VGA shield from DX

[vicente]

Hi everybody,

I have just received my little toy from China, but cannot make it work.
It is a VGA shield from Deal Extreme, with SKU: 844369600.
There is no info in the product page, just a link to a chinese site, but I thought that it wouldn't be difficult to install the device.
My mistake.
We need to make the Raspberry usable with the standard monitors (no HDMI connection) we have at school.
Any help ?

Thanks in advance.
Greetings from Spain.

Vicente.

[mahjongg]

it seems to be a clone of Gert van Loo's VGA666 adapter.
viewtopic.php?f=100&t=113665

don't your monitors have a DVI-D (white) input connector, most LCD panel monitors had one, as its nonsense for a digital computer to convert the video signal to (multiple) analog signals if the monitor isn't an analog device (CRT Monitor), but a digital device that must turn back the analog signal into a digital signal.
So the digital electronics really only needed a connector (DVI-D) to accept digital video signals.
Its just inertia of the market for LCD panels to keep using VGA,
Look at the back of your "VGA" monitors if they do not have digital input connector, its white, and marked DVI or DVI-D, about 50% of older LCD monitors have them (and 100% of newer ones)
You only need another (similar priced to HDMI) cable to connect to a DVI-D input.

by the way, almost nobody knows you can buy these adapters!

[6by9]

Looks like it is a clone of Gert's VGA666 adapters.
You can try adding "dtoverlay=vga666" to /boot/config.txt.

You might be better with the external HDMI to VGA adapters. I picked up one of http://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B00EFV6M4I and it worked fine on anything other than on an original B (something funny on the way it draws power from the HDMI port), At least that way you don't lose all the GPIOs.

edit Beaten to it by mahjongg! HDMI to DVI would work as well. It doesn't really matter if it is DVI-D or DVI-I on the monitor.

[mahjongg]

some CRT monitors had DVI-A (for DIGITAL video interface - ANALOG!) an insane commercial plot, which forces us to this day to state it should be a DVI-D input, as stating anything else is too long and confusing, but yes a DVI-I monotor will work as well, as well have as a dozen other variations, as long as its NOT DVI-A.

[vicente]

Graciasssss.

Thanks a lot.
You were right... this HAT is based on the project VGA666.
I followed your links and, after some minor problems, managed to make it work.

And, NO, unfortunately most of the monitor at school don't even have a DVI port.
In the past I tried with some HDMI to VGA cables, but they were not so convenient and more expensive.

If anyone has the same problem conecting old monitors, they can also find this HAT in amazon.de, but at a higher price.

Again, thanks a lot for your quick response.
Vicente.