[SUP]Shamelessly borrowed from neo-geo.com, with love! [/SUP] Questions about Sony PVM monitors come up somewhat frequently. I created this topic so there's a place we can point people for easy answers. I will use CVBS to refer to "composite video" and C-Sync to refer to "composite sync", in order to avoid any ambiguity with using the word "composite". Q: What models should I look for? -- OR -- Q: I'm driving across town to pick up a model X, will it have the inputs I want? A: As long as you get the size you want, and the monitors has been looked after and serviced over its lifetime, any model will suit. However, here's the skinny on the models we're familiar with. Model list: [TABLE="class: grid, width: 1100, align: left"] [TR] [TD]Model No[/TD] [TD]Size[/TD] [TD]CVBS Inputs[/TD] [TD]S-Video Inputs[/TD] [TD]RGB BNC[/TD] [TD]RGB Other*[/TD] [TD]Y/Pb/Pr Component Supported?[/TD] [TD]C-Sync Supported?[/TD] [TD]HV-Sync Supported?[/TD] [TD]CVBS as sync source?[/TD] [TD]480p/31kHz support?[/TD] [TD]Colour Systems Supported[/TD] [TD]Notes and/or Manual link.[/TD] [/TR] [TR] [TD]PVM-1271Q/ PVM-1371QM[/TD] [TD]13"[/TD] [TD]1[/TD] [TD]0[/TD] [TD]1[/TD] [TD]1 D/A CMPTR DB25[/TD] [TD]N[/TD] [TD]Y[/TD] [TD]N[/TD] [TD]Y[/TD] [TD]N[/TD] [TD]NTSC PAL SECAM[/TD] [TD]- 1371QM is European 220V model - Manual[/TD] [/TR] [TR] [TD]PVM-1442Q(M)[/TD] [TD]14"[/TD] [TD]3* (* one in VTR)[/TD] [TD]1[/TD] [TD]1[/TD] [TD]1 D CGA DE9[/TD] [TD]Y[/TD] [TD]Y[/TD] [TD]N[/TD] [TD]N[/TD] [TD]N[/TD] [TD]NTSC PAL SECAM[/TD] [TD]- M suffix denotes 220V model - Manual[/TD] [/TR] [TR] [TD]PVM-2030/ PVM-2530[/TD] [TD]20"/ 25"[/TD] [TD]3* (* one in VTR)[/TD] [TD]1[/TD] [TD]0[/TD] [TD]1 D/A CMPTR DB25[/TD] [TD]N[/TD] [TD]Y[/TD] [TD]Y[/TD] [TD]Y[/TD] [TD]N[/TD] [TD]NTSC PAL SECAM[/TD] [TD]- Manual[/TD] [/TR] [TR] [TD]PVM-20M2MDU (Medical)[/TD] [TD]20"[/TD] [TD]1[/TD] [TD]1[/TD] [TD]2[/TD] [TD]0[/TD] [TD]Y[/TD] [TD]Y[/TD] [TD]N[/TD] [TD]Y[/TD] [TD]N[/TD] [TD]NTSC PAL SECAM[/TD] [TD]- Brochure[/TD] [/TR] [TR] [TD]PVM-20M2U[/TD] [TD]20"[/TD] [TD]2[/TD] [TD]1[/TD] [TD]1[/TD] [TD]0[/TD] [TD]Y[/TD] [TD]Y[/TD] [TD]N[/TD] [TD]Y[/TD] [TD]N[/TD] [TD]NTSC PAL SECAM[/TD] [TD]- Manual[/TD] [/TR] [TR] [TD]PVM-2950Q(M)[/TD] [TD]29"[/TD] [TD]2[/TD] [TD]2[/TD] [TD]1[/TD] [TD]0[/TD] [TD]Y[/TD] [TD]Y[/TD] [TD]Y[/TD] [TD]N[/TD] [TD]N[/TD] [TD]NTSC PAL SECAM[/TD] [TD]- M suffix denotes 220V model - Manual[/TD] [/TR] [TR] [TD][/TD] [TD][/TD] [TD][/TD] [TD][/TD] [TD][/TD] [TD][/TD] [TD][/TD] [TD][/TD] [TD][/TD] [TD][/TD] [TD][/TD] [TD][/TD] [TD][/TD] [/TR] [/TABLE] [SUP] * D = Digital TTL RGBI | A = Analogue RGBS/RGBHV [/SUP]More models will be added as people post them in this thread. Q: I don't see an RGB SCART input on the back of this thing! How do I connect my consoles? A: Through the BNC connectors. If you already have RGB SCART cables for your consoles, you can buy a small adaptor with a female SCART connector on one end, and a handful of male BNC plugs on the other end. This is usually a passive adaptor, simply breaking out the Red, Green, Blue, CVBS, Left-Audio, and Right-Audio pins to separate BNC plugs. However, it can also contain a sync stripper circuit, to extract a pure C-sync signal from the CVBS signal. Q: WTF man!?!? Are you HIGH??? Why would I want to even TOUCH composhit video in my GLORIOUS RGB setup? Don't talk to me scrub! A: Settle petal! First, some background. The traditional way to connect a console to a TV in Europe was using the SCART connector. In this setup, the Red, Green, Blue, AND CVBS signals all travel down the cable into the TV, along with the audio and some sense voltages. The picture displayed on the TV is indeed the RGB-supplied picture, however the CVBS signal still has a part to play! The Red, Green, and Blue data alone is not enough to show a picture on your TV screen. The deflection coils in your TV need instructions on when to start steering the beam left-to-right for each line, and top-to-bottom for each field