I have a couple of questions regarding removing the anode from an Amstrad PCW computer monitor: I am hoping to 'consolise' an Amstrad PCW 8256 by removing the power board, circuit board and 3" drive and hooking it up to a TV using a 'video digitiser' than fits onto the edge connector on the circuit board. As such I will have no need for the bulky integrated monitor so am hoping to disconnect it from the power board...but it is connected to the power board by a thick cable with the anode cap at one end. If I pop the anode off or de-solder the anode cable from the board do you think the computer will still work and output ok through the digitiser? Would it be a good idea to remove the monitor's transformer too? Is it safe to run the thing (will it run?) with the anode unattached / removed and the transformer too?
If you're referring to the anode cable running from the back of the CRT, then you really need to disable the power going to the monitor. If that is via its own PSU/ transformer, then yes, remove the transformer and cut the cables down. Just make sure the transformer is not also supplying power to the bits you want to keep. If you removed just the anode cable (from the CRT), the high voltage would still be generated by the line-output transformer (or flyback transformer as they call it over the pond) and there is a risk that it could arc over and destroy everything else. *EDIT* Motherboard layout diagram >here<, showing a video signal output connector. Assuming it's composite video, you can simply wire up an RCA jack to that port.
