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AppleColor Composite Monitor & Platinum Apple IIe — International Varieties

AppleColor Composite Monitor specifications

Feedback card with Apple Computer Australia warranty insert

Unlike its 120V North American counterpart, this 240V model has a detached power cord

Packing List for North American version (A2M6021)

"ColorMonitor IIe / IIc" - as they were originally called when launched in late 1985

Apple ColorMonitor IIe

A2M2056X 240V 'International NTSC-50' model as sold in Australia & New Zealand

See also →   New release ColorMonitor IIe/IIc with Australian pricing - Your Computer (November 1985) 

Apple ColorMonitor IIe & IIc original boxes

NB: ColorMonitor IIe is beige, whereas AppleColor Composite Monitor IIe is platinum - colour-matched for original Apple IIe and platinum IIe, respectively.  I was unclear whether the IIc model was ever released in the PAL countries.  Both the original 128K PAL Apple IIc i.e. model #A2S4000* (*=Z, F, B, D, T, N etc) and the later model //c for those markets (e.g. A2S4100X - "memory expansion" model a.k.a. "enhanced IIc") were inherently capable of colour, outputting an 'International NTSC-50' type of signal compatible with 220-240V models of the AppleColor Composite Monitor IIe (e.g. A2M6021X) - see screenshots HERE & discussion HERE).  Apple-Bug (February 1988) - the newsletter of Apple-Q Brisbane - published a pricelist for AppleCare in Australia.  Extended warranty coverage for "Colour Mon.IIc", "Flat Panel Display.IIc" and even "Apple III" could be purchased from Apple Computer Australia - intriguing no?  An official Australian Apple Product List (1988-89) does show "IIc Colour" monitor.  So without a doubt, the 240V IIc colour monitor is for real!

These 1987 retail price lists for Australia give A$795 as the cost of an Apple //c Colour Monitor (A$80 for matching monitor stand)

Dust covers for "//c Colour System" were even available from Apple Users' Group Sydney (ad on right)

See also →   Apple IIc colour system advertisement Australia - 1987 Grace Bros (New South Wales) @ Twitter 

 Actual examples of this most elusive of Apple //c monitors! 

240V AppleColor Composite Monitor (IIc) (A2M6020X)

ABOVE: photo courtesy 'musovern' (of New Zealand) @ aussiearcade.com {image URL}

Original discussion topic HERE

BELOW: photos courtesy Danny & Ian (of Australia)

240V ColorMonitor IIc (A2M4043X)  &  matching monitor stand (A2M4027)

 → see also CHOPLIFTER screenshot (220/240V Apple IIc to matching 240V ColorMonitor IIc)

The 120V version monitors sold in North America support colour with regular NTSC 3.58 MHz only (other video modes i.e. PAL 4.43 MHz & NTSC-50 (3.56 MHz) will come up in monochrome).  'International NTSC-50' was a hybrid phenomenon first seen in the Apple II Europlus/Euromod (ca. 1979+) and the original 128K Apple IIc (April 1984) and subsequently extended to the 'memory expansion' Apple IIc (September 1986) and platinum Apple IIe (January 1987) - as sold in PAL markets.  Any 220-240V model of the ColorMonitor IIe/IIc or AppleColor Composite Monitor IIe/IIc ought to be compatible.  The specification defines a 3.562456 MHz colour burst and vertical and horizontal scanning frequencies of 50 Hz & 15.659 kHz.  A hardware modification to convert International NTSC Apple IIe to regular NTSC is described HERE.

The original pre-platinum Apple IIe sold in PAL markets from 1983-86 has a regular PAL 4.43 colour output (compatible with many TVs & any PAL monitor) — but this machine is the exception to the rule, as all other 8-bit Apple II models released in PAL region are natively 50Hz NTSC 3.56 and will need extra help to produce a PAL colour signal (e.g. PAL Colour Encoder Card for Europlus, A2M4023 PAL Modulator/Adapter for IIc).

Other considerations — when a CRT monitor designed for the northern hemisphere is operated in the southern hemisphere (or vice versa), certain colours may appear faded or patchy in some parts of the screen - a consequence of the CRT picture tube having been factory calibrated for the magnetic field of the opposing hemisphere.

