Conference hydra::amiga_v1

    From the latest issue of Amazing Computing, Volume 3 Number 4, p. 104,
    (quoted without permission):

   "		      TTL Hi-res Monitor Adapter
    
    for the Amiga 500/1000/2000. Plugs into RGBI port for ULTRACRISP
    flicker-free high resolution monochrom video output.  Perfect for
    HI-RES GRAPHICS, WORDPROCESSING, CAD, DESKTOP PUBLISHING, BUSINESS,
    etc.  ANY application in ANY resolution is SHARPER and CLEARER with the
    TTL HI-res Monitor Adaptor.  Perfect for use with the low-cost (under
    $100) Commodore 1901 monitor or Monitor 80.  Includes easy installation
    instructions, a disk with a special Hi-res WorkBench font and RGB port
    pass-thru (a 1080 RGB monitor may be used simultaneously).  1 year
    warranty.
			Be KIND to your EYES!
    
    monitor not included..........................................$99.95

    All products are NOW SHIPPING!  Please make cheque or money order
    payable to:

	    HyperTek/Silicon Springs
	    Suite 205-2571 Shaughnessy St.
	    Port Coquitlam, BC CANADA  V3C 3G3

	    Phone (604) 942-4577

    All orders add $4 shipping.  All prices in US$
    Order by phone!  VISA, MasterCard, AMEX welcome.
    U.S. orders add $3 handling fee"

    what is a TTL Hi-res monitor?  A monitor designed for ibmpc EGA?
    Hercules? MDA?
    
    -Dave

    G'day,
    	  See notes 1126.6 & .7 and 1236.1 for a bit more on monitors.
    I prefer a mono green screen to colour for a long text bashing session
    as the graininess of the screen annoys a bit in colour when the
    nose is closer than about 2 feet. The mono monitors I use are ones
    originally sold for use with C64 and C128. If using a modulator,
    use the biggest TV in the house with it, as the number of holes
    in the mask versus width of screen ratio usually works out better
    and 80 col. text is fairly readable. But be sensible and use the
    TV at about the "normal" TV viewing distance or a bit closer. Don't
    put a 23 inch set on your desk unless you have an optometrist in
    the family!
    			Regards... Guy 

    I'm also using a modulator and colour TV (14") and I found that
    I got the best legibility by changing the colours to :
    Background (was blue) to light grey (13:13:13 approx)
    Text (was white) to dark grey (3:3:3 approx) 
    This gives me very legible 80 char text (I can even use NewZap 
    @106 chars, but just :-) and still able to use colour when required.
    Another MUST is POPColours for programs which create a new screen
    with their own pallette. 
    
    I also find that using CHFont to use PEARL.FONT helps too.
    
    				Alan T.
    
    P.S. A tip when setting the colours on a PAL machine: resize your
    CLI window to full screen (30 something rows) and fill the bottom
    6 rows with "wmwmwmwmwmwmwmwm". then run preferences and you can
    watch the effects on legibility on the "wmwmw" as you change the
    colours.

    Hi,

    Back too the monochrome monitors again. I have just started seeing
    adverts in the UK for monochrome monitors and cables for the Amiga. Now
    these are ultra cheap (approx. 85 pounds) and hence, I am interested.
    However, hav'nt seen this monitor working and don't know what king of
    qualitiy I can expect. The monitor is a Philips 7502 Green Screen
    Monitor. Has anyone come across this monitor, what's it like, anyone
    seen it on an AMI ? (The company thats advertising is mail order so I
    can't really see it before buying).

    Thanks in advance,
	Colin.
    

    Colin,
    	Have you gone any farther with your mono monitor search ? I
    am also looking at a Phillips green screen monitor and would be
    interested in a review if you've seen one working with an Amiga.
    
    				Alan T.

    Hi,

    Yup, I went ahead and got the Philips monochrome monitor and am very
    happy with it. It plugs into the monochrome portat the back-left of the
    AMI, so I can drive both the monitor and TV similtaneously which is
    useful when writting graphic programs I can see nice readable text
    being edited on the monitor and then run the program and see the colour
    output on the TV.

    The monitor gives very crisp and readable text and graphics in
    non-interlaced mode. It also generates a gray (green) scale for the
    colours. As for the interlace problem, well, it dosn't cure it, but for
    this kind of money you can't really expect that. However, it's
    performance in interlace is far better than the TV. I have mucked about
    with the colour combination a bit and now use ProWrite in interlace
    mode on the monitor for my wordprocessing. It does flicker but I can
    live with it for short times.

    Anyway, to sum up, I am very happy with it. If performs very well for
    it's price and I would recommend it to anyone who can't afford a colour
    monitor but would really like to read all that 80 column text.

	Yours,
	    Colin.
    

    p.s. I forgot it also has a (monophonic) speaker built in which is
    quite nice and it also comes in amber and I think white versions (but
    for more money).

	Colin again.
    

    Thanks Colin,
    	Have you tried >80 chars ?  I think NewZap has a 106 char font,
    is it legible too ?
    
    				Alan T.

    Hi,

    Nope, I hav'nt used NewZap or any other utility that has more than 80
    characters on a line. I'll give it a try though and post the results.

    Colin.
    

    Hi,

    I tried NewZap last night and the monitor gave a good display I could
    read the small charactersno problem at all. I'm happy with this
    monitor.

    Colin.