Best Commodore monitor?

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Banana
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Best Commodore monitor?

Post by Banana »

Hi. Which commodore monitor was considered the best, as in most versatile that can be used by C64's and Amiga's as well as other 8 bit micros?


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eslapion
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Re: Best Commodore monitor?

Post by eslapion »

Banana wrote: Tue Dec 15, 2020 4:30 am Hi. Which commodore monitor was considered the best, as in most versatile that can be used by C64's and Amiga's as well as other 8 bit micros?
IMHO, it was the Amiga 1080. The first one which came with the Amiga 1000. Later ones were unreliable and failed often.

The 1080 supported composite, S-Video (on 2 RCA connections), RGBi digital (C128 VDC output or CGA) and RGB Analog. It had a very good quality image in all modes.

I had one for a long time and I used it with all my Commodore computers. After I sold my Amiga 3000, I still used it to watch TV until about 2004.

It was lost (accidentally damaged) when moving in 2015.
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Re: Best Commodore monitor?

Post by Banana »

What about the 1084S or the 1701?
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Gyro Gearloose
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Re: Best Commodore monitor?

Post by Gyro Gearloose »

How about the 2002? Commodore had a perplexing variety of models, but I think the 1080 was meant for the 1000, and the 2002 was meant for the 2000. Either way, the 2002 looks just like a 1080, without the AMIGA badge.
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Re: Best Commodore monitor?

Post by Gyro Gearloose »

Oooh, a weird one is the 1950, a multisync monitor that can sync up to the 31KHz Amiga modes, and yet sync down to 15KHz too.

It doesn't have a composite input though, but you can connect C64 video to the monitor's sync-on-green input and at least get a green screen working.

You could make a composite to RGB decoder or add an external video scaler though.
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Re: Best Commodore monitor?

Post by motrucker »

Don't forget the 1942. I used one for years with my A1200 with no problems at all. I believe this is another bi-sync.
In general, I agree with eslapion, I have had the best performance and longevity from the 1080. So, I would give this one the trophy.
The 2002 seems to work fine too.
The 1702 is a work horse, but limited in its use. I have had to many 1084 monitors die on me - I avoid them. Everything from the on/off switch or flyback will croak - and loads of things in between.
C-64, C-128, and Amiga A2000 user
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Gyro Gearloose
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Re: Best Commodore monitor?

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And before we continue, I meant that the 1080 was "stylistically" meant to go with the 1000, the "Amiga" badge matched. The 2002 said "Commodore" like the Amiga 2000. Both monitors act essentially the same.

Oh and BTW, Commodore never made their own monitors, they simply rebranded them.

Here's an exhaustive and exhausting list of Commodore monitors...

https://gona.mactar.hu/Commodore/monito ... umber.html

Seems the monitor department hoarded all the magic mushrooms at Commodore back then. :lol:

That link also provides links to service manuals.
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Gyro Gearloose
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Re: Best Commodore monitor?

Post by Gyro Gearloose »

Banana wrote: Tue Dec 15, 2020 8:53 pm What about the 1084S or the 1701?
The 1084S did have reliability problems IIRC. However it is impossible to say what that means today since it's possible that there are many variations of "1084".

The 1701 wouldn't work very well with an Amiga, lacking RGB inputs. You'd get a washed out blurry picture from the Amiga's composite output.

In any case, buying one these days is risky. People don't pack things carefully. And you never know the history of a particular monitor.

A 1080 stored outside in Florida for 30 years is not as good as a well-maintained 1084, even if the 1080 was a better monitor 35 years ago. :D
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Re: Best Commodore monitor?

Post by Zippy Zapp »

I have a 1702 and a 1084D. I like them both. For C64 only use the 1702 is tough to beat. The 1084D that I have has LCA, RGBI and Analog RGB making it good for Amiga, C128 80 col and C64. I did not like the later monitors that were sold to match the 64C they were garbage. I forget the model number (I think it was the 1802) but they replaced the 1702 monitors. They have LCA and composite but the picture is less sharp and the images is somewhat curved and not straight like the 1702 and 1084s are... The 1702 was a rebranded JVC Japan which are decent quality. The later monitors that were garbage were mostly Korean made, IIRC. I could be wrong about that though...

That said if you want a really good picture on a CRT then it is tough to beat the Sony PVM monitors. I have a 14inch PVM that has Analog RGB, Composite, Component and S-Video. The picture is superb and can support any video standard. They also a made a model that had RGBI, but mine does not.
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Gyro Gearloose
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Re: Best Commodore monitor?

Post by Gyro Gearloose »

PVM and BVM monitors are a free-for-all right now, the prices are very high and the shipping is too. There are other brands of broadcast monitors as well.

When the pandemic ends, and it will, I think visiting the Salvation Army and similar stores might still yield a CRT now and then. Just this spring a guy found a Laserdisc player for 5$ at the Salvation Army.

And if you don't mind dumpster diving, people are still throwing out CRTs now and then. I saw a combo TV/VCR, a projection set, and a 16:9 1080i CRT TV on the sidewalk over the summer.
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