New video output system
Posted: Thu Apr 12, 2018 5:55 pm
Hi all,
While I rework the 4M RAM card to make some improvements, I have also been working on a new video output system for the QL, in light of people's problems with the original video system.
The built in RGB and UHF system is quite poor. A lot of people have problems with it.
This new system provides a new RGB output with buffered and protected lines and at the correct levels, not TTL. It is ideally suited for direct connection to video converters. It also provides a new S-Video output of high quality, and a new much improved Composite output. The S-Video system and new RGB output are of noticeably higher quality to the original outputs.
It can be configured for PAL or NTSC at build time.
It consists of two cards: one sits inside the QL and makes the new signals. The other is connected by either a short or longer IDC cable that can exit the QL either through the ROM port or the expansion port. It carries the three new video sockets.
The prototype works well on its second revision. Being much simpler and easier to test than the 4M RAM card, it will likely arrive first.
I just wanted to give a heads up so people can plan their purchases of upscalers over the next 2-3 months to take advantage of the new feature.
It will be called the Q-Vid I, because there may be a Q-Vid II that implements the novel re-timing scheme Nasta proposed a while ago.
While I rework the 4M RAM card to make some improvements, I have also been working on a new video output system for the QL, in light of people's problems with the original video system.
The built in RGB and UHF system is quite poor. A lot of people have problems with it.
This new system provides a new RGB output with buffered and protected lines and at the correct levels, not TTL. It is ideally suited for direct connection to video converters. It also provides a new S-Video output of high quality, and a new much improved Composite output. The S-Video system and new RGB output are of noticeably higher quality to the original outputs.
It can be configured for PAL or NTSC at build time.
It consists of two cards: one sits inside the QL and makes the new signals. The other is connected by either a short or longer IDC cable that can exit the QL either through the ROM port or the expansion port. It carries the three new video sockets.
The prototype works well on its second revision. Being much simpler and easier to test than the 4M RAM card, it will likely arrive first.
I just wanted to give a heads up so people can plan their purchases of upscalers over the next 2-3 months to take advantage of the new feature.
It will be called the Q-Vid I, because there may be a Q-Vid II that implements the novel re-timing scheme Nasta proposed a while ago.