Easy SNES/SFC YUV component video!

[Guntz]

So, has anyone tried the digital audio out mod for the SNES? If one did that, along with the component out, that would make for one hell of a 16-bit console.

What is this optical audio mod you speak of? Got any sources? I don't have any equipment that takes optical audio, but I'm still interested.

[Lastcallhall]

What is this optical audio mod you speak of? Got any sources? I don't have any equipment that takes optical audio, but I'm still interested.

http://www.alpha-ii.com/Info/snes-spdif.html

It's a bit old, but the tech should still hold true.

[xelement5x]

The Gamecube component cables use a different AV port than the Standard Nintendo Multi-AV Out. The Component cables use the port labeled "Digital AV Out":

Thanks for elaborating, enjoy the rep

I had always thought it just used the standard AV (SNES/N64) out, I didn't know that it required a special digital connection.

The analog AV out does output for S-video though, right?

[ApolloBoy]

The analog AV out does output for S-video though, right?

Yes, but not RGB sadly. Strangely enough the PAL GameCube has RGB but not S-video.

[Waterfaller]

I don't have the right model.

That sucks... I wonder if mine does... would anyone be willing to do these mods if it were the right model?

Any idea how straight component would compare to SCART >>> component?

[Guntz]

http://www.alpha-ii.com/Info/snes-spdif.html

It's a bit old, but the tech should still hold true.

Thanks. I can't make sense of that table though. Perhaps I'll perform this mod if ever I upgrade to a digital audio sound system.

That sucks... I wonder if mine does... would anyone be willing to do these mods if it were the right model?

I could, but I have no component RCA jacks, so I guess I can't really do it then...

Any idea how straight component would compare to SCART >>> component?

It depends entirely on the quality of the SCART to component converting box, which can vary between different makes and models. For what it's worth, the BA6592F offers excellent quality.

[TrekkiesUnite118]

Here's a question. I noticed that the chip takes raw RGB and "clamps" it (not entirely sure what this means), and then converts it to component to output. I've noticed the encoders on other systems (CXA1645, etc.) do this as well and that's what you get for the RGB output on those systems. What would happen if you sent this chip an already clamped RGB signal? Would the quality of the output be significantly worse, or would it not work at all?

I ask because you might be able to just get away with a custom cable that has that chip installed in it to do the conversion for you similar to what the Gamecube Component cables do. That way you wouldn't have to do any internal modding to your system, just use a different cable.

[Guntz]

Here's a question. I noticed that the chip takes raw RGB and "clamps" it (not entirely sure what this means), and then converts it to component to output. I've noticed the encoders on other systems (CXA1645, etc.) do this as well and that's what you get for the RGB output on those systems. What would happen if you sent this chip an already clamped RGB signal? Would the quality of the output be significantly worse, or would it not work at all?

Raw or clamped RGB most likely wouldn't make any difference. Only possible change might be a bit of added amplification for the NTSC encoder's RGB output.

I ask because you might be able to just get away with a custom cable that has that chip installed in it to do the conversion for you similar to what the Gamecube Component cables do. That way you wouldn't have to do any internal modding to your system, just use a different cable.

That would be virtually impossible if you're using something like a CXA1645 or CXA2075. Their application circuits have too many components to just fit in a cable. It'd be much easier to put all that in a box which has a Nintendo Multi-AV cable and standard jacks mounted on the box.

[Lastcallhall]

That would be virtually impossible if you're using something like a CXA1645 or CXA2075. Their application circuits have too many components to just fit in a cable. It'd be much easier to put all that in a box which has a Nintendo Multi-AV cable and standard jacks mounted on the box.

What I've done is created a circuit from a CXA1645 and stuck it in a project box, and used a 9-pin jack on one end to feed the signal from a Genesis 2/32x/CDX/Genesis 3) and routes it to the opposite side where I have a s-video jack and audio outs. Such a box could probably be made for the above in the same way.

[TrekkiesUnite118]

Raw or clamped RGB most likely wouldn't make any difference. Only possible change might be a bit of added amplification for the NTSC encoder's RGB output.



That would be virtually impossible if you're using something like a CXA1645 or CXA2075. Their application circuits have too many components to just fit in a cable. It'd be much easier to put all that in a box which has a Nintendo Multi-AV cable and standard jacks mounted on the box.

Just to be sure we're on the same page here, what I was thinking was for other systems. So if you had a Sega Genesis for instance, if you took the RGB signal from the AV Out Port and then fed that into a BA6592F, would that be enough to get Component out? If so you could possibly just make a custom cable. If it wasn't enough, what additional components would you need?

[Guntz]

What I've done is created a circuit from a CXA1645 and stuck it in a project box, and used a 9-pin jack on one end to feed the signal from a Genesis 2/32x/CDX/Genesis 3) and routes it to the opposite side where I have a s-video jack and audio outs. Such a box could probably be made for the above in the same way.

Exactly.

Just to be sure we're on the same page here, what I was thinking was for other systems. So if you had a Sega Genesis for instance, if you took the RGB signal from the AV Out Port and then fed that into a BA6592F, would that be enough to get Component out? If so you could possibly just make a custom cable. If it wasn't enough, what additional components would you need?

It's never that simple. It'll be much like any other NTSC encoder, it'll have an application circuit requiring various components. The Japanese datasheet is pretty much impossible to read but it does have an app circuit.

Besides, one might as well just put the BA6592F inside a plastic project box and then mount composite/S-video/component jacks on the panels.

[GohanX]

Damn, I was looking forward to seeing your work. I'll have to see if one of my parts systems is the right model, although it might be a while before I get around to it.

For you guys that have done it, does the SNES still exhibit the vertical line problem that is prevalent in S-Video and higher video sources?

[Guntz]

Yes, that weird vertical bar in the middle of the screen is still there. For all we know it could just be inherent to the SNES hardware, much like the N64's bilinear filtering which doesn't occur in modern emulators.

I should probably mention this though. Because I don't have audio RCA jacks implemented on my system yet, I still use a mutli-AV cable for sound. With just component video running, the picture looks fine, has the vertical bar on a black screen and honestly it looks very slightly pale. When I have audio connected via the mutli-AV port, the picture gains a very slight green tint and from what I see, that vertical bar isn't visible anymore. However, black screens have a slight green tint as well. Not really sure what's going on here... the tinting here is extremely slight, it's only noticeable when actively connecting/disconnecting the mutli-AV port.

[Lastcallhall]

For you guys that have done it, does the SNES still exhibit the vertical line problem that is prevalent in S-Video and higher video sources?

I use s-video for my SNES and there's no vertical line issue that I can see.

[Guntz]

I use s-video for my SNES and there's no vertical line issue that I can see.

It's not exactly a line. What GohanX speaks of is a darker-than-the-rest-of-the-screen vertical band in the middle of the screen. I notice it a lot in Star Fox and with RF video.