Retro Apple IIe Personal Computer from 1983 with VGA in 2024 using the A2 VidGA card

Let's get my vintage Apple IIe computer from 1983 to output a crisp RGB video signal to a modern day VGA monitor in 2024 instead of having to rely on the retro composite output. This is possible thanks to the A2 VidGA card from JCM-1.com who took Mark Aiken's Open Source AppleII-VGA project on Github and made some updates to the PCB design taking it to the next level.

The A2 VidGA from JCM-1.com is a super handy, wide-support VGA output card for your Apple ][, ][+ and //e computer! (It even works in the IIgs for non Super-HiRes modes). As we know the Apple II's composite video output is not exactly standard. Some newer monitors don't like it, and old classic CRTs can be inconvenient. The A2 VidGA card solves that problem!

Mark Aiken's project is a VGA card for Apple II computers to output a crisp RGB signal to a VGA monitor instead of having to rely on the composite output. This is accomplished by snooping the 6502 bus and creating a shadow copy of the video memory within a Raspberry Pi Pico, then processing the raw video memory contents to output a "perfect" signal.

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--- Video Index

0:00 - Intro: VGA card for Apple II computers to output a crisp RGB signal to a VGA monitor 0:54 - Taking a look at the A2 VidGA card by JCM-1.com 1:53 - How to get Apple II computers to output a crisp RGB signal to a VGA monitor 2:20 - Installing the A2 VidGA card into slot 3 on the Apple IIe computer 3:00 - Connecting a NEC 14" VGA monitor to the A2 VidGA card VGA extension cable 3:15 - Choplifter game by Dan Gorlin for the Apple II and published by Broderbund 3:41 - Hard Hat Mack game (Electronic Arts) developed by Michael Abbot and Matthew Alexander 4:30 - Discussing the Apple II VGA configuration utility floppy disk version 1.3.0 4:42 - Loading the AppleIIVGA-Config.dsk using the FloppyEMU by BMOW Big Mess O' Wires 5:22 - The A2 VidGA card will work on a Apple II Plus computer with a firmware update 6:25 - Crossfire game created by Jay Sullivan for the Apple II and published by On-Line Systems 6:30 - How to get a A2 VidGA card for your Apple II and Apple IIe computers 6:43 - Outro: Apple II Forever!!!

--- Channel Links

Vintage Apple IIe Computer From My Childhood (1983): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3OqMiaZ87Jk

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--- Video Links

A2 VidGA – Apple II VGA Adapter from Joe's Computer Musemum: https://jcm-1.com/product/a2-vidga-apple-ii-vga-adapter/

Mark Aiken's AppleII-VGA Github Page: https://github.com/markadev/AppleII-VGA

Vince Briel's Retrotink / Apple-II-VGA Github Page: https://github.com/Retrotink/Apple-II-VGA

BMOW Big Mess O' Wires Floppy Emu: https://www.bigmessowires.com/floppy-emu/

--- AppleII-VGA Firmware and Configuration Files

Apple //e and Apple ][ Firmware (version 1.3.0): https://github.com/markadev/AppleII-VGA/releases/tag/v1.3.0

Configuration Disk: https://github.com/markadev/AppleII-VGA/releases/tag/v1.3.0

--- Appril2 April Apples

This video is part of the #Appril2 #AprilApples event.

#AprilApples Event Logo concept and design by Justin D. Morgan | YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@jdmcs

Appril2 Playlist: https://www.youtube.com/hashtag/appril2

#retrotech #technology ... https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dGGum6EDofg