I have a Rom 01 IIgs which has been working fine. But all of a sudden, the initial text mode is only showing up in monochrome over composite. I have it set to blue but I only see gray. I tried going back into the control panel and switch the colors but it is only monochrome. I also tried unplugging the battery and going back to defaults but no change.
Weird thing is that games are still working in color. Conan, Arkanoid 2, even GSOS still show up in color.
Any idea where I should start looking?
Thanks!
Tim
What display are you using, and have you tried other displays? It sounds as if colour burst is not being read properly in text mode, and I knof of nothing that would do that on the //gs itself. I suspect the display first.
I think that I still have a //gs schematic if that'd help.
Would also be good if you can check it on RGB to see if the same issue persists there. The default colours should be white on blue.
I tried a Samsung TV over composite and I also have a Goldstar 13" CRT. Both displayed monochrome on boot.
I may have seen elsewhere that this is normal for composite? I don't remember this from before. Weird too that colors still show up in games.
I don't have an RGB monitor but I was using the 15 pin port with a LM1881 to connect to a Samsung 710N monitor. It was working until just recently as well. Not sure if it is the monitor or the cable.
Tim
//gs Schematics
Might be a fault of the VGC. If you have been using it with an alien monitor it is possible that you damaged that ASIC @H12, or it may be a known flawed version.
http://www.applelogic.org/files/344S0046.png
The P/Ns are: AMI: 344S0046-2 (also -3. -4, -B. -C, -D)
IMP: 344S0056-A (also -1).
https://www.digchip.com/datasheets/quote.php?action=search&pn=344S0046-2
Do not use AMI revisions 344S0046-A or 344S0046-1. If, you have one of these two revisions it is almost guaranteed to be the culprit.
Also, composite text is normally white on black, iirc. You stated that there was a sudden change, but if that is only from shifting from an RGB display to composite, then it is easily normal. You said monochromatic, so I may have been unclear on precisely what changed, or your symptoms.
//gs Owners Manual on Composite Displays If you see grey and not black, that is an issue. It should be white on black text. It could simply be your contrast settings, but photos would help.
Screen Colours on Composite
This may help to clear up your confusion.
This is normal. The control panel does not output any color on the composite connector in text mode. Only artifact color will work (original Apple II graphics modes).