Documentation for DB15 to VGA adapters

[sfiera]

Here’s my collection:

I didn’t get any documents with the Kawasaki adapter, but a year or two ago I noticed some information in an auction, and I saved screenshots. They describe the configuration for multi-sync 13/16/19/21 and VGA/SVGA:

A second page describes composite sync [7XXX], separate sync [89XX], and sync on green [XXXX]:

 

[alex_santos]

Saved to the waybackmachine: http://web.archive.org/web/20211120...c.net/FAQ/RGB-VGA-DIP-switchconfiguration.htm
Attached html in zip format: old Apple support articles whose contents contain "Sony Macview"

 

[JDW]

I purchased this Adapter from Amazon (no switches at all) and found it to work exactly the same as my UnimacFly adapter when driving an external display from my SE/30 with Micron Xceed video card. I use that Amazon DIP-less adapter in my video here.

 

[alxlab]

Great video as usual @JDW Personally for a monitor with 5:4 aspect ratio I use the a HP EliteDisplay E190i. It's uses an IPS panel so there's no comparison for colors and viewing angles to a TN display like the Dell E1715S. The refresh rate range is also pretty good so it tends to be pretty compatible.

Horizontal frequency​	24 to 83 kHz​
Vertical refresh rate​	50 to 76 Hz​

It's not winning any rewards for it's 8ms grey to grey response time and it's power consumption of 35w though.

Seems like there's a couple decently priced in Yahoo auctions in Japan. In North America it's roughly $100CAD which is still not too bad.

I do have quite a few of the Dell 5:4 TN monitors as well since I was able to get them for $10CAD. At that price can't go wrong

Wish there was a cheap 4:3 IPS monitor to prevent any scaling. I should probably compare the scaling of the HP vs the DELL 5:4s I got at some point.

 

[JDW]

Great video as usual @JDW Personally for a monitor with 5:4 aspect ratio I use the a HP EliteDisplay E190i.

Thank you for your kind words about my video.

The reason I purchased the monitor shown in my video was price. That HP looks like a great solution. However, I just checked the E190i on Amazon Japan and it shows a USED price equivalent to US$230. In contrast, I paid the equivalent of US$52 for the DELL shown in my video. No IPS, but for that price, it's not really a loss.

 

[Tom2112]

I purchased this Adapter from Amazon (no switches at all) and found it to work exactly the same as my UnimacFly adapter when driving an external display from my SE/30 with Micron Xceed video card. I use that Amazon DIP-less adapter in my video here.

View attachment 1319

I can confirm that this same adapter works with my Performa 630CD and generic LCD VGA monitor. It's worked at every resolution that I've tried it on.

 

[Branchus]

For anyone looking for a DB15 to VGA adapter in Australia, you may end up with one of these, designed and sold by eBay seller "Retro ShopBox". I've attached the supplied documentation. This one does not do sync on green for the really early Macs.

However, if you're like me, you can't actually buy one because you've been banned from their store for some unknown reason. (I got this one included with a vintage Mac I bought.)

 

[Melkhior]

Home-designed version with 4+2 switches, whose primary feature is 'easy to solder by hand': https://github.com/rdolbeau/MAC-VGA. Based on the information from https://github.com/sfiera/mactech/blob/master/displays.rst.

 

[alxlab]

@Melkhior Just in case you didn't see this as well:

https://tinkerdifferent.com/threads/mac-db15-to-vga.449/

I actually made 3 new revisions of pcb. One is still all through-hole components with the diodes moved to the side for easier switch placement. The second is SOD-323 for the diodes and the rest is through-hole. The third version is SMT diodes and switches and through-hole for the connectors. Just waiting on the orders to arrive so I can test then I'll update the git repo.

