> Delivered-To: port-alpha@netbsd.org
> From: der Mouse <mouse@Rodents.Montreal.QC.CA>
> Date: Wed, 15 Oct 2003 19:57:24 -0400 (EDT)
> To: port-alpha@NetBSD.org, port-sparc@NetBSD.org
> Subject: Monitor adapter?
> 
> I recently picked up an alpha machine, a DEC 3000 300X.  It has a
> framebuffer, which drives 1280x1024@72Hz, apparently with no other
> options.  I'd like to use this framebuffer.
> 
> However, practically all the monitors I have are Sun monitors.  The
> Alpha has 3BNC output, so it must be using sync-on-green; most of my
> Sun monitors are 13W3, and I don't know what they do for sync, except
> that so far they've always proven compatible with the (Sun) video I
> drive them with.
> 
> Does anyone know anything about what sort of compatability there may
> be?  If adapter devices are needed, can they be passive (eg, a splitter
> to send green to both green and sync) or need they be active (level
> shifter, sync extracter and conditioner, whatever)?
> 
> I have a number of Sun monitors on hand, but the only ones which have
> BNC inputs (a) appear to be fixed-frequency and (b) use 5BNC, rather
> than 3BNC, implying they want separate sync.  Some of the others
> appear, based on some Sun doc I found on the Web, capable of
> 1280x1024@76 and thus probably can do 1280x1024@72, but they use 13W3
> and, in the one case I found a pinout, appear to want separate sync.

Back in the days of NeXT computers (another Sync-on-Green video system)
I found that I could use a Sun monitor on a NeXT (i.e. the Sun monitor
would respond to sync-on-green).  The converse, NeXT monitor on Sun,
did not work because the Sun did not produce sync-on-green.

A 13W3 to 3 BNC adapter should work.

YMMV

    carl
-- 
    carl lowenstein         marine physical lab     u.c. san diego
                                                 clowenst@ucsd.edu