RTV VEG Family of Products

RTV VEG Family of Products
The VEG Lite
Bring all your gaming and entertainment platforms together in the same play space. The VEG Lite is a compact external unit that easily turns a VGA monitor into a gaming center, giving you enhanced 1024x768 resolution for your game graphics without having to take over the family television.

The VEG Lite can be used as a stand-alone game center or linked through your desktop computer.

Sharper Graphics
Enhanced 1024x768 resolution gives your games a true 3D look the way the designers intended them to be viewed.
Sharper Text
Reduced pixel crawl or moiré around the edges of the text makes for better readability.
Stereo Sound
Plug in your speakers or headphones and enjoy pure stereo sound.
Full-screen Enhanced-resolution Video Entertainment
XBox*™ and PS2™ users: simply place your favorite DVD movie in the game console and enjoy it in enhanced resolution.
* Optional XBox DVD Movie Playback kit needed.
Graphics-based On-screen Menu
Control brightness, sharpness, contrast, hue, saturation

Using the Commodore 128 Computer

Using the Commodore 128 Computer with a VGA Monitor

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It's now possible to use a Commodore 128 with a VGA monitor – without too much hassle or expense. Below is the configuration of my system, allowing for use of both 40-column and 80-column video modes at the flip of a switch: RTV Veg Lite Composite-to-VGA converter (for 40-column mode). Appx. cost: US $40-60 Highway CGA (RGBI)-to-VGA Converter (for 80-column mode). Appx. cost: US $90-140 Basic wiring: 40-column video is routed to the RCA jack on the Composite-to-VGA converter. VGA output from the Composite-to-VGA converter is routed to the VGA bypass connector on the RGBI-to-VGA converter. The RGBI-to-VGA converter connects directly to the 9-pin D-Sub connector on the Commodore 128 for 80-column video. The VGA monitor is connected to the VGA Output connector on the RGBI-to-VGA converter There is a bypass switch on the back of the RGBI-to-VGA converter that, when used with a Composite-to-VGA converter, allows you to toggle between 40-column and 80-column modes. The switch is in an awkward location, though (in the back between the power and bypass cable connectors), so for convenience I've added a toggle switch to the front of my project box. Below are some pictures of the final configuration. Thanks to members of the Commodore 128 Alive! forum for information and suggestions instrumental in making this this possible. Special thanks goes to Mangelore for providing information necessary to overcome the lack of Intensity pin on the RGBI-to-VGA converter, thereby allowing all 16 distinct colors!

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Commodore 128; 80-column mode – 16 colors on an LCD VGA monitor!

Commodore 128; 80-column mode – 16 colors on an LCD VGA monitor! (zoomed)



Commodore 128; 80-column mode – 16 colors on an LCD VGA monitor! (CP/M mode)



Commodore 128; 40-column mode – on an LCD VGA monitor!




Commodore 128 in Commodore 64 mode – on an LCD VGA monitor!




Highway RGBI-to-VGA Converter (for 80-column mode) – open




Highway RGBI-to-VGA Converter (for 80-column mode) – in project box with shielded 9-pin D-Sub connector



RTV Veg Lite Composite-to-VGA converter (for 40-column mode) – top, Highway RGBI-to-VGA Converter (for 80-column mode) – right and monitor (bottom)




Commodore 128 (bottom), VGA LCD monitor (middle) and Highway RGBI-to-VGA Converter (for 80-column mode) – right

VGA analogue display connector

Nearly all modern PC graphics cards use the same 15 pin conenctor that the original IBM VGA card used. The connector is not very suitable for high resolution graphics because it does not have a well defined impedance characteristics like BNC connectors. 15 pin VGA connector is still commonly used because it is so popular that it is hard to sell product without it.

Pin numbering in female connector

Pinout

1       Red out *
2       Green out *
3       Blue out *
4       Monitor ID 2 in
5       Ground
6       Red return
7       Green return
8       Blue return
9       no pin
10      Sync return
11      Monitor ID 0 in
12      Monitor ID 1 in
13      Horizonal Sync out
14      Vertical Sync out
15      reserved (monitor ID 3)

Signals marked with * are analogue 0.7V p-p positive signals to 75 ohm load. All other signals are TTL level signals.

Here is an ASCII pinout diagram for those who prefer it:

                                                                 6
1 Red (Analog)   6 Red   Return    11 (ID0) GND (Color)     11. . . 1
2 Green (Analog) 7 Green Return    12 (ID1) NC (Color)        . . .
3 Blue (Analog)  8 Blue  Retuen    13 Horzontal Sync          . . .
4 Reserved       9 No Connect      14 Vertical  Sync          . . .
5 Ground        10 Ground          15 No Connect              . . .
                                                        15  10  5

Monitor ID detection pin assignments

4    11   12
ID2  ID0  ID1

n/c  n/c  n/c   no monitor
n/c  n/c  GND   Mono monitor which does not sopport 1024x768
n/c  GND  n/c   Color monitor which does not support 1024x768
GND  GND  n/c   Color monitor which supports 1024x768

GND menas connected to ground
n/c means that the pin has not bee connected anywhere

This monitor type detection is becoming more and more obsolete nowadays, because more and mode intelligence is integrated to the monitor. New plug-and-play monitors communicate with the computer according to VESA DDC standard.

VESA DDC

VESA Display Data Channel is a method for integrating digital interface to VGA conenctor to be able the monitor and grapahics card to communicate. There are two different levels of DDC: DDC1 and DDC2.

DDC1

DDC1 allows the monitor to tell it's parapeters to the computer. The following VGA card connector pins had to be changed to allow DDC1 fuctions:

pin    new function
9     Optional +5V output from graphics card
12     Data from display
14     Standard vertical sync signal which works also as data clock
15     Monitor ID3

When grpahics card detects data on data-line it starts to read the data coming from the monitor syncronous to vertical sync pulse. Vertical sync pulse frequency can be increased up to 25 KHz for the time of the data transfer if a DDC1 compliant monitor is found (be sure not to send those high frequencies to non DDC1 monitors!).

DDC2

DDC2 allows bidirectional communication: monitor can tell it's parameters and computer can adjust monitor settings. The bidirectional data bus is a syncronous data bus similar to Access Bus and is based on I2C technology. Tho following pins had to be changed to to enable DDC2 to work:

pin    new function
9     Optional +5V output from graphics card
12     Bidirectional data line (SDA)
15     Data clock (SLC)

The signals in the data bus are standard I2C signals. The computer provides 15 kohm pullup for the SDA and SLC lines. Monitor must provide 47 kohm pull-up on SCLK line.

NOTE: If the optional +5V power output pin is used, a special DDC/VGA connector must be used to to provide proper sequencing. The +5V output voltage must be withing +/-5% range and tha card must be able to supply at least 300 mA current (maximum 1A).

VESA DPMS power saving

VESA has defined a standard method for computer to tell monitor when to go to power saving mode. This power saving mode is controlled by changing the sync signals according the table below:

                NORMAL          STANDBY         SUSPENDED       OFF
H-sync          On              Off             On              Off
V-sync          On              On              Off             Off
Power level     100%            80%             <30w>