Making your own VGA cable

[lkvee]

Fixed up an Optiquest Q9B-2 by replacing three CapXon capacitors (470uF/25V).

I then realize I can't hook up a video signal. The previous owner cut off the internal VGA cable.

Any thoughts on jury-rigging a VGA cable to get this monitor to full working functionality?

Thanks for reading!

[PCBONEZ]

Re: Making your own VGA cable

Either get a vga-vga cable and cut off one end or scavenge one off an old CRT.
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[lkvee]

Re: Making your own VGA cable

So if I find a monitor with the same type of non-D-Sub-connector VGA cable on the monitor end, will it play nice with this Optiquest I'm trying to fix up? Thanks again for reading!

[PCBONEZ]

Re: Making your own VGA cable

You said he cut it off.
If so then solder the new cable where the old one was connected.
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If it has some other connector you will have to look up the pinouts and figure it out.
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[PlainBill]

Re: Making your own VGA cable

It's been said many times, but often requires repeating. We do not have a massive library of schematics, parts lists, assembly drawings, and service manuals of every monitor. A simple picture will give us much more information than having to drag it out sentence by sentence.

To answer your question, if the internal end of the original cable terminated in any kind of push-on connector, the odds are a cable from another monitor will not match it.

PlainBill

[lkvee]

Re: Making your own VGA cable

I got a service manual from eservice.info and hope there's something that will help me make my own cable.

Here's a pic of the video board. I'll be looking for a schematic for this board, too.

[PlainBill]

Re: Making your own VGA cable

I got a service manual from eservice.info and hope there's something that will help me make my own cable.

Here's a pic of the video board. I'll be looking for a schematic for this board, too.

Yeah, that jerk really shafted you when he cut the cable.

If you fail to find a schematic, look for a datasheet for the Novatek NT68521AEFG chip. I found one for the NT68520AE, it shows the pinout, so you will be able to identify the R G B and sync lines on the cable as well as the ground lines.

PlainBill

[selldoor]

Re: Making your own VGA cable

Hi- I have had a similar problem myself- I have written you a rigmarole
which may help and have posted as an attachment so it doesnt take up
pages. I hope it makes sense! If your schematic differs I will post a screen shot of the relevant page from mine.

[severach]

Re: Making your own VGA cable

Connectors have a pin order. If you're lucky and the designers had some sense they will have made 1-15 on the board connector 1-15 on the VGA cable.

[lkvee]

Re: Making your own VGA cable

Interesting development. In going through a batch of monitors someone else gave me, I found another Q9B-2. This one DOES have a video cable. I'm thinking I can manually map the pins using a multimeter's continuity feature. I'd have to map the scavenged cable, too, though. I'm thinking this could be a more appropriate challenge given my skill set with reading a schematic (~0).

[PCBONEZ]

Re: Making your own VGA cable

Congrats!
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Do future readers a favor and document the pin-out here when you figure it out.
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Just FYI: It's normal with VGA for a few pins to be unused -and- all the ground pins will seem connected together.
Don't let those things confuse you.
.

[lkvee]

Re: Making your own VGA cable

Good idea! I'll scan when I can!