1084S Vertical Height Modification
by Brian Lloyd
Disclaimer: This document is just a simple hardware hack that can, but
not guarantee, improve the quality of your monitor. I am not responsible
if you nuke your machine or yourself while making modifications to your
monitor. This modification is not supported by Commodore in any way shape
or form to the best of my knowledge. I have included some safety tips
and guidelines to help you along the way. By taking on this project puts
all responsibilities on you, not me! This modification will not work on
all monitors. Some 1084S's had it built in while others don't have it
at all! Also, just in case anyone else has sent out instructions on a
project to do the same thing, sorry if it is a repeat! The only thing
it does is to instruct you in how to make your V-Height knob external.
This project is CardWare!!!
If you like it then send me a postcard!
Note: You do not have to limit yourself with a postcard. I also will
accept a shareware fee of US $5 or DM 8.50- in which you will
recieve an AmigaGuide'd version with a bit more detail.
In Europe: US Postal: In America:
----------------- ------------- -----------------
Brian Lloyd Brian Lloyd Brian Lloyd
9-11 Hauptstrasse or Box 1208 or c/o Kenneth Lloyd
67688 Rodenbach APO AE 09180 Route 8, Box 8
GERMANY USA USA
NOTE: After 31 January 1995 I will no longer be able to be reached
at the first two addresses. You will have to use the third. Sorry!
If you have successfully modified your monitor then please contact me,
or if you would like to contact me then please contact me.
I would like to keep track of how many users out there actually have
benefited from this project.
About the Author:
I am in the American Army (until April 1995) and the proud owner of
an Amiga 1200 (3 1/2" internal 170 MB Hard Drive, 8 MB Fast Ram,
50 MHz 68882). I am also the current librarian of the Kaiserslautern
Amiga Users' Group. I did this modification on my 1084S over a year
ago and the monitor has worked like a charm ever since. I run my
Amiga 1200 in PAL screen mode to take maximum advantage of the extra
vertical height.
Materials Required: Phillips Screwdriver
Soldering Iron
Silver Solder
Solder Removing Braid
100K Ohm Variable Potentiometer
Small Wire
Wire Cutters
-These may be purchased at any specialty electronic store
like Radio Shack for just a meager few dollars. Do not
start on this project until you have all the parts. It
is not specific which Potentiometer style that you must
use-that is up to you.
Background: I got my first A500 and 1084S back in 1990 when I joined the
American Army. I was the envy of everyone with their Tandy 1000's and
IBM 8088 PC's. After a year or so I started buying software that was
created in Europe. Some of the game screens were so large that it went
beyond the normal overscan of my monitor, namely, Alien Breed. It got to
be aggravating that I could not see my score or how many lives I had
remaining. I looked on the back of my trusty 1084S and saw the V-Height
knob. What luck! The problem was that I had to use a small flathead
screwdriver in order to make adjustments. This 'worked' but I had to
take my monitor out of my computer desk hutch to make changes. My NTSC
machine needed to be PAL some days, NTSC on others. After a while my
knob gave out and I was stuck with a screen that was about 50" tall on
my 13" screen. This was the end so I opened up my monitor, found the
problem and went shopping!
Here is what to do:
-Find some decent work space. You will also be taking
several screws off your monitor so it would be a good
idea to get a couple of small cups to keep track of
them with.
-Unplug your monitor. There is a wire in your monitor
that can discharge 20,000+ volts if the monitor is in
use. No joke! You want to live through this project.
-(optional) Do not use your monitor for at least 24 hours.
Some monitors can keep a charge within themselves and
a shock is not what you are trying to achieve.
For the record, I let mine sit overnight.
-Remove the outer shell of your 1084S. There are two
screws on the top and two on the bottom. A phillips
screwdriver will do nicely.
-Gently pull the monitor's front and back halves apart
very slowly. Where the headphone jack is located
on the side you will have to use a phillips to remove
it. Note: The 1084S has several plastic knobs on the
front and they may fall off. Just keep track of them
as you will be putting them back on later.
