Using a 5145 Monitor

[Tempest]

I happened to pick up a 5145 monitor this weekend and wanted to use it with the jr. Thankfully I have the adapter cable to make it work so I gave it a spin. Unfortunately I discovered that it doesn't appear to be as sharp as my PCjr monitor. My questions are:

1. Has anyone cracked open a 5145 before? Is there a focus adjust on the board like there is for the PCjr monitor?
2. Is there any advantage of using a 5145 over the PCjr monitor? I absolutely love the way it looks, but beyond that it seems like it would be the same.

[motley2659]

Interesting. The 5145 and PCjr monitor have the exact same dot pitch according to IBM Specs. I've never actually seen a 5145 monitor- can you post a pic or two?

[Tempest]

Here it is:



To me it looked blurrier, but it might be because it's more worn out or simply not adjusted enough. I like the way it looks, but the focus wasn't very good. I guess Mike had the same issue with the focus (http://www.vintage-computer.com/vcforum ... display%29).

Since it's a CGA monitor I may end up using it with my Commodore 128.

[Lutiana]

You don't by any chance want to sell this monitor to me so you can go out and buy a new one for your use? Normally I would not really ask this type of thing, but I'd make it worth you time since I have an IBM 5140 and my 5145 suffered a tragic accident and I really need to get a 5145 because it matches the aesthetic and the stand is designed to fit the 5140. These monitors are somewhat hard to find and you can forget about replacing the tube.

I won't pester you about it, so if you are not wanting to part with it, just say so and I'll keep on googling and checking ebay for one, but if there's a chance then lets chat and see if we can come to an agreeable deal.

[Trixter]

Wow, I've never heard of the 5145 monitor. Some research shows it was meant to be the companion for an IBM 5140 convertible as an external monitor.

Unfortunately I discovered that it doesn't appear to be as sharp as my PCjr monitor.

That seems almost impossible, as the PCjr monitor had a very large dot pitch!

2. Is there any advantage of using a 5145 over the PCjr monitor? I absolutely love the way it looks, but beyond that it seems like it would be the same.

I think it's a disadvantage: It doesn't match the PCjr design aesthetic like the PCjr monitor does, and there's no 3-voice passthrough and volume control.

[Lutiana]

Wow, I've never heard of the 5145 monitor. Some research shows it was meant to be the companion for an IBM 5140 convertible as an external monitor.

Yes, the stand is designed to sort of fit under the back of the 5140, pushing the screen forward so that it is comfortably viewable as the 5140 can be kind of long when you add some things to it (similar concept as the PCjr side carts, but out the back). And the angle can be adjusted slightly as well. The plastic is the same as that of the 5140 itself and it has the same slim sort of design to match the 5140. All in all, the two are very obviously designed for each other.

[Brutman]

I think it's a disadvantage: It doesn't match the PCjr design aesthetic like the PCjr monitor does, and there's no 3-voice passthrough and volume control.

The IBM 5145 Monitor certainly does have a volume control and a headphone jack on it. I'm quite certain that the audio from the system is being passed to it just the same as on a PCjr monitor. They are functionally equivalent.

And BTW, the 5145 is just a cool looking monitor in general - the picture does not do it justice.

Try this one: https://goo.gl/photos/V9m1r9k8k4NYMMjo8
Or this one: https://goo.gl/photos/yNUCEQoCVytxA2PV6

-Mike

[Trixter]

I was unaware the connector and signals were the same. Still, mixing and match a 5145 with a PCjr (and vice versa) seems... wrong.

[OldComputerGuy]

I was unaware the connector and signals were the same. Still, mixing and match a 5145 with a PCjr (and vice versa) seems... wrong.

Why would it seem wrong when IBM themselves released the adapter cable just for that reason?

[Trixter]

Because each monitor was deliberately styled for the original computer it was paired with.

I try to use my vintage systems as stock as possible. It's the same reason I don't install VGA cards in my XTs -- sure, you can do it, but then the system looks odd with a VGA monitor used with it, even if it's IBM-branded.