Oh well this is one of those things that has been sitting around doing nothing... And all I need to do is build yet another cable.. It was a prototype made by Precision Display Technologies. Their part number is MPCDX-PROTO, which is for the F/A-18C/D.
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| Fig 1. F/A-18C/D MPCD prototype |
The Analysis: Well it looks like I need a VGA cable to go to a component input.. So what signals are in a VGA cable? So a quick look and I found this picture (Fig 2). So I need a cable that will start as VGA cable and end up with 4 BNC connectors RGB+Sync.
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| Fig 2. Rear |
The Plan: Well getting a VGA Cable is a no-brainer there all over the place.. Next we need the other end. As I have lots of Sun Microsystems Cables, one of them is a DB13W3 to BNC cable. So now all I have to do is cut the cables in half and put them back right? Sounds good.. The Bezel Control I/O will have to wait for another day.
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| Fig 3 VGA Pinout |
| VGA Pin and Color | VGA Wire | DB13W3 Wire | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | RED | RED | RED |
| 2 | Green | YELLOW | GREEN |
| 3 | Blue | BLUE | BLUE |
| 13 | H Sync | RED | BLACK |
| 14 | V Sync | N/A | GRAY |
| 5 | Ground | Black | Shield |
| Table 1. VGA Connector | |||
LATER: Ok So I wired it up as per the above table and got this: (Fig 4)
I have to download there software to adjust the CRT its all done with software...
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| Fig 4. Working monitor needing adjustment |
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MUCH LATER: Oh well my cable did not work right and the display would not lock vertically. During a call today with John, at Precision Display Technologies, he suggested that I need to use both syncs. As this unit will use three types of syncs:
- syncs(2) on green,
- combined syncs,
- separate syncs.
| VGA Pin and Color | VGA Cable | PS3 Cable | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | RED | RED | RED |
| 2 | Green | YELLOW | GREEN |
| 3 | Blue | BLUE | BLUE |
| 13 | H Sync | RED | Red/Blk |
| 14 | V Sync | GRAY | Blue/Blk |
| 5 | Ground | Black | Shield |
| Table 2. VGA to 4 BNC Cable Salvaged from a PS3 Game Cable |
|||
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| Fig 8. PS2/3 Psyclone 12 foot video Cable |
So a quick jumper between the Gray sync wire and the VSync confirmed this. Table 1 is out and Table 2 is in. It looks like I will need CABLE v2. So the DB13W3 is out as it only has 4 BNC connectors and I need 5; RBG + 2 syncs. I remembered that I just picked up a PS3 Component Video Cable( Figure 8 )... It sounds like I have my new sacrifice!!
Ok all ended well that is well and it all works..
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| Fig 5. Working monitor I have to adjust the resolution.. |
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| Fig 6. The new cable thats shorted... |
LATER: FEB 18, 2014 well here is the new cable, you will notice there is a DVI - VGA at the end of the cable. GROAN: Do you see whats wrong?? yup the ends are RCA-Phono not BNC connectors.... Looks like I need some adapters (see Fig 7)..
A Few Days Later: It looks like there was a whisker shorting out the Blue.. GROAN: Ok the fix is painful. I have to cut down the shrink wrap and then the electrical tape and two layers of shrink wrap over the Blue it self.
LATER: AUG 31, 2014 Well I had some problems at Cockpit Fest with the Cable as you guessed I never fixed the *** Cable, so its time to do something about it.. I really want this to be pro. so I just cut the cable in half time to start over and just do it right.
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| Fig 7. RCA-Phono - BNC Adapter |
Keep tuned in more to come
~ Cris
BTW: The tools that I used to figure out this mess was a DVM to ring out the VGA cable and my old Tektronix 475A Oscilloscope to get the syncs right..
8 Sept 2014 - Re-added back lost photos..
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