RNEWTON@UMass.BITNET (01/03/87)
Feedback please. We have recently been trying to add more color 1040ST systems here at UMASS and have made a depressing discovery - the new-style SC1224 color monitor is seriously inferior to its predecessor. It is not as sharp (to the point of eye fatigue in medium res.) and has no brightness range and excessive contrast. Color values 222 and below are non-existant. We only have 512 colors to start with - now 192 are missing?! Check out the "puppy" demo on Degas Elite - you know it was not created to look that bad! We have compared several of the new monitors and none are worth having. This is a serious problem for us because we use the systems to teach graphic design courses. Plus I would like to still see when I'm through word pro- cessing. We have refused delivery from the dealer but need to have these systems running. Can anyone recommend another monitor and advise on ways to connect it to the 1040? And perhaps its time to boycott these cheap replacements we're being offered? Atari says the specs are the same - let your eyes be the judge. If you've never seen the old type, find one and compare. You'll be shocked. (and then realize you've been had!) Rick Newton, Digital Photographic Service, UMass, Amherst
pett@socrates.ucsf.edu (Eric Pettersen%CGL) (01/03/87)
In article <870103013827.000015ED.AJZJ.MA@UMass> RNEWTON@UMass.BITNET writes: >Feedback please. We have recently been trying to add more color 1040ST >systems here at UMASS and have made a depressing discovery - the new-style >SC1224 color monitor is seriously inferior to its predecessor. ... >................ Can anyone recommend another monitor and advise on ways >to connect it to the 1040? And perhaps its time to boycott these cheap >replacements we're being offered? Atari says the specs are the same - >let your eyes be the judge. If you've never seen the old type, find one >and compare. You'll be shocked. (and then realize you've been had!) > Rick Newton, Digital Photographic Service, UMass, Amherst Yes, feedback please! I am contemplating purchasing a color monitor and am not looking forward to being disappointed (my friend has an early color monitor). Is it true that the problem is mainly that the monitor is not adjusted correctly in the factory (or false)? What *are* the alternatives? Eric Pettersen UCSF Computer Graphics Lab
todd@zeke.UUCP (Todd Burkey) (01/05/87)
In article <870103013827.000015ED.AJZJ.MA@UMass> RNEWTON@UMass.BITNET writes: >Feedback please. We have recently been trying to add more color 1040ST >systems here at UMASS and have made a depressing discovery - the new-style >SC1224 color monitor is seriously inferior to its predecessor.... I agree. We have been trying to find alternative monitors locally, and all we have found so far is the Magnovox Analog monitor all of the AMIGA people are switching over to. The newer Atari color monitors appear to have less brilliance than the older ones, although they are no where near the poor quality you get on an Amiga monitor (I have both the ST and an Amiga...and a Mac, PC, CP/M system, etc...one good computer and a bunch of paper-weigths). If you switch back to the old technique of using white text on a blue background, the new monitors are easy to read, but I would rather see Atari switch back to the old monitors. I do know of sales that have been lost due to this problem. >range and excessive contrast. Color values 222 and below are non-existant. >We only have 512 colors to start with - now 192 are missing?! Check out the Now this I haven't seen yet. I would hazard a guess that your local distributor got in a bad batch, since the colors on our new monitors are all there, just less crisp (at least on our distributors last shipment from atari). Todd Burkey ..!meccts!mecc!zeke!todd -- -Todd Burkey ZYCAD Corporation ..!mecc!zeke!todd
Patrick@ark.cs.vu.nl (Patrick van Kleef) (01/06/87)
In article <9999@cgl.ucsf.edu.ucsfcgl.UUCP> pett@socrates.ucsf.edu.UUCP (Eric Pettersen) writes: >In article <870103013827.000015ED.AJZJ.MA@UMass> RNEWTON@UMass.BITNET writes: >>Feedback please. We have recently been trying to add more color 1040ST >>systems here at UMASS and have made a depressing discovery - the new-style >>SC1224 color monitor is seriously inferior to its predecessor. ... >>................ Can anyone recommend another monitor and advise on ways >>to connect it to the 1040? And perhaps its time to boycott these cheap >>replacements we're being offered? Atari says the specs are the same - >>let your eyes be the judge. If you've never seen the old type, find one >>and compare. You'll be shocked. (and then realize you've been had!) >> Rick Newton, Digital Photographic Service, UMass, Amherst > >Yes, feedback please! I am contemplating purchasing a color monitor and >am not looking forward to being disappointed (my friend has an early color >monitor). Is it true that the problem is mainly that the monitor is not >adjusted correctly in the factory (or false)? What *are* the alternatives? > > Eric Pettersen > UCSF Computer Graphics Lab Ok, here's feedback: I use a Sony KX-14CP1 monitor and to summarize its behaviour: GREAT. Although I'm not sure the monitor is obtainable in the USA (or maybe under a different 'label'), I think it's well worth looking into, because it simply is a jewel of a monitor. The facts: - Black Trinitron tube (high contrast) - Resolution: manual doesn't say, but more than the ST can give for sure! - Scart input for RGB signal (analog) - Video input - RGB TTL input (for PC [?]) - Audio output (mono) Costs: about $700 {I have no connection to Sony whatsoever, except -ofcourse- being a customer}
jack@cod.UUCP (Jack M. Zyphur) (01/06/87)
In article <9999@cgl.ucsf.edu.ucsfcgl.UUCP> pett@socrates.ucsf.edu.UUCP (Eric Pettersen) writes: >In article <870103013827.000015ED.AJZJ.MA@UMass> RNEWTON@UMass.BITNET writes: >>Feedback please. We have recently been trying to add more color 1040ST >>systems here at UMASS and have made a depressing discovery - the new-style >>SC1224 color monitor is seriously inferior to its predecessor. ... >>................ Can anyone recommend another monitor and advise on ways >>to connect it to the 1040? And perhaps its time to boycott these cheap >>replacements we're being offered? Atari says the specs are the same - >>let your eyes be the judge. If you've never seen the old type, find one >>and compare. You'll be shocked. (and then realize you've been had!) >> Rick Newton, Digital Photographic Service, UMass, Amherst > >Yes, feedback please! I am contemplating purchasing a color monitor and >am not looking forward to being disappointed (my friend has an early color >monitor). Is it true that the problem is mainly that the monitor is not >adjusted correctly in the factory (or false)? What *are* the alternatives? > > Eric Pettersen > UCSF Computer Graphics Lab I have been using an NEC Multisync with the ST for 6 mos. now with great success. You will, however, have to build your own cable (the connectors are the hard part). I even added a rotory switch box in the middle of my cable which provides the following: position 1. Low and medium resolution color. position 2. Grounds the "monochrome detect" pin on the ST and applies the video signal to all three color inputs to give High resolution monochrome. position 3. As above but uses only the green input giving a High resolution green display. position 4. Directs input from another computer to the monitor (i.e. an EGA board in my IBM clone). These monitors ain't cheep but they look better (to me) than even the original ST monitors (with all the money tied up in the NEC it "must" look better). You can even expand the raster somewhat using the standard controls on top of the NEC to get rid of most of the border. It doesn't have a built in speaker though, but after the warranty runs out you can stick one in the monitor. Jack at NOSC "Its parameters are nondeterministic, but we have determined that 40 is a safe number." Allen Pratt, Atari Corp.
actor@percival.UUCP (Clif Swinford) (01/07/87)
So.
How about a word from Neil Harris concerning the new monitors?
Clif Swinford
..!tektronix!reed!{percival,skeeve}!actor (UUCP)
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*No Opinions, No Disclaimer.*
*****************************pete@wlbreng1.UUCP (Pete Lyall) (01/08/87)
I *just* bought a 520 ST after being a long time 6809/OS9 fan (well, I
STILL am...) and picked up a 520 a PS3000. The latter is apparently a
combination of the color RGB monitor and an imbedded SS disk in the
same cabinet (ala MAC).
I noted outright that whenever the floppy is in motion, that some very
faint diagonal hash appears on the screen (Yuk!). I intend to return
the PS3000 for discrete units (SC1224 and Drive), but having read the
message traffic here regarding the 'new' sc1224's and the defective
display, I'm scared that I might end up with one!
How do I determine whether a sc1224 monitor is a new or an old type??
While I'm here (I don't want to flood the group with "where do I find
out's" and "who makes a" and the like), can someone reccomend a good
techie-level 'guts' book on the ST? I have seen several in the
bookstores, and have heard that some are no-goodski.
Thanks (emphatically) for any and all help!
Pete Lyall
Usenet: {trwrb, scgvaxd, ihnp4, voder, vortex}!wlbr!wlbreng1!pete
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