Q. I just bought a bunch of Sparcstation5's, but no monitor for them. So I purchased one of the 13w3 to VGA adapter cables, but my monitor keeps on telling me "sync error". I was told that the Suns use composite sync, whereas a VGA monitor needs seperated sync... does anyone of you know a way to split the csync signal up in vsync and hsync? A. Are you sure it isn't that your resolution/refresh rate is too high? Most Sparc 5's are using a TurboGX which can go down to 1024x768x60.. Even still many low-end monitors won't sync with it. I work at a used computer store and go through Sparc 5s and 10s all the time. I just turn them on and wait until I think they are booting.. then I hit Stop-A a few times and blindly type the following: setenv output-device screen:r1024x768x60 [ENTER] reset [ENTER] Obviously, the [ENTER] is there for your benifit and not meant to be typed. Anyway, usually the monitor comes right up after that. In fact, I am using a Sparc 5 right now to write this message and a PC-SVGA monitor with an adapter. I absolutly have to put it down to that mode or this monitor will not sync with it either. I bet this will work for you! Typing it blind is the hard part in fact sometimes I have to do it 2 or 3 times before I get it right. One other thing you can do.. Turn the machine on without the monitor or the adapter connected to it. Let it start booting before attaching the adapter. This will force a Turbo-GX card into 1152x900 mode which some PC monitors can do.. but is better than the default which is much higher, usually 1280x1024x72hz. vgamononsun If you need help with ordering or configuring your system call: © 2011 Ames Sciences, Inc. All rights reserved.