[comp.sys.amiga.hardware] ECS

glmwc@iceman.jcu.oz (Matthew W Crowd) (11/21/90)

I posted this not long ago but still have a question,
my email didn't get though so here it is.......

>>Is the video signal from the video port always 31.5kHz with 
>>the ECS installed?

>In reply:

>2. No, ECS is a superset of the original chip set - anything they can do
>we can do(unless Victor and I broke something and nobody told us about
>it :-) !!!). Basically ECS involves three things:
	1.) programmability of timing registers that used to be
	    hard-wired(horizontal total,start and end of blanking,etc.)
	2.) creation of a SHRES pixel resolution(35nS)
	3.) additional genlock support(border transparency control,color
	    table and bitplane transparency,etc.)

	Using 2.0 preferences you can set horizontal scan rate to 15 or
	31 KHz. For applications, horizontal and frame frequency are
	programmable over a large range of values.

QUESTION:

I'll try and make this as simple as possible:-

SETUP = Amiga 2000 + ECS + WB2.0

I definately want to get a VGA (not Multisync)  monitor BUT
WILL I BE ABLE TO USE THE MONITOR WITH ALL SCREEN MODES?

eg. Boot up in normal 640x256 or 320x256 modes. Not just Productivity
    all the time. (Note that the VGA Monitor has a constant scan rate
    of 31kHz.
 
     =-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=
       Amiga :         ///  |  Matthew Crowd
       There          ///   |  Research Assistant 
       is no      \\\///    |  James Cook University 
       substitute  \XX/     |  email : <glmwc@marlin.jcu.edu.au> 
     =-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=

hood@cbmvax.commodore.com (Scott Hood) (11/21/90)

In article <1294@iceman.jcu.oz> glmwc@iceman.jcu.oz (Matthew W Crowd) writes:
>
>I posted this not long ago but still have a question,
>my email didn't get though so here it is.......
>
>>>Is the video signal from the video port always 31.5kHz with 
>>>the ECS installed?
>
>>In reply:
>
>>2. No, ECS is a superset of the original chip set - anything they can do
>>we can do(unless Victor and I broke something and nobody told us about
>>it :-) !!!). Basically ECS involves three things:
>	1.) programmability of timing registers that used to be
>	    hard-wired(horizontal total,start and end of blanking,etc.)
>	2.) creation of a SHRES pixel resolution(35nS)
>	3.) additional genlock support(border transparency control,color
>	    table and bitplane transparency,etc.)
>
>	Using 2.0 preferences you can set horizontal scan rate to 15 or
>	31 KHz. For applications, horizontal and frame frequency are
>	programmable over a large range of values.
>
>QUESTION:
>
>I'll try and make this as simple as possible:-
>
>SETUP = Amiga 2000 + ECS + WB2.0
>
>I definately want to get a VGA (not Multisync)  monitor BUT
>WILL I BE ABLE TO USE THE MONITOR WITH ALL SCREEN MODES?
>
>eg. Boot up in normal 640x256 or 320x256 modes. Not just Productivity
>    all the time. (Note that the VGA Monitor has a constant scan rate
>    of 31kHz.
> 
>     =-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=
>       Amiga :         ///  |  Matthew Crowd
>       There          ///   |  Research Assistant 
>       is no      \\\///    |  James Cook University 
>       substitute  \XX/     |  email : <glmwc@marlin.jcu.edu.au> 
>     =-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=

No, you will not.  You will only be able to use the Productivity display
mode is you have a VGA monitor and not a multisync monitor.  However, if
you have the A2320 display enhancer, then you don't need the ECS chip
set and you CAN use a VGA monitor for all screen display modes.  I am
assuming that you have an NTSC machine.  Some VGA monitors will not work
well with PAL machines and the A2320 because they are set for 60Hz
veritcal retrace and the PAL machines will produce a 50Hz vertical
retrace signal, thus only use a VGA only monitor with NTSC based
machines if you have the A2320.  It is a little cheaper.

(BY the way, Commodore sells a VGA only monitor called the 1930 which
can be used in BOTH NTSC and PAL machines with the A2320 installed as
well as our PC compable line of computers for less money than our 1950
monitor.)

Scott Hood

-- 
--
Scott Hood, Hardware Design Engineer (A3000 Crew),  Commodore-Amiga, Inc.
   {uunet|pyramid|rutgers}!cbmvax!hood   hood@cbmvax.cbm.commodore.com
  "The views expressed here are not necessarily those of my employer!" 

manes@vger.nsu.edu (11/26/90)

In article <16016@cbmvax.commodore.com>, hood@cbmvax.commodore.com (Scott Hood) writes:
> In article <1294@iceman.jcu.oz> glmwc@iceman.jcu.oz (Matthew W Crowd) writes:
> 
> No, you will not.  You will only be able to use the Productivity display
> mode is you have a VGA monitor and not a multisync monitor.  However, if
> you have the A2320 display enhancer, then you don't need the ECS chip
> set and you CAN use a VGA monitor for all screen display modes.  I am
> assuming that you have an NTSC machine.  Some VGA monitors will not work
> well with PAL machines and the A2320 because they are set for 60Hz
> veritcal retrace and the PAL machines will produce a 50Hz vertical
> retrace signal, thus only use a VGA only monitor with NTSC based
> machines if you have the A2320.  It is a little cheaper.
> 
> (BY the way, Commodore sells a VGA only monitor called the 1930 which
> can be used in BOTH NTSC and PAL machines with the A2320 installed as
> well as our PC compable line of computers for less money than our 1950
> monitor.)

