On 27 Jan 2015, at 20:15, Ian Finder <ian.finder at gmail.com> wrote: The Sun mono monitor has a DB9 input, so this is probably a monitor for a CG3/ CG6 SPARC SBus card (there was also a bwtwo SBus card which provided ECL output IIRC). It's hard to find a picture of this monitor, I think this one from Wikipedia is the BNC type greyscale monitor: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/SPARCstation_10#mediaviewer/File:Sun_SparcStat… However, it's strange that the monitor has two BNC inputs - the grayscale monitor was usually driven by the Sync-on-Green signal, so it should require only one BNC connector. However, I haven't seen a Sun grayscale monitor in almost two decades. The hardware FAQ doesn't mention the frequencies accepted by the grayscale monitor. But I think it supports the same as the color monitor, since the grayscale simply uses the green (+sync-on-green) signal instead of RGB. The standard 1152x900 resolution ECL monitor's frequencies are 61.8 kHz horizontal and 66 Hz vertical. The color screen also supports a 61.8 kHz/ 66 Hz mode, so the frequencies seem to be compatible. Assuming the ECL-to-TTL converter solution works (will try in two weeks when I'm back in Germany), generating the analog grayscale signal should be a matter of reducing the signal voltage (1 Vpp instead of 5 V) and mixing in the H/V sync signals. This circuit by Tomi Engdahl might be a starting point (the first one it mixes the sync signals): http://en664r.blogspot.co.uk Mixing this to a sync-on-green signal is described here: http://www.epanorama.net/circuits/sync_r.html (if sync-on-green works with the monitor). Beware - I have tried none of these circuits, so checking the voltages and frequencies at the output before connecting a monitor is highly recommended... Hope that helps... -- Michael

Jochen Kunz wrote: Is a 13W3 not going to be similarly unsuitable for differential signals if the three coaxial inserts are used for the colour signals? Or is the 13W3 an alternative input to ECL signals on the DE9? I have a Sun badged Sony Trinitron GDM 1604B40 monitor (part no. 365-1093-01) with a 13W3 input (only) which I saved from a skip (dumpster) many years ago. I don't have any Sun gear but I thought it might be good for spares for my Digital VR297-D3 badged Sony GDM 1602 which looks almost identical to it. It has a sticker with "DEAD" written on it but this can't be completely true - as far as I recall it at least made some attempt to power up. Is this monitor likely to want ECL inputs? There doesn't seem to be much information about it out there. Manx has a 6 page operating instructions manual which consists of almost no information poorly translated into several languages, for example "Do not place the unit near the equipment which generates a magnetism such as a converter or high voltage power lines." However, it does seem to hint that it is the same monitor as a GDM 1604B15 except for the mains power supply voltage. Regards, Peter Coghlan.

On Jan 27, 2015, at 12:15 PM, Ian Finder <ian.finder at gmail.com> wrote: It is indeed an analog monochrome monitor (for color framebuffer, or the B&W MG1). It won?t work with an ECL framebuffer. ok bear.