Apple //e — NTSC /  PAL /  International NTSC flavours

Gumball in colour and monochrome white

(monitor's front control panel has a mono toggle button)

 The Apple IIGS can be toggled between 60 and 50hz vertical scanning frequency via the System Standards control panel which affects both RGB and composite video.  NTSC colour burst remains fixed at 3.58MHz (American standard) hence the GS is not colour-compatible with these 240V NTSC/50 (3.56MHz) monitors.  It also has no provision for PAL colour (4.43MHz) via composite.  The GS will of course do colour over any regular NTSC display (60Hz guarantees a stable picture but Vertical-Hold adjustment may be needed at 50Hz).

Noteworthy:  Full screen text appears monochrome on Europlus (1981) yet exhibits green/purple artefacts on Eurapple Plus (1980) — using the exact same monitor

This Europlus has a newer type of motherboard which is described in the Addendum to the Apple II Reference Manual

 Video courtesy eBay Australia

→ see also Photo: Oscilloscope waveform - colour burst of Apple II Europlus  courtesy 'nilseuropa'

→ see also  TAKE-APART PHOTOS — Apple IIc (A2S4100X) with 384K RAM & PAL Modulator

Overview of the "Memory Expandable" Apple IIc → see Apple IIc New Features Update (1986 Apple Computer)

A2S4100X with traditional 240V PAL //c green monitor (A2M4090X)

A2S4100X model identifier (also showing A2S4100C & A2S4100E models)

COLOUR with direct attachment to 240V AppleColor Composite Monitor IIe (A2M6021X)

As you can see, their picture qualities are practically indistinguishable

 Apple IIGS to 120V AppleColor Composite Monitor IIe (A2M6021) works in colour as expected - see my screenshot HERE

Check out my video with more screenshots from 120V AppleColor Composite Monitor IIe (A2M6021 NTSC-60 model) HERE

 Download high-resolution photos Apple Monochrome Monitor A2M6016X original box [18 MB]

See also →   Comprehensive Price List for Apple IIe & IIGS computer systems (November 1988) - Central Logic Systems, Melbourne - hi-res scan 

In France, RGB solutions were especially favoured — every Apple //c came standard with "Le Chat Mauve" RGB Scart/péritel adapter (A2M4020F)

 This adapter also provides a composite SECAM signal for displays with only "half Scart" input and will even route the //c speaker audio.

"Le Chat Mauve" also made an RGB TTL adapter (DIN plug) for //c and the Eve and Féline cards (RGB 80-column 64K) for Apple //e.

RGB screenshots on “RCA” Blackpearl CRT TV (21DG17EA / TX807CS)

from Apple IIc (A2S4100X) with Le Chat Mauve RGB SCART adapter (A2M4020F)

NB: This TV is equivalent to European model THOMSON Blackpearl (21DG17E / TX807CS)

TIP: Cold-booting forces some double hi-res games (e.g. Platoon) to render correctly in colour which might otherwise appear mono with Le Chat Mauve

Neuromancer (above left) inadvertently invokes the DHR mixed mono-colour mode of Le Chat Mauve!

GOLDEN magazine ads showing French Apple //c 384K system (A2S4110F / A2S4100F → see FinApple's blog) — as bundled with Philips RGB colour monitor and Extasie software by Le Chat Mauve

& the original 128K Apple //c (A2S4000F) with Arlequin - another Chat Mauve creation

  See HERE for info & photos of French Apple //e with Philips RGB colour monitor & Le Chat Mauve "Eve" card

Philips monitors were endorsed by Apple in parts of Europe — e.g. prior to the release of Monitor II, the officially approved monochrome displays for Apple //e in Italy were Apple Monitor /// (green) and Philips PCT 1201 (amber)

→ see 1983 Italian Apple IIe & III brochure "I Sistemi di Elaborazione Personale"

A subsequent Italian IIe/IIc brochure (ca. 1984/85) describes an optional RGB interface for Apple IIe  «Uscita RGB opzionale» → see HERE  {Vintage Apple ~ jesperalsed.com}

Philips (RGB) monitors & Le Chat Mauve products were officially supported by Apple in France → see Liste des Produits Supportés - 1988 Apple Computer France

 Table comparing known variants of the Platinum Apple IIe 

Did you know?  In the early 1980s, a computer monitor supplier in the British Isles mulled the release of a customized "International NTSC" version of the Thorn TX10 as direct-connect colour solution for the Apple II Europlus — please see HERE

Apple IIe Extended 80-Column Text & Colour Video Card (assembled in Australia)

Apple Computer part number A661-91097

Mr GC kindly permitted me to photograph this Apple IIe (pre-platinum PAL model) with an Australian made extended 80-column video card.  I don't think I've ever seen one of these before!  Rather unusually, it plugs into both the auxiliary slot and slot 3 (which line up directly in the PAL IIe).  The slot 3 connector is a mostly blank wafer with just a single "finger" making electrical contact inside the slot.  The card has an RCA composite output which yields a better picture on the 240V ColorMonitor IIe/IIc or AppleColor Composite Monitor IIe/IIc than the standard video output jack of the motherboard.

