Retrocomputing

The GGLABS A521HD is a high performance RGB to YPbPr converter to directly connect an HDTV with component inputs to the A2000/A3000/A4000. The A521HD plugs into the video slot of the big box Amiga.

RS232 monitors are quite common but most of them use the standard good old DB25 connectors. The majority of the RS232 ports in use today however use the smaller DB9 connector. This forces the use chains of adapters to get the commercial monitor/breakout boards working. The GGLABS T232 solves the problem by providing native DB9 connections.

The GGLABS A520HD is the HDTV equivalent of the classic Commodore A520 TV modulator. Instead of encoding the Amiga video signal to a low quality composite output it converts the RGB output to a high quality YPbPr signal compatible with HDTVs with a component input. The A520HD connects to the Amiga 23-pin video port and is powered directly from the system.

GLINK-LT is a modern clone of the Commodore VIC-1011A RS232 User Port adapter for Commodore 8-bit computers. The adapter is fully supported by the standard Commodore BASIC at up to 2400 baud. Jumpers allow the card to be configured as a UP9600 for 9600 baud operation in Novaterm and Striketerm. A reset button is also provided for added convenience.

Both the commodore 64 and the 128 have a software UART implementation that limits the useful speed to 2400 bauds. To work around this limitation Dr. Evil Labs and later CMD produced the SwiftLink232 and Turbo232 cartridges based on the 6551 ACIA chip. Both of these have been out of production for a very long time. GLINK232 is a modern replacement for the swiftlink232 allowing the commodore 64/128 to communicate at speeds up to 38400 bauds.

The apple IIgs, like many computers from the 80's and early 90's, has a analog RGB output at a 15KHz horizontal frequency (same as NTSC/PAL). The majority of modern monitors and TVs will not sync to anything below 31.5KHz on their VGA input. If you have a TV with a SCART connector it is possible to wire the RGB directly to the TV. Most TVs in USA, however, use the YPbPr component instead of SCART making a direct connection not possible.