Do you mean a multisync/multiscan monitor or a true VGA monitor?

The reason I ask is that I attempted to hook a 'VGA' monitor to a 
amiga 3000, I could only get it to display in the Productivity mode.
Using a Multiscan monitor made the difference.

Is the A2320 different in this regard?

> 
> Scott Hood
> 
> -- 
> --
> Scott Hood, Hardware Design Engineer (A3000 Crew),  Commodore-Amiga, Inc.
>    {uunet|pyramid|rutgers}!cbmvax!hood   hood@cbmvax.cbm.commodore.com
>   "The views expressed here are not necessarily those of my employer!" 

 -mark=
     
 +--------+   ==================================================          
 | \/     |   Mark D. Manes                    "Mr. AmigaVision" 
 | /\  \/ |   manes@vger.nsu.edu                                        
 |     /  |   (804) 683-2532    "Make up your own mind! - AMIGA"
 +--------+   ==================================================
                     

hood@cbmvax.commodore.com (Scott Hood) (11/27/90)

In article <302.2750f724@vger.nsu.edu> manes@vger.nsu.edu writes:
>In article <16016@cbmvax.commodore.com>, hood@cbmvax.commodore.com (Scott Hood) writes:
>> In article <1294@iceman.jcu.oz> glmwc@iceman.jcu.oz (Matthew W Crowd) writes:
>> 
>> No, you will not.  You will only be able to use the Productivity display
>> mode is you have a VGA monitor and not a multisync monitor.  However, if
>> you have the A2320 display enhancer, then you don't need the ECS chip
>> set and you CAN use a VGA monitor for all screen display modes.  I am
>> assuming that you have an NTSC machine.  Some VGA monitors will not work
>> well with PAL machines and the A2320 because they are set for 60Hz
>> veritcal retrace and the PAL machines will produce a 50Hz vertical
>> retrace signal, thus only use a VGA only monitor with NTSC based
>> machines if you have the A2320.  It is a little cheaper.
>> 
>> (BY the way, Commodore sells a VGA only monitor called the 1930 which
>> can be used in BOTH NTSC and PAL machines with the A2320 installed as
>> well as our PC compable line of computers for less money than our 1950
>> monitor.)
>
>Do you mean a multisync/multiscan monitor or a true VGA monitor?
>
>The reason I ask is that I attempted to hook a 'VGA' monitor to a 
>amiga 3000, I could only get it to display in the Productivity mode.
>Using a Multiscan monitor made the difference.
>
>Is the A2320 different in this regard?
>
>> Scott Hood
>> 
>> -- 
>> --
>> Scott Hood, Hardware Design Engineer (A3000 Crew),  Commodore-Amiga, Inc.
>>    {uunet|pyramid|rutgers}!cbmvax!hood   hood@cbmvax.cbm.commodore.com
>>   "The views expressed here are not necessarily those of my employer!" 
>
> -mark=
>     
> +--------+   ==================================================          
> | \/     |   Mark D. Manes                    "Mr. AmigaVision" 
> | /\  \/ |   manes@vger.nsu.edu                                        
> |     /  |   (804) 683-2532    "Make up your own mind! - AMIGA"
> +--------+   ==================================================

That is very interesting!  In the general case you should only use a
multiscan monitor, like the 1950, because it can to ALL display modes,
from about 15Khz to 31.5Khz, includeing proper interlacing of the 15Khz
interlaced display modes.  Most of the VGA monitors I have used where
able to handle the display enhancer's 31.5Khz output just fine, but of
course where not able to handle the 15Khz video display modes.  I am
reluctant to recommend just a VGA only monitor unless I have see the
specs and tested myself, which is the case for the 1930 monitor.  I have
also used the Zenith VGA-only flat screen monitors with very nice
results (except for the sizing control adjustments needed to get the
proper aspect ratio).  The productivity modes where programed to work
with the VGA spec from IBM and that may be why you got the results that
you did.  Some VGA monitors even try to get very smart about what they
are connected to by looking at the ID bits 0,1,2 on the DB15 connector.
Given that, I have no idea what those types of monitors will do when
hooked up to the A3000 or an A2000 w/A2320 installed.  The golden rule
here is, if in doubt - try it out!!

Regards,
Scott Hood

>                     
-- 
--
Scott Hood, Hardware Design Engineer (A3000 Crew),  Commodore-Amiga, Inc.
   {uunet|pyramid|rutgers}!cbmvax!hood   hood@cbmvax.cbm.commodore.com
  "The views expressed here are not necessarily those of my employer!" 

hitch@buhub.bradley.edu (Douglas Hanna) (04/10/91)

Could someone, preferibly from C=, please send me the specs on the new
ECS that is used in the A3000(T).  I am currently doing a research
paper here at Bradley University on the creation of a networking lab
for computer science student use.  Bradley currently does NOT have
ANY Amigas on campus, something that I would like to change.  The
reason for this info in my paper is to better explain the capibilities
of the computer to the chair of the C.S. department.  I will be
posting a copy of the report on the net for anyone wishing to read it
when I am through with it in about 2 weeks.  Thanks In Advance (TIA).


HITCH

--
|><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><|
|<>|   Douglas Hanna           Bradley University               |<>|
|><|   HITCHhiker (042)        hitch@buhub.bradley.edu          |><|
|<>|   "All disclamers, standard and nonstandard apply"         |<>|
|><|   "Another Brilliant mind destroyed by the rigors of       |><| 
|<>|             higher education"                              |<>|
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