LisaList2

General Category => LisaList2 => Topic started by: sigma7 on January 25, 2026, 05:58:18 PM

Title: Lisa Composite Video Characteristics
Post by: sigma7 on January 25, 2026, 05:58:18 PM
Some oscilloscope waveforms and measurements (note that timing measurements collected via Logic Analyzer will be much more precise than those collected from the oscilloscope).

Removing the 75 Ohm load approximately doubles the voltages.

Logic Analyzer Timing Measurements
ROM VersionH3A
Pixel ShapeTallSquare
Horizontal Pixels720608
Vertical Pixels364432
Using 20.37504 MHz Dot Clock
As measured at U6B on the CPU Board
VSync (U6B-5)
Low duration267.764 us212.796 us
Period16.99948 ms  16.9614 ms 
VSync low to HSync low3.135 us788 ns
HSync (U6B-16)
Low duration28.265 us22.764 us
High duration15.710 us14.927 us
Pulses per VSync period379450
CSync (U6B-12)
Low duration40.040 us34.548 us
High duration3.931 us3.143 us
Vid (U4D-8)
Front porch (last pixel to start of CSync)              352 ns352 ns
Back porch (end of CSync to first pixel)4.355 us4.361 us
Title: Re: Lisa Composite Video Characteristics
Post by: stepleton on January 26, 2026, 05:47:28 PM
Here is my attempt to recreate these driver circuits in the Falstad CircuitJS simulator: link (https://www.falstad.com/circuit/circuitjs.html?ctz=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-JAyn7LC-yJcQgIASQAEWggjChwhCcLIqjjDvIVMPZGiSDY6hgmkcAcmQ0DIN4AAjX1KlEMgsEUNBrisGCIX7NsIT-NtxAAGRBeAAH1rAAgBBTje37HBYhU-RTKXdSwF0gyjLorBXQYxyehACjqJguiEAsxxvMAoSoL8H1SmCv99xHcR0kVSKYwiaZREsxTYksod63ESz4tYJIGR9FyW3S7KNnyrLYmCppexy10hh-f04GJYr6GLKq6qsU55QaKsnMwFwIEINBNVNRBTAwNBmBBUaXVmF4HHoKNGDGeAXggO0YQRFE0QiTkOsZGQWsqaoBQS7r2u6sUw2uSyttOyldlKW6wvq3Y8qenIGXidLXSe103oaWDbsHWUXojC7XrVZaTXQ6hokjERih1NUvCueBTEWjAPgoNQpIq+01qdTZfr826axzVRKVKcnJFNUI2gMPyKZkIQnh4CABjIah4FWUZikQbVdVmVR1CK8me3+0ISZqLye2F0JTQZKLWCcnI8pqeXnuWZXwEvMnJAsdhJQoFMrFsOjqtYRxTYqeCPFmYdzDqyU5IEcxrkleNxGUVpkemb2fd9mYBnGaQwDNVRimmUZ+fmDQhZ1uqTb2ut8d2glfo+FMUHiH6ZANqllcpTk-IL-twqpU2RRa9FU-t2O8l4AAPXs2akGYYEocBMSXC51IASwAZ3hAAdXu0AAejrBuITIWILGWkFPVcru+8H3uwAAGiHnv+6H0fvAAeycWIy3b0akxUdB4kQVkLTNDdWnUJcUFiFgM9cEgyF4IA)

It would be a good idea to check to see whether I've copied the schematics faithfully. There is certainly a difference in levels apparent in both in the simulated oscilloscope. (Tip: mouse over the L1_RCA and L210_RCA labels to see which label is which in the simulated 'scope --- note that it may still be hard to tell if you have certain kinds of colourblindness. The L1_RCA has consistently higher voltages everywhere.)
Title: Re: Lisa Composite Video Characteristics
Post by: stepleton on January 26, 2026, 05:58:49 PM
It's interesting to note slightly different circuits to the ones I've transcribed in some motherboard schematics: for the Lisa 1, some different values in this schematic (http://www.bitsavers.org/pdf/apple/lisa/hardware/Lisa_1_Motherboard/lisa-motherboard-enhanced.pdf) as well as a 100R resistor between Q1 emitter and Q2 collector.

Meanwhile the Lisa 2/10 motherboard (http://www.bitsavers.org/pdf/apple/lisa/hardware/Lisa_2_10_Motherboard/050-4032-B.tif) (note: link goes to a TIFF file) shows a single component U2 creating the video signal from CVOUT and VID; I presume this is the hybrid circuit that has been mentioned elsewhere?