Re: Commodore to S-Video or HDMI video?

From: Mia Magnusson <mia_at_plea.se>
Date: Tue, 17 Jul 2018 21:06:35 +0200
Message-ID: <20180717210635.00006114@plea.se>
Den Mon, 16 Jul 2018 23:08:14 -0400 skrev "Raj Wurttemberg"
<rajaw@c64.us>:
> Hi Guys - I just had another 1902 monitor pop (big cap near the
> flyback transformer) and I'm getting worried that my CRTs are
> reaching their end of life.  Have any of you done any work on a
> device to convert the output from a C64 to s-video or even better,
> HDMI? I can troubleshoot electronics, but I never learned to design
> circuits. I did find one schematic on the internet that involves
> removing some components from the C64 and putting in an s-video
> connector. I'm fine with doing that but I wanted to check with you
> all first before starting that process.

C64 and C128 already has S-video output, but the name S-video wasn't
invented until later so it goes by other names in documentation written
back in the days.

You need an 8-pin DIN, and it has to be the right kind (there are two
kinds, one where 7 of the pins form a perfect circle except a "pin" is
missing, and one where pin 6 and 7 "hangs down" like they are tired).
Of course use audio out as usual, and signal ground as usual. Luminance
is connected to the luma pin of an S-video connector. Chrominance
is connected to the chroma pin of an S-video connector.

(If you live in Europe you might have a TV with S-video on a Scart
connector. Then you connect luma to the video in pin and chroma to the
RGB color pin that's physically closest to the video in pin. Of course
you also connect the audio signal to the audio in pins).

As you seem to be able to do some work on electronics stuff, I suggest
that you do a full recap of the monitors you want to keep alive, or at
least have a look at the electrolytic capacitors and see if there are
any swollen or leaky (physical fluid) capacitors. If any look bad, at
least replace all that seems to be from the same batch but preferable
replace all.

You might skip the small capacitors that sits in places where a short
circuit would not damage expensive stuff, like perhaps in the signal
path where the signal levels are rather low. But that is imho not worth
the temporary saving, the smaller capacitors are also the cheapest to
buy new.

opt for capacitors with a good reputation and be sure that they are
rated for the heat from nearby power semiconductors and resistors, and
generally the heat where you live.

The only 100% perfect HDMI solution I know of is to emulate the
hardware using for example the Turbo Chameleon or the new replacement
motherboards.

Btw the things that age in CRT monitors seems to be the electrolytic
capacitors and the insulation in the high voltage parts. I'm officially
denying this, but "I've heard" that you can remove metal parts that are
near high voltage parts where the insulation has failed. It might even
require cutting a hole in the case, and it will be rather dangerous and
something you really don't want to use if there is a risk of animals,
childens or uneducated people getting nearby it.

Btw if the high voltage insulation has failed in a monitor you usually
hear a rather loud sparky sound. Don't hook up such monitor to a
computer or anything else you value until you have fixed the insulation.

There is another kind of insulation fail that causes a high pitched
buzzing sound and a smell of ozone. In those cases it might be
sufficent to clean out dirt on the high voltage parts of the monitor.

Don't work on the high voltage parts unless you are sure there are no
voltage charges still in the CRT. The CRT acts like a capacitor and can
hold a dangerous amount of energy. Follow well-known discharge
procedures after first letting the monitor rest for a few days. Never
ever disconnect the ground shield "nest" from the CRT unless you
already have disconnected the high voltage lead an the connector on the
neck of the tube. Always keep one of your hands behind you and work
with the other hand, and always work in an environment with good
insulation (i.e. a dry room with wooden or plastic floor, not concrete
or metal on the floor and not in a wet/humid place).

Beware that on a broken CRT monitor (and a broken switch mode power
supply in general) there might be capacitors charged with rectified
mains voltage (about 170V DC in 120V countries, about 325V in 230V
countries) that due to the fault won't get discharged.

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Received on 2018-07-17 22:00:05

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