Re: Re (2): OT: SPARC 13W3 video (cable) adapters

[Michael <macallan%netbsd.org@localhost>]

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Hello,

On Jun 21, 2012, at 1:36 PM, Scrap Happy wrote:

> Hi Andrew,
>
> On 6/20/2012 10:03 PM, Andrew Smallshaw wrote:
> > On Thu, Jun 14, 2012 at 03:57:29PM -0700, Scrap Happy wrote:
> > > On 6/3/2012 1:25 PM, peter%easthope.ca@localhost wrote:
> > >
> > > > This cable works just as you describe on my Sparcstation 2 with
> > > > an old moitor.  I can report the monitor spec. if you need it.
> > > > I have no complaint with the price or function of the cable.
> > >
> > > Thanks!  I will make a note of it (busy chasing some other issues
> > > at the present time).
> >
> > I'm a week late responding to this but be careful: they may well
> > not work on any given monitor.  The older Suns present a composite
> > sync-on-green signal as opposed to separate H/V sync on dedicated
> > pins as expected by PC monitors: this difference isn't something
> > that can be bridged by a passive cable but needs active electronics.
>
> IRC, the Creator series have a separate composite sync.

I think at least ffb2+ can do both, plus separate sync.
That said, IIRC most Sun monitors were rebadged Sonys anyway.
Also, most (all?) Sun graphics hardware seems to default to sync on  
green ( even the 'cheap' PCI cards do ) so that's really all you need  
to watch out for.
Finally, if the card supports DDC2 it may switch to whatever sync  
protocol the monitor claims to support ( and some monitors seem to lie  
about their capabilities ). This includes Creator and all PCI cards.

> I think the Indy's were SoG.

SGI is weird. For example, the IMPACT series of graphics boards could  
produce sync signals on any colour channel. Newport is sync on green  
only IIRC, might support separate sync, I didn't look at the docs in a  
while but it certainly defaults to sync on green, if only for tradition.

>  I can't speak for any of the
> older/smaller Sun 4's (or prior) as I've discarded everything
> except SB2000/U60/SB150/etc.  (I may still have a 128MB LX
> hidden away somewhere -- always found the LX to be "cute")

IIRC CG6, CG3 and so on are all hard wired to sync on green.

> I've already got some passive adapters that work.  The reason
> behind my initial post (Jan 2012) was to find a source of
> additional adapters as the ones I have don't seem to bear
> much by way of identification (just molded blobs of plastic
> with 13W3 and HDE15).  With two heads in each machine, I
> don't have enough adapters available...

IIRC the difference between Sun and SGI 13W3 wiring is where they put  
the sync signals and monitor ID pins ( and therefore, things like  
DDC2 ), if any. I have one adaptor that works fine with all my SGIs  
but only some Suns, with DDC2 not working, and one that's the other  
way around. I think some monitors get confused if there's garbage  
where they expect some sort of sync signal. So far I just made sure  
whatever monitor I buy supports sync on green and always got them to  
work at least with the Suns.

have fun
Michael

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