Damaging computer monitor with wrong input?

I think I am right in saying that older monitors would sometimes fail (often with a bang) if fed an input with too high a line frequency. Later monitors simply either ignore it or shutdown.

So it depends on your monitor.

Short answer ! Yes. Most modern monitors are intelligent enough to recognise an out of range signal and display an error message! Older ones are not !

That's good and bad news. The computer is an Atari ST and I intend to make it work with both the custom Atari monitors and normal VGA monitors. Sounds like it could be risky business to connect the Atari monitors (the Atari ST is a mid

Regarding modern monitors I've heard that it's hard to find ones that can handle the colour mode of 15.75 KHz horizontal rate -is this true, or is it now common for monitors to be able to handle both my output modes?

The flyback transformers went up in flames. The original monochrome monitor for the IBM PC would burn if it was powered up without video drive. That is why the power supply had the switched outlet than lasted till the ATX format arrived.

Usually trivial things like the output transistor and associated components :) Repairable...... if you know what you're doing, but not trivial.

I'm not sure about this but I don't think you can swap modes on the ST without switching it off and back on again. At boot up it looks at the

The standard colour output of the Atari ST is bog standard European TV line frequency. There were *millions* of monitors made with the same standard that are now worth about nothing each. Car boot sales are full of them. It will work into a scart input on a normal UK TV

YES. As I learned by ordering the Linux OS to display on a monitor selected by me horizontal and vertical frequencies. The video card responded. The lesson ended when a little puff of smoke emerged from the monitor telling me that this monitor(RIP) was not up to this resolution. "We always learn!" - a Hassidic proverb.

HTH

Stanislaw Slack user from Ulladulla.

I would expect the transitor that drives the horizontal output transformer. and possibly a few other parts near it and the main fuse for the monitor.

if you could double the horizontal scan rate on your colour mode that would put it within in range of VGA monitors. this is what VGA cards do in "CGA emulation" mode each scan-line is sent twice.

another option would be a Y connector with a relay (or other circuit) driven by a frequency detector so that it only connects the sync lines to the apropriate monitor if it sees the right frequency.

vga monitors will shut down in the absense of sync.

you may have luck with LCD monitors that support video input. try a place that has a satisfaction guarantee....