What is your VIC "video solution"?

Mayhem · Post by **Mayhem** » Wed Dec 12, 2012 10:14 am

I sometimes get that running my Vic20 through my LCD, and sometimes on boot the picture is fine. Not been able to determine what changes between switching the computer off and on again.

English Invader · Post by **English Invader** » Wed Dec 12, 2012 11:37 am

I use a 14" TV/VCR Combi. I sometimes think about upgrading to a bigger TV, but it has too much sentimental value to me. Plus, it's good for everything from Atari 2600/VIC-20 to sixth generation.

At some point, I may get a small LCD/flatscreen TV and fix it to the wall so I can keep my retro TV yet still enjoy the benefits of HD TV and Blu-ray.

ral-clan · Post by **ral-clan** » Wed Dec 12, 2012 3:51 pm

Mayhem wrote:I sometimes get that running my Vic20 through my LCD, and sometimes on boot the picture is fine. Not been able to determine what changes between switching the computer off and on again.

My brand new LG LED 47" TV also shows the checkerboarding / interlace combing effect shown on Rhurst's photo when I connect a C64DTV or the Atari Flashback console. It's not unuseable, just not nearly as nice as it looked on a real CRT.

I've hooked my VHS VCR to this TV and it actually looks quite good. Much better than a VHS machine on my Dad's LG TV from five years ago - so the analogue input filters have improved, but I suppose we are expecting things that most customers would never attempt with an LCD flat panel TV.

I think it basically comes down to the fact that the designers of these flat panel TVs were only willing to invest so much work into the legacy analogue inputs (i.e. de-interlacing circuits, etc.). They designed them for standard NTSC and PAL analogue standard definition signals running at 525 or whatever horizontal lines, but weren't expecting people to hook 1980s era video games to them which would feed them 250 horizontal lines, etc.

I can confirm that on my old Sony 27" WEGA CRT TV, all these plug-n-play video games looked fantastic.

Dusty · Post by **Dusty** » Wed Dec 12, 2012 5:46 pm

I use a Commodore 1901 monitor witrh a self made cable. Strange behaviour: Sometimes, the machine boots up in black and white mode (NTSC?). Turning the VIC off and on again, the screen is colored.

tokra · Post by **tokra** » Wed Dec 12, 2012 5:57 pm

I sometimes see the same behavior. A quick:

0poke36879,rnd(1)*256:goto
run

cycling for a few seconds corrects this. Your solution may be quicker, though

Barney · Post by **Barney** » Wed Dec 12, 2012 6:11 pm

Dusty wrote:I use a Commodore 1901 monitor witrh a self made cable. Strange behaviour: Sometimes, the machine boots up in black and white mode (NTSC?). Turning the VIC off and on again, the screen is colored.

I've seen my Vic-20 go "black & White" when I was turning the adjustment screws on the motherboard. I turned it too far and it took me several minutes to get color back. Even after I retuned the screw to its original position, it remained gray. I had to touch the screw with a screwdriver several times until it zapped back to color....strangest thing I have ever seen. I'll never do that again.

Muzz73 · Post by **Muzz73** » Mon Dec 17, 2012 10:45 am

I use a 1702, myself, but my son hooks his VIC up to the 47" flat panel TV in the living room and loves it!

be236 · Post by **be236** » Sat Dec 29, 2012 10:30 am

Muzz73 wrote:I use a 1702, myself, but my son hooks his VIC up to the 47" flat panel TV in the living room and loves it!

How do you hook up your VIC to your LCD TV?

Are you using RF modulator on the VIC and into the TV antenna port of the TV?

Mike · Post by **Mike** » Thu Jan 31, 2013 12:57 pm

I'm using a VIC-20 with S-Video mod, and a Commodore 1084.

They are connected with a LCA cable made from a DIN to 4x RCA break-out adapter and a normal A/V cable. The colour markings on the RCA ends of the DIN adapter happened to match the inputs of the 1084 (yellow: luma, red: chroma, white: audio):

Muzz73 · Post by **Muzz73** » Wed Feb 06, 2013 6:07 pm

How do you hook up your VIC to your LCD TV?

Are you using RF modulator on the VIC and into the TV antenna port of the TV?[/quote]

Actually, we just use a standard monitor cable and plug it in to the composite and audio in jacks on the TV. It plugs right in and fires right up.

He especially loves Jupiter Lander and Atlantis on the big screen!

rhurst · Post by **rhurst** » Thu Feb 07, 2013 12:17 pm

Jupiter Lander is already larger than life... and it only gets BETTER when it gets even LARGER!!