PE+ CRT to LCD conversion

[knagl]

Alex-

I, too, have the GBS-8220.  I presume you've read this entire thread?  If not, start at page 1 and hopefully there will be some useful info for you.

There's a manual you can download attached to the bottom of this post (click here) - it says that the language menu has three choices on it -- English, Chinese, and Exit (to exit that part of the menu).  It's been so long since I've messed with it that I don't remember how to get to that specific menu, but some trial and error got me to that menu where there were only three choices, and I was able to change the language on mine.

Oh, good, check out the video embedded in this post by stayouttadabunker (Mark).  At 2:08 into the video he shows what the menu and then language menu look like on the GBS-8220.  Hopefully that'll get you switched to English.


While I'm highlighting posts of significance, be sure to check out my post here which mentions that the GBS-8220 requires voltage of 5vdc at 2 amps.  If you don't give it 2 amps, it fades out on you.  Also check out Mark's video directly below that post -- for a fleeting second he was able to get the card images to appear, although they appeared well out of sync.  I think sync is the biggest issue we were facing, since the PE+ uses separate horizontal and vertical sync.  The GBS-8220 needs composite sync (as best as I was able to figure out), and will give you the ol' "No Signal" message if the signal it is getting isn't synced.

Let me know if I can help you with this, Alex -- I'm still anxious to get my PE+ machines running with LCD monitors. 

[alex666]

I'm back with news to report on what I've done. IGT Multi Poker 1991.
I used a 7404 and inverted everything. Tied Vsync and Hsync together to
Hsync in.
Now I have a good solid pic but the problem is color is no good ie: redish/pink
and black only. If I can resolve this colors issue looks like fixed done.
Don't know what to think about colors yet.

[CaptainHappy]

I'm back with news to report on what I've done. IGT Multi Poker 1991.
I used a 7404 and inverted everything. Tied Vsync and Hsync together to
Hsync in.
Now I have a good solid pic but the problem is color is no good ie: redish/pink
and black only. If I can resolve this colors issue looks like fixed done.
Don't know what to think about colors yet.

alex666,

That is good progess, looking great so far!  for your efforts and sharing! Hopefully someone can help with this solution!!!

CaptainHappy

[knagl]

That is good progess, looking great so far!  for your efforts and sharing! Hopefully someone can help with this solution!!!

My thoughts exactly!  Congrats on your current progress! 

A friend of mine who knows the PE+ inside and out (NLG member Stolistic) is out of town right now, but I'll ask him to look at this thread next week and see if he can help.

[stayouttadabunker]

Finally! A stable picture! Awessome!
I hope you figure out the color wires.
How was it done exactly?
It looks like you made yourself an small board connected to the GBS-8220 board we're playing with.
I'd like to try it and see if I can get the colors to work?
Have you tried going straight into the LCD from the GBS-8220 with the color wires
or are they all going into your sync tied board?

[alex666]

I simply got a 7404 IC and used pins1 red in pin2 red out inverted.
Then pins 2/3 for green and 4/5 for blue then 8/9 and 10/11 for
H/Vsyncs. All outputs go to Jamma inputs. Seems to work best with
both H/V syncs tied together @ the Hsync input no vert sync in was used. Pin 7=GND pin 14=5vdc +/- 0.25vdc

[stayouttadabunker]

Awessome!   
I wonder why the color gets lost though? 

[Neonkiss]

Have a friend who saw a LCD conversion in South America. Down there they can get real creative with getting stuff to work. Lack of original parts and no jurisdiction rules and anything goes.
As he explained it to me, they soldered wires to the chip and grabbed the signal before it was inverted on the MPU.
Ran the wires to the front of the tray and installed a connector for the LCD screen.
He said it looked crude but worked good. He was going to put together a board as a retrofit, but got busy with his back-end system he's installing.

I wish he would have taken some pictures.
I think it was the MRO chip produces the red color
MGO is the green color and MBO is the blue
This is why you need matched chip sets as each produces its own color attributes.

I attached a copy of some schematics, see pages 133, 134 and 135
Let me know if this helps you out as it should provide you the info to correct your color issue.

[alex666]

Maybe Ceronix would be kind enough to release a schematic of the cpa3003 so we can see how they do it. Because they plug into the same connector I believe so they deal with that same signal source apparently for everything. Just called Ceronix got ans.mach. so later. Next I'll try a friend who has an electronic slot service in LV.  Probably the dreaded proprietary info BS hope not.

