FM Towns II (2f) to RGB Scart

[hungar]

Hi All,

I've got a Towns 2 on the way and I've been researching the best was to connect it to a display.

I'd like to connect it to my Xrgb Mini and PVM so I thought RGB scart would be the way to go, looking at the pin out from the Towns it seemed like it would be easy to put a cable together.

Looking through the forum though there are some posts where people have destroyed their machines doing this(x68000 and Towns), is there anyway to avoid this ?

Thanks !

[Lawfer]

The best you will get out of a marty is S-Video, that's it. If you need RGB or YPbPr, you'll need to have S-Video changed to either one of these two, so you'll need a video processor or a receiver that does it for you.

[Fudoh]

but then again a Towns II 2F isn't a Marty.

[kamiboy]

You could do what I did and get yourself one of them Extron RGB interfaces. Use an adapter to transform the Japanese style DB21 output from the machine to a VGA style connector, feed that into the Extron device, then configure it to output composite sync, and feed the output to your PVM via BNC cables.

[hungar]

Thanks for the replies guys I really appreciate it. Yeah its the Towns II tower not a Marty, I did toy with a Marty....

That's great kamiboy thanks, looks like just the trick. Can you buy DB21>VGA adapters off the shelf?
Would this be the best way to get in to the Mini as well?

[Lawfer]

but then again a Towns II 2F isn't a Marty.

Oh sorry I thought he was talking about the Marty.

[parodius]

It’s a 2-row db15, not a db21, iirc.
There used to be some off the shelf Sanwa Supply ones sold on Yahoo Japan Auctions. Not sure I have seen any recently.
Otherwise there are some included with both Micomsoft’s XRGB2 & DISPL.

[arithmaldor]

Found some pinouts here:
https://gamesx.com/wiki/doku.php?id=av:japanese_rgb-15

I can make you a cable if you'd like, but it wouldn't be hard to make should you feel so inclined. You should only need a db15 cable and a VGA connector (or vice versa) so like $15 in parts.

Edit: it looks like the FM towns already outputs csync (probably TTL) so you might be able to use that and skip the extron RGB interface?

[hungar]

Thanks, yeah I'll make a lead.

So seeing as it has csync I wonder would I be able to just feed it straight in to a scart lead?

Cheers!

[SuperDeadite]

Older Towns use composite sync, so a cable is easy.
What's important is what you intend to plug the Scart into.
On a 2F the Bios screen is 24khz.
The OS and most games are 31khz.
Some games (Turbo Outrun) switch to 15khz.

So most PVMs aren't going to work.

[arithmaldor]

Older Towns use composite sync, so a cable is easy.
What's important is what you intend to plug the Scart into.
On a 2F the Bios screen is 24khz.
The OS and most games are 31khz.
Some games (Turbo Outrun) switch to 15khz.

So most PVMs aren't going to work.

So the framemeister would work for all of the display modes but PVM would only work for 15khz unless you have some kind of multisync monitor

[haightc]

My Ikegami HTM-17000 which does support HD resolutions still struggle with the x68000 in almost all resoltuons. My old viewsonic monitor handles the x68000 video modes better than my Ikegami. I have an FM Towns HR on it's way so I can't comment specifically, from what I understand though the FMT doesn't use as many oddball video modes as the x68000 series.

[Elrinth]

FM Towns works fine in the framemeister both Marty and non-marty if you have the RGB-cable.

[hungar]

That's great thanks everyone!

Can't wait to get the towns now

[comp1demon]

I know this is an old Topic. I have a FM TOWN II tower with RGB out coming from japan. I saw the Pin out post above. I assume I could make my own DB15 to Scart cable and then plug it into a OSSC and do 2x or more on my 4K? Should look beautiful right?

[nmalinoski]

I know this is an old Topic. I have a FM TOWN II tower with RGB out coming from japan. I saw the Pin out post above. I assume I could make my own DB15 to Scart cable and then plug it into a OSSC and do 2x or more on my 4K? Should look beautiful right?

If the FM Towns has DB-15 out, why not just run that directly to AV3 on the OSSC? Or does it need the LPF?

[comp1demon]

SO the FM TOWNS II tower Arrived today.. FINALLY (TOOK FOREVER!!!) TO get here.
Now TO figure out how to hook it up to OSSC...
Any help would be appreciated.
I saw a DB15 to VGA adapter on this other FM TOWNS II Tower but I lost that auction and I have no idea what it is or where to get it.
So now I need to figure out best method for connecting this beast.

[airco]

SO the FM TOWNS II tower Arrived today.. FINALLY (TOOK FOREVER!!!) TO get here.
Now TO figure out how to hook it up to OSSC...
Any help would be appreciated.
I saw a DB15 to VGA adapter on this other FM TOWNS II Tower but I lost that auction and I have no idea what it is or where to get it.
So now I need to figure out best method for connecting this beast.

If you're willing to tempt fate, you could try the Sanwa AD-D15NE VGA converter.
https://www.sanwa.co.jp/product/syohin. ... e=AD-D15NE

It's advertised for PC-98 use which has mostly the same pinout as the Towns. The two machines swap the position of the +5V pin and the CSYNC pin (PC-98 has CSYNC on 7 and +5V on 9, FM-Towns has them reversed), but I don't think the VGA standard necessarily uses either of those pins, so you should be okay? Someone who knows more about VGA should confirm, though. EDIT: Oh, the site has a pinout showing that it only pulls RGBHV and grounds from the D-sub 15 side, so yeah, should be fine. Probably.

I can't find any FM-Towns exclusive cables or converters even after searching in JP, so I think your only other option would be making your own cable.

[ELabit]

I just build my own cables for JP computers. Take a VGA cable and cut one end off of it and wire it up to a new JP 15 connector. Wire up only RGB, H/V sync and ground and it will work

[comp1demon]

Thanks to both the posters above.

I will be making my own cable. I will post results soon.