Upgrading my setup to RGB

the pre made cables look nice but I don't fancy spending $360 just for cables..
Plus I doubt I'm going with SCART due to the switcher problem stated above
but thanks for the advice (I may still go scart)

 

SCART is really the simplest option if you don't want to mess around with converting RGB to some other kind of connector. Just plug in a SCART cable and you've got RGB.

 

yeah retro_console_accessories is the business, they do custom work so if you ask the might do DB9 for you.

i cracked the shits one day with all the audio buzz i was getting from my random ebay cables. got a bunch of shielded scart cables from them, asked them to have the audio separated to rca so i could run sound to a rca switch connected to my surround sound to reduce what possibility of interference i could.

Its all a bit pricey but if i hadn't been so tight in the first place i would have saved myself a lot of time, money and frustration. dont cheap out on your cables, its a weak link and will cost you in the long run

 

ok, so I now have an RGB scart upscaler I can use.

So what I've decided to do is go scart to DB15 (DB_HD15 aka VGA).
To start I'm going to make a male SCART to VGA cable (actually I only have DB9 sockets atm so I'll use those for now)..

So I'm stuck on working out the pinout

what is needed for RGB scart?
Red
Green
Blue
Sync (does scart take sync from composite?)
Audio L + R

What does the 12+v line do? does changing the voltage tell the SCART device (scaler) what input to use (RGB or CBVS)???
A lot of consoles I see only output 5v from their multiouts...

Looking at this Nintendo pin-out:


I'm guessing...
220uf caps on color lines to boost output?
5v+ to pin 8 (switch) what is the, I'm guessing maybe 3v, to pin 16 for (what is rgb blanking for)??

EDIT: a quick goolge...

Ahh that explains why there was nothing on pin 8 in this cheap composite to scart plug (which I have promptly torn to bits for the male scart plug)
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267+K8yJGlYpqVRWyUylYahQfDU/CL7HpJLh1SmuHz0n/nVAUPWkPtBuhH1MyK+BUCzrYjmdJh4fCPUd1oAa/a+yCBoW6zy+Ft2ZW4bMeZLlXNe3GPz1RSX3KQt18Rtea6JsHH+xmOwxLVaRdTc95Tu48ybaia+pB2N59WObNwh8InT/ZLwC5bGPtbJRHzzv8AkB8Zz/sjwZ8XWSgumY3c/dpj3j+nxn0XgcIlJFp0xZUAVQOg0kpjF4CeoiRsiIgIiICIiAiIgIiICIiAiIgIiIHlkB3F/WeVpACwAHppLkScHm0hONdk8Jiv+aipb7w8LfMSdiUQXZnsrh8CGFBSC5GZmOZiBsL9JOCViAiIgIiICIiAiIgIiICIiAiIgIiICIiAiIgIiICIiAiIgIiIH//Z


SO can I just..
On my SCART to VGA (db15_HD) converter, run a nice clean regulated +12v line in, with a linear 3v regulator (to hopefully reduce noise).
Thus forcing a 4:3 RGB input mode ??

I only have one console that has no RGB option and thats just a pong clone anyway..



looking at the SCART pinouts for all the consoles to RGB-afy (Remember most of my consoles are PAL)

N64 (I'm guessing this is right according to mr.google) and I guess the same for NES modded with RGB?

-------------------------------------------------------------
PS1:

----------------------------------------------------------------------
Saturn (actually NTSCJ)

-------------------------------------------------------------
Here is where it looks to get wobbly..

GameCube: 220uf on RGB (not a huge deal) but then we have CBVS being pulled to the blanking GND with a 220uf cap before the composite input.. Anyone know why?


--------------------------------------------------------------
MegaDrive (I take it 32x is the same): 75ohm on the RGB lines (does RGB have to have a 75ohm impermanence? I thought that was only for CBVS and RF?)


---------------------------------------------

PAL SNES: Ok here it gets really odd... ok so the RGB lines are being pulled low, I'm assuming to get a 75ohm impermanence like the Mega Drive...
Could I just do the same as the MegaDrive pinout? RGB with a 75ohm impedance and a 220uf cap on the output to amplify it again?