[I found good photos HERE and an intriguing discussion HERE.  Note that there is absolutely nothing wrong with the PAL Apple IIe's standard composite video output - e.g. see my Jumpman screenshot (PAL IIe direct to PAL Commodore 1084S monitor).  Yet surprisingly, the 240V ColorMonitor IIe or IIc cannot decode PAL (4.43MHz) colour burst at all and only produce colour with 50Hz NTSC (3.56MHz).  The PAL Apple IIe motherboard has a colour toggle switch and with PAL colours disabled (i.e. switch in "mono" setting) video output reverts to a 50Hz NTSC-like signal — just not of the exact type which the 240V ColorMonitor IIe expects.  According to AUSOM News (March 1987), the colours appear swapped around i.e. blue is red, green is blue, red is green → Donkey Kong screenshot {wrong colours}.  It seems this monitor only displays correct colour when fed a compliant NTSC/50 signal, which is supplied by this special video card (A661-91097) on the PAL IIe.  Whether the equivalent ColorMonitor IIe in Europe needs the same workaround I cannot say.  Those units (if they actually exist) won't be the same as those sold in Australia - besides voltage (likely 220V), and a northern hemisphere-tuned CRT picture tube, the logic board could also differ...  Evidently though the European ColorMonitor IIc (A2M4043Z) shares the same logic board as the Australian ColorMonitor IIe & IIc (A2M2056X & A2M4043X)  → Photo: logic board  courtesy of Arcade King @ aussiearcade.com forum  — this actually makes sense as the native video output of any 220/240V Apple IIc is NTSC 3.56Mhz (50Hz) and pairs perfectly with 240V ColorMonitor IIe/IIc or AppleColor Composite Monitor IIe/IIc   → see also Photo: Oscilloscope waveform - colour burst of European Apple IIc  courtesy Marco Orlandi ]

Illustrative pictorial sourced from Australian eBay...

LEFT: ColorMonitor IIe on 240V PAL Apple //e with "extended 80-column colour card"

RIGHT: Enlarged views 240V ColorMonitor IIe (A2M2056X)

Extended 80 Column Text and Video Card ("Colour Card") — NTSC/50 (3.56MHz) for the PAL Apple //e

LEFT: Original box with part # A2A0004

MIDDLE: Some cards were also being produced in Singapore

RIGHT: Apple Panic colour screenshot  (courtesy T. Stewart)

This replaced the old Extended 80-Column Text Card in Australia and New Zealand ca. 1986 and became standard equipment on every 128K PAL //e sold that year.

It could also be purchased separately by existing PAL //e owners wishing to upgrade to 128K 80-columns and for attaching an Apple ColorMonitor IIe or IIc (240V models).

NB: This card is obsolete where the Platinum 'International NTSC' Apple IIe is concerned

Extended 80-Column Text and Video Card Addendum available HERE  (courtesy P. Howard)

"... this card includes a special video output port for use with the Apple COLOUR MONITOR IIe or Apple COLOUR MONITOR IIc in a 220V-240V country"

David Wilson furnishes some technical details of the card —

		This manual only describes NTSC/50 (3.56MHz) and NTSC/60 (3.58MHz) versions of the Apple ColorMonitor (no mention of PAL at all).  If this official info is correct, then the video card A661-91097 (AUS-0004) must output an NTSC/50 (3.56MHz) colour signal.  Some pertinent info HERE.  The motherboard RCA jack of the beige PAL Apple //e is also capable of a quasi NTSC/50 with the colour toggle switch of the motherboard set to mono.  Refer discussion HERE.  In mono switch setting, the PAL colour circuitry of the //e is disabled whilst some kind of NTSC colour burst is introduced, yet this signal isn't fully compatible with these NTSC/50 monitors - the symptom manifests as colours being swapped around i.e. blue is red, green is blue, red is green → see screenshot HERE.  The A661-91097 video card rectifies this problem on the PAL //e. These same NTSC/50 monitors happen to work just fine on every other 8-bit Apple II model sold in PAL regions (Euro II/II+, IIc and Platinum IIe 'International NTSC') - no workaround necessary for those machines as they already produce a 50Hz NTSC (3.56MHz) colour signal of the expected format.		Apple //e PAL colour switch