or frame. These instructions are the sync pulses. Because SCART has no dedicated pins for sync pulses to be carried, it makes use of the otherwise redundant CVBS signal, and extracts the sync pulses from there. PVMs, on the other hand, generally do not use SCART. They have dedicated BNC connectors for sync pulses. Usually one for horizontal sync, and one for vertical sync. The H-sync connector usually also accepts C-sync (H and V sync pulses on one wire). In some (most?) models of PVM, the image data between sync pulses in a CVBS signal is mis-interpreted as extra sync pulses, and the picture gets scrambled. Some other models of PVM will accept CVBS as a sync source, and display the picture correctly. For those that do not accept CVBS as a sync source, there are two options: sync stripper can be used, or you can buy a new cable for your console, one that brings out the C-sync signal instead of CVBS. The former solution will work for any console that has an RGB SCART lead available, the latter will work for most, but there may be a few exceptions. Q: What is a sync stripper, and where do I get one? A: A sync stripper takes a video source containing sync pulses, like a CVBS (composite video) signal, and produces a clean C-sync signal. You can either buy one built in to a SCART-to-BNC converter, or build one yourself for a few dollars on some prototype board. A commercial female-SCART-to-BNC-with-builtin-sync-stripper adaptor is available from Retro Game Cables for 35 GBP. This will enable you to use your OEM RGB SCART cables with any Sony PVM. http://bit.ly/15XxFvA If you're keen to DIY, then the chip you want is the LM1881. The basic implementation shown on the datasheet is more than sufficient for the purpose of running your PVM through OEM RGB SCART cables. http://bit.ly/13RSvOc Q: I don't like circuits. How about these other cables of which you speak? A: Search for RGB cables for your consoles that specifically say they bring out the C-Sync signal from the console. This can be somewhat hit-and-miss. Most of the time, the AV connectors on the back of consoles have pins for both CVBS and C-sync. In some instances, there is no dedicated pin for C-sync. In these cases, you'll need a sync stripper. Sometimes, cables that bring out CVBS for sync purposes are referred to as "regular sync", and those that bring out C-sync are referred to as "raw sync". This can vary from vendor to vendor. Things to do: More Q&A (?) Add pictures Add links
I also have a question: What kind of voltage convertor do I need to run a 220V European Sony PVM 2950QM in North America? I own a 300W convertor, but the unit turns off immediately after I turn it on (light goes on and off). I have 2 units and it happens to both of them. They were both working in Europe, so I'm pretty such they didn't just break both at the same time - should I try buying a convertor with maybe 500, 700 or 1000W? What's enough?
A beefier one than a console would need, certainly. The manual says max 1.2A and the spec sheet says it takes 180W max. Make sure it's earthed, too!
The problem happens with a 300W convertor - is that likely to cause the problem? It would cost me around $75+ to buy another 1000W convertor and I don't need it otherwise. I sort of want to really make sure that it solves the problem before I buy it :/
I assume you mean a 300VA transformer. The 1VA = 1W theory only works for DC circuits. Where you're dealing with AC (as we are), reactance plays a big part. In practice, you're probably looking at 1VA = 1/2W - 2/3W. With a UPS, you usually assume the power rating to be about 60 percent of the VA rating, so that's probably a safe bet here, too. As such, your 300VA transformer probably gives around 150-180W which is really stretching it. I would expect a decent 1000VA step-up transformer to be well in excess of $100 - they're over £100 here. 500VA should be sufficient (300W), but again I'd expect it to be over $100 probably.
