[comp.sys.ibm.pc] NEC Multisync Plus misfeature

um@wintek.UUCP (Mark Leighton Fisher) (03/10/88)

In article <1686@bgsuvax.UUCP>, ritzenth@bgsuvax.UUCP (Phil Ritzenthaler)
writes:
> [intro]
>As far as I can tell, the are 2 differences between the NEC II and the NEC 
>Plus:
> [details differences]

Unfortunately for some of us, there is one glaring misfeature in the NEC
Multisync Plus -- it doesn't support CGA resolution(s) (including the EGA
320x200 16-color mode).  If you attempt to speed things up, as in by using
320x200 in some cases (as our smARTWORK product does for the most zoomed-in
window on your printed-circuit board (4"x2.5")), you are out of luck.  You
are forced to put 640x350 or 640x480 pixels up on the screen, whether your
users need/desire them or not.  The Sony Multiscan apparently supports all
the resolutions of the NEC Multisync Plus AND supports CGA resolutions also.
-- 
Mark L. Fisher   Wintek Corp.
UUCP: ..{ucbvax|ihnp4|decvax}!pur-ee!wintek!um
BIX: fisherm

jallen@netxcom.UUCP (John Allen) (03/12/88)

In article <510@wintek.UUCP> um@wintek.UUCP (Mark Leighton Fisher) writes:
>Unfortunately for some of us, there is one glaring misfeature in the NEC
>Multisync Plus -- it doesn't support CGA resolution(s) (including the EGA
>320x200 16-color mode).  If you attempt to speed things up, as in by using
>320x200 in some cases (as our smARTWORK product does for the most zoomed-in
>window on your printed-circuit board (4"x2.5")), you are out of luck.  You
>are forced to put 640x350 or 640x480 pixels up on the screen, whether your
>users need/desire them or not.  The Sony Multiscan apparently supports all
>the resolutions of the NEC Multisync Plus AND supports CGA resolutions also.

Some boards, such as the Everex EVGA provide for this by double scanning.
When the board is set up for "higher resolution" monitors, (the Sony is
used as the example), 400 lines are displayed in 200 line modes.  The
19" Multisync XL works very well in this mode, so I would expect the Plus
would as well.

On a separate note, our original Multiscan has been performing well in
800 by 600 mode, even though it's not rated for that resolution.  Should
I expect damage to result from this "misuse", or are the claims about
these monitors not working in 800 by 600 mode based purely on the specs?

John Allen
=========================================================================
NetExpress Communications, Inc.      uunet!netxcom!jallen
1953 Gallows Road, Suite 300         (703) 749-2238
Vienna, Va., 22180
=========================================================================

john@bby-bc.UUCP (john) (03/13/88)

> 
> On a separate note, our original Multiscan has been performing well in
                                   ^^^^^^^^^
> 800 by 600 mode, even though it's not rated for that resolution.  Should
> I expect damage to result from this "misuse", or are the claims about
> these monitors not working in 800 by 600 mode based purely on the specs?
> 

Is this a typo or are you really talking about the Sony MultiScan and
not the Nec MultiSync?  I ask because the rest of the article is primarily
about the display resolution of Nec monitors.

john

jallen@netxcom.UUCP (John Allen) (03/22/88)

In article <258@bby-bc.UUCP> john@bby-bc.UUCP (john) writes:
>> 
>> On a separate note, our original Multiscan has been performing well in
>                                   ^^^^^^^^^
>> 800 by 600 mode, even though it's not rated for that resolution.  Should
>> I expect damage to result from this "misuse", or are the claims about
>> these monitors not working in 800 by 600 mode based purely on the specs?
>> 
>
>Is this a typo or are you really talking about the Sony MultiScan and
>not the Nec MultiSync?  I ask because the rest of the article is primarily
>about the display resolution of Nec monitors.

My apologies, it was a typo.  I have used two original NEC MultiSync,
JC-1401P3A Monitors quite successfully in 800 by 600 "Enhanced" VGA
mode.  I would still welcome speculation as to whether this creates
(internal) voltages or frequencies which may be harmful to the monitor's
electronics.

John Allen
=========================================================================
NetExpress Communications, Inc.      uunet!netxcom!jallen
1953 Gallows Road, Suite 300         (703) 749-2238
Vienna, Va., 22180
=========================================================================

del@Data-IO.COM (Erik Lindberg) (03/26/88)

In article <719@netxcom.UUCP> jallen@netxcom.UUCP (John Allen) writes:
> On a separate note, our original Multiscan has been performing well in
>                                   ^^^^^^^^^
> 800 by 600 mode, even though it's not rated for that resolution.  Should
> I expect damage to result from this "misuse", or are the claims about
> these monitors not working in 800 by 600 mode based purely on the specs?
> 

One time when IBM got bit (sort of). This is, of course, speculation, but
IBM wanted to come out with a new display for the PS/2 line that would make
people buy True Blue for awhile. They came out with a monitor that had a
scan rate somewhat beyond the spec limit for, say, the Multi-Sync. They
were surprised when they discovered that the Multi-Sync was drastically
under spec'ed due to some brilliant marketer at NEC that created the
inaccurate specs in order to "not confuse the issue".

The rest of this article is not speculation. NEC has officially stated
that the standard Multi-Sync will run the high res modes of the VGA with
no problem. The reason for the Multi-Sync plus (or II) is that IBM put in
a wierd polarity change on the sync pulses to determine what resolution the
monitor should be in. If you use a standard MS monitor, you may need to
adjust the hold circuits when switching modes. If you use the MS-II monitor
you may have sync problems on standard CGA. At least, this is what I have
understood from what I have read.
-- 
del (Erik Lindberg) 
uw-beaver!tikal!pilchuck!del

farren@gethen.UUCP (Michael J. Farren) (03/27/88)

del@pilchuck.Data-IO.COM (Erik Lindberg) writes:
>This is, of course, speculation, but
>IBM wanted to come out with a new display for the PS/2 line that would make
>people buy True Blue for awhile.

Pretty thin speculation.  640 X 480 (or multiples thereof) is a pretty
standard resolution on many systems these days.

-- 
Michael J. Farren             | "INVESTIGATE your point of view, don't just 
{ucbvax, uunet, hoptoad}!     | dogmatize it!  Reflect on it and re-evaluate
        unisoft!gethen!farren | it.  You may want to change your mind someday."
gethen!farren@lll-winken.llnl.gov ----- Tom Reingold, from alt.flame