DECstation Haul...

From: Mzthompson_at_aol.com <(Mzthompson_at_aol.com)>
Date: Tue Dec 5 19:00:11 2000

On Mon, 4 Dec 2000, LFessen106_at_aol.com wrote:

> Hi Everyone!
> I just picked up a few DECstations (Thanks Carlos!) and was wondering what
> your impressions/suggestions for them would be.
> I picked up:
> 2 DECstation 5000/33 (Maxine)
> DECstation 5000/125 (3min - I think)
> DECstation 2100 (pmin - I think)
>
> The Maxine's and the 2100 are running Ultrix 4.2 and 4.3 respectively. The
> 2100 is running NetBSD.
> I didn't get any monitor with the 2100 and it's got some sort of mono frame
> buffer with a cable that terminates in a single bnc connector. Anyone know
> what I can hook this into to get some video? I did get monitors with both
> maxines, however, one is very dim. I have some other monitors that take
the
> BNC type connectors but don't know what the frequencies are supposed to be
on
> the Maxines and don't want to blow any of my old working monitors up trying
> them out arbitrarilly. Both Maxines are running expanded frame buffer
cards
> (forget exactly the name and can't look at them right now).

Here some info I put together a while back that may help some.

Mike


DEC Monitor Specifications

Following are listed the specs for some of the common DEC monitors that are
finding their way into the hobbyist area.

The specs were taken from the following DEC manuals:
EK-VR290-IN-002 (1985); EK-VR299-IN (1989); EK-VR319-TC-001 (1991);
EK-VR320-IN-001 (1990); EK-VRT16-TC-001 (1991); EK-VRT19-TC-001 (1991);
ER-VRT19-OP-002

--------------- --------------- --------------- ---------------
---------------
Monitor Overview

                Resolution Frequencies
Model Horiz Vert Horiz - Khz Vert - Hz
-------- ------ ---- ----------- ---------
VR299 1024 x 864 54.054 60
VR320-CA 1280 x 1024 70.66 66.47 *
VR320-DA 1280 x 1024 77.13 72.56 *
VRT19-DA 1280 x 1024 70.7 66.5 (aka Sony GDM-1960)
VRT19-HA ** 1280 x 1024 77.1728 72.5562 (aka Sony GDM-1961)

* The VR320 manual states that the monitor can operate at either 66 or 72 Hz,
and is preset to match the machine prior to shipping. The manual also says to
contact DEC Customer Service (yeah, right) if a change is needed. If DEC
set it to 66 Hz they stamped 'CA' after 'VR320-' on the ID tag, if set to
72 Hz they stamped 'DA'. DEC set it to 66 or 72 Hz using a slide switch
that is inside the monitor. The switch is clearly marked 66 & 72 Hz, just
set it to the desired position.

** The VRT19-HA will operate at either 66 or 72 Hz vertical refresh.

VR290 - 19" Color - See VR299
VR297 - 16" Color - See VR299
VR319-CA - 19" Mono - See VR320-CA
VR319-DA - 19" Mono - See VR320-DA
VRT16-DA - 16" Color - See VRT19-DA
VRT16-HA - 16" Color - See VRT19-HA

The monitors with a suffix (CA, DA, & HA) are considered Northern Hemisphere
versions. For the down-under folks the suffixes are C4, D3, D4, & H4 instead.

--------------- --------------- --------------- ---------------
---------------
VRT19 - 1280 x 1024

                      VRT19-DA VRT19-HA
 
Pixel Clock: 119.843 Mhz 130.825 Mhz *
Pixel Period: 8.344 ns * 7.643 ns *

Horizonital Pixels

Horiz Freq: 70.7 Khz 77.1728 Khz
Horizontal Period: 14.1441 us * 1696 12.9656 us
Active Video: 10.68 us 1280 9.7853 us
Blanking Interval: 3.465 us 416 3.1802 us
Front Porch: 258 ns 32 244.6 ns
Sync Pulse: 1335 ns 160 1223.2 ns
Back Porch: 1873 ns 224 1712.4 ns

Vertical Lines

Vert Freq: 66.5 Hz 72.5562 Hz
Vertical Period: 15.035 ms 1063 13.7824 ms
Active Video: 14.485 ms 1024 13.2768 ms
Blanking Interval: 551.62 us * 39 505.6584 us *
Front Porch: 42.432 us * 3 38.8968 us *
Sync Pulse: 42.432 us * 3 38.8968 us *
Back Porch: 466.7553 us * 33 427.8648 us *

* These values were calculated as they are not list in the manuals.