 

[Melkhior]

@alxlab I saw your designs but after I had made mine, so I figured I could share anyway. It's fairly large and there's plenty of room to solder easily even with limited skills (e.g. for me ;-) ). There's also a very basic 3D-printable shell. It's not subtle, but it does the job for me

In fact I was thinking about an even more trivial version, with just the two plugs and an hardwired configuration, but I haven't yet found a 'proper' way of auto-generating the schematics/PCB from the required sense configuration.

 

[alxlab]

The documentation you in github was very nice! Never seen it before.

Yeah a version with just multisync would probably fit most people's needs nowadays. Was planning to make a pcb revision for just that as well. Easiest to make! Just to connectors!

I still need to try portrait mode on my current adapter... Guess maybe today's the day.

 

[XodiumRetro]

Since this comes up in Google, I thought I'd put this here for the Unimac 82D. Thought I knew where my little instruction thing went but I guess I lost it. Was going to just get a cleaner scan because my brain had an outright headache trying to make out some of the numbers, so I just took a second and rewrote it into a spreadsheet that's hopefully easier on the eyes.

 

[Eric's Edge]

I have a 10-pin adapter, but the instructions it came with include settings for 6-pin as well. The only thing I couldn't get working was my NeXT 21" color display. It wouldn't sync to a Mac with any of these settings. Anyone know if it's possible to get that display working with any model of Mac?

View attachment 816
View attachment 817

I have the same adapter.

If you're looking for sync-on-green capable monitors, this site helped me find one: http://ps-2.kev009.com/sog/
For my Macintosh IIci I picked up a Dell Model 1905FP monitor that works when combined with this adapter https://www.ebay.com/itm/271137033572 with the following switches on - 14679.

 

[bwinkel67]

Here’s my collection:
View attachment 1172View attachment 1173

I'm so glad you had these. I recently bought a UnimacFly for $4 on eBay but no sticker so I was desperately trying to figure out its setting. Looks like the VGA setting did the trick for my PB180. Pretty neat to get a color display, plus I can close the lid, stick a keyboard and mouse on it and basically be using it as a desktop. Takes me back 25 years when I had a Mac IIsi.

 

[XKSTEVE]

I Have this one, But the only instructions I have are on the rear - it is included in a previous group shot from another member. but herewith close up and socket images.

 

[teo]

I got this one recently:
View attachment 770

If you have the doc for that one would be cool, as it seems to support many other modes than the ones in the sticker.
Txs!

Hi As a fellow european I have been looking for such an adapter but all i can find is in the US. Would you share where you have purchased this if, indeed, it was purchased in the EU?

Thanks
Teo

 

[Trash80toG4]

Video Adapter Docs Scan Dump

I've tried to collect some prime examples of Mac Video Adapters and Adapter Cables along with the Documentation for them over the past 20 years or so. A question came up about a four DIP Switch adapter, this is the only similar adapter that I've found. The small pamphlet's pages were compiled...

68kmla.org

LMK which of these adapter docs you might want me to look for in the Video Drawer.

 

[pfuentes69]

Hi As a fellow european I have been looking for such an adapter but all i can find is in the US. Would you share where you have purchased this if, indeed, it was purchased in the EU?

Thanks
Teo

Hi.
I live in Switzerland. Sometimes they pop in an ebay-like web we have here.

 

[teo]

Hi.
I live in Switzerland. Sometimes they pop in an ebay-like web we have here.

Ah, ok. Thanks for the reply

 

[GondolinOnMyMind]

Anybody seen this Samsung DB15-VGA adapter? It has 9 dip switches, of which #9 is reserved.
The computer is II ci with internal display adapter.
I'm trying to get image to a supposedly good monitor, Acer AL1711 . The monitor claims to be Mac -compatible. See the table below.

I've tried all the combos described in the back of the adapter, with no luck.

The monitor works with my Quadra 700, which too has only internal display adapter. I know those are different beasts, but at least the basic resolution should work on this ci too.
Has anybody a better description of the dip-switch functions? Any help is appreciated.

source: http://archive.espec.ws/files/Acer TFT-LCD Color Monitor AL1711 Service Guide.pdf