Adventures in RGB (56k warning)

[scarmullet]

After recently procuring what I was told is a Multi-sync monitor (capable of 15kHz) I endeavored to try out some RGB on my favorite consoles. I can only use a DB-15 connection

Experiment 1: SNES   SNES MULTI-OUT to DB-15 (VGA)

I built a simple Adapter from an SNES AV Cable, moved a couple pins to where I needed, and soldered them up...no result. I threw in some 220uF caps to boost the signal...nothing.

[z]Upon examining the AV cable...I wired the wires to the wrong side. I needed them on 1-5, I ended up doing them on 8-12. Now I am fresh out of SNES AV Cables (what the hell happened to all mine?) and I shall look for an aftermarket cable that has all the pins. Such a feature is not unique...and the retro-bit stuff tends to have them.[/z]

IT WORKS! I have finally invented something that works....sadly I can not use it as the guy lied to me (or didn't know what he was talking about), but instead of "No Signal" I get "Input not supported"

So I know it is wired up correctly

I feel like Doc Brown at the moment.

[larryinc64]

Interesting, what systems do you plan on doing?

[scarmullet]

SNES
N64 (w/ mod)

Genesis
Saturn

Amiga (if I can get my hands on one)

these are ones that don't have RGB connections readily available, unlike the PS2/3, Xbox 360, Wii..all of which can be played in Y Pb Pr, which is like RGB...and pretty close to the naked eye. These are also systems that I own, I do not own a Neo Geo, so I cant do that.

I would like to do NES/Famicom but that requires some major surgery, along with 3DO.

[scarmullet]

What I will probably end up doing is setting up a personal video standard to a stock connection, maybe a DB 9,, have RGB Video with grounds, as well as Stereo sound with the grounds (you can ground both on one pin)....even the sync and ground. That would require a minimum of 11 pins so...use a DB-15 connection.

Adapt that standard to VGA or Scart

[scarmullet]

Alright, I bit the bullet and added audio through a headphone jack.

[scarmullet]

(sigh)

I purchased a DIY Scaler Kit from Arcadeforge which according to accounts can handle the 15 khz RGB signal and convert it to a 31khz signal.

It comes from Germany and due to the holiday season....I wont be getting it till the 28th.

(sigh)

[Azarkhel]

It'll do what you want it too, not the best scaler but with the SLG in there the picture becomes quite decent. I was using one for awhile but have since moved to an XRGB.

[scarmullet]

I just got a beat on a possible monitor that can do RGB straight up with no scaling....a PSone LCD...which means it makes the PSone do RGB



thats an image of a PS1 LCD running a Tetris JAMMA arcade board. Jamma boards use the same frequencies as a console outputting RGB, so, yea. if I come across one from now till then, surely I will pick it up and give it a go, till my scaler gets here.

Also on a sad note, my regular parts distributor, Radio Shack in Angola, IN closed its doors, making it harder for me to get parts. I am heading to Coldwater tomorrow, see about grabbing parts to rebuild my cable so that it looks...presentable.

[scarmullet]

I built this little board in order to get rid of the tumors on my cable



on the end is a DB-15 Male, ready for a VGA cable...on the other end will be a 8 pin DIN connection, which will be a universal connection for my RGB connections (except for Saturn...that one will be internal...have you ever seen a 10 pin DIN connection for sale...I havent....and since my Saturn has a region switch, and a modchip, one more mod wont hurt)

According to this site

http://members.optusnet.com.au/eviltim/gamescart/gamescart.htm

pretty much all of them (aside from a select few) require the 200uF cap..and some require a 75ohm resister...so I figured I can drop the resistor in the cable, and everything plugs into this beast.

[scarmullet]

UPDATE!

I got the Scaler yesterday, worked for a few hours to get it working...it worked for a while.....and it died today. I will check my options on getting it replaced...or an equivalent.

But, it did work well...when it did.

[scarmullet]

UPDATE!

OK, I have the DIY scaler working again, and I was able to get shots from some SNES Games in VGA (converted from RGB), I used a Dell 1703fp monitor with a 4:3 aspect ratio.

Sorry for the guerrilla style images, but I have no way to capture VGA video.

here are some random games

Ultima VI: The False Prophet



Legend of Zelda: A Link to the Past



Yoshi's Island


Super Mario RPG


Actraiser


Final Fantasy VI (Japanese)

[Azarkhel]

Looks quite decent. How're you finding the input lag?

[scarmullet]

None at all. It seems to help that I am not running at HD resolutions (staying at 640x480), and I am converting a pure RGB signal instead of using composite or S-Video.

[scarmullet]

I call this one a successful failure


I did get RGB out of the N64, but when I put the system back together, the RGB didn't work anymore (scratch that, I just didn't have the cable plugged in all the way). But the image produced is stupidly dark and sometimes looks garbled, it needs an amp.

The immortal classic Super................................man 64


Super Mario 64




Starfox 64 (Lyatwars to our limey friends across the pond)



Evangelion 64




Banjo Kazooie



Super Smash Bros


(dont tell anyone, the second one has some CP in it)

Conkers Bad Fur Day


Again this is at 640x480

I have noticed an issue with Goldeneye on N64, some of the HUD is missing (namely the ammo counter), and the targeting reticule doesn't come up.