THe origional bit is missing but long/short follows:

    The origional poster asked if he/she could use any old vga/svga
monitor with a centris (hence title).  

    The answer ot this question is an unqualified yes.  You can use any
old vga/svga monitor with a centris.  You do need an adaptor (I use a
Mac vga-q from james engineering (510) 525-7350) to run between the two
machines.  THe adaptor I have mentioned will convert a centris to a
three row vga/svga 25(?) pin adaptor for your monitor.

    NOW, the special interest disclaimer.
 The above answer is correct for using a vga monitor at 600x400
resolution.  IF your monitor will sync to 56Khz horizontal the above
adaptor will allow you to choose 800x600 resolution (I prefer this on my
1604s).

THen You have the question of matching adaptors and sync rates.  I would
advocate calling James engineering because they seem to have a clue.  As
to the comment by the person who said don't bother calling Apple because
they will treat you like an idiot this is totally untrue.
    APPLE WILL TREAT YOU LIKE A F**KING ASSANINE IDIOT FOR EVEN
CONSIDERING GOING THIRD PARTY AND IF YOU WANT THIS TREATMENT WANTS YOU
TO PAY FOR THEIR THECH SUPPORT LINE (the supposedly compitantly one) AND
THEN STILL HAS NO FU***** CLUE.

personal experience.  also the tech suppport for the vga monitor makers
doesn't see to extend to Macs (Sony, Magnavox).  In addition to this to
find out the info you will have to call dealers unless you can find the
sync rates elsewhere as ads like Hardware that fits
(*&^%&%^%$$(&**&^(%&%^$!) that rate monitor resolutions give the most
favorable rating (which usually means you can get this if you use a
specialized application video card).(i.e. "well you can get a resolution
1168x832 on this $5,  9" "super smelly sock" monitor that will let you
display TWO FULL PAGES side by side.  All you need is our reasonably
priced "oder eater" video board for $27,000 and it will give you an
ultra fast horizontal sync rate of SIX fast kilohertz and three Khz
vertical.")



Note:  with the sony 1604 at least on the centris 610 built in video
board using an 832x624 adaptor, there is a boarder of an inch + to the
sides of the image after adjusting the horizontal width as favorably as
possible.  Using a 800x600 adaptor this can be reduced to about half an
inch.