Weird problems with SCART

[rroden12]

I just got in all the pieces I needed to hook up most of my systems via SCART(with a SCART -> YPbPr converter box off of Ebay), but now I am having some weird issues. Most of them seem to be related to how bright the screen/signal is. Before this I had used the component inputs on both of my screens with Xbox, PS2, and Wii with no issues at all.

Master System - Looks great on TV1 after I turn the contrast all the way down, when contrast is up at all it's blurry. On TV2 it's wavy/jiggly similar to HSYNC being incorrect, but it varies with how bright the screen is (Ex: The first few seconds in-game on Astro Warrior are fine, but as soon as the big blue area start coming on screen the waviness returns, and moves down the screen in sync with the blue area)

CDX/32x - Same as Master System

Saturn - Same on TV1 as the previous 2. On TV2 the Saturn screen has the waviness, but once the game starts loading (Skeleton Warriors for reference) and in game, it's fine (at least for the first level)

Dreamcast - TV1 the colors are all messed up. The orange in the boot screen is very dark, and the white is a very dark purple. Colors are still screwed up in the BIOS. On TV2 the colors are correct at the boot screen, but wavy. The screen become completely garbled in the BIOS, like when the Y/Sync cable isn't connected but Pb and Pr are.

SNES - Same as CDX and MS.

Could it be I need 75Ohm resistors in the Scart cables, or maybe add some resistors to the component side? I got the cables from consolegoods, and I know they have a pretty good reputation for their SCART cables. Everything's NTSC.


Thanks in advance

[rroden12]

Ugh, just to muddy the waters, I did more poking around and found more strangeness. When then converter is connected to TV1 and powered on, theres constant noise in the signal, but when connected to TV2 there's none. I also undid the audio out mod I had done to the converter box, and the waviness decreased a good bit, but it's definitely still there and seems to be linked to how bright the screen is.

[rroden12]

I got (most of) it! There was a setting in the service menu for the TV that I needed to turn on (AFC I think?). That cleared up everything but the Dreamcast. For the Dreamcast I move the Composite Sync wire on the DC AV side from pin 13 (C.SYNC) to pin 10 (Comp. Video) and now it comes in with the correct colors and stable, but lots of noise or something in the picture. Am I still getting RGB out of it, or did my change defeat the purpose of the SCART connector?

Thanks

[MEGADRIVE Jeroi]

First problem is the passive Scart splitter that you are using to split multiple scart connections to single scart connection to combonet switcher. You need Swtichable Scart splitter.
I had similar color loss when I wanted to play megadrive on tv and pc same time. The Scart splitter that had 2 outputs introduced color loss and I needed active scart splitter to maintain color information on the scart cables. RGB is analog link and if you have passive scart splitter (very common without switches) you get color loss because impedance problems. Buy switched scart splitter or electronically switched scart splitter to automatically change the scart source that you use.

Second problem is related to scart rgb to component YUV transcoder manufacturer, does it accept 240p or 320p? Or does it want 480p? Sega's and Nes systems uses 240 or 320 and they are quite small resolutions and some transcoders could be having problems off rendering low resolution images. You need to be sure that the rgb to component adapter supports lower resolution RGB inputs before to buy those.

Third possible problem is related to TV manufacturer, does it's YUV input work with low resultion images? Tv's are imo hard to buy because you never know if the connections that they supports are fully implemented and they just support higher resolution images to perform on the level they have been intended.

I suspect that this box drives the need of rgb to yuv transformation:

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Vintage-ga...item564103693c

Here is the deluxe model that has also the Stereo Audio output ports:

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/SHINYBOW-S...item3a68614aa3

How ever because your TV might not work with low resultion YUV input, your only chance is to buy SCART to HDMI adapter:

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/SCART-RGB-...item2eb69bd2a9

[sheath]

Okay, so far I have a SCART to HDMI adapter and a SCART to Component adapter. I have RGB SCART cables for the Genesis 2/32x/X'Eye, Genesis 1/Master System and Saturn. The early Sega systems work with the Component adapter on an SDTV but not on the LCD, and they all work fine with the HDMI adapter for the LCD. Oddly enough, the Saturn's RGB SCART doesn't work with the LCD over the HDMI adapter. Using the Saturn RGB causes the same issue that the Component adapter caused, my LCD loses sync and goes black.

