SPACE 1/SPACE - Library 1 - Volume 1.iso/games/24/monomod.txt

Text File | 1986-10-19 | 12KB | 219 lines

                               HOW TO ENLARGE YOUR
                                      SM124
                               MONOCHROME MONITOR'S
                                   SCREEN SIZE

                                       by
                                 Jack P. Durre'


        If you've used the Atari ST computers with the SM124
    monochrome monitor, chances are quite good that you have come to
    accept the wide (black or white) border surrounding the usable
    area of the screen.  You may have asked "why?", but probably only
    grumbled about it, and went back to work.  If you've got the time
    (about 15 minutes, on average), the tools (3 or 4, and available
    from most Radio Shack stores), and the nerve (very little
    required!), this article will explain how you can actually have a
    LARGER, _usable_ screen (as compared to the Mac)!

        First, credit where credit is due...The original information
    for this modification came from the April, 1986 issue of "ST
    APPLICATIONS" magazine, in an article written by Albert Lew.  I am
    merely explaining my own methods, following the original steps as
    outlined in Mr. Lew's article.

        That said, let's get the caveats out of the way:  While I may
    personally consider the following modifications to be simple and
    straightforward, _I_ can't write a "Hello World" program in
    BASIC!!!  In other words, what may be "simple" for me, may be
    quite difficult for you.  If you feel that you are NOT qualified
    to make these modifications, DON'T!  Find an able (and willing!)
    friend or service technician to do it for you, or forget the whole
    idea, and live with what you've got!  If your monitor is in
    warranty, opening the case will, obviously, void that, and the
    possibility also exists that even if you wind up paying for
    repairs, the technician MAY refuse to work on your machine!
    (Chances are, however, that he's more likely to want to know more
    about making the mods himself!)  Further, the electrical current
    coming from the wall plug is enough to knock you silly, or worse,
    and inside of the monitor case, it gets even stronger, so be aware
    that touching the wrong thing may well put you into an "endless
    loop" of your own!  In other words, YOU CAN GET KILLED!  Now, if
    you've decided that you'd "kill to have a larger screen", then
    follow me!

        Tools:  These are really few in number, and quite simple to
    come by.  Mr. Lew suggested some non-TV type of tools, but I'm
    going to stick to my guns here, and insist that you use the right
    tools for the job!  You'll need a Phillips screwdriver, preferably
    a #1 size.  (If you don't know the difference between a Phillips,
    and a slotted-head screwdriver, let me stop you right here, and
    suggest that you return to your programming!)  You'll also need
    two TV "tuning tools"; a hex-tool, 3/32" ("across the flats", as
    they say) and a flat-bladed tool, 1/8" or so in blade width.  Both
    of these tools should be made of non-conductive (plastic)
    material, and longer is better!  A make-up mirror is also quite
    handy, particularly a free-standing one.  I might also suggest a
    thick towel or other material to protect the face of your monitor
    and the top of your desk, during the time that you are moving it
    around.  Finally, the toughest item of all...some CLEAR SPACE!
    You'll need to move the monitor around a little, and of course, it
    will need to be connected to your CPU (and I DON'T recommend
    trying to balance it in your lap!), so plan accordingly.

        Next, let's try to orient ourselves, so that you aren't
    amputating the screen, while _I_ am talking about the power cord!
    The "front" of the monitor is the viewing screen, the "rear" is
    where the power cord, and CPU/Monitor connector cable exit the
    case.  Since we're going to turn the entire thing around, so that
    the screen is facing AWAY from us, "right" will now be the side
    where the speaker is located, and "left" obviously (it IS, isn't
    it?) will be opposite that, where the control knobs are.  "Top"
    will still be in its usual location, and if you haven't already
    figured out where the bottom is, it's time for another cup of
    coffee!!!

        Ready?  Here we go!

        Boot your system, using either the desktop, with one or more
    windows opened, or call up a text file.  The ideal situation is to
    have text reaching all four corners of the screen, so that you
    will be able to compare from one area to another.

        Now, unplug the monitor's power cord from the socket in the
    cabinet, and turn the monitor around, so that the rear of the case
    is facing you.  Place the towel or padding on the desktop in front
    of the monitor, and tip the entire unit up onto the glass face
    (carefully!).  Now, using the Phillips screwdriver, remove the 5
    screws holding the cabinet together.  (Two on the bottom, one on
    each side, about 3/4s of the way up, and one just above the power
    cable socket.)  Once these have been removed, put them somewhere
    safely out of the way, and don't worry about mixing them up,
    they're all the same size.  Now, gently lift straight upwards on
    the rear sides of the case, and it should begin to lift
    away...CAREFUL!  You have yet to disconnect the speaker wires, and
    there's not too much extra wire here.  See it?  Carefully reach
    down to the connector where it joins with the mother board, and
    pull it straight away from the board, disconnecting it.  Don't be
    too concerned about the orientation of the plug, as it _will_ work
    in either direction.  Once you've done this, continue to lift the
    rear section of the cabinet away, feeding the CPU/Monitor cable
    through the opening as necessary.