 

Now, since it appears the only significant difference between the 240V models of the ColorMonitor IIe/IIc (A2M2056X / A2M4043X) and AppleColor Composite Monitor IIe/IIc (A2M6021X / A2M6020X) is cosmetic (beige, white or platinum), and all support colour with 50Hz NTSC 3.56 only (not PAL 4.43 and not NTSC 3.58), then here is the lowdown synopsis of how they behave with various Apple II configurations:-

AppleColor Monitor 100 — Apple's official RGB solution for Apple IIe & III

"Green only" monochrome mode:-

Extended 80-Column Text/AppleColor Adapter Card manual @ Asimov server is HERE [32MB PDF]

For AppleColor Monitor 100 pricing & options please see my scan →   Apple //e and //c Products Confidential Dealer Price List (USA) - November 1984 

 And also →   RGB Monitors: Best of the Brightest - inCider (October 1985) 

(reviews of AppleColor Monitor 100, Princeton Graphic HX-9 & HX-12, Zenith ZVM-135, Amdek Color 500, Thomson CV36432SI, Sakata SC-200)

The AppleColor Monitor 100 (12" RGB monitor) was officially introduced on July 9, 1984 in the United States — see  Apple press release 

For detailed technical discussion of Apple IIe/IIc RGB please refer Open-Apple - May 1985 (TXT)  and  Open-Apple - July 1985 (TXT)

“While standard single-resolution Apple graphics always come in loud and clear on an RGB system, double-resolution graphics don't. In order to see anything when double-resolution graphics are displayed, you must have both an RGB card that supports double-resolution graphics and software that turns on the RGB card's double-resolution feature...”  — Open-Apple (May 1985)

Two examples of double hi-res programs that work fine with Apple's Extended 80-Column Text/AppleColor RGB Card are Beagle Graphics and Broderbund's Dazzle Draw, the latter even exploiting the special DHR mixed mono-colour mode available with this card (→ Dazzle Draw RGB demo video by 8BitBites).

Some DHR games show up monochrome (white) with Apple's RGB card - e.g. certain Epyx titles, Platoon by Data East, Who framed Roger Rabbit by Buena Vista and undoubtedly others (need proof? → view GALLERY of screenshots).  Many software developers didn't check for full DHR compatibility with the AppleColor RGB card.  It's been reported that cold-booting may alleviate this problem with some software (see further discussion HERE).  Third-party //e RGB cards which more closely mimic a conventional Extended 80-column Text Card won't have these issues (→ Platoon in colour with Digicard 64K Extended 80 Column RGB Card).  (NB: Native RGB of the Apple IIGS is genial with just about all double hi-res software)

It's worth noting that recent versions of AppleWin can emulate the AppleColor RGB Card (along with RGB of Video-7 and Le Chat Mauve).

The AppleColor Monitor 100 was not released in Australia.  In a February 1985 interview, Rudi Hoess states that "In Australia, Apple doesn't sell a colour monitor, which means that virtually all the Apples being sold have only a monochrome green screen."  His company Electronic Concepts was the official distributor of Apple in Australia from 1977 thru mid-1983.  High cost was cited as the reason by Your Computer - see HERE.  So down under, your options for Apple II colour were third-party PAL monitor/TV or RGB setups (e.g. Kaga/Taxan with Digicard //e RGB card → watch video demonstration HERE).  The new Apple-brand colour composite monitors, launched late 1985 in the USA, were certainly available in Australia by 1986.

The Apple II Video Overlay Card, introduced 1989 by Apple, doubles as an RGB card for Apple IIe when paired to a GS AppleColor RGB Monitor (or equivalent).  This card was officially available in Australia (see October 1990 Apple Australia Price List HERE).

Apple II Video Overlay Card in Australia  &  American brochure

RGB piggyback cards for AE RamWorks

ColorLink (IBM 9-pin & Apple IIGS 15-pin RGB)  &  Digital Prism (IBM 9-pin & AppleColor Monitor 100 15-pin RGB)

PAL Apple IIe (A2S2064X)

RamWorks ColorLink RGB Option  &  Taxan Super Vision III monitor

^ 2016-05-13 (last revised 2024-08-19)