For all of you who believe that the SGI GDM-17E11 will not work in DOS mode or that it'll only sync-on-green, I have to disagree. I'm using such a display with a SVGA PC after a simple mod I developed. I have attached the instructions to this post for the benefit of all interested. You know nobody wants you to have the schematics for this monitor. Everybody knows it's a Sony. Yet Sony denies it at won't provide schematics because they say it's made by SGI. And, schematics from SGI? I don't think so. So, alas, (sigh) here's how you get it done. ----------- Attachment: ----------- I hate to burst the vendor's bubble but the FACT is the GDM-17E11 *WILL* sync on a 31.5kHz hsync! AND it *WILL* accept discrete hsync and vsync lines in addition to sync-on-green. I know because I'm writing this message on this very monitor with a PC and a Diamond Stealth 3D 2000/2MB RAM. I've used it in every mode the card is capable of. All you have to do is: 1> Build a cable with a male HD15 SVGA conn on one end and a male 13W3 on the other. (More on this in a minute). 2> Open your GDM-17E11 monitor and follow the 3 black coax cables from the female 13W3 to the RF shielded box mounted on the end of the picture tube. These three (RGB) cables solder right onto the board. 3> Look below these 3 cables and you'll see a little (orange) 3 pin male connector that's not connected to anything. 4> Guess what those 3 pins are? The top one is vsync the middle one is ground and the bottom one is csync (but you can plug hsync here with no problem). (BTW, the pinouts are labeled right on the silk-screen so you can see for yourself. I recommend you check, don't take my word for it). 5> The object of the game is to connect the hsync line from your vga card to the csync line on this orange plug. Plug the vsync line from your vga card to vsync on the orange plug. 6> The pinouts for the cable are as follows: HD15 13W3 -------------------------- 1-RED -------> A1-RED 2-GREEN -------> A2-GREEN 3-BLUE -------> A3-BLUE 4-GND -------> 8 -GND 5-GND -------> 9 -GND 6-GND -------> 10-GND 7-GND n/c 8-GND n/c 9-n/c n/c 10-GND n/c 11-GND n/c 12-n/c n/c 13-HSync -------> 3-CSync 14-VSync -------> 5-VSync 15-n/c n/c 7> *IMPORTANT*... none of this will work unless you make a 3-wire connection from the female 13W3 connector on the back of your 17E11 to that little orange connector you found. You need to solder some (26 gauge) wire from the respective pins to their respective places (I think you've caught on to the pattern now). Pin 5 (VSync) on the 13W3 goes to the top pin, pin 3 (CSync) to the bottom pin and a GND (say, pin 8) to the middle pin. If you have the appropriate connectors go for it... or use a CD-ROM audio cable (just not longer than it has to be). Check out that service connector while you're at it (bottom right of rear of monitor, and yes, it's a real RS232 port). It has a pair of 3 pin connectors with a 75 ohm terminator switch. You can go there first if you plan to use the monitor back and forth with PC and SGI. Put the switch in the bottom position. This is so the new cable you soldered won't act like an antenna when you use the SGI because it won't be connected to anything (the SGI uses sync-on-green, remember?) 8> If you can't find the 13W3 connector for your cable (then don't try this project! Sheesh! [just kidding]) you might as well mount a female HD15 on the back of the monitor as save the $70+ for having the cable made. Then you can use a regular vga cable. OK, now for the disclaimer. The above mod WILL void your monitor warranty so be warned. Also, I accept no responsibility if you get hurt or destroy any equipment as a result of making this mod. I've only provided this information AS IS and make no guarantees expressed or implied whatsoever. If you've never solder before or aren't real keen to electronics.. forget this project. And if you can't find a 13W3 connector that tells me you're not anything near an electrical engineer and should also forget this project. My PC never looked so sharp! AND in DOS mode! Best regards, A. Melendez angel magicnet net