--------------- --------------- --------------- ---------------
---------------
VR320 - 1280 x 1024

The specs for the VR320 are only slightly different than those for the VRT19,
and most of that appears to be rounding differences. Since have the manual,
thought would include it here for completeness.

                      VR320-CA VRT320-DA
 
Pixel Clock: 119.84 Mhz 130.81 Mhz
Pixel Period: 8.34 ns 7.64 ns

Horizonital Pixels

Horiz Freq: 70.66 Khz 77.13 Khz
Horizontal Period: 14.15 us 1696 12.97 us
Active Video: 10.68 us 1280 9.79 us
Blanking Interval: 3.47 us 416 3.18 us
Front Porch: 267 ns 32 245 ns
Sync Pulse: 1340 ns 160 1220 ns
Back Porch: 1870 ns 224 171 ns

Vertical Lines

Vert Freq: 66.47 Hz 72.56 Hz
Vertical Period: 15.035 ms 1063 13.7824 ms
Active Video: 14.49 ms 1024 13.28 ms
Blanking Interval: 552 us 39 506 us
Front Porch: 42.46 us 3 38.89 us
Sync Pulse: 42.46 us 3 38.89 us
Back Porch: 467 us 33 427.9 us

--------------- --------------- --------------- ---------------
---------------
VR299 - 1024 x 864

Pixel Clock: 70 Mhz
Pixel Period: 14.45 ns

Horizonital Pixels

Horiz Freq: 54.054 Khz
Horizontal Period: 18.50 us 1280 *
Active Video: 14.8 us 1024
Blanking Interval: 3.70 us 256 *
Front Porch: 160 ns 12 *
Sync Pulse: 1850 ns 128 *
Back Porch: 1680 ns 116 *

Vertical Lines

Vert Freq: 60 Hz
Vertical Period: 16.667 ms 901
Active Video: 16.0 ms 864
Blanking Interval: 684.5 us * 37
Front Porch: 0 us 0
Sync Pulse: 55.5 us * 3
Back Porch: 629 us * 34 *

* These values were calculated as they are not list in the manuals.

--------------- --------------- --------------- ---------------
---------------
Display Options

In the DEC world, certain monitors only work with certain equipment, for
example the VR299 works with the DECstation 2100/3100.

Then there is the TURBOchannel graphics cards as found in the DECstation 5000
series as well as other machines. This is an attempt to list what monitors
work with which graphic cards. For simplicity's sake, the monitors can be
placed in one of three categories, and that is by the vertical scan frequency.

The monitors are of one of the following vertical frequencies: 60, 66 or 72
Hz.
Of course there are those monitors (ex: VRT19-HA) that will work at both
66 and 72 Hz. The following table lists the graphics card model, its
vertical output, and a description of that graphics card.

Model Freq Description
-------- ---- -----------
PMAG-AA 72 Monochrome frame buffer
PMAG-B 60
PMAG-C 66 2D graphics accelerator
PMAG-CA 66 2D graphics accelerator
PMAG-D 66
PMAG-DA 66 Low 3D graphics accelerator
PMAG-DC 66 Low 3D graphics plus
PMAG-E 66
PMAG-EA 66 Mid 3D graphics accelerator
PMAG-F 66
PMAG-FA 66 High 3D graphics accelerator
PMAG-JA 66 True color frame buffer
PMAGB-A 60
PMAGB-B 66
PMAGB-BA 66 Smart frame buffer
PMAGB-BC 72 Smart frame buffer
PMAGB-BE 72 Smart frame buffer
PMAGB-DA 72 Low 3D graphics accelerator
PMAGB-EA 72 Mid 3D graphics accelerator
PMAGB-FA 72 High 3D graphics accelerator
PMAGB-JA 72 True color frame buffer

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Received on Tue Dec 05 2000 - 19:00:11 GMT

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