Thread
IIsiColorPivotII_PDS_Card_HackProject™
yeah if you mod the Super mac card… and solder on the IDC to the video card connector… you have a second video card in your SE/30 as well.
i seriously doubt the Greyscale video board is going to get done.
but if you go with what has already been done… a dual monitor SE/30 is rather cool… and useful!
i seriously doubt the Greyscale video board is going to get done.
but if you go with what has already been done… a dual monitor SE/30 is rather cool… and useful!
I've been worrying away at overclocking instead. Hey did anyone get the Radius Control Panel working on the SE30?
i never tried.. been waiting for some to pm me the links to the SW ---i cannot find this SW!
Wow, this thread is getting waaaay cool! 
I know, I still owe several replies (and research) here... :I but for the time being I see very interesting the idea of a grayscale SE/30. With the video card issue already solved, this is what I think about the remaining tasks:
Even if the above gets solved, there could be minor issues related to the video mode: putting the same number of pixels per line (512) with the same dot clock but a faster horizontal frequency means that the active region is longer -- image would appear somewhat stretched and there's a chance of getting distortion at the sides, maybe losing some pixels... not sure if some adjustment of the analog board would fix that. Surprisingly, the higher number of lines (384 vs. 342) shouldn't be a problem, because of the faster horizontal frequency: the active region is quite similar (15.69 ms vs. 15.37)
Anyway, the project is very interesting, I hope we could get all these issues fixed
I know, I still owe several replies (and research) here... :I but for the time being I see very interesting the idea of a grayscale SE/30. With the video card issue already solved, this is what I think about the remaining tasks:
- The grayscale board for the CRT shouldn't be much of a problem for anyone able to make a (simple) PCB. We already got the schematics and copmponents are pretty much standard (read affordable), even the CRT socket, I'd say...
- Unfortunately, no video card intended for an external monitor will supply adequate sync signals for the SE/30's internal monitor... However, as already stated, the 12" RGB mode (512x384) comes very close: vertical sync is the same (60 Hz), even the dot clock matches the internal video. The problem here is the horizontal sync, 24.48 kHz vs. 22.254 on the SE/30 -- that's a 10% difference. While the oscillator must tolerate some deviation in order to sync properly, I cannot guarantee it would be able to lock at such offset -- maybe some units will, but others won't. This could be just a matter of replacing a capacitor on the analog board for one with a slightly lower value (most likely a combination of two capacitors, since standard values are spaced much wider than 10%). But...
- ...then there's the risk of actually damaging the CRT and/or analog board for driving it to an unexpected frequency xx( Although the difference doesn't seem too large, and I've heard the the real danger is setting a frequency lower than intended, but I have to admit that I don't have experience on this particular issue.
Even if the above gets solved, there could be minor issues related to the video mode: putting the same number of pixels per line (512) with the same dot clock but a faster horizontal frequency means that the active region is longer -- image would appear somewhat stretched and there's a chance of getting distortion at the sides, maybe losing some pixels... not sure if some adjustment of the analog board would fix that. Surprisingly, the higher number of lines (384 vs. 342) shouldn't be a problem, because of the faster horizontal frequency: the active region is quite similar (15.69 ms vs. 15.37)
Anyway, the project is very interesting, I hope we could get all these issues fixed
Welcome back, z!
It's good to see your more hopeful analysis of the pixel problem. This snag in the Radius powered re-boot of the internal grayscale project has been very disappointing.
I finally found a source for the shielded co-ax I've been looking for for so long, It's been sitting in the Partsmo box all along. :I
There's enough to make a couple of cables, but I'm going to leave it alone. The antenna looks intact so I'm going to be saving that. MICRON's twisted pair setup will be plenty good enough.
It's good to see your more hopeful analysis of the pixel problem. This snag in the Radius powered re-boot of the internal grayscale project has been very disappointing.
I finally found a source for the shielded co-ax I've been looking for for so long, It's been sitting in the Partsmo box all along. :I
There's enough to make a couple of cables, but I'm going to leave it alone. The antenna looks intact so I'm going to be saving that. MICRON's twisted pair setup will be plenty good enough.