Saturn Pal Scart!!

Hi all
Trying to suss a problem out with my new scart rgb lead!
Recently ordered a Pal Rgb lead with the stereo breakout cable but when connected to my tv it forces the 16:9 mode. Is this a simple resistor issue or is it just the wrong lead!

I've a model 2 pal Saturn / Modded myself with mod chip, 3 way region switch and 50/60hz

I've seen a diagram where the voltage on I think pin 8 determines this but my 15 week old son his doing his best to stop me researching this haha

many thanks

michael

 

Hey, you've almost got it figured out already! Make sure pin 8 is connected to ground to not force any particular mode. It's probably 5V right now. The downside is, that might make your TV not automatically switch to that input any more.

I'm thinking whoever made that cable might just have wanted to avoid any black borders, no matter the aspect ratio. (I'm also thinking that if that's true I probably would not have liked that person, but that's another story...). Either that, or it's actually a cable for NTSC consoles which would have 12V on whatever line the scart pin is connected to, while PAL Sat's have 5V there (just guessing here, didn't check).

 

x

 

You can also put a little step up converter in the scart plug.

 

Come to think of it, since you're using a PAL Saturn, your AV out (the Mini-DIN plug on the console) doesn't have CSync on pin 1, but 9V. Try routing that to SCART pin 8 - It's slightly outside the specced 9.5-12V range you need for SCART 4:3-switch signal, but if your TV isn't that picky it might still work.

 

Problem is, it may not be wired up in his cable.

Something like this should work OK (if you can get away with 9v):
http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Mini-DC-D...167126?hash=item210daa0596:g:0QAAAOxy2HFSV7kf

or this if 9v wont work:

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Mini-Micr...065762?hash=item1a186ed2a2:g:OV8AAOSwjVVVgxec

 

Or just set the input channel to 4:3 manually.

 

Every single time? That'd get old fast.

 

Welcome to NTSC land. Xbox 360's way of pillarboxing backwards compatibility on HDTVs was a breakthrough for consoles at the time.

 

No, thank you. The more I hear about it, the more I want to stay away

 

Thanks for the response guys!
I opened up the cable that come with the saturn ( official who knows) and noticed the resistors were different. I was going to swap them round thinking this may work !
Don't want to ruin 2 leads. Does the pal saturn out put 5v and 9v from the rear connector!
I may just disconnect pin 8
I don't have the remote to manually change between screen sizes.
Considering it's a 4:3 TV I'm surprised it forces the widescreen!

 

bent pin 8 back in plug and all working
plus the sound as no feedback/interference at all compared to my original lead