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PC-8801mkII VGA

This is a video adapter I built to go from my 1984 NEC PC-8801mkII's 3-bit digital RGB-out port to a VGA monitor. If you have an SR or newer, you can (and should) just use analogue RGB to VGA adapters instead.

Assembled adapter Dragon Slayer

Please note that this is just a level shifter and pinout adapter. It is not a scan converter; if your monitor is not capable of 15kHz (or 24kHz for some machines) video, it will not work with this adapter. Please consult the 15kHz modern monitors list for models of monitor which may work with this adapter.

Bill of Materials

  • CUI SDS-80J 270-degree right-angle DIN female socket (CP-2380-ND)
  • TE AMP 1-1734530-1 VGA connector (A35116-ND)
  • 3x 150-ohm through-hole resistors
  • 270° male-male 8-pin DIN cable (see below)

Confirmed Working On

  • NEC PC-8801mkII
  • Fujitsu FM-7
  • Fujitsu FM-New7
  • NEC PC-6001mkII (only 8 colour mode works, obviously)
  • Hitachi Basic Master Level III Mark II
  • Sanyo MBC-550, MBC-555

In Testing

  • NEC PC-8001
  • NEC PC-9801UV

Display Devices Tested With

Assembly directions

  1. Solder both the VGA and DIN8 connectors to the board. The top side is the one marked with the LeadedSolder URL and the board name.
  2. Solder three 150Ω resistors into the spots for them in the middle of the board (Red, Green, Blue). The footprint is slightly too small for normal resistors, so I had to stand the resistor straight up and bend the other lead over.
  3. Connect the computer to the female DIN with a DIN8 extension cable such as the Ancable male-male 270° DIN8 cable (for Peavey Sanpera guitar pedals)
  4. Connect a 15/24kHz-capable VGA monitor (I use an NEC MultiSync 1970NX) to the female VGA connector with a standard VGA monitor cable.

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