Sony PVM-2030: About to buy one, made in 1989 - Need Your Opinions Please!

[c0dehunter]

Hello all,
I just found a Sony PVM-2030 which is made in 1989 and sells for $80 US. I am hoping to connect it to my modern PC, via a custom made cable (25pin to 15pin VGA), using Soft15Khz to run MAME and other emulators. (currently I am using my Commodore 1084S-D1 for this purpose, and it looks great!)

I have the following questions:

1) How good these monitors are? I have heard they are even better than 1084s, is that true? 

2) Did Sony made these in late 90s as well? In other words, since it is made in 1989, I hope it is not too old, since I have heard that they go bad when they get old (unlike 1084s I guess) In other words, should I wait to see if I can find one made in late 90s? Or should I grab this?

3) I would really appreciate any diagram, pinout, VGA to 25pin schematics, etc. so I can connect it to my modern PC and run MAME via Soft15KHz please!

Here are some screen-shot of the monitor:

http://www.flickr.com/photos/48901682@N02/7584295744/#in/photostream/lightbox/

I would really appreciates your thoughts, concerns and comments on this!

Thanks in advance!

[c0dehunter]

Anyone!

[Gray_Area]

They look great. They're robust. Look what I have for you. For more information, you can look up PVM pinout, or PVM, and you'll find it. Also might find it in the wiki.

[c0dehunter]

Thank you so much for the printable manual! All others were secured and non-printable! The only issues that I have is that some say that I need to make a "composite" sync when I build this cable (which I am not sure what it means!) and the other is the GROUND: it says pins 15 to 24, I am not certain if I need 9 GROUND pins to solder or what?

So to recap: The "composite" sync and Ground

This is the diagram which I made:
 
http://www.flickr.com/photos/48901682@N02/7588180386/#in/photostream/lightbox/

[Gray_Area]

You need to read what composite means in this sense. (Actually, what it means in general, but 'composite input/output' isn't telling.)  And, yes, I know. The pinout for these has been discussed here. Search for it.

[c0dehunter]

OK thank you so much for your posts, I found a local solder-guy who make me this cable, but when I connected it, this is what I got:

http://www.flickr.com/photos/48901682@N02/7688576136/#in/photostream/lightbox/
http://www.flickr.com/photos/48901682@N02/7688574312/#in/photostream/lightbox/

In reality, the above image should look like this:

http://www.flickr.com/photos/48901682@N02/7688572754/#in/photostream/lightbox/

But looks like this:

http://www.flickr.com/photos/48901682@N02/7688574312/#in/photostream/lightbox/

These are the images of the 15pin (VGA) solder work:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/48901682@N02/7688571564/#in/photostream/lightbox/
http://www.flickr.com/photos/48901682@N02/7688570620/#in/photostream/lightbox/
http://www.flickr.com/photos/48901682@N02/7688570024/#in/photostream/lightbox/
http://www.flickr.com/photos/48901682@N02/7688569412/#in/photostream/lightbox/


These are the images of the 25pin (Sony PVM-2030) solder work:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/48901682@N02/7688568768/#in/photostream/lightbox/
http://www.flickr.com/photos/48901682@N02/7688568128/#in/photostream/lightbox/
http://www.flickr.com/photos/48901682@N02/7688566900/#in/photostream/lightbox/
http://www.flickr.com/photos/48901682@N02/7688566216/#in/photostream/lightbox/

Both connectors together:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/48901682@N02/7688565432/#in/photostream/lightbox/
http://www.flickr.com/photos/48901682@N02/7688577078/#in/photostream/lightbox/

Diagram:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/48901682@N02/7588180386/#in/photostream/lightbox/


Everything seems to be in order, but I am not sure why I get a distorted image. I even tried it with another computer (which has a compatible Soft 15Khz video card) and had the exact result, so it must be the wiring.

Any suggestions are greatly appreciated.

Thanks.
 

[MonMotha]

First things first, make sure the "Sync on green" switch is OFF.

