SUMMARY: Adapter: Sun monitor on PC

From: Nils K. Schoyen (nils@norsar.no)
Date: Thu Feb 25 1999 - 01:25:47 CST


Hi all!

Original posting:

> Black Box has an adapter Sun-VGA that enables us to
> connect a VGA monitor to a Sun workstation.
>
> I need to connect an Sun monitor to a PC. Is there
> an adapter for this as well?
>
> Black Box did not have such adapter.

Lots of responses just minutes after my question was posted.
Thanks to all that responded!!!

Special thanks to Michael Pavlov <misha@cibc.com> who also provided the summary :-)

---- Begin mail from Michael Palov ----

Date: Wed, 24 Feb 1999 10:35:38 -0500
From: Michael Pavlov <misha@cibc.com>
X-Accept-Language: Russian, ru, en
To: nils@norsar.no, misha@cibc.com
Subject: Re: Adapter: Sun monitor on PC

Depends on the monitor.
Older are fixed frequency and will need a special VGA card.
Newer monitors are multysync and work with simple SUN-> VGA adpater that comes with Ultra10s.

Here is some more info I found in my archives:

1. Mike Frisch wrote an excelent FAQ at http://saturn.tlug.org/sunstuff/ffmonitor.html
2. David.Tong@eng.sun.com has a Frame Buffer FAQ, where he mentioned PCs

Certain Sun monitors have a multiscan capability which allow them to be used with PC graphics cards.
In order to do this, you needa special adaptor to convert the 13W3 connector to the HD15 connector
used by the PC.

SunExpress have such an adaptor, part number 530-2357-01. This has been tested with the following
monitors in both DOS and Windows modes:

     365-1335 New Multisync 20" Premium monitor
     365-1338 New Multisync 17" Premium monitor
     365-1343 New Multisync 17" Entry Level monitor

Ultra Spec Cables manufacture two different adaptors. The part numbers are 1396 and 1397; the catalog
lists them as 13W3 Female to HD15 Male converters. The 1397 is identical to the one sold by SunExpress,
and works with the same monitors.

Ultra's catalog states that the 1396 is for use with three monitors; these are part numbers 365-1286,
365-1316 and 365-1324. These are all Sony monitors with the remote control, however this style of
monitor also carries several other part numbers, such as 365-1330 and 365-1167; Ultra have not claimed to
support these monitors.

These monitors support Windows hi-res drivers only. They do not work in DOS mode which is something like
640x480@30Hz. The monitors will not sync so low (pun intended). The editor has tried using a 365-1324 in
1024x768 and 1280x1024 mode with a S3 chipset PCI video card without success, but has heard positive reports
from other users.

If you wish to use any other Sun monitor with a PC there are third party PCI/ISA card available. These work
with windows but require drivers for DOS (that ship with them). Consult your favourite WWW search engine or
check Photon or Mirage in the 3rd party vendors list.

For an introduction to the issues of using fixed frequency monitors on PCs, consult the
sci.electronics.repair FAQ maintained by Samuel M. Goldwasser.

---- End mail from Michael Palov ----

Other suggestions:

   SunExpress web site www.sunexpress.com
   www.buy.com
   www.suncables.com (sales@suncables.com)
   http://bul.eecs.umich.edu/~crowej/sunfaq/FrameBuffer.html#15
   
   
Again, thanks to all that responded :-)

Regards,

Nils K. Schøyen
NORSAR



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