Hooking up a European PAL Super Nintendo to an XRGB-Mini using the official Super Famicom RGB cable

Hi!

I own a European PAL Super Nintendo, don't know the exact revision, but can open it up if necessary. I have just ordered an XRGB-Mini (Framemeister) from Solaris Japan. I have also ordered (through eBay) the following official Super Famicom cables:

• SHVC-008: composite video using RCA connector
• SHVC-009 S-Video using Mini-DIN-4 connector
• SHVC-010 RGB using 21-pin SCART-like connector

I am confident that I can connect the Super Nintendo to the XRGB-Mini using the SHVC-008 and SHVC-009 cables, but I'm not sure about the SHVC-010 cable. From what I understand the connector is similar to a SCART connector, but the signal is not (supposed to be) SCART. The XRGB-Mini is supposed to come with a little "RGB cable adapter" in the box, which, according to this review of the unit, is a JP21 adapter.

When using the SHVC-010 with a European Super Nintendo, is the output signal going to be SCART or JP21? Do I need to modify the Super Nintendo, the cable, or both to output the same signal that would be output from a Japanse Super Famicom?

Thinking more about it, my idea is that the SHVC-010 cable is nothing special, it just wires the Nintendo AV multi out port's signals to the 21 pins at the end of the cable. It's the console (Super Famicom or Super Nintendo) which determines the signals going onto the wires and coming out on the 21-pins. Hence I still need to 'fix' the output before it goes into the "RGB cable adapter" in the XRGB-Mini box. Either at the console, or in the cable.

Or... the wiring in the SHVC-010 is such that no matter the console (Super Famicom or Super Nintendo) the output signal at the end of the cable is JP21.

To make matter even more confusing, this page states that the multi out on the PAL Super Nintendo puts +12V on pin 3, which may be problematic when combined with the SHVC-010 cable.

 

Nintendo changed the video circuitry between the NTSC SNES/Super Famicom, and the PAL SNES (The motherboards are actually different) Nintendo then added different components (Resistors/Capacitors) inside the SCART and/or MULTI OUT plugs depending on the region. I made a thread about this topic many years ago:-
http://nfggames.com/forum2/index.php?topic=3203

If you really want to use a PAL SNES with official cables you would probably be best buying an original French PAL Nintendo SCART (Peritel) Cable, like either of these listings:-
http://www.ebay.fr/itm/Cable-Video-...EL-Super-NINTENDO-pour-SNES-PAL-/311348820743
http://www.ebay.fr/itm/Cable-peritel-SUPER-NINTENDO-Snes-Original-/221815234930
The Nintendo model code is not printed on the plug, but is actually SNSP-010. Be careful not to confuse it with the the SHVC-010, or the DOL-013 (PAL GameCube SCART Cable) All three cables look the same/similar, but are quite different internally.

You can then use a Euro SCART to DIN connector to connect to the XRGB Mini, like this:-
https://www.retrogamingcables.co.uk...emeister-xrgb-mini-passive-converter-for-sale

I hope that helps

 

Thanks Link!

I'm going to purchase both items you mentioned (one SNSP-010 and the Euro SCART to Mini-DIN-8) and test them with the XRGB-Mini once everything has been delivered. Though I'll probably end up buying a Super Famicom anyway

Is there any harm in trying the combination of PAL Super Nintendo, Japanese cables, and XRGB-Mini? I'm asking because I understand from the linked thread and diagrams that there is an extra +12V coming out of the PAL Super Nintendo. And it's on pin 3, which is expected to be 'composite sync' on a Super Famicom, so I can imagine that the XRGB-Mini might be damaged if it receives +12V instead of the expected sync signal. If so, would that be a problem for all 3 SHVC cables, or just the RGB cable (SHVC-101)?

 

The MULTI OUT socket pin 3 (composite sync/+12V) is not used by the composite video cable (SHVC-008) or the S-Video cable (SHVC-009) so they should be ok to use with a PAL SNES - however note that the original PAL cables are different as they have a 75ohm resistor to ground on the video signal inside the plug, which the NTSC cables do not have - so depending on the PAL SNES revision you have you may find that the picture is too bright or washed out etc, and this may cause the XRGB Mini to have problems displaying the signal.

I'm afraid I dont know if the RGB-21 cable (SHVC-010) uses the composite sync or the composite video pin to get the necessary sync signal (I have only seen pictures of the insides online) so you would probably have to check using a multimeter if you wanted to be sure.

Its also worth noting that some later revisions of the SNES/Super Famicom console (Usually called '1CHIP') produce a much better RGB picture:-
https://sd2snes.de/blog/archives/75
These models are harder to find, but worth it if your trying to get the best RGB picture from a SNES/Super Famicom. You can check darthcloud's serial number list to help work out what motherboard a certain console has:-
https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1q1H5eQYEG_evwpVmAVMAXa9UC6SAcvblr5igUnmpwRk/pub?output=html
Good luck!

 

Thanks for the link... link83! Ha. Having a serial range on hand may help me locating a 1CHIP SuFami, as happy I am with my THS7314 modded SNES Mini I would prefer to have the aesthetic of the original SuFami.