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RISC OS Monitors

Please note that software available here is not supported by the Cybervillage in anyway and you are required to observe any conditions of use that may be supplied with the software.

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move item to top of the page Monitor Description Files

    The RISC OS platform can use a wide range of computer monitors and most of them on sale can just be plugged straight in and work. However RISC OS relies on Monitor Description Files (MDF) which basically describe to the computer the range of screen resolutions that each Monitor can display.

    The RiscPC and A7000+ come supplied with a range of MDFs that support the standard video displays and they also cover the range of Monitors that were sold by originally by Acorn and now Castle.

    Ideally you need a RISC OS MDF file for any new Monitor you are thinking of buying and if you buy from a RISC OS dealer then there is no problem because they will supply you with one suitable for your purchase.

    However, people do buy from non-RISC OS dealers and these companies probably have never heard of MDFs. So we hope that this short guide will help you get your own MDF with the minimum of fuss.

    First step is to see if one of these sites already has one:

      1. Acorn Cybervillage MDF list.
      2. Foggy MDF Page.
      3. Carlos MDF Page.

    Once you got your MDF, you'll find that it's nothing more that a text file with a filetype of &FFF.; This file goes into: 

    !Boot.Resources.Configure.Monitors
    and then you can pop up the !Boot Configuration program and click on the 'Screen' icon.

    Choose the Monitor Type, you'll see the new one listed, and other details like Colour and Resolution and you should be fine.

    However if you can't find a MDF then you've got a number of choices:

    1. Ask on COMP.SYS.ACORN.HARDWARE if anyone already has a MDF for your monitor. Or do a specific search on the Acorn newsgroups for your monitors name to see if someone already has a MDF. Click here to go to a pre-prepared search form.

    2. Approach an Acorn dealer for one. They may charge you for it though.

    3. Make one yourself. This requires reading the accompanying text and a fair bit of trial and error.

    You do this by using this application, MakeModes, it's designed to allow you to quickly make a MDF. You see 99% of monitors have to support the standard screen sizes (know as VESA Modes), 640x480, 800x600, 1024x768, 1280x1024, etc. and these Modes are all preset in the MakeModes application.

    What you are doing with MakeModes is ensuring that the Desktop display is centered on screen and this needs a little tweaking with each new monitor in MakeModes.

    You will need to know a few technical things about your monitor. But these can be found in the monitor manual or on the manufacturers web site.

    You will need to know its max. & min. Frame Rate (ie 40 to 199Hz) and the Line Rate max. & Min. (ie 10,000 to 99,000Hz).

    Now read the documentation in the Doc folder in !MakeModes and get making.