Also, CRTs have a huge inrush of current at startup. It's possible that your step-up transformer would run the monitor, but doesn't provide enough juice for start-up. That's why better step-up (or step-down) converters have a circuit breaker with a short delay, usually 0.5 to 1 second.
Sorry about that, I'm not very knowledgable about voltages and so on. It says "300W Step-Up/Down convertor" on the box and works with my smaller 220V monitors (24" and 14"), but the PVMs turn off right away (LED lights up, then turns off again) with the fuse remaining intact. I guess 300W is just too weak for the degaussing of a 27in monitor? I know my 27/29 inch arcade cabinet required a 500W stepDOWN convertor, but I'm not sure if that's comparable because it's the other way around. So I should try something like this? http://www.ebay.com/itm/1000-W-Watt...607?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item4d02fd9777
I have a PVM 2030 with the original paper manual. I could check up for its detailed specs if you like.
That would be splendid. Everybody else is welcome, and encouraged to contribute their PVM model's information too! Just post em in the thread, and I'll update the OP!
It's common that some electronic devices don't state the wattage (it's annoying), but it has to say voltage and amperage somewhere. With that you can easily calculate the wattage: Watts = Amps x Volts.
Bump. Added manual links for the monitors I own. C'mon, some of you must own some delicious PVMs (or BVMs, or other manufacturer pro/broadcast monitors)?
Im not sure about HV-sync but im pretty confident the rest is accurate. The PVM 2030 and its 25'' twin brother PVM 2530 are pretty old school PVM out of the late 80's. An interesting aspect of them is they have digital RGB input so you can probably connect CGA and maybe EGA stuff to them. PVM 2030 ( 2530 should be exact same specs but 25") Size: 20'' CVBS Inputs: 3 ( one in the VTR input ) Svideo: 1 Analog RGB : 1 Digital RGB : 1 Component supported : no C-Sync Supported? : yes HV-Sync Supported? Idk CVBS as sync source?: yes 480p/31kHz support? : no *it uses the DB25 proprietary CMPTR interface for digital/analog RGB Link to manual : http://www.docs.sony.com/release/PVM2030.pdf
Here's another one of my PVMs: PVM-1271Q Size: 13'' CVBS Inputs: 1 Svideo: 0 RGB inputs: 2 Y/Pb/Pr : No C-Sync Supported : Yes HV-Sync Supported: No CVBS as sync source: Yes 480p/31kHz support: No Some notes about the 20M2MDU: I can confirm that it does NOT support 480p/31khz video. You might want to make a note that this is a medical monitor. Another important thing to note is that picture quality varies quite a bit between monitors. In my experience, newer models generally have better image quality, but I haven't seen enough to say for sure.
Unfortunately, I cannot use my two European Sony PVM 2950QM screens here in North America in lack of big enough voltage convertors! I moved them all the way from Europe to Canada, but can't afford the voltage convertors at this moment to make them run. Instead, I will post a couple of pictures of what the beauties look like: European Sony PVM 2950QM with external speakers. However, I also have the original Sony speakers on the other PVM that I own. The ones in the picture are superior though Running my PC-Engine with Soldier Blade & Dracula X: Pure brilliance!
Is there a significant difference in picture quality between MD models (medical) and non-MD models? I'm gonna be picking up a PVM-1943MD this weekend, and will report on it then.
I can't say as I've only encountered one medical monitor. I've seen lots of PVMs in studios and other places at the university, and the newer ones seem to have better picture quality - which is what you would expect. I haven't tested those monitors as thoroughly as the ones I own, of course. But my suspicion is that the medical units are closely based on broadcast monitors, so there probably isn't much of a difference. I would also suggest there be a color system column in that chart - NTSC, PAL, SECAM, etc.
Good stuff. Thanks guys! I can add PAL/NTSC/etc columns, it's going to make the table pretty wide! Although it looks like this forum makes the table scroll sideways, instead of squishing it all up, which is pretty nice. Edit: Actually, is there a need to mention colour systems? I would have thought that being professional monitors they'd all support PAL and NTSC at a minimum.
