CRTs, LCDs and image capture [was 1966 Mag: Build NE-2 Neon Bulb Computer - scan available]

At 10:00 PM 7/17/2007, Chuck Guzis wrote: It isn't if you need yet another PC-oriented monitor. It certainly is if you have equipment that likes a video scan mode that isn't supported by today's LCDs. As I'm sure you imply, not all CRTs were the same when it came to various sync and scan modes. I have a great Sony broadcast industry TV resting in the basement that I'd like to resurrect someday because it handled so many signal types. A similar problem extends back into the RS-170 composite-mode era of home computers. Devices from 20 years ago tossed out all sorts of approximations of "composite mono video" and older TVs might handle it better than newer TVs with less forgiving circuitry. I daydreamed about a little gizmo the other day. Plug it in as a pass-through with two VGA 15-pin connectors so I watch the video. Press a button, capture the image as a bitmap for me. Has a USB plug so I can fetch it with another computer. This would be great for recording text-mode screens as well as other VGA-mode error messages. I'm tired of transcribing them. It wouldn't be hard for this device to decipher which video mode (rez, scan rate, etc.) was being shown and display it on a little LCD. With a few adapters, it could handle non-VGA-ish signals. - John