Second, this monitor is documented as accepting only negative sync.  PCs by default usually output positive sync.  Soft15k attempts to set the video card to use negative sync, but not all cards/drivers may obey.  Check that you're using negative sync.  You can check this with a multimeter from the sync output to ground on the DC setting.  It should read ~5V.  If it reads closer to 0V, you've got positive sync.  BOTH sync signals should be negative.

If you can't convince your video card to do what you want, there's a (somewhat) straightforward circuit you can build that will autodetect and fix your sync polarities for you.  I can provide details if it's needed.

Third, and most annoyingly, this monitor seems to conflate the analog video signal levels and the synchronization signal levels.  Hence, it's expecting ~1V sync signals into 75 ohms on the sync inputs, but PCs output 5V TTL for sync.  Try putting ~300 ohm resistors in series between the PC and the monitor on both sync lines.  Leave the video lines straight-through.  Try this even if you've got positive sync.  The monitor may not care too much about sync polarity.

[c0dehunter]

Thanks for your response, but your suggestions are very technical for me, and I didn't understand a word of it! (sorry for my lack of electronics knowledge).

I have an ATi card (HD 4350) and I am running CRT Emudrivers in addition to Soft 15KHz. According to this, I can play with the ATi driver settings to obtain a composite sync:

http://www.geocities.ws/podernixie/htpc/cables-en.html

"f you use an ATI card you can enable composite sync in ATI control panel or WinModelines. Then connect VGA pin 13 to composite sync input (do not connect pin 14)."

If you can't convince your video card to do what you want, there's a (somewhat) straightforward circuit you can build that will autodetect and fix your sync polarities for you.  I can provide details if it's needed.

That would be really appreciated! thanks!

[MonMotha]

No offense, but if you don't understand my above post, then you're not going to be able to build the circuit I mentioned.

I can't really help you with your video drivers/card.  They change the drivers every time the direction of the wind changes, and they change EVERYTHING: interface, what the drivers will let you do, etc.  In general, I've found most ATI/AMD hardware is pretty much capable of anything, but the drivers are usually very limiting.  They're simply not targeted at this application since it's incompatible with normal PC monitors.

[c0dehunter]

No, you mentioned that you provide the schematics for making the small circuit for the composite sync, and that is what I asked.

[c0dehunter]

OK, I manage to have the person who originally made me the cable, also make the small circuit and implement it right in the 25pin housing, and guess what? It WORKS! It is a beauty to behold! (although compared to my 13" Commodore 1084S-D1, it would take time to adjust to its nice 20" size!)

Thank you all for your kind comments which made this project a success! I will post images shortly!

Thanks again.

[Gray_Area]

I didn't have to add any hardware. I don't remember the exact pinout for my PVM-2530, but I do remember that the sync was composite - I think both went to pin 3. Also, '15-24 are ground' means you can put the ground to any one of those pins; only one is necessary. Also, I took a VGA cable, cut off one end, and soldered on the DB25; so that I didn't have to do both ends.

Anyways, at least it's working. Pictures?

[BadMojo12]

Codehunter, congrats on getting monitor to work; post pictures soon.  I also have a PVM 2530 and am looking to make a cable.  MonMotha:  If I built a cable with the circuit in it could it hurt?  (I would hate to build a non-hardware cable like you did and then find out I need the circuit).  Also, Codehunter, how much did your guy charge you and is he available to make one?  Finally, I am interested to know people's take on using the ArcadeVGA from Ultimarc with this monitor; is it worth it?  Can I get just as good results with regular video card and soft15k?

[Gray_Area]

Seriously, the hardest part about this gig is soldering the wires into the tiny holes on the DB25. The whole thing should take a half hour, at slow speed.


Ah. Here it is. The only ones necessary are 3, 4, 5, 6, 11, and one of 15-24.

[PVM2030]

I have 10 Sony PVM Monitors for sale.

http://forum.arcadecontrols.com/index.php/topic,132223.0.html

Thank you!