Modding the GameCube component cable

Do let us know how it works out. You may need to set 240p to be linedoubled to 480p via the appropriate jumper. Also, don't use this on the XRGB mini's HDMI port. It had some issues and I have no idea if they have been fixed yet. It won't damage anything, it's just the screen will be off-centered. Only plug this board into an HDMI jack that accepts DVI-D (usually labelled HDMI/DVI).

Also, if you have a DOL-101, this guide should make GCVideo DVI work on it. The guide shows the official GC Component cable running on a DOL-101, which lacks the Digital AV port. The signals are still there though.

 

I have a DOL-001, so it should be fairly straightforward. One thing I couldn't make sense of, though, is the power requirements for the programming board. It has a DC input, and it seems to accept anywhere from 5 to 15 volts? That's a huge window for something so small.

 

That is a huge window. Why would something like that need 15V?

 

It does say in the specification that it has its own voltage regulator, so maybe that's why it can accept such a high voltage.

 

That's probably why. I say use a 9V or 10V PSU to meet it in the middle.

 

Jumpes are soooo 2014... There is an OSD now to configure this and all other options.

It's a bit better when enhanced mode is enabled, but I've seen an off-center image image with the Mini even in enhanced mode. As far as I know routing an HDMI (or DVI) signal through the Mini isn't really a good idea anyway because it always does something weird with the signal, even with HDMI direct enabled.

Don't worry too much about this, HDMI is supposed to be downwards-compatible after all and if the display doesn't like the default output signal, enabling enhanced mode sometimes help.

 

Awww, I'm gonna miss jumpers lol. Glad to hear the OSD is done(?). Any way to make an external remote so I don't have to use a controller or can I use a switch on the controller to GCVideo wire to enable/disable controlling the OSD with a GC controller? Sorry if it sounds confusing but my vocabulary is not at it's best today.

So about this enhanced mode, what does it do?

 

Currently not

Nope

The OSD is called up by holding L+R+X+Y for about one second and it responds only to the D-pad and the X and Y buttons. All inputs are still read by the Gamecube while the OSD is on screen, but in my experience you can usually find a spot in the pause menu where they don't don any harm.

The Gamecube's boot menu is a partial exception because the on-screen cube respons to all three directional inputs (both sticks and D-pad), but if you switch to the configuration menu before entering the OSD the inputs can't do anything harmful.

It outputs Enhanced DVI, what else? The mode offers a bit better compatibility because it adds special data fields to the video stream that tell the display how to interpret the video data. It doesn't work with pure-DVI displays, but can be beneficial with displays that support other "DVI with more stuff in it"-signals like HDMI.

 

Ah ok. I was just worried that there would be a game tat uses those combos and didn't want to accidentally bring up the OSD during gameplay. I got to looking and my SCART/HDMI to HDMI converter works with 480i and 576i over HDMI so I can use that if my TV doesn't accept those resolutions. Not sure about 240p and 288p though.

 

I use a monitor rather than a TV to play my retro consoles on, and monitors are generally a lot more flexible in terms of the resolutions they can accept. As @Unseen says, HDMI is naturally compatible with DVI, hence why HDMI to DVI adapters exist. @Unseen, perhaps you can shed some light on the power requirements of the TXDI board? What power does it require? And will it power the Pluto via its connection to it when programming?

 

Actually I have no idea - I don't have any TXDI boards. During development I just used a JTAG interface, although I did use an FT232RL board once that I already had to test the KNJN programming software.

As far as I know the RS232 TXDI boards have a barrel connector for an external power supply while the FTDI-based one is powered over USB. Their power input also seems to be used for the FPGA board while they are connected, but if that is not desired (e.g. when the board is already installed in a Cube and powered by it) cutting the power wire on the TXDI-to-FPGA wire should fix that.

The KNJN user manual claims on page 20 that the RS232 TXDI boards expect 5 to 10V on their power input. The USB version ("Item#6160 (TXDI/FTDI)" is probably a lot less hassle to use on a modern PC.


(it would've been so much easier if I had targeted the miniSpartan3 because it has an on-board USB programmer - but it wasn't available last year when I had to choose a cheap target board for the initial DVI release)

 

Good find, I should be able to dig out a DC adapter with the right voltage from somewhere, the one I use for my Framemeister is 5V centre positive, I just hope the barrel is the right size. Failing that, I should be able to use one of my Mega Drive 2 adapters, they are 9V with a fairly common barrel size.

It would be nice to use one that has an on board USB programmer, but then for final production I would imagine you want as small a board as possible. Once I get this working, I'm going to use a male to female panel mount HDMI connector and cut a small hole in the back of my cube so I can mount that bad boy nice and neatly.

By the way, is there any way to get sound through the HDMI?

 

I still hope that someone else will do that - developing something like GCVideo is fun, building and distributing is not.

(Disclaimer: Videos are based on a pre-final version of GCVideo 2.0, the released one has minor changes)

 

I think Megalomaniac over on gc-forever.com is making plans to produce a retail board; there is a section on his website with a big old "coming soon" under GC Video.

Ah, so DVI enhanced mode allows for sound over HDMI?

 

Yes, I saw that - he also contacted me with a few question some weeks ago, but I have no idea what his plans are.

It's still not HDMI (because that is a trademarked name) and it may or may not work with every monitor/TV because the Gamecube's sample rate is slightly off spec, although barely within tolerances.

 

Ah my mistake, by HDMI I of course mean generic digital AV connection...

 

I'm super stoked about this, just have to vent a little. My Pluto board and TXDI have been dispatched, I've ordered myself a serial to USB adapter, and I found a 16cm male to female with panel mount on the female end HDMI passthrough cable, so I can keep the board inside somewhere neat and mount a neat little HDMI socket on the rear.

 

That sounds like an awesome idea! Could you please link the HDMI panel mount you bought? I may have to get one.

Also, does anyone know where I can get a 3.3V panel mount TOSLINK connector?

One more thing, where is the controller line signal needed for the OSD on a DOL-101?

 

I can, yes, but they're a UK supplier and I'm not 100% sure they will ship internationally. They might, though. Find it here.

Yes. Right here.

Is it not in the same place as on the DOL-001?

 

Thank you for the links. I asked about the controller signal because I wasn't sure if it was in the same spot. They moved a lot of stuff around in the 101s. For instance, the DetectCable and 54MHz signal are near the DAC instead of the AV port.