RGB Image Centering (EXTRON RGB devices)

[Tempest_2084]

I just noticed that I'm getting some funny tearing on the top of the screen when I use the Extron (it's not there without it). Any idea on why this might be or how to fix it? It's only on the top quarter inch of the screen, but it's noticable when playing games.

Here's a picture showing what I mean:



I'm also getting some odd static on the bottom of the screen, but I'm not sure if that's anything to do with the Extron or just some overscan issue:

[Fudoh]

the static on the bottom is caused by your source (MD/Gen). The curling on the top is caused by a little incompatibility between the interface's output and your monitor. There's one dip on the back of the interface which is supposed to help (serration pulse I think). If you get a newer monitor, it might have an AFC setting which will cure it as well.

[Tempest_2084]

the static on the bottom is caused by your source (MD/Gen). The curling on the top is caused by a little incompatibility between the interface's output and your monitor. There's one dip on the back of the interface which is supposed to help (serration pulse I think). If you get a newer monitor, it might have an AFC setting which will cure it as well.

Thank you. I'll look into this tonight. I'm using a PVM-1910 which I believe has the AFC setting and I think I have it activated (it was worse without it).

So the Genesis just has little interference issues like that? I don't seem to recall having this problem before the Extron. I'll have to do some testing.

One more question: You can kind of see in the second picture that the monitor appears to 'bow' on the bottom (does the same thing on the top) so that when an image is perfectly square there's a gap. Is this just my imagination or is the bezel or tube on this monitor designed in such a way that this is more noticeable? I swear I didn't see this on my 1943MD.

[Fudoh]

So the Genesis just has little interference issues like that? I don't seem to recall having this problem before the Extron. I'll have to do some testing.

it's different from game to game. The dots basically show the active colors used in the frame. That's why the colors change and dance around a lot. But yes, it's normal.

One more question: You can kind of see in the second picture that the monitor appears to 'bow' on the bottom

it's a bit hard to get the whole idea from that angle. But yes, as long as you use a curved tube (Trinitrons are flat from top to bottom, but curved from the left to right), you'll always have that "issue". Usually you're supposed to increase the overscan until all the surrounding area is gone (that's all of the light blue area on your Sonic snapshots). It's only this obvious right now, because of the hard contrast of the in-game colors and the surrounding border.

[Tempest_2084]

The dip switch helps, but I noticed something new. The PSX startup screen 'shakes' and jumps around. The games themselves play just fine though. I have the same problem with N64 Everdrive file select screen (games are also fine). The Dreamcast startup screen doesn't even show at all (games work though as does the BIOS).

I think this only happens with the Extron unit, but I still need to test that. What do all these things have in common? I thought maybe it was the screen full of white, but the Konami logo on my PSX game shows fine. I'm stumped.

[cyborc]

The dip switch helps, but I noticed something new. The PSX startup screen 'shakes' and jumps around. The games themselves play just fine though. I have the same problem with N64 Everdrive file select screen (games are also fine). The Dreamcast startup screen doesn't even show at all (games work though as does the BIOS).

I think this only happens with the Extron unit, but I still need to test that. What do all these things have in common? I thought maybe it was the screen full of white, but the Konami logo on my PSX game shows fine. I'm stumped.

this happened with my extron. It doesn't like 480i signals for some reason.

[Tempest_2084]

The dip switch helps, but I noticed something new. The PSX startup screen 'shakes' and jumps around. The games themselves play just fine though. I have the same problem with N64 Everdrive file select screen (games are also fine). The Dreamcast startup screen doesn't even show at all (games work though as does the BIOS).

I think this only happens with the Extron unit, but I still need to test that. What do all these things have in common? I thought maybe it was the screen full of white, but the Konami logo on my PSX game shows fine. I'm stumped.

this happened with my extron. It doesn't like 480i signals for some reason.

Ok that explains things. What other systems will this affect? Are any games forced or locked into 480i?

[bobrocks95]

Some N64 games are 480i only (Banjo-Tooie is the only one that comes to mind ATM). Some PSX games like Chrono Cross will use 480i in some places (in this case the menu) and 240p in others.

[Tempest_2084]

Is there any fix for this? Or is that just how the unit is?

[Tempest_2084]

Will any of the dipswitches on the back of the Extron fix the 480i problem or is it just that the Extron 201 can't handle interlaced signals?

[BuckoA51]

Try DDSP, though you will lose the ability to use the picture centring controls then.

[Tempest_2084]

Try DDSP, though you will lose the ability to use the picture centring controls then.

If that works though I'll be happy. The centering wasn't an issue on the systems that I'm having the 480i issue with (DC, N64, PSX).

What does the DDSP do and why would it help in this situation?

EDIT: found my answer: Digital Display Sync Processing DIP switch to bypass sync processing and horizontal and vertical centering.

[BuckoA51]

It's been found to do some strange 480i to 240p pseudo conversion when on which might not work well with all sources.

[Tempest_2084]

That seems to have worked. Thank you. I tried the N64 Everdrive and Perfect Dark (which I think runs in 480i with the expansion pak) and both worked. The PSX also worked, as I saw the Sony logo.

Oddly enough, my DC stopped working, but it no longer works on my PVM with the regular cable either (when I take the Extron out of the loop). Can a SCART cable fry itself? I did do a hot swap now and then which might not have been good for it.

[BuckoA51]

I managed to break a Dreamcast AV port keep swapping between SCART and VGA box so could be that.

[Tempest_2084]

I managed to break a Dreamcast AV port keep swapping between SCART and VGA box so could be that.

I'll try it on my VGA monitor and see if that works. Right now it's all scrambled looking and the Extron said 'no signal' so I'm not sure what that means.

[Tempest_2084]

Looks like it's a bad SCART cable. S-Video and VGA both work. I forgot how beautiful the VGA is, even compared to SCART. If only all the games worked with VGA... I guess I'll snag a new SCART cable on ebay.