BBC/Elk Monitor Lead

By John Crane

Originally published in EUG #27

This lead is a 6pin DIN plug (BBC/ELK end) to 3 * BNC plugs. Pin out for 6pin DIN (See also diagram on the Articles Menu):

      1 : RED (Core)
      2 : GREEN (Core)
      3 : BLUE (Core)
      4 : Composite Sync
      5 : 0V (All screens)
      6 : +5V (Not Used)

Ideally you want a length of cable with Red, Green and Blue wires all individually screened. Maplin does some which are suitable. Alternatively, if you find some cable with different coloured wires, you could "label" them with Red, Green and Blue PVC tape. So long as you know which one is which.

Connect a BNC plug to each wire in turn at one end of the cable. Red core to centre pin in one BNC plug, Red screen to plug shield in same plug and so on. Thus ending up with 3 free ends (R,G,B).

At the DIN end, it's a bit more complicated and you haven't a lot of room to move. Red Core goes to pin 1, Green Core goes to pin 2, Blue Core goes to pin 3. Using some thin instrument wire or suitably insulated link wire link pin 4 (Sync) to Green Core (Pin 2). Similarly, link all three screens together and connect to 0V (Pin 5). Pin 6 is not used in this instance.

And that's all there is to it. Once it was all connected up, in my instance I had to play about with the screen width etc on the monitor to centralise the picture. But a little fine tuning is no great problem is it? All I did was switch it on with the Elk connected and twiddle until I was happy with the picture.

If anybody's interested, I've also got the info on how to make a VGA lead for computers which can use that facility via a 15pin HD D plug. Just contact me and I'll send a photocopy for the price of return postage.

John Crane