I'll have to check on my scaler if ground is common first but this is how I was planning to implement these pinouts..

I am wanting to put all the caps an resistors inside the consoles and have DB15 male sockets on the consoles themselves..

So for example:



Seeing as it's all RGB anyway, I thought maybe throw in a sync stripper in the SCART end. Or is it better to strip sync inside the console and run that down H-sync pin on the VGA cable..

I could even go DB9 on the console side to prevent future confusion but I doubt anyone else will be re-wiring my set up..

I'm also asuming that because I'm not running 5v at all from the consoles I -hopefully- should have little cross talk and omits the need for a boost converter..



ONE More thing!
If I run the Dreamcast in RGB instead of VGA, will NON-VGA compatible games work?

 

Use C-Sync as sync when it is available. Using a sync stripper on composite video for consoles that lack C-Sync will give you C-Sync. Luma is also another option for C-Sync-less consoles.

As for the Dreamcast, if the game lacks 480p support, set the console to 15KHz RGB mode by sending pin 7 to ground on the AV Out. You can still use VGA but it will be in 15KHz mode and not every upscaler or monitor supports it. Should your monitor or upscaler not support it, you can use RGB SCART. Most of the non-480p games work with 15KHz RGB but for the few that don't, you're stuck with S-Video.

 

Is c-sync any better than stripped composite?
What happens if you just use composite to get sync?

Well if not every console has c-sync, then I guess I'll stick with the stripper

 

You won't get many benefits using pure c-sync over a stripper but since c-sync is coming out of the stripper, might as well grab it from the source if available. Less wires that way lol. I say just stick with the stripper.

Some consoles have artifacts when using composite video as sync. Others are perfectly fine. On my NTSC SNES, I've noticed that the image is sharper with C-Sync stripped from composite video.

 

ahh okies thanks for clearing that up
Now is there much point putting a sync stripper inside each console?

 

You're welcome. I say put the sync stripper in between the switchbox and the upscaler. That way you only need one and save the money for something else lol.

 

Excellent news!!!!
Ground is common on my scaler, meaning all the impedance matching can be done inside the console!

Happy Days

 

I recently purchased a XRGB mini from Dr.Yakumo, so final wiring is going to be a little different..
I have two options as the XRGBmini uses a 8 pin mini din to JP21.



1> Convert the JP 21 to SCART, like Professor @RetroJunkie did, I'll still need to use a Sync stripper.. What does SCART FB do?


2> Go Mini Din to DBHD_15 (vga plug), build it all into a project box.. Still need Sync stripper.

Side note> I'm reviewing the cheaper SCART scaler, so I'll need to build a Euro Scart plug anyway. So maybe convert the plug AND build a DBHD_15 to scart with sync box thing anyway...

 

Why do you think you would need a sync stripper for the XRGB Mini?

 

I'm sending composite from the consoles not c-sync (cheaper), originally I was going to use a cheaper scaler..

 

Ok, but that still doesn't explain the need for a sync stripper. Unlike some other scalers, the XRGB Mini does not require "clean" sync.

 

hmm ok
Well I'd still like it to work with all RGB euro scart equipment. Thanks for the info

 

Again, check retro console accessories. They sell a EURO SCART to XRGB adapter. You can even get one with a powered sync stripper, that's the one I use.

 

+1 for retro_console_accessories. I have two of their cables and they are amazing.

 

retro_console_accessories store is empty currently and I've already ordered most of the parts

 

They seem to take vacations often, probably to make more cables. It shouldn't take too long for them to restock.

 

I agree that Retro Console Accessories has awesome cables. I have scart cables from them for all of my systems, all cables with the coaxial cable upgrade they have available. Necessary? No. Overkill? Probably. I have never had any noticeable visual artifacts or audio distortion. Also with the upgrades the cables are thick and about as durable as a tank! I love their cables. I think all of this HDMI stuff might bite people in the ass later. Only time will tell...