Homebrew HIN232

[Lead Head]

I have a Sony Trinitron E400 with the "Over Bright" problem. For those who have never heard of it, a certain voltage value within the monitor gets all screwy, causing the monitor to get way to bright, even turning the brightness to "0", it is still far to bright.

You can change the value of this voltage through software, but you need a special cable to connect your computer to the monitor, you need to convert RS232 Voltages to TTL Voltages.

The Many Ways to Build/Buy an Ecs Cable

Unfortunately there are no local electronics shops around me (besides radioshack, which won't have it), and buying the HIN232 online would be rape because of shipping for 1 component.

I was wondering if it was possible to "build" this IC, or at least a circuit that can do the same thing uses just transistors, capacitors, resistors and diodes. I've got plenty of those + a whole collection of old useless PC motherboards wiling to donate parts.

 

[Nigel Goodwin]

You should read the page you linked to - the original chip was a MAX232 - this chip is easily available anywhere, even RadioShack probably have it.

 

[Lead Head]

I've gone over the entire site 2-3 times already. I checked online and went to two different radioshacks - they do not have it, and there are NO other electronics stores around.

 

[en2oh_dude]

Max 232 availability

I've gone over the entire site 2-3 times already. I checked online and went to two different radioshacks - they do not have it, and there are NO other electronics stores around.

Hi there,
Where are you located?
The Max 232 is a very easily available chip almost everywhere.
I purchased a few a couple years ago and they're dirt cheap.
Doug

 

[Lead Head]

Northern Rhode Island, USA