This is the monitor I use almost exclusively with my Japanese vintage computers. This is one serious CRT. I love my 1084S but this is just on a different level when it comes to functionality and connectivity.
The PC-TV455 is a tremendously flexible monitor. It can sync at 15kHz, 24kHz, and 31kHz, allowing perhaps any Japanese or western vintage computer to output to it. And just look at this array of connections:
Holy cow. From top left, we have VHF antenna, digital RGB, analog RGB 15-pin/analog RGB 9-pin (shared), UHF antenna, RGB21 (sometimes referred to as Japanese SCART), PC control on/off switch, composite 1/S-video (shared), composite 2, and composite out.
And look at all these knobs and switches to futz around with under the control panel cover.
But it’s not just functional, the image quality is superb! Here is what it’s currently displaying, by connection:
Digital RGB: NEC PC-8801MK2 (24kHz) – Nintendo Golf
Analog RGB: Sharp X1 Turbo Z – (24kHz) – Gradius
RGB21: FM77AV20EX (15kHz) – F-BASIC 3.0
This is a highly-sought after monitor and as such it commands a pretty high price on Yahoo Auctions. I had a kind of tattered and beat-up version of this monitor before, it worked but the picture was a touch slanted and it didn’t have a base to stand on. I got it for a (relatively) low price and used it for about a year before finding this one. I hope to sell the old one in order to cover 60-70% of the cost of the new one. *fingers crossed*
This thing is just sexy. I wonder if there’s anything like it produced domestically here.
There are probably others, but the closest thing that comes to mind is the Commodore 1084S. It has digital and analog RGB, and chroma/luma RCA input, which is equivalent to and easily adaptable from S-video. Pretty sure composite works through either chroma or luma, too. You might be able to get three computers connected to it without futzing with cables, but I think it only supports a 15kHz refresh rate.
Edited to add: I guess you could deduce it from the model name and the fact that it has VHF/UHF antenna hookups, but this monitor is also a TV. NEC and Sharp were aggressive about integrating TV and computer functionality. Really forward-thinking if you consider the recent rise of smart TVs. Anyway, it clearly can’t function as a TV via VHF any longer, but the hookups allow yet another computer or console to be attached to this monitor, for a total of six simultaneous connections! I’ll have to try that once someday.
It can’t function as a _TV_ via VHF, but can certainly display the output of a computer’s RF modulator! So seven inputs after all!
I in fact tried that a few times! It was sort of painful, but eventually I got it to work decently!
This thing triggers my technophilia pretty strongly. The inputs coupled with support for the 3 different horizontal syncs seems unrivaled today or even in a monitor of that era. BTW, what is the screen size?
It’s really a piece of work! But I suppose nothing in the US actually used 24kHz, right? So a dual-sync would have been equally functional in the US.
I’ve seen the size listed as both 15″ and 14″, so I think it’s one of those 15″ screen with 14″ viewable area type situations. I forgot that “viewable area” was a thing before LCDs.
Hey, I have this exact monitor. But unfortunately, the flyback transformer died. Do you mind doing an ID check for the part #. My label faded and the only thing I see on the FBT itself is “Murata” and “72KM 3101”. Thanks!
Hello, sorry I can’t be of more help but at the moment my monitors are really hard to get at because everything fits tightly on a rack. The next time I have it out I will take a look!