        Set the cabinet out of the way (And don't STEP ON IT!), and
    proceed with the REAL modifications!  Tip the monitor back down to
    its bottom, and arrange the mirror so that you can see the screen
    while working at the rear of the unit.  Re-connect the power cord,
    and turn on the monitor, being careful to NOT stick your fingers
    inside the wrong areas!

        Grab your plastic flat-blade tool, and start looking along the
    right side of the mother board (remember now, we're looking from
    the rear of the set!).  Near the front of the board, neatly tucked
    between the picture tube, or CRT, and a vertical metal
    heatsink/power board, is a row of 3 white adjustable controls, or
    potentiometers, about 1/2" in diameter, labelled "VLINE", "VSIZE",
    and "VHOLD".  We're interested in "VSIZE", which is the middle
    control "pot".  (NOW you know why I suggested a _long_ tuning
    tool!)  Gently slip the tool into the slotted head of the pot, and
    while watching the screen in the mirror (you DID boot up the
    system, didn't you?), begin to turn the tool slightly (try not to
    apply much pressure to the pot, as that CAN effect the setting).
    The top and bottom of the screen will begin to move, together or
    apart!  Expand the screen to within approximately 1/2" - 3/4" of
    the top and bottom of the "bezel", or plastic frame on the front
    of the monitor.  (Too close to the bezel, and you'll find that you
    have to be EXACTLY in front of the screen, or miss some of the
    information!)

        See?  Feeling more confident already, aren't we?

        Moving right along, we will now swap our tuning tools, opting
    for the hex-shaped one.  Looking near the left rear corner of the
    mother board, close to the point where the power cord socket is
    located, you will find a plastic shaft with a slot in it, sticking
    straight up from the board, and just slightly ahead of that, a
    strange-looking device, composed of a small-diameter tube, with
    what appears to be a couple of "bobbins" of wire on it.  Inside of
    that small tube, there is a small, somewhat-fragile core of
    graphite, which WILL break, if mistreated, so act accordingly!
    Gently lower your hex-tool into this tube, and you will feel it
    slide home into the core.  (Again, don't press down on the core.)
    By turning this core in a clockwise direction, and watching the
    mirror, you will see the screen shrink slightly first, and then
    grow WIDER!!!  (Now we're really starting to cook!)  Remember to
    leave about 1/2" - 3/4" border, to avoid having the edges hidden
    by the bezel.

        What's that you say?  Your picture got larger, but it looks
    off-center?  Well, cheer up, bunkie, 'cause we're gonna fix THAT
    right now!

        See that big chunk of glass up front?  Well, it has a "neck"
    on it, and the back end is pointing directly at us, with some
    strange looking electronic stuff along the way.  At the very back
    of the tube are some electrical connections, but we're not worried
    about them...what we're after are the two magnets that look sorta
    like "Q"s around the neck, about 1-2 inches forward of the
    connections.  See 'em?  They're dark grey or black, probably, and
    have a little "ear" sticking up away from the tube, so that you
    can _gently_ push them around until you get the picture centered
    on the face of the CRT.  Don't worry about touching THEM...just
    try to keep from resting your hands on any "hot" contacts!  This
    may take a little time to screw up your courage, but once you get
    the hang of it, you'll find it quite easy!  Once you've got the
    picture fairly well centered, you may need to go back and
    re-adjust the VSIZE or Horizontal size, as all of these things are
    interrelated.

        Next, we're gonna make the picture sharp again, in case you're
    worried that you've just lost that beautiful screen that you love
    so much!

        Remember the slotted plastic shaft at the left rear of the
    mother board?  Well, THAT's the "FOCUS" control, and if you'll
    again resort to the flat-bladed tuning tool, you can use that
    control to find the best compromise for YOUR taste!  Atari chose
    to go for a tack-sharp center screen, and let the corners be a
    little softer in focus.  You can do the same, or go for sharp
    corners and let the center go a little soft, or shoot for some
    compromise.  (Hey!  Life's a compromise!)  Once you've done this
    step, you can actually turn the set around, and admire your
    handiwork!

        If you see some other minor fine-tuning that you want to go
    back and do, feel free.  This is now a CUSTOM-TUNED monitor of the
    first rank, and you will have even more pride in your ST than
    before!

        To reassemble the cabinet, turn off the power, slide the
    CPU/Monitor cable through the rear cabinet section, and with your
    third hand...yep, gotta remember to reconnect the speaker leads!
    There IS a sort of indicator as to which way the plug was
    originally connected...One side has two slots, and the other side
    has only one, but the speaker WILL work even if this connector is
    reversed.  Incidentally, if you want to go one step further, Mr.
    Lew suggests the addition of an Audio-OUT connector from this
    lead.  Your choice.

        Finally, having reassembled the cabinet, re-connect the
    monitor to the CPU, boot the system up, and check out the BIG
    PICTURE!!!  If you have any problems, check first, to see that
    power is reaching the set, and that the green LED indicator is on.
    If not, you may not have reconnected the power cord securely, or
    possibly a fuse has blown or been broken (fuses are located on the
    vertical power board at the side, near the VSIZE pot, and easily
    replaced from Radio Shack).

        Enjoy your "new" monitor, and if you have any questions on
    this modification, you can reach me here, on CompuServe, at PPN
    75046,476.


    Seeya!  [Jack]