Need an idiot check on my PCE RGB cabling before I buy

[thebigcheese]

I have a briefcase setup coming in the mail that I plan on modding for RGB, but I want to make sure that what I'm doing isn't stupid.
1. Mod the CoreGrafx for RGB out. I want to mod this instead of the IFU because I suspect it will be cleaner (in terms of video quality) and it will also look cleaner since I don't have to drill any new holes. I'm using the Mickris mod because it leaves composite video intact, so I still have the option to use it if I want to.
2. Because of that, I want to purchase a cable that has a sync stripper in it. Or I can put one in it. This would make for cleaner sync, but, if that's not likely to make any real difference, might not be worth the effort.
3. To get audio out of the IFU, I would pick up one of these: https://www.retrogamingcables.co.uk/aud ... BLE-STEREO. I suspect that this actually pulls audio from the input side, so I would modify it to route audio from the RCA jacks to the output side. Why? This way I have a cable that works with the CoreGrafx by itself and an adapter that disconnects audio from the CoreGrafx and pulls it from two RCA jacks (ie the IFU) instead.

Does that all make sense? Is it a stupid way to go about it? The goal is to get the cleanest signal while retaining the flexibility to use the CoreGrafx by itself or in conjunction with the IFU.

[DirkSwizzler]

1. I'm not 100% positive they're equivalent. But I did the voultar mod on my supergrafx and it leaves composite video intact unless you specifically sever the connection to the pcb and replace it.
2. If the sync stripper is in the scart end you're not going to improve video quality. The coupling has already happened along the whole length of the cable.
3. If you're using the standard DIN8 connector as your output. The genesis 1 and neo geo cables have those same physical connectors *and* and stereo headphone jack. You'll need to rewire the scart head as the DIN8 pinouts differ between all 3 consoles. But the important part is the physical pin positioning is the same. I recommend this because those pass-thru scart adapters are ALWAYS a pain to keep connected. Avoid them if you can.

I'm already trying to convince Robert of retrogamingcables.co.uk to make the PCE + stereo jack cable available because the SSDS3 A/V output is such a shitshow. I'm going to put a headphone jack in the side of my SSDS3.

[thebigcheese]

In Voultar's videos, he specifies that you should cut the composite video pin of the DIN jack if you are connecting c-sync. Otherwise you're just sending c-sync over the composite video line, ie you just have sync+composite video. So not really much reason to have wired up c-sync in the first place. I'd wager if you disconnect the wire from the mod board you'd see no change.

I'd be getting a fully shielded cable, so I don't expect I'd get any interference anyway. The OSSC and gscartsw_lite both can deal with sync from composite, I think, so I suppose the sync stripper isn't strictly necessary. Maybe my PVM needs c-sync? I don't think so, though, it reads luma just fine. That would be the only reason for me to get the stripper.

The Genesis cables all have components in them, though. I guess I could just remove those components, but it would also be wired for c-sync with components to match instead of accommodating the composite video output of the CoreGrafx. The main benefit of the adapter is that I can still use the CoreGrafx without the IFU. I don't know why I would ever do that, so maybe that's not really that important, but that was the main reason for that. I'd still need to adapt the headphone plug to two RCA, though.

[DirkSwizzler]

In Voultar's videos, he specifies that you should cut the composite video pin of the DIN jack if you are connecting c-sync. Otherwise you're just sending c-sync over the composite video line, ie you just have sync+composite video. So not really much reason to have wired up c-sync in the first place. I'd wager if you disconnect the wire from the mod board you'd see no change.

I'm not sure. But this language makes me believe you might be confused by something that also confused me for a couple months:
When using a SCART cable. CSYNC, luma, and composite video are mutually exclusive because they all use the same pin on the SCART end. So if you just ignore the steps for wiring in csync and leave composite video intact on the DIN8 then composite video still works and is already carrying the sync signal.

Obviously use whatever mod you want. All I'm getting at is that Voultar's also supports composite video output.

[thebigcheese]

In Voultar's videos, he specifies that you should cut the composite video pin of the DIN jack if you are connecting c-sync. Otherwise you're just sending c-sync over the composite video line, ie you just have sync+composite video. So not really much reason to have wired up c-sync in the first place. I'd wager if you disconnect the wire from the mod board you'd see no change.

I'm not sure. But this language makes me believe you might be confused by something that also confused me for a couple months:
When using a SCART cable. CSYNC, luma, and composite video are mutually exclusive because they all use the same pin on the SCART end. So if you just ignore the steps for wiring in csync and leave composite video intact on the DIN8 then composite video still works and is already carrying the sync signal.

Obviously use whatever mod you want. All I'm getting at is that Voultar's also supports composite video output.

It's true that they are all the same on the SCART end, but they are not all the same on the console end. Consider that the 8-pin DIN has, well, 8 pins. That gives you red, green, blue, left, right, +5v, and ground. You have one remaining pin that can be used for composite video (which also happens to carry a sync signal) OR some type of sync. You can't have sync on a separate pin. Here is the video in question where he says "If you want to use c-sync in place of composite video" and then says to cut the pin to remove composite video: https://youtu.be/rhRww_SmKmc?t=11m14s. Other consoles with more pins can put sync on different pins (which then gets wired to the same pin on the SCART side, as you said).

So yes, technically it supports composite video output, but if you do that you aren't also getting proper, clean c-sync.

[DirkSwizzler]

So yes, technically it supports composite video output, but if you do that you aren't also getting proper, clean c-sync.

But isn't this what you already planned to do? I'm only mentioning anything because it lines up with your stated plan.

I'm using the Mickris mod because it leaves composite video intact, so I still have the option to use it if I want to. ... Because of that, I want to purchase a cable that has a sync stripper in it

[thebigcheese]

Yes, I just meant in your case. Reason two for getting the Mickris board is that it was less than half the cost for the same results :p

As an alternative to the SCART in-line adapter thing, maybe it would make more sense to build a short DIN to DIN cable that breaks out the audio? That way I am not beholden to the SCART adapter you said to avoid.

[DirkSwizzler]

Yes, I just meant in your case.

Oh, I cut out composite without hesitation. After I've already done trace cuts on at least a neo geo and genesis to get rid of jailbars I decided that I have no qualms leaving composite out of my setup entirely.

As an alternative to the SCART in-line adapter thing, maybe it would make more sense to build a short DIN to DIN cable that breaks out the audio? That way I am not beholden to the SCART adapter you said to avoid.

If that makes sense for you. I just want to be clear that I have no data on that specific adapter. But every single similar scart passthru box I've used has always had trouble staying properly seated. I only use them when I don't have a proper cable already available. And even then I only use it to tide me over until such cable arrives.

[thebigcheese]

If that makes sense for you. I just want to be clear that I have no data on that specific adapter. But every single similar scart passthru box I've used has always had trouble staying properly seated. I only use them when I don't have a proper cable already available. And even then I only use it to tide me over until such cable arrives.

I feel like I've heard that before, too, so I think I'll avoid that particular setup. The little DIN adapter idea seems easy enough, just need to figure out where to get some good cable from. I've got some nice Mogami snake cable, but it's like an inch thick, so a little overkill... Anyway, thanks for the advice, this has helped me think it through and I think this route makes sense for what I'm going for.