[sci.electronics] VGA mode sensing

agodwin@acorn.co.uk (Adrian Godwin) (11/05/90)

I'm trying to connect a Mitsubishu high-resolution monitor (32kHz, BNC inputs,
no concessions at all to VGA standards, which it pre-dates) to the VGA port
on a Compaq 386.

It works fairly well, but only in monochrome. The Compaq's self-determining
setup detects a Mono VGA monitor, and won't do colours.

I've found some references to the possibility that the loading on the RGB
signals are used to configure the monitor type, and the ID bits on the VGA
connector (pins 11, 12, possibly pin 4) are ignored.

Does anyone know for sure what the rules are ? 
What about SVGA - is that monitor capability sensed automatically too ?

Thanks in advance,

-adrian

Nandu@cup.portal.com (Narendra J Kulkarni) (11/06/90)

Most of the clone VGA cards ignore the moniter ID bits, they sense moniter
type, mono/color/or no moniter by load on the RGB lines, the RAMDAC output
of the VGA DAC is a current output, usually the VGA card has a 75 ohm ter
minating resistance and the moniter has 75 ohm on RGB lines, the VGA card
senses the voltage developed on the RGB lines by means of a comparator and
detects the moniter, for mono moniter only one line usually green has 75 ohm
for color all three have 75 ohm, your problem may be that the moniter does no
t have terminating resistor, or something is not hooked right, make sure that
your RGB return lines are connected to RGB return on VGA  15 pin connector

commgrp@silver.ucs.indiana.edu (BACS Data Communications Group) (11/07/90)

agodwin@acorn.co.uk (Adrian Godwin) writes:

>I'm trying to connect a Mitsubishu high-resolution monitor (32kHz, 
>BNC inputs, no concessions at all to VGA standards, which it pre-
>dates) to the VGA port on a Compaq 386.

>It works fairly well, but only in monochrome. The Compaq's self-
>determining setup detects a Mono VGA monitor, and won't do colours.

>I've found some references to the possibility that the loading on the 
>RGB signals are used to configure the monitor type, and the ID bits 
>on the VGA connector (pins 11, 12, possibly pin 4) are ignored.

>Does anyone know for sure what the rules are ? 
>What about SVGA - is that monitor capability sensed automatically too ?

I don't know how Compaq does it, but here is the connector pinout of 
an IBM color VGA connector (model 8513):

You might try various combinations of open and ground on pins 11 and 12.

1  Red video                            9 Reserved
2  Green video                         10 Ground
3  Blue video                          11 Monitor sense (ground)
4  Reserved                            12 Monitor sense (open)  
5  Self test                           13 Horizontal synch
6  Red video return (coax shield)      14 Vertical synch
7  Green "     "       "     "         15 Reserved
8  Blue  "     "       "     "

On IBM monitors, the "self test" line causes a white raster on the 
screen when the cable is disconnected.  The video signals are 
terminated at 75 ohms.

--

Frank Reid     reid@ucs.indiana.edu