[Neonkiss]

In that case, why not just take a old 1492 chassis and remove the flyback for safety. Then tap into the RGB output to your VGA monitor?
Would that give you the correct output?

[alex666]

I'll have to look at the 1492 schematic. They have jumpers for various machines
with/without inverted video/sync. I'm not to good on tvs but the 1492 is a bit different I think. I could try to tap somewhere though I'll see what I can do.
My other machines. I've  less serious problems with these.

[alex666]

I,m working hard on this still. What I need is some schematic for the Fortune 2
Dollar Poker to see the area of monitor output from mother board. I am zeroing in on this but want to test on my Fortune 2 instead of my PE Multi-Poker. I think I am close to the fix for the conversion. It will require making connections to the motherboard. (Simple to do). I have block diagram only of Fortune II. If I have it fixed it will work on Fortune II and PE both and others.

[stayouttadabunker]

Way back deep in this thread somewhere, I think it was Jim that mentioned
something about getting an octo flip or Opto chip.
I don't recall what number of the chip it was but if you got that installed onto the board -
it would flip the signals correctly.
You'd have to do a search for it...
I was going to buy some of the chips to try it on mine
but never got around to it.

[alex666]

I need schematic to ID certain areas on Fortune II as compared to PE+. I believe I am making progress need this data to proceed.

[knagl]

I simply got a 7404 IC and used pins1 red in pin2 red out inverted.
Then pins 2/3 for green and 4/5 for blue then 8/9 and 10/11 for
H/Vsyncs.

Alex-

I was showing this post to my friend Stolistic and when he read it out loud to me, something stuck out that I hadn't caught before.

According to what you posted (quoted here), you have red on pins 1 and 2, but then green on 2 and 3.  To our reading, you have red and green touching pin 2.  Is that correct, and if so, could that be the cause of the botched colors?

Also, would you be kind enough to post a schematic of your breadboard -- even if it's just sketched out in pen and scanned in or something, so we can have a visual of exactly what you're using from the PE+, what kind of chip(s) and transisitors and whatnot you have the signal going through, and exactly where and on what pins you're connected to the GBS-8220?  Now that you've gotten the sync issue, resolved, we're pretty confidifent that we can get the color issue resolved, but it would be extremely helpful if you could post a visual of what you're currently doing with the signal.

Thanks!

[alex666]

Here ya go. See the sync inversion here is the same as if it was red I used 1-2r then3-4g then 5-6b then I used 8-9 then 10-11 for V/H sync invert.
This inverts things BUT does not solve anything. We still need something and I think I know so need the print on Fortune II motherboard. I played with the sync variations too still NG. I use my PE+ for $$$$ so do not want use for experiments but I will if necessary.  Note: I just used the board with all that other stuff just to
mount and connect leads to the 7404 in the pix I posted.

[TZtech]

Hello Alex

Are You using the RGB signals coming from Your processor board and the inverting them ? I believe this is where the problem is as you are then driving your colours full on or full off. Have a look back in this thread at post 55 where I posted the output driver stage for the PE+. I think it will work If you invert the signal that are driving the transistors You should get a good image.

Ian

[alex666]

I know thats what I'm doing. If I get the print I'll have the ans very soon
I hope. Someone should have the Fortune II schematic.

[alex666]

After some more research I think I know what is needed. I found a forum  from Europe and in their discussions the same problem plagues them BUT I see they seem to have zeroed in on the problem. I have spoken to the Ertech Co. in Colombia some also. The say frequency doubler needed,spotty info from Ertech.
See the suggested board (no longer avail) attached. I will try to locate more info
the chips shown are not available now. This is a doubler like is needed. The inverting is not the problem that's easy.

[knagl]

The GBS-8220 serves as a frequency doubler. It's converting 15mhz CGA to 30mhz VGA (that's what a doubler does). In your setup it is proven that it's doing that successfully since you have a viewable picture on your VGA monitor.

[alex666]

Thats what I thought ....

[alex666]

Found this wonder if will work different than GBS-8220.

[alex666]

Well I am pumped now I have found the company who makes these cga to vga converter boards like gbs 8220 AND also makes LCD screens for slots & games.
Waiting reply from them.

[alex666]

Still after it. Have new board coming from china I believe will work but price is not good.
Couple weeks I'll know.

[alex666]

New board still no good. GBS 8219 XVGA does not work differently than GBS 8220.
So back to the search for the answer.