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Archive Magazine 1995
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ReadMe
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1993-01-21
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This is the latest version of my VIDC module for the NEC 3D. I have
extended it to use the Atomwide VIDC enhancer and it includes some of
the large modes this can provide. The modes supported are as follows:-
Mode 76 2 colours 120x48 chars 1920x384 pixels
Mode 77 4 colours 120x48 chars 1920x384 pixels
Mode 78 16 colours 120x48 chars 1920x384 pixels
Mode 79 256 colours 120x48 chars 1920x384 pixels
Mode 96 2 colours 100x75 chars 800x600 pixels
Mode 97 4 colours 100x75 chars 800x600 pixels
Mode 98 8 colours 100x75 chars 800x600 pixels
Mode 100 2 colours 144x56 chars 1152x448 pixels
Mode 101 4 colours 144x56 chars 1152x448 pixels
Mode 102 8 colours 144x56 chars 1152x448 pixels
It also adds two new commands (ExtendedModes & NormalModes) These
switch between the standard modes for modes 0 to 17 or the ones
provided by the module. This is because when the NEC 3D monitor is
first switched on it will not synchronise to the lower frequency modes.
So the extended modes in the module use the higher frequency clock.
Once the monitor has been on for about 10 minutes it will synchronise
to the standard modes so the switch has been provided so the lower
speed clock can be used. This means that programs (mainly games) that
make use of the video rate for sound and timers, will still work
properly.
I have also included a replacement mode module for the new
(version 1.7) PC Emulator. The one supplied with the emulator does not
work properly in single user mode with the NEC 3D, but a slight
modification of the VIDC registers makes it all work perfectly.
I thought I would take this opportunity to tell you something of
the NEC 3D monitor. There have been a lot of reviews of monitors over
the last few months but nobody ever seems to mention the NEC 3D. I
feel this is a sad omission. I have been using mine for some 2 years
now. To quote the user's manual it is a microprocessor based, digital
controlled multiple frequency colour monitor. It automatically adjusts
to scanning frequencies between 15.5 KHz and 38 KHz and frame rates
between 50 Hz and 90 Hz. This means it can support all the modes the
Archie can throw at it. It has a 0.28 mm dot pitch which gives a sharp
picture even in the high resolution modes like 102. All the controls
for the monitor are accessible from the front. The mains switch is to
the right then there is a brightness and contrast control to the left
of this. Further to the left is a pull down cover that reveals a set
of push buttons that adjust the horizontal and vertical size and
position and a switch that turns the user mode on. The control
processor has some non-volatile memory where it stores position and
size information for different scan rates. This means that once you
have set these up for a particular mode they are automatically saved
and will be recalled next time that Çmode is selected. There is no
messing about adjusting things every time you change mode. The user
mode provides a second set of stored locations which can be useful if
two modes are at the same scan rate but require different positions. I
use this for the high resolution modes 100-102 which seem to clash with
mode 20.
The picture quality is excellent. Personally I prefer it to all
the other similar monitors I have seen. The whites are truly white and
the colour rendition excellent. The picture is perf ectly stable with
no sign of flicker.
To take full advantage of the monitor a VIDC Enhancer is required
and some of the standard modes require modification. Modes 18-21 cannot
be brought into the centre of the screen and modes 0-17 will not lock
properly until the monitor has been on for about 10 minutes. This can
be remedied with the addition of a VIDC module to provide modified
modes (as supplied with this letter). This seems to be a standard
requirement of most multisync monitors.
I'm not sure of the current cost of the monitor but when I bought
mine 2 years ago it was about ú450 and when a friend bought one a year
later it was about ú400 so it compares favourably with the equivalent
Taxan and Eizo monitors. I can thoroughly recommend this monitor.
Yours sincerely
Andrew D Ling