How ancient of monitors can Win2k support?

[yukichigai]

Like I've said, I'm currently running a dual monitor setup on my computer. In my area however there are thrift stores with a lot of those really old monitors, the ones that use a 9-pin connector, Like CGA and earlier. I have an extra VGA port on my PCI card and I think it may support a second output, and I've got the adaptor from VGA to 9-pin kicking around in a box in my closet along with a bunch of other outdated adaptors. Is there any way I could use one of these as a third monitor, however crappy it might be?

 

[WarmAndSCSI]

Any monitor that'll work with a modern video card will work in Windows... maybe not well though...

 

[spyordie007]

Although I've gotten Win 2K running on a 640x480 monitor before I would highly recommend at least 800x600, the UI is pretty much unusable at 640x480.

-Spy

 

[yukichigai]

Score. Looks like I'm stopping by the thrift store today on the way home from work.

By the way, yes, I realize I'm insane.

 

[stevewm]

Originally posted by: yukichigai
Like I've said, I'm currently running a dual monitor setup on my computer. In my area however there are thrift stores with a lot of those really old monitors, the ones that use a 9-pin connector, Like CGA and earlier. I have an extra VGA port on my PCI card and I think it may support a second output, and I've got the adaptor from VGA to 9-pin kicking around in a box in my closet along with a bunch of other outdated adaptors. Is there any way I could use one of these as a third monitor, however crappy it might be?

I hate to let you down, but a simple 15-pin to 9-pin D-Sub adapter is not going to make a CGA/EGA monitor function on a VGA card. If you attempt to use that adapter you very well damage the monitor and/or video card.

CGA/EGA use a entirely different signal format than VGA. The CGA/EGA signal is actually a TTL digital signal. VGA is a analog signal. No VGA card can output a CGA or EGA signal.

CGA supports only a few modes, the highest quality text mode is 80x25 characters in 16 colors. Graphics modes range from monochrome at 640x200 to 16 colors at 160x200. Screen refresh is 60hz.

EGA allows graphical output up to 16 colors (chosen from a palette of 64) at screen resolutions of 640x350, or 80x25 text with 16 colors.

 

[yukichigai]

So then why make the adaptor? Or are there other monitor formats that use 9-pin connectors?

 

[Rapidskies]

I believe Windows 2k requires a VGA monitor as bare minimum

 

[DurocShark]

Originally posted by: yukichigai
So then why make the adaptor? Or are there other monitor formats that use 9-pin connectors?

There are many monitors that have a 9pin connector on the back. The cable is 9pin on one end, 15pin on the other. My old AuroraVision is like this.

You should be able to find old VGA or SVGA monitors for cheap. Heck, I bought a 17" Trinitron for$20, a 14" SVGA for $5, and a 12" monoVGA for $2 from local thrift stores. All of those will work fine in Win2k.

 

[stevewm]

Originally posted by: yukichigai
So then why make the adaptor? Or are there other monitor formats that use 9-pin connectors?

A 9 pin connector is more than enough to carry a VGA signal. You really only need 5!

Modern monitors use the addtional pins in the 15 pin connector to carry DDC/PnP information. Old monitors did not have these functions so many of the first VGA monitors had 9 pin connectors 😀 The 15-pin was eventually settled on as standard since it has plenty of pins that can be used for future upgrades.

 

[yukichigai]

Ahhhhh... hmm... that makes sense now. I probably should have figured PnP stuff would be carried across those extra pins. Good to know.

So then, to thoroughly wrap up this topic, am I to assume an EGA/CGA video card would be so old it would use an ISA bus or something even older?

 

[stevewm]

CGA/EGA cards last came in ISA form. No PCI CGA/EGA cards have ever existed.

CGA was only offcially supported in Windows 1.x and 2.x. Win3.1 supported EGA, but not CGA. CGA could be used in Win3.1 with a available driver 😀 I used this exact driver for 3.1 on my old 386. It was limited to 512x512 and only 3 "colors" black, white, and grey. It was also slow at drawing stuff on the screen. This is why CGA was not offcially supported.

CGA will not work with Win9x or 2k/XP.

EGA, while not offcially supported, can function in Windows 95 if you use the EGA driver from Windows 3.11. Does not work in 98. EGA is not supported at all in 2k/XP.