out of curiosity... is it possible to hack a component or RGB input into a TV?

[ARTIFACT]

Just curious... Since all TVs have RGB "somewhere in there" on the tube, is it possible to do some DIY wiring / hack to ADD component or RGB input to a TV that has only S-Video stock?

Thanks

[Level42]

Yes it is very possible.

Actualy, I've had a small portable Philips TV with a hack like that as a monitor for my Atari ST for years.

My dad had a "videodata" (sort of prequel of internet) terminal in the office. This used a keyboard that was hooked up to a PCB that was completely mounted inside this portable TV. There were a number of connectors on it, for the modem, printer etc.
Anyway, since this terminal was obsolete, and I couldn't afford a real color monitor then, AND judging by the picture quality (excellent) I figured that the PCB/computer inside was sending the "monitor" RGB. I contacted the company and asked if they were interested in a spare PCB and keyboard and indeed they were. I asked about the RGB and they confirmed. I told them they could have the PCB and keyboard if they'd mount a SCART connector with RGB for me, and they agreed (I admit I was amazed at the time)....

{Edit}
Thinking about it, you could probably feed just the composite sync to a composite video input instead...if that's on the TV set.


It worked pretty damn good for years....I really wonder what I did with it. Throw it away or is it still somewhere in my attic ? If so, it will be a great little monitor for testing.

I guess the hack is fairly easy if you got the schematics. Almost every relatively recent TV has some decoder chip that does almost all the work for the color decoding. If you find the pins that put out the decoded RGB, you can probably simply lift the legs and put in the RGB signals.
The trickier part is supplying the sync signals, but the same applies here, if you can read the schematics and find a proper place to connect the external sync signals, it will definitely work. You gotta know what you're doing however ! For all the above, the levels (voltages) of the mentioned signals should be (about) the same as what the schematic expect at that point of entry.

[Level42]

Hah, Google is your best friend:

http://porkrind.org/arcade/tv-hack.html


I wouldn't use pull-up resistors though.Could overload the arcade PCB outputs.
I bet there are some last stage transistors on that TV that could simply amplify the signal. But anyway, it proves that it works.

[ARTIFACT]

This is for a MAME setup (PC RGB > Monitor)

too bad that article is not more detailed with pictures, etc. I am not that savvy with electronic wiring to pull that off I'm afraid, not with so few details about the procedure

thanks though!

[Level42]

Well, it's simply because we're spoilt here with SCART, else I would have been hacking away all the time....

If you have a certain TV you're thinking off, I could examine the schematics if you like....let me know.....else, buy an arcade monitor. They are really cheap in the US....

[ahofle]

8liners can build you a chassis, but you need to take some measurements of your TV tube:
http://www.8liners.com/datatech/monitor.html

[ARTIFACT]

If you have a certain TV you're thinking off, I could examine the schematics if you like....let me know.....else, buy an arcade monitor. They are really cheap in the US....

Sony 27" Trinitron (year 2000).
The model with horizontal curve (and flat vertically).

very much like this image I found on the web:



I am mainly curious... It'd be nice to have a more authentic display while keeping what I already have.

Thanks!