What the heck is that about? I used to prefer playing anything from the 3DO onward over S-Video, but of course my LCD doesn't have that wonderful connection. So I am stuck with Composite, or S-Video downconverted to Composite for the Saturn at present. I hope I don't run into this for any other systems, otherwise the Genesis and Master Systems are the only systems I will see the full glory of RGB on.

[Assman]

Okay, so far I have a SCART to HDMI adapter and a SCART to Component adapter. I have RGB SCART cables for the Genesis 2/32x/X'Eye, Genesis 1/Master System and Saturn. The early Sega systems work with the Component adapter on an SDTV but not on the LCD, and they all work fine with the HDMI adapter for the LCD. Oddly enough, the Saturn's RGB SCART doesn't work with the LCD over the HDMI adapter. Using the Saturn RGB causes the same issue that the Component adapter caused, my LCD loses sync and goes black.

What the heck is that about? I used to prefer playing anything from the 3DO onward over S-Video, but of course my LCD doesn't have that wonderful connection. So I am stuck with Composite, or S-Video downconverted to Composite for the Saturn at present. I hope I don't run into this for any other systems, otherwise the Genesis and Master Systems are the only systems I will see the full glory of RGB on.

I'm pretty sure a European SCART cable doesn't work right with an NTSC Saturn. You'd need to get a Saturn Japanese RGB cable and a Japanese RGB -> European SCART cable to use with your converters (or do some rewiring). I can't seem to find one of those cable adapters on Ebay at the moment, but I know I've seen 'em.

[lumclaw]

My Japanese Saturn just triggers ordinary composite with a European SCART cable on this HDMI scaler. No gameplay impact but not ideal either.

Okay, so far I have a SCART to HDMI adapter and a SCART to Component adapter. I have RGB SCART cables for the Genesis 2/32x/X'Eye, Genesis 1/Master System and Saturn. The early Sega systems work with the Component adapter on an SDTV but not on the LCD, and they all work fine with the HDMI adapter for the LCD. Oddly enough, the Saturn's RGB SCART doesn't work with the LCD over the HDMI adapter. Using the Saturn RGB causes the same issue that the Component adapter caused, my LCD loses sync and goes black.

What the heck is that about? I used to prefer playing anything from the 3DO onward over S-Video, but of course my LCD doesn't have that wonderful connection. So I am stuck with Composite, or S-Video downconverted to Composite for the Saturn at present. I hope I don't run into this for any other systems, otherwise the Genesis and Master Systems are the only systems I will see the full glory of RGB on.

Some LCD sets like mine specifically do not accept low-resolution input over component. This will NOT affect their composite or s-video inputs (making that a workaround), and component from actual 480i games displays correct.

[Joe Redifer]

You need to have cables designed for each system. The one that works with the Genesis will not work properly with the SMS. There are resistors and/or capacitors in the cable depending on which system it was meant for. I believe the SNES one has capacitors in it. My SCART RGB to Component transcoder is just like the box linked above and it works great.

[sheath]

I haven't tested my SMS RGB SCART cable on my Genesis 1 yet, I guess I should expect trouble there too. That is interesting about needing an NTSC-J RGB SCART cable for US systems, I will have to see if I can land one. My TV with the Composite to S-video splitter/amplifier works really well, but some effects end up magenta on the Saturn and PS1. I can solve that with Component out of my PS2, but I am looking for a solution for the Saturn. Otherwise, I'm just going to have to get used to playing some systems on the SDTV, which isn't actually bad at all.

[lumclaw]

Right. Both SNES and Saturn share that trait. US and Japan units take the same RGB cables, while PAL needs a different one.