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Can an Apple IIc Flat Panel Display be used on any other computer?
- Thread starter snuci
- Start date
Again, no. The IIc's display port is *seriously* not-kidding unique to it. It taps directly into pre-output-stage portions of the Apple II's video generation system at TTL signal levels and is completely 100% incompatible with the DB-15 plug on any other Apple machine including the Macintosh and IIgs.
(Okay, in principle you can tap composite video on the same pins in the IIc and the IIgs, so *if* the LCD panel was composite you could use it on both machines. But the Apple knowledge base article specifically says the FPD is *not* compatible with the IIgs, which at least implies it uses the TTL-level signals to work.)
(Okay, in principle you can tap composite video on the same pins in the IIc and the IIgs, so *if* the LCD panel was composite you could use it on both machines. But the Apple knowledge base article specifically says the FPD is *not* compatible with the IIgs, which at least implies it uses the TTL-level signals to work.)
It wasn't actually on my radar, but what do you know it's certainly unique and completely different from all of the above.
Anyway, didn't mean to sound like I was "snapping", just reiterating the FPD is "special". Of course, electrical incompatibility aside I'm not sure what use it would be attached to a Portable; it has less than half the vertical resolution. (560x192 vs. 640x400.)
I managed to pick it up for $200 shipped but it has some yellowing and no box or manuals. I'm glad to even have found it. It's funny that the previous owner tried to warn me that it's not a very good display because of the contrast. I replied that I knew about that being an issue and it was okay
He sent me a picture of the display in direct sunlight so that I would not be surprised at the quality. I thought it was pretty good for the technology of that time. Here's the pic:
View attachment 5529
Best LCD's for their time, IMO, are the Newtons. Sharp as heck, and part of why they cost so much.
I don't have an Apple IIc but I have lots of other stuff. I just wanted to see the output.
Of course, if you did have an Apple IIc and wanted a portable monitor for it a small LCD TV with composite input would probably do the job just fine. Adapting the signals from the IIc's output port to directly drive an arbitrary panel would probably be... non-trivial. How non-trivial would probably depend on exactly how forgiving your targeted panel is when it comes to clock speed/etc. (The resolution of the Apple panel is nonstandard by any measure and may well have been made specifically for the application.) If you wanted to *improve* on it it's probably worth noting that the port doesn't really support color; to drive a color display with that port you need to drive an "encoder" that turn the Apple II graphic dot-patterns into a color... like a DAC, but more complicated because it has to emulate the Apple II's weird NTSC color generation system. They did make RGB adapters that plugged into it but they were rare.
BUT... will it work with a IIc Plus? ????
Be as snappy as you like. ????
Be as snappy as you like. ????
Apparently, it will judging by the pics in this auction: http://www.ebay.com/itm/201767373902 Now that I have a IIc and IIC Plus, I'll have to finally try the screen.
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