PCSwitch is a Commodity useable with the A2386SX Birdgeboard.

Software:

If you wanted to use the Amiga and the VGA output of your A2386SX 
VGA card, you had to plug und unplug your monitor by hand.
When C= designed the Bridgeboard, they made an output for a monitor
switch, but they never released any software for it. PCSwitch is
exactly what you need to solve this problem. PCswitch is waiting
for a left mouseclick. If this mouseclick was on a PC screen
or window, PCswitch is switching to the VGA output. If you click
into an Amiga screen, PCSwitch switches back to the Amiga output.

You can customize PCSwitch by changing 3 Tooltype entrys:

HOTKEY1: Hotkey to switch to Amiga graphic. (Default left alt F1)
HOTKEY2: Hotkey to switch to PC graphic. (Default left alt F2)
SCREENTYPE: What kind of PC input we have to look for
            (SCREENTYPE=color for PC color screen,
            SCREENTYPE=mono for PC mono window).

If you are using the hotkeys to switch between PC and AMIGA
output, the new screen (window) is NOT activated !

PCSwitch is Freeware, but it is not allowed to use it in any
commercial way without a written permission of the autor.


If you think that this little piece of software is
so useful, you really have to offer something to the autor,
feel free to e-mail me ;-)

dieter@prosys.co.at


Known Bugs:

There is an enforcer hit when you are using PC mono window
and you are opening a screen using a not really system friendly way.

If you are using the prodev Merlin screenpromotor, you are not able
to use Exchange to finish PCSwitch. If you try it, PCSwitch will
show up a GURU.


History:

V 1.1:  Merged version to change between mono and color version using
        a tooltype, first public release.
V 1.0a: Adding a requester if no A2386SX bridgeboard is found.

V 1.0:  Fixed an enforcer hit when changing to a screen with no window
        on it.
V 0.9:  First beta version, PC mono window only.

Hardware:

I also wanted to build a PCSwitch hardware, but i do not have
enough time for this.

Here are some facts to build your own PCSwitch hardware:

My hardware is using the TTL output of the A2386SX driving a couple of
analog switches (HC4052) to switch between Amiga and VGA graphic.
But this is not a perfect solution. (The video signal is losing a bit
of contrast).
A hardware using some kind of video switching IC would be much better.
If someone out there is having an idea how to produce a better switch,
please e-mail me. (Maybe he can send me a working layout ;-)

This is how this switch should work:

    Amiga                      ---------------------
    graphic                    |                   |
    output  -------------------|                   |
    23 or                      |                   |
    15 pin                     |                   |
                               |   PCswitch        |
                               |   Hardware        |
                               |                   |
    PC                         |                   |                VGA
    VGA     -------------------|                   |--------------- Monitor
    output                     |                   |
                               |                   |
                               |                   |
                               |                   |
                               |                   |
   A2386SX                     |                   |
   MiniDIN --------------------|                   |
   Pin 3                       |                   |
                               ---------------------

The A2386SX MiniDIN output:

Pin   Signal
1       GND
2       NC
3       TTL Level output
4       +5V (500 mA)

The Amiga Monitor output:

Pin   Signal   Description

1  /XCLK    NC
2  /XLKEN    NC
3  Red    Red Amiga Coloursignal
4  Green  Green Amiga Colorsignal
5  Blue   Blue Amiga Colorsignal
6  DI  NC
7  DB  NC
8  DG  NC
9  DR  NC
10 /CSYNC    NC
11 /HSYNC    Hoirz. Syncsignal
12 /VSYNC    Vert. Syncsignal
13 GND    Masse
14 /PIXELSW NC
15 /C1    NB
16 GND      Ground
17 GND      Ground
18 GND      Ground
19      GND      Ground
20      GND      Ground
21      -5V  NC
22      +12V     NC
23      +5V      +5 Volt Power supply

The VGA monitor connector (NEC 3D):

Pin   Signal

1  Red
2  Green
3  Blue
4  GND
5  GND
6  GND
7  GND
8  GND
9  NC
10 GND
11 GND
12 NC
13 /HSYNC
14 /VSYNC
15      NC

NC=  Do not connect

The autor is not responsible for any damage using this hard and software.

I want to thank the following people for their help:

Norbert Sackl: He helped me to find the right A2386SX registers.
Bernhard Frodl and Ing. Andreas Podhovnik for doing beta testing.