Anyone remember the original MicroVision™? (Not the FX.)

VGA monitor with Microvision

Wow- I had no idea so few were sold!

This year a friend wanted to sell me an old MV (1990), but we couldn't find a CGA to VGA blackbox that did a good job.  With the adapter we tried (Ambery.com $100), the display looked pretty bad and it was hard to read the channel numbers and such.

Has anyone found a surefire way to adapt these relics to VGA?

Thanks 

There's also a company that offers to install such a converter in Microvision and Expression 1 consoles.  If you go to www.tany.com and click on the "links" button in the upper right corner, you'll find more information.  I haven't seen the results of their work, so I have no way of knowing what it ends up looking like.  It may very well just be the board Derek mentioned plus an installation charge.

There is a cheaper way to change what the console outputs to a signal that's compatible with VGA monitors, but it requires some understanding of electronics, good soldering & desoldering skills, and it's not officially published or supported by ETC.  It also follows somewhat of an older standard so--while it works with all of the CRT's I've tested--many LCD's may not be able to support it.  It does end up looking just as good as the original CGA monitor (or better, since most of the VGA monitors I tried it on were much nicer than the CGA monitors I've used).

If you're interested in doing the conversion, send me an email and I'll get back to you with more information.  Obviously there's some risk of damaging the console if you don't know what you're doing.  Also, this is only an option for Microvision/Microvision FX consoles.  The Expression 1's used a different video circuit that's not easily modified.

There's also a company that offers to install such a converter in Microvision and Expression 1 consoles.  If you go to www.tany.com and click on the "links" button in the upper right corner, you'll find more information.  I haven't seen the results of their work, so I have no way of knowing what it ends up looking like.  It may very well just be the board Derek mentioned plus an installation charge.

There is a cheaper way to change what the console outputs to a signal that's compatible with VGA monitors, but it requires some understanding of electronics, good soldering & desoldering skills, and it's not officially published or supported by ETC.  It also follows somewhat of an older standard so--while it works with all of the CRT's I've tested--many LCD's may not be able to support it.  It does end up looking just as good as the original CGA monitor (or better, since most of the VGA monitors I tried it on were much nicer than the CGA monitors I've used).

If you're interested in doing the conversion, send me an email and I'll get back to you with more information.  Obviously there's some risk of damaging the console if you don't know what you're doing.  Also, this is only an option for Microvision/Microvision FX consoles.  The Expression 1's used a different video circuit that's not easily modified.

Hi Mark,

I know I am answering a very old post, but I have only recently acquired a Microvision FX, and would be very interested in this mod. I have over thirty years experience in electronics, so the technical aspects will not be too difficult for me. I would also be interested in any other technical information you may have, such as circuits.

I was trained on the Express 125, so could easily get the Microvision up and running with little difficulty. I have run one show recently, and was very impressed with the ease of operation. At the moment, I use it with a television set, running the video from the BNC connector. I tried a couple of external CGA to VGA converters, but don't think from some other posts that I had the right one. My preference, however, would be to have the video circuit inside the chassis, so this mod is very attractive.

Looking forward to hearing from you soon.

Regards,

Marcus