Where to buy your RGB cables and what to look for

[jskyboo]

Where can you find these?

http://syntex.sk/p/bcj-rcap/c/connectors?lang=EN

I'm sorry let me be more specific. Where can you find these that ships to the US?

[RGB32E]

I'm sorry let me be more specific. Where can you find these that ships to the US?

I haven't found a reseller for those. I'd imagine a US reseller of Canare products might be able to special order them.

[BuckoA51]

Photographing SCART cables seems to be my new hobby:-

rgc-snes-luma by videogameperfection, on Flickr

This is RetrogamingCables.co.uk latest design PAL SNES cable with luma for sync. As far as I can see it IS shielded, that tin-foil type stuff sticking out of the cable would appear to be shielding.

No doubt some of you will dislike the glue gun he's done on the wires but I don't see that it would affect anything when in use. I'll be giving it a proper test sometime in the week anyway.

[lettuce]

Heres a comparison picture I took of a Megadrive 2 cable from RGC and RCA....





For some reason the cable from Retro Console Acessories doesn't play nice with my XRGB-Mini

[Ed Oscuro]

I'm surprised they both work when they have completely different components inside (an apparently lone resistor vs. the bundle of caps)!

The caps and differences in the blue stuff (heat shrink to do...a job protecting the leads, I guess? Not sure this works as a strain relief) might be throwing me off, but the left cable seems to have fewer connections wired up. Are these both recently made?

[lettuce]

The RCA one was around this time last year and the RGC one from this summer

[mickcris]

It looks like there is something inside that blue heat shrink. perhaps axial lead caps that are just smaller than the ones RCA used.

[ApolloBoy]

It looks like there is something inside that blue heat shrink. perhaps axial lead caps that are just smaller than the ones RCA used.

Um those are resistors, look closely at the shape outlined inside the heat shrink.

[mickcris]

It looks like there is something inside that blue heat shrink. perhaps axial lead caps that are just smaller than the ones RCA used.

Um those are resistors, look closely at the shape outlined inside the heat shrink.

probably, but then are they both not wired incorrectly? According to viletim, its supposed to have both resistors and caps in it:
http://members.optusnet.com.au/eviltim/ ... .htm#mega2

Unless RCA removed the resistors to make it brighter or something, but then the caps should still be in the RGC one.

[NOAH]

Let's try to keep it all in one place:
http://shmups.system11.org/viewtopic.php?f=6&t=52249

Sorry in advance for the wall of text & less than conclusive results. If you have a supplier worth recommending please link it there!

By order of Ed Oscuro, I'm posing this question in this thread:

Which Euroscart cable for the US model 1 Genesis, US SNES, and US Saturn offers the least audio feedback? Every SCART cable I own (all cheapies) suck in this regard. The video looks great on my Sony PVM and candy cabinets from what I can tell (except for a SUPER faint vertical stripe on my SNES in the center of the screen), but all of them suck with regard to audio interference, especially during bright color displays. Do any of these cables eliminate that (or at least come close)?

[Ed Oscuro]

There's a lot of discussion of audio interference not only here but elsewhere, but the short version is this: You can shield audio cables in an attempt to isolate them from the video signals, or you can split the audio cables off at the plug. Splitting them off at the plug is what most people recommend. With the Genesis / MD in particular there's other options: Some people get audio off the headphone jack. I think this isn't considered the best method, but it could be a quick 'n' dirty means of getting better audio.

[evil_ash_xero]

Let's try to keep it all in one place:
http://shmups.system11.org/viewtopic.php?f=6&t=52249

Sorry in advance for the wall of text & less than conclusive results. If you have a supplier worth recommending please link it there!

By order of Ed Oscuro, I'm posing this question in this thread:

Which Euroscart cable for the US model 1 Genesis, US SNES, and US Saturn offers the least audio feedback? Every SCART cable I own (all cheapies) suck in this regard. The video looks great on my Sony PVM and candy cabinets from what I can tell (except for a SUPER faint vertical stripe on my SNES in the center of the screen), but all of them suck with regard to audio interference, especially during bright color displays. Do any of these cables eliminate that (or at least come close)?

I recommend Retro Gaming Accessories on Ebay.

If you want, you can ask them to split the audio off separately. Some come that way already though.

[austin532]

How much interference does audio cause and does removing it make any noticeable difference?

[Ed Oscuro]

It's mainly the other way around - audio picks up noise from going along with the video, which really ought to be avoided.

[NOAH]

I recommend Retro Gaming Accessories on Ebay.

If you want, you can ask them to split the audio off separately. Some come that way already though.

Pretty sure that's who I bought my Genesis SCART cable from a couple years ago, it's the noisiest of all my cables. I did read something about them changing their products a little bit in recent time, maybe I'll give them another chance.

[Ed Oscuro]

You could also try Retro Console Accessories - I have one of her SNES SCART cables and it's great.

Haven't heard of Retro Gaming Accessories before. Typo of Retro Gaming Cables?

[NOAH]

There's a lot of discussion of audio interference not only here but elsewhere, but the short version is this: You can shield audio cables in an attempt to isolate them from the video signals, or you can split the audio cables off at the plug. Splitting them off at the plug is what most people recommend. With the Genesis / MD in particular there's other options: Some people get audio off the headphone jack. I think this isn't considered the best method, but it could be a quick 'n' dirty means of getting better audio.

I was trying to avoid keeping the audio off of the SCART connection so that I could quickly swap all signals with a SCART switcher without having to have a separate audio switch box. I guess it might be the best choice in the end though.

[NOAH]

You could also try Retro Console Accessories - I have one of her SNES SCART cables and it's great.

