>Sources</h2>
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<ul>
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<li><a href="http://www.albersdoerfer.de/erweiterungen/stvga.htm" target="_blank">MCSWITCH (ATARI Monochrome & Color VGA Adapter) - albersdoerfer.de</a></li>
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<li><a href="https://pest.atari.org/www.logicsays.com/atari/mono/docs/atari_vga.htm" target="_blank">Atari to VGA adapter build guide - pest.atari.org</a></li>
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<li><a href="https://sidecartridge.com/products/st2vga-atari-st/" target="_blank">ST2VGA Adapter - SidecarTridge (product page)</a></li>
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</ul>
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</div> |