ColorSync 17

[tom7447]

I picked up a ColorSync 17 monitor the other day for AU$10. Working perfectly. I'm just wondering though, why has mine got no ADB connection? It's got ADB ports on the side (for keyboard and mouse) but only a VGA cable coming out the back where according to the manual, it's supposed to have an ADB cable split and combined into the same cable as the VGA plug. The cable isn't damaged (as in ADB connection broken off or anything) so it looks like this might've been a version designed to run with Windows systems? A cheaper model with out ADB? weird that there's ports though....

Any ideas??

 

[LCGuy]

Have a closer look at the back of the DA-15 plug, near the cable, look for any exposed wires, as like you said, there should be a small ADB cable that comes out of the video plug. The AppleVision and ColorSync displays require ADB when being used on an older Mac...and I've never heard of a version of any of these displays being sold without the ADB plug. If there's no exposed wires, and not even any evidence that there was once a cable there....I'd say that the cable's been damaged at some point, and someone's hacked on a cable from another display. Speaking of which...does it have a VGA plug, or an Apple-style DA-15 plug? None of these monitors EVER shipped with a VGA plug, they all had the DA-15 plug, and shipped with a VGA adaptor in the box for Windows users. If yours has a VGA plug, that'd be an aftermarket mod, not done or supported by Apple, and that would be why you're missing the ADB connection.

In any case, if you're going to be using the display on an old Mac, a MiniDIN-4 cable running from one of the ADB ports on the monitor to the Mac should get the ADB functionality working.

 

[trag]

I wonder if the original poster doesn't have the original Apple 17" Multi-Sync Color Display. This was identical to the Apple 16" Color Display, except that it supported multiple resolutions, where the 16" only supported 832 X 624.

In both of the above mentioned monitors, the rather large base had ADB ports and speaker and microphone ports built into the base. However, the base was more or less a passive hub. There was nothing special about the arrangement. The upper monitor had a normal DB15 Mac video cable. The base of the monitor could except an ADB cable from the computer in a plug at the back and then the two front ADB plugs were active for peripherals. The sound ports were similar.

Anyway, I could be completely wrong, but I think the OP has this older 17" monitor with the funky base. It was shaped (the base) a bit like a short rectangle with part of a circle sitting on top if you looked at it from above.

 

[Dog Cow]

I wonder if the original poster doesn't have the original Apple 17" Multi-Sync Color Display. This was identical to the Apple 16" Color Display, except that it supported multiple resolutions, where the 16" only supported 832 X 624.

Was that the one which was made in 1994? I've got a 17" display from that year which has ADB ports and sound ports on the base of it, but not the video cable.

 

[Bunsen]

Try loading up the Apple ColorSync monitor extensions/control panels (not sure exactly which ones you need) and plugging an ADB cable Mac->monitor and then monitor->keyboard->mouse.

 

[trag]

I wonder if the original poster doesn't have the original Apple 17" Multi-Sync Color Display. This was identical to the Apple 16" Color Display, except that it supported multiple resolutions, where the 16" only supported 832 X 624.

It was somewhere in that neighborhood. Let's see....

Apple Multiple Scan 17 Display, March 14, 1994 - Sep. 23, 1995. No part number listed in everymac.com.

User's Manual is here: http://download.info.apple.com/Apple_Support_Area/Manuals/monitors/5135AMultiScan17.PDF

Hmmm. Unconfirmed report that Apple's Model number was M2494.

 

[tom7447]

Sorry for the very slow reply. I'm the OP, thanks for all your replies.

I have the ColorSync 17 circa 1997-1998 MODEL: M2935. So yes trag, it's not the original one. No built in speakers etc. LcGuy, it has a VGA plug no DA-15 (Mac Plug) but no signs of damage. :-/ the cable looks very good and very similar style to the cable and plug on various PC VGA monitors i've seen of the same vintage

see pics:

http://www.flickr.com/photos/43611392@N06/

let me know what you think

cheers

 

[beachycove]

I have one of these (now non-functional) 17" ColorSync monitors, and remember rootling around on the web for the specs in PDF format a couple of years ago. I can't find them again just now, but recall distinctly that the dealer spec sheets spoke of the monitor as capable of being used by PCs as well as Macs. Now, I know that this could mean a lot of things, but one of the things it could mean is that the monitor was available with a VGA cable.

I remember the line about PCs in the specs because I have had much trouble with the ADB cable on a 20" ColorSync that I have and use regularly, and thought it odd at the time that a monitor with that dxxxed ADB cable integrated into it would be marketed to PC users. That would not have been so odd a thing if the unit were available with a VGA cable as an option.

I would try to find that nice spec sheet (a 2 pager with lots of text, as I recall); maybe some of the hobbyist sites will have it, or there's always preterhuman and such.