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Forum Index : Microcontroller and PC projects : LCD Resolution
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Nick Guru  Joined: 09/06/2011 Location: AustraliaPosts: 512 |
I'm running a 15" LCD (4:3 aspect) monitor. The image is awful from the fact that the maximite does not produce the 1024x768 native resolution of the LCD. The Maximite on a CRT monitor is great. It's a shame that the Maximite cannot display well on the LCD. For those who use the MM as an intelligent hardware interface device, it's not a problem but used as a computer running applications, developing programs, it's hard to look at. I was wondering, if the MM was to generate a 512 pixel horizontal resolution (half 1024) if the image would be better. Unfortunately, when these "old" 15" LCD monitors are no longer available, then the problems surface again on a different LCD size. There's a lot to be said for the good old "boob tube" monitors. :) |
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Gizmo Admin Group  Joined: 05/06/2004 Location: AustraliaPosts: 5078 |
Yeah I have a old monochrome VGA screen, the maximite output looks fantastic on it. There is a lot to be said about the old CRT technology, especially when it comes to unusual screen resolutions. I've also tried a couple of LCD monitors, with OK results. I found I needed to play around with the monitor settings, especially the H offset and timing, and I could get a pretty good picture. Not as clear as the CRT monitor, but thats progress for you. Really at the end of the day its the problem of the monitor, not the maximite, if the monitor displays a image with a resolution below its native resolution, it should give you the option of not stretching it. Glenn The best time to plant a tree was twenty years ago, the second best time is right now. JAQ |
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| Nick Guru Joined: 09/06/2011 Location: AustraliaPosts: 512 |
Yes I agree. Very few have this option unfortunately. I wonder if this the stretch can be done in the firmware? In other, padd the edges of the MM image with blank video or are their major timing issues? Anyone know where to get a small VGA monochrome CRT monitor from.? Maybe a small (10-12") color VGA CRT? |
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stuarts Senior Member  Joined: 15/06/2011 Location: AustraliaPosts: 199 |
I'm running an LG W1943TE 18.5 inch wide screen monitor and apart from the letters being a bit stretched, its very readable. I dont know if they are still available. I know when I bought it, it was just over $100. Stuart Time is nature's way of keeping everything from happening all at once. |
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| Nick Guru Joined: 09/06/2011 Location: AustraliaPosts: 512 |
A friend of mine bought a 8" LCD with a 800x600 matrix and it looks good on the MM but the text is too small. CRT is way better than all of them, they just take up so much desk space. |
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| RossW Guru Joined: 25/02/2006 Location: AustraliaPosts: 495 |
I'm sure you meant to say "they just take too much power." :) |
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| Nick Guru Joined: 09/06/2011 Location: AustraliaPosts: 512 |
Both! :) |
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BobDevries Senior Member Joined: 08/06/2011 Location: AustraliaPosts: 266 |
I'm using a Philips 150S4 15" LCD monitor. If I print a string of characters using STRING$(40,"I") for example, some of the letters are thicker than others. Not great, but, hey, it was a freebie! Regards, Bob Devries Dalby, QLD, Australia |
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| Nick Guru Joined: 09/06/2011 Location: AustraliaPosts: 512 |
Yep. That's the scaling happening at the monitor end. Some monitors give you the option to turn that off. Most don't. I was surprised how much better it was when connected to a CRT. As I mentioned, I wonder if it's possible to add dummy blank pixels to make it match up to different LCD sizes? |
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Keith @ Senior Member Joined: 19/06/2011 Location: AustraliaPosts: 167 |
Thanks for that info guys ... I'm off to dust off my old CRT I thought the poor LCD clarity was just a result of the PIC32 graphics The more we know, the more we know we don't know ! |
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James_From_Canb Senior Member Joined: 19/06/2011 Location: AustraliaPosts: 265 |
Keep an eye out for cleanup days. People can't even give away CRT TVs or monitors. My mind is aglow with whirling, transient nodes of thought careening through a cosmic vapor of invention. Hedley Lamarr, Blazing Saddles (1974) |
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donmck Guru Joined: 09/06/2011 Location: AustraliaPosts: 1313 |
