Hacking A Vga Cable To Bend Video Into Audio: RGB - Vga.Volt Tutorial 2
Hacking A Vga Cable To Bend Video Into Audio: RGB - Vga.Volt Tutorial 2
SUPPLIES NEEDED:
• A soldering iron and solder
• Wire clippers/strippers
• Electrical tape
• Stranded wire (22 gauge or smaller is easiest to solder)
• Female 15 3-row d-sub connector
• Three directional diodes
• Two 1/4” audio jacks with solder terminals
OPTIONAL SUPPLIES:
• Small heat-shrink tubing
• Hot glue gun and glue
• Several small zip ties
1
UNDERSTANDING A VGA CABLE
A cathode ray tube (CRT) computer monitor receives a video signal through a video graphics array
(VGA) cable. VGA cables have adapters at either end with 15 pins (3 rows of 5) that send discrete (and,
therefore, hackable) RGBHV (RED, GREEN, BLUE, HORIZONRAL-SYNC, AND VERTICAL SYNC)
analog signals.
The VGA pin-out graphic above and its corresponding table show the function of each of the cable’s
15 pins. This hack requires connecting the red, green, and blue video pins (pins 1-3) that drive their
corresponding ray guns inside of the monitor, the ground signal (pins 5-8 and 10), the horizontal sync
(pin 13), and the vertical sync (pin 14).
Note: For this hack, I use one female D-sub connector that, once modified, will connect to a standard male to male VGA
cable to receive a video signal from a VGA distribution amplifier. D-sub connectors with soldering terminals are labeled with
small numbers to ensure that you’re soldering to the proper pins. They’re also organized so that the center row is offset from
the top and bottom rows, forming a sort of arrow.
Note that the diagram above corresponds to the reverse side of the female d-sub connector (the solder terminal side). Be
sure to double-check the numbered holes/terminals before soldering.
2
THE HACK
1.1 PREPARING
1. Cut 6 pieces of wire the exact same size. I recommend 12-16 inches (30-40 centimeters) in
length.
2. Strip one end of all 6 wires about 1/8- 1/4 of an inch (3-6 millimeters) on both sides and about 1/2
to 1 inch (1 - 3 centimeters) on the other side.
pin 6 pin 8
3
1.3 SOLDERING THE TOP ROW/RED, GREEN, AND BLUE PINS (PINS 1, 2, and 3)
1. Place the 1/4” strippe end of the remaining three wires into terminals 1-3, and tape the wires
down to the table to hold them into place.
2. Solder the wires to the solder terminal: place a small amount of solder onto your soldering iron
and make contact with the wire and terminal. In a different area of the wire and terminal, hold the
solder into place until it melts into the wire and terminal, forming a good bond.
pin 1 pin 3
The lug connecting to the outside of the adapter is the ground signal; attach this to one of the wires soldered to the second
row of pins (pins 6-8/ground pins). The central lug surrounded by plastic is the positive signal; attach this one to one of the
wires soldered to the top row of pins (pins 1-3/red, green, and blue).
adapter
positive solder
lug
4
2 SOLDERING THE AUDIO ADAPTERS
This part of the hack connects the positive solder lugs of the audio adapters to the red, green, and blue pins (pins 1-3) of the
audio adapter and the ground solder lugs to pins 6-8. Pins are connected to the audio adapters in line with one another i.e.
pins 1 and 6 are attached properly to the same audio adapter (with 1 positive and 6 ground); pins 2 and 7 are attached to
the same audio adapter properly (with 2 positive and 7 ground); and pins 3 and 8 are attached properly to the same audio
adapter (with 3 positive and 8 ground).
clear plastic
insulators
cylindrical
bases
proper
direction
5
Wires properly
soldered into place
following the matirx
on the previous
page
electrical tape
covering the posi-
tive central solder
lugs and wires
6
3 FINISHING UP
7
Email questions/comments/suggestions to: [email protected]
jameshconnolly.com
crackedraytube.com
kyleellisevans.com