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I have an Amiga 500 that I'd like to get up and running again, but the 1084 monitor with which I used to use it has flyback transformer issues.
What options are available to hook it up to a modern display? From what I understand, adapting the 23-pin Amiga analog video to VGA is difficult. I'd like a solution that will display all the same video modes that a 1080/1084 monitor would display back in the day.
The cheapest option is to use the composite output, so it's compatible with any monitor that supports composite but it's only black and white.
Or if you have the A520 modulator (about $25 on eBay), you can get a color image through composite, RF (not recommended), or modify the A520 for S-Video.
If your TV has a standard definition tuner, you may also be able to connect your Amiga 500 through a third party RF Modulator (about $15) but again this is not recommended.
Next up is a simple HD15 adapter ($10), but it outputs a 15kHz horizontal scan rate (VGA standard requires 31 kHz) so it only works with a limited set of modern LCD monitors.
Next is Kipper2K's S-Video adapter, but these are difficult to come by. Or make your own.
An option for component video is the GGLabs A520HD ($80 or build your own with the supplied Gerbers). Like the other options above, it doesn't have a framebuffer so lag is minimized and the picture is sharp, but the Amiga outputs a nonstandard sync signal and so this may not work with all monitors that support component video. To test your monitor, hook up the composite output from your Amiga to the green ("Y") component jack on your monitor and see if you get an image.
On a budget, the ubiquitous Chinese SCART to HDMI adapter (it's sold under different brand names on Amazon and eBay but I think they're all the same) is probably your safest bet. It has good compatibility and gives a good picture but the framebuffer adds some lag so it may not be the best option for fast paced gaming. Just add an Amiga SCART cable.
If your monitor takes VGA or component (YPrPb), Tim Locke's answer is a less expensive alternative ($20-25) but requires a little DIY. It has a framebuffer so compatibility is good. Similarly, the Wei-ya ACV-011 ($65) takes some DIY and trial and error but produces a sharper picture with less lag.
And finally, the Indivision ECS, OSSC, and Micomsoft Framemeister XRGB-Mini provide the best picture quality and the lowest lag.
But please keep in mind that the better-than-composite options won't look right with games that take advantage of composite artifacts to produce more colors. Virtual Karting 2 is one example.
Use/buy a television instead of a computer monitor. They have a wider range of inputs and support 15kHz video on—in order of increasing picture quality—analogue UHF, composite, and RGB SCART. Many sets also support S-Video and YUV inputs but those would involve building extra interface circuitry and a SCART cable is much simpler.
IME, modern televisions do not support 15kHz video on the VGA input, typically complaining that the signal is out of range even though the same signal is acceptable over other inputs. This won't affect you on the Amiga models you list, but is a heads-up for any A1200/A4000 users who are reading this answer and were hoping to use a modern TV as a multisync monitor. The YUV input may be a solution since it often supports both SD and HD video, but I have yet to explore this possibility.
The television will probably cost more money than a monitor. For example, when my PC monitor failed in early 2018 and I went looking for a replacement into which I could also plug an A1000, the candidate monitors (1080p, 22-24") were around the €110–130 mark, whereas the television I settled on was €170.
There exists a device called GBS-8220 that converts on-the-fly from 15kHz line frequency to 31kHz (and more) line frequency compatible with VGA.
It features an on-screen menu to configure it.
You will have to buy an Amiga-compatible connector and solder 5 wires.
Some references:
You can easily find sites to buy some (new and used) online.
I also have an Amiga 500 (3 500 models) in addition to 3 C64 (2 Breadbin/1 C64C). All are NTSC.
For fun I attempted to connect my Amiga 500 using the Composite out on the A520 to my Samsung 75" Smart TV (UN75J6300) and lo and behold IT WORKED!!! I was shocked as I expected it to fail...I then tried my C64 and it to with some minor hue being off (fixed via tv settings) it also worked.
So would appear that some of the Samsung Smart TVs support 15khz which is awesome. I have been playing games on that 75" tv and let me tell you eve in 2018 the music/Mods sound fantastic. For example, Battle Squadron through theater speakers on that 75 was a slice of nostalgic heaven!!!