I have two 17" CRT monitors sitting in my shed at Tullamarine. If anyone wants them. Cheers Don... https://www.dontronics.com |
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| BobDevries Senior Member Joined: 08/06/2011 Location: AustraliaPosts: 266 |
Nick, I'm not sure I agree with padding the screen lines with blanks. At least in my case, I think that would result in the usable 480 pixels to be confined to the middle two thirds of the screen (if you pad out to 640 pixels). As it is, the screen is readable and very clear with the 480 dots taking up all the screen width. So, I get a bit of distortion, and my circles look like footballs, but what of that? I wasn't expecting perfection. My $0.02 Regards, Bob Devries Dalby, QLD, Australia |
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| Nick Guru Joined: 09/06/2011 Location: AustraliaPosts: 512 |
Maybe this and a pixel width doubling? The LCD is already doing that at intervals that make it ugly. All this came about after I hooked up a 15" CRT and was blown away by the clarity compared to what I was staring at all that time while programming my menu program. I know what some are saying, use the PC and send the code to the MM via serial/USB. This is worst. I type fast and jump between editing and RUN all the time. Unless I can see the run also work on the PC, it will drive me mad. That's one of the benefits of BASIC, seamless EDIT and RUN mode. But aren't we trying to make the MM better? Everyone who has seen my maximite has commented on the ugly text. If I had more desk room, I'd setup my CRT. |
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jebz Regular Member  Joined: 13/06/2011 Location: AustraliaPosts: 79 |
I think the padding for LCD displays would be good. Many LCDs have 1024 horizontal pixels and padding to improve the active video would be well worth the effort. |
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| Nick Guru Joined: 09/06/2011 Location: AustraliaPosts: 512 |
I guess it depends on what the future direction of the MM is. I feel the MM is more than the myriad of other microcontroller interfacing boards in that it has a powerful BASIC interpreter built in, keyboard, VGA video and SD storage. It's close to a personal computer than just an experimenter's board. That's why I think, as a personal computer, it should be improved in such a way to make it be so. Good video output to a variety of LCD "standards" is a must. Oh, and a software programmable character set to make it more versatile at presenting output professionally. :) |
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| Gizmo Admin Group Joined: 05/06/2004 Location: AustraliaPosts: 5078 |
I respectfully disagree Nick. I see the Maximite as a microcontroller I can program in a easy to use language, and get it do do usefull stuff like control appliances, windmills, chicken coop doors, etc. For $79, I think its good value. While the VGA out may not look the best on some LCD screen, when you consider the PIC32 was never meant to output VGA in the first place, I think its doing a pretty good job. If I want crystal clear colour VGA, I would buy a $300 netbook, load up DOS and QBasic. I would rather see improvements made in communication, PWM, etc before colour VGA, or VGA thats suited to every LCD screen on the market. Glenn The best time to plant a tree was twenty years ago, the second best time is right now. JAQ |
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| Nick Guru Joined: 09/06/2011 Location: AustraliaPosts: 512 |
This is great. So, you'll be buying a lot of maximites then. Ummm... make that ALL LCD screens. No, it DOES produce VERY good VGA output actually, it's just that they don't look good on an LCD screen. I don't think they designed it to specifically open chicken coops either but that's just the versatility of the design. It's up to the end user to apply the product to whatever the user imagines. It provides the means, the user provides the desire. That's fine. You're from the other half of the MM camp. |
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| Keith @ Senior Member Joined: 19/06/2011 Location: AustraliaPosts: 167 |
Hey Gizmo & Nick On the lighter side of life, don't forget the auto feeder, auto water trough (with flush to clean), auto egg collector. The only thing I can't figure out is how to make sure all the chooks are in bed before the door shuts Now that would be a job for the Maximite I've had chooks too! Keith The more we know, the more we know we don't know ! |
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| Nick Guru Joined: 09/06/2011 Location: AustraliaPosts: 512 |
Be easier and cheaper to buy your eggs! :) I had chooks. They learned to go into my coop by themselves. Saved myself $79!! (Sorry Geoff) :) |
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