gscartsw: automatic 8:1 SCART-RGB switch

Everything has be checked in this case. You should even disassemble your SCART cable and see what's inside.

 

Thank you, I really appreciate the help from both of you! As I don't have access to an oscilloscope at this time, I'm going to take aim at a new cable. @retrorgb : I've seen two different pinouts for the TG-16. I'm using this one:
(apologies for swiping your image, Otaku's store)
Is this the one you are using, too? Can you recommend someone to get a cable from?
I'm also going to go out on a limb and say that, if there's any sort of chip in play, it would be in the large SCART end of the cable, right?

 

Yeah, usually all the components are inside SCART connector.

 

I'm actually using a completely different connector on mine, so I can't be much of a help with that. Sorry.

 

I am pleased to report that the switch turns on just fine now. But I would encourage you guys to put the Tomee Genesis 1 adapter in the OP and the description of the switch at the squareup store. It is, as you guys said, cheap, and functional, with more than enough juice. (Actual specs appear to be 1.2A@8.5V.) Would save a lot of people a lot of time and research. My personal reservations about 3rd party switching PSUs marketed for video game consoles do not appear to apply here and I think it might be a good idea to mention something along those lines as well, since I can't be the only person to have gotten screwed in the past with those (part of why I was looking for a legacy PSU that could fit the bill instead).

 

OK, so if I'm reading the pinouts correctly (according to here), it looks like someone added a resistor between blanking (pin 16) and +12 switching (pin 8). They've also added a small jumper between blanking ground (pin 18) and video ground (pin 17). No stripper chip in the chain. Is this normal?

 

All this is normal, that resistor doesn't affect anything (pin 16 and pin 8 aren't used by the switch), all grounds can be interconnected.

 

Crud. I was hoping you were using pin 8 as the "is this port active?" And that it was interfering with the blanking. Given the smearing I showed earlier in the thread, is that more indicative of a weak sync signal, weak RGB, or both?

 

Input is detected on composite pin.
Could be the weak signal but I can't say for sure.

 

You mean pin 16, right?

 

Is pin 16 composite?

 

Not trying to sound dense here, but it depends on what you mean by composite, and I'm jumping from Wikipedia to the pinout link I posted earlier. Do you mean the blanking signal (pin 16) which can carry a composite (sync) signal, or pin 21 which carries composite video?

I'm just trying to isolate the issue.

 

Blanking doesn't carry composite, it's mode selection.
pin 21 is composite output, pin 20 is composite input.
If you want to understand SCART I'd really recommend reading https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/SCART.
I'll repeat myself, pin 8 and pin 16 are unused by the switch.
If your input is forwarded - it's not a detection problem.

 

So, I stupidly connected the wrong power supply to this Scart switch. Normally I feed it 9v DC @ 1.5A and all is well, works perfectly. But I plugged in 12v DC @2A for a few seconds and now the LED won't come on and no video etc.
There is a slight electrical smell as well, not burning really but I don't think it was there before.

So, dead forever or do i have options?

:0(

 

Oh, looks like you've fried it. What switch version are we talking about?
I remember you've ordered earlier.

 

It's v3.0.
Yes, I'd a feeling it was fried, but was hoping I was wrong.

So, probably nothing I can do to bring it back to life? Pity, this thing is awesome.

 

That version doesn't have polarity protection, I'm pretty sure it died because of polarity. It's likely that just one IC has to be replaced.
Well, if you're willing to pay shipping both ways and cover the IC price I can fix it for you.
(PM me)

 

That'd be great!
I'll send you a PM. Thanks

 

On Wednesday the JP21 units are arriving. Those will be available directly from me in a week or so, PSU's will be bundled. There is only one problem to solve: JP21 male-to-male cable. I'm looking into possible options however if you are impatient to get the switch now (and use VGA connector with either VGA->SCART or VGA->BNC) you'll be able to order yours in a week or so.

This JP21 batch is important because I've changed diodes footprint as previous SCART batch had some soldering issues I've had to fix manually. Hopefully this time there will be nothing to fix. That's why I'm waiting for JP21 units before next SCART batch order.

 

Forgive me if this was asked already, but is there any plans to make a smaller / cheaper unit available? Perhaps one with only 2 or 3 ports for those who don't have that many systems to connect?