Haven't heard of Retro Gaming Accessories before. Typo of Retro Gaming Cables?

I think it was RCA, that's what I mistakenly read it as so that's what I was referring.

[Einzelherz]

I've got three cables from Retro Console Accesories and her stuff is quite good. I've never noticed the audio feedback that's mentioned here unless I turn my speakers way the hell up (which I assume is then just noise in the speaker department).

[Ed Oscuro]

It's also worth mentioning, again, that (as mentioned in the first post in the RCA section) that the RCA cables have undergone a few tweaks recently. I don't know if that's enough to explain the noise issues but you could try asking. I'd also look at your setup to see if something else is contributing to this.

[Greg2600]

http://stores.ebay.com/Retro-Accessories

ALL of my EuroSCART cables were made by Retro Console Accessories on ebay. I am super happy with them, all work fabulously. I have a Model 1 Genesis w/ stereo audio mix, Model 1 Genesis to 32X Patch w/ stero audio mix, Model 2 Genesis/32X (also used on modded TG-16), and Nintendo RGB (NES, SNES, N64). Will probably buy Saturn off them at some point too.

[retro_gaming_cables]

Its Rob from Retro Gaming Cables, Hello

Just an update on our RGB SCART cables.

Here is how we wire SCART plugs now...




This SCART is for the Playstation and has an on board LM1881 to achieve Composite Sync (CSYNC), and uses Panasonic Capacitors.
https://www.retrogamingcables.co.uk/son ... T-GUN-PORT
Nice hey

[Harrumph]

Very nice, so tidy with the custom pcb and smd components!

[bobrocks95]

Now that you have a PCB, do you wire all the ground pins, or do you still not bother?

[blizzz]

Am I imagining things or is the picture a lot more blurry now than when he originally posted it?

Anyway, here's a non-blurry version from their website:

[retro_gaming_cables]

all the ground pins are connected. 21 (shell), 18, 17 (sync GND), 14, 5 (red GND), 9 (green GND), 4 (audio GND) and 13 (red GND). It looks blurry because I used a macro lens on my DSLR camera. I was trying to be artist

[RGB32E]

Its Rob from Retro Gaming Cables, Hello
Just an update on our RGB SCART cables.
Here is how we wire SCART plugs now...
Nice hey

Sort of neat, but not really. Your design still needs work!

1. You didn't bother to solder all of the 21 pin connections to the PCB (might want to update your site pic if this has changed)
2. The PCB solder points are way too close to the connector hood opening
3. You either flat out ignored Tim Worthington's LM1881 application notes, or are blissfully unaware
__a. The cap and resistor for the RSET pin are completely unnecessary and only exist if you're using the ODD/EVEN and/or BURST outputs, which you aren't using!
__b. No input termination (75 ohm resistor to ground - applicable for NTSC sources)
__c. No provisions for adding a 470 ohm resistor and optional 220uF capacitor on the Composite Sync output for "75 ohm" csync output for displays and devices that expect the corresponding signal level

Similar feedback was given to retrorgb bob, but his close-mindedness prevented any sort of updated design that he sold for a while. I hope you're not even worse!

[retro_gaming_cables]

Dear RGB32E

(1) All of the used pins are soldered onto the board. Whats the point of soldering a non - used pin? All that extra waste of solder, and even with lead free solder I get gassed-out after a while, so I decided to only solder the required pins. Actually those pictures are of two different board revisions. The side with the LM1881 does have pads on the board for pins 8 10 and 12, which you can see in the picture behind each corresponding pin, and are not soldered. The capacitor side shoot is a newer design which only has pads on the board for used pins. As you can see pin 19 doesn't have a pad underneath it. We are making improved changes for each batch of new boards, and this was one of the changes made.

(2) Yes your right, where the cable attaches to the board is very close to the opening, but there is still about 10mm distance to the cable strain relief on the SCART plug. The reason the pads are on the edge of the board is because my original idea was to terminate the cable with an edge connector and then plug this into the edge of the board, however, I couldn't source an edge connector small enough to fit into the cable entry point of the SCART plug.

(3) I will read up on Tims work. My design is based on the data sheet for the Lm1881 using the typical connection diagram, which you probably know well. I have used this configuration for all the years I have been making cables, and its always worked for both pal and ntsc consoles. I have never had a reason to do it another way, however, I will read up on Tim's findings, as I aways strive to make improvements. Thank you for bring this to my attention.

I have designed a number of different printed circuit boards for different systems, so this one design is not used on all consoles.

[RGB32E]

1. It is a minor quibble for the sake of fit and finish. Many SCART plug pins can "rattle" if not secured in some fashion. Tim's 8MDIN to SCART cable adapter provides pads for all pins and soldering all (20) that results in a solid feeling adapter, despite it having an exposed PCB!

2. Just seems like it would make terminating mini coaxes more complicated and challenging (one example). The idea of a modular connection is interesting as it could simplify assembly of different pinouts much easier, or more costly and complicated.

3. I've used the classic verbatim LM1881 application as well, but it's always nice to have designs evolve as more insights become available. It would be interesting to see the sync buffer circuit from Tim's AV-Driver in a "under-a-scart hood" form factor.

I have designed a number of different printed circuit boards for different systems, so this one design is not used on all consoles.

Of course!

[neorichieb1971]

I'm surprised scart is used at all. Most of these leads go into converters and such.

Wouldn't it be better to have a converter box that uses something better than SCART and make cables for each console that plug into that converter?

Anyhow, much interested in the outcome of this debate. I have an official PS1 scart cable and the white background of the original PS1 boot up (the boom screen) makes one hell of a buzzing noise.