-On the back of the 1084S there are connectors for
L-AUDIO IN, R-AUDIO IN, VIDEO IN, 9-PIN IN, etc...
You must locate the screws that hold these mounts in
place and remove them also.
-By this point you should have the back half of the
monitor shell completely removed. If not, then
finish removing anything else that I may have missed.
Put the shell beside the rest of the mess you just
made.
-At the bottom rear of the monitor you will notice a
circuit board loaded with all sorts of components.
The only one we are interested in is located at the
very rear. It is a potentiometer (or variable
resistor). It looks like a white plastic button
that could be off of one of your shirts. Make sure
you are looking at the right one. I should be
labelled V_Height or something similar.
-Take your soldering iron and the copper solder
removing braid into your hands. Use about 1" of the
braid and place it on the metal leads that are
currently fastening the white knob onto the circuit
board. Note: The leads may be either on top or
on the bottom of the board depending on the version
of the board.
-Apply the soldering iron on top of the braid (gently)
and it will start absorbing the solder off of the
connectors. Note: Some more advanced users may have
solder suckers, this works too. Don't apply the
iron for more than TWO OR THREE SECONDS at a time.
The excess heat may cause damage. If you need to
repeat then do so until the knob is off. If you
wish you may use the braid and clean up any mess.
-Use the wire cutters and cut off the used soldering
braid. Discard the used part.
-You may either re-use (recycle) the small part or
you can do what I was forced to do and replace it.
-Figure out where you want your new knob to be
located at. I wanted my knob to be external so
I routed wire through the hole for the V-Knob
and velcro-mounted the knob on the side of my
1084S. For the purpose of this project we will
mount it somewhere on the rear-left of the
1084S so it will be accessible but out of sight.
-Strip about 1/4" or less of plastic from your
wire. You need three pieces that are about 8-12"
each, both ends stripped.
-The potentiometer was mounted by three leads on
to the circuit board. I only used two leads but
you may have to use three. Follow on...
-Solder one wire to the middle lead on the circuit
board. Solder one wire to the left one and one to
the right one.
-Now is the test phase. Do the same to the
potentiometer but be sure to keep it oriented so
the correct leads are connected to the right wire.
-You can now CAREFULLY re-connect your monitor to
your computer. Do not rebuild your monitor
completely now.
-If it worked for you then you should be able to
modify the height of the screen to your liking
by turning gently on the knob. If not you may
try removing one of the outer leads (Don't forget
to shut everything off!). This worked for me.
-I then noted which one was not needed and cut it
short, isolating it with some black electrical tape.
-Remove the potentiometer by using the soldering
braid. Run the two wires out of the V-Height hole
on the monitor shell and proceed to re-solder it.
-Test it again just to be sure. It it works then
proceed.
-Rebuild your monitor using the same process listed
above but in reverse. (Don't forget to shut the
1084S off and unplug it first!)
-Mount the potentiometer onto the outside of your
1084S somehow.
-Finished!
This project is CardWare!!!
If you like it then send me a postcard!
Note: You do not have to limit yourself with a postcard. I also will
accept a shareware fee of US $5 or DM 8.50- in which you will
recieve an AmigaGuide'd version with a bit more detail.
In Europe: US Postal: In America:
----------------- ------------- -----------------
Brian Lloyd Brian Lloyd Brian Lloyd
9-11 Hauptstrasse or Box 1208 or c/o Kenneth Lloyd
67688 Rodenbach APO AE 09180 Route 8, Box 8
GERMANY USA USA
NOTE: After 31 January 1995 I will no longer be able to be reached
at the first two addresses. You will have to use the third. Sorry!
If you have successfully modified your monitor then please contact me,
or if you would like to contact me then please contact me.
I would like to keep track of how many users out there actually have
benefited from this project.
I would like to thank the guys of SASG for their creation of the
"Magic" series of software. I urge everyone to upgrade to MagicWB 2.