New XRGB-2Plus, weird colors?

[PearlJammzz]

I just purchased a XRGB-2Plus and got it all hooked up and working. Everything works great but the colors are WAY off. I tried a few different consoles and connection types (JP 21 cable, SCART w/ a SCART to JP21 cable. Used both Genesis and PS1) but they all looked the same. I took a few screen shots and will provide links below.

Anyone able to give me some direction on getting the colors to look legit? I hope it's a weird setting somewhere and not a borked unit!

Images: http://i.imgur.com/clZYxtb.jpg and http://i.imgur.com/EeukhbK.jpg

[Fudoh]

Looks like the input is set to component instead of RGB. But I can't remember if that was possible on the XRGB-2plus already....

[alamone]

The 21 pin input can be set to RGB or component, make sure it's set to RGB and if you're using a PS2, that it's also set to RGB rather than component in the system menu.
For the 2nd screenshot, that doesn't look like the problem - looks more like blue and green are swapped.

[blizzz]

For the 2nd screenshot, that doesn't look like the problem - looks more like blue and green are swapped.

Yes, that seems to be his problem. Here's how it looks with blue and green swapped: http://pbrd.co/1qEn1Zs

[PearlJammzz]

It is in RGB. When I switch it, the image goes all crazy (almost goes across the screen in waves) and then says invalid format. This option is listed in the menu under game_in and has RGB and YPBPR.

I will check the PS2 and make sure it is set as such in the system and see if that makes a difference. Will report back in a moment. Any other ideas?

[PearlJammzz]

PS2 worked when switching to RGB! How do I go about getting my Genesis to look normal? Going to try my Saturn here shortly as well.

[blizzz]

Are you sure that your cables and the adapter are wired correctly? How are your consoles connected. Do you use the same adapter for both the PS2 and the Genesis?

[PearlJammzz]

Nope, I have an actual JP21 cable for the PS2. The other goes through an adapter I bought from Retro Gaming Cables. That's what I am beginning to think it is and am going to try my Saturn to confirm.

[blizzz]

If it's the same for you Saturn then you just have to swap the blue and green cable in the adapter. Or send it back to RGC if you don't have the tools to do it yourself.

[PearlJammzz]

Yup, the same as on the Saturn. So it appears my cable was made incorrectly. I'd rather not wait another couple of weeks for another adapter. Are these easy to rewire? I assume they just swapped the blue and green?

[PearlJammzz]

I should be able to swap two of the pins, looks like this thing just pops open. Going to attempt this...reporting back soon on my success/failure!

[blizzz]

It's a matter of 1-2 minutes. Open the male end, desolder the two wires and attach them again.

[PearlJammzz]

Aye, looked like they had it messed up at the scart-in end of the cable. All fixed!

Now that I have proper color I played some games and have noticed two things:

1. Shimmer...Do all XRGB-2's shimmer like this? The Genesis has this pretty bad! The Saturn has it as well, specially noticeable on text and white backgrounds. If stuff is moving fast it's not noticeable but anything that isn't moving it is pretty distracting.

2. The XRGB-2 seems to 'switch' often. I loaded up DOA on the Saturn and it does this between every fights. Takes a couple of seconds to display the still imagine of the next fighter, and then a couple of seconds at the beginning of the next level. The only other similar device that I have used is a no-name SCART to HDMI converter/upscaler from Amazon that my roommate uses and it doesn't do this. I heard the Framemeister on some games does this when switching between 240p and 480p content. Some games like RE2 on the N64, for example, apparently use different video modes between in-game and in the pause menu/inventory. The device he uses is: http://www.amazon.com/HDV-8S-Scart-HDMI ... rt+to+hdmi

Any settings to adjust/fix these at all or is this the norm w/ a XRGB-2 and consoles?

[Fudoh]

regarding 1) this depends on how well your displays recognizes and adjusts to the proper resolution. What display are you using ?

[PearlJammzz]

That should be the cause. I have a few year old Vizie 55". Don't have the mod on hand but it was their last full array backlit ones. Pretty solid TV but may not be the device for this. I have a 20" viewsonic that it is going to be tested with next!

Could #2 be a display problem as well?

[alamone]

The shimmering is inherent in all XRGB-2+, this is one reason why I don't like them that much. Depending on your display it may be less obvious.
Very noticeable on white text, particularly the on-screen menu. In comparison XRGB-1, 2, 3, mini all have solid picture.

[Xyga]

When I tried the 2+ I was amazed at the clarity, sharpness, of the linedoubled picture and perfection of the 'scanlines'. To my eyes it looked even superior to the 3's.
But the undefeatable shakiness really killed it. No configurable AFC (as far as I know since I haven't tried the Super Mode).

[Ed Oscuro]

It doesn't have AFC? I remember seeing that setting in my own XRGB2 (don't remember from the 2+ I had for a while).

[Xyga]

Nope, no AFC on the 2+, only DTC.
Don't know what Micomsoft had in mind when they designed it...

[Fudoh]

And it's necessary ? I had a 2plus for a few years before getting a XRGB-3. Had been connected to a 29" VGA CRT and I can't remember ever having the typical AFC problems I had on the 3.

[Xyga]

I think this is the third time I read the 2+ is indeed fine on CRT monitors but no good on LCDs.
IIRC back in the days a couple of members over at shmup.com said so.
Then when I had the opportunity to try one myself I didn't have a CRT monitor anymore, only two LCDs, and the shaking/twisting was awful with a majority of the systems.
Side-by-side the XRGB-3 overall produced a much more stable picture, essentially thanks to the configurable AFC, still not perfect, but compared to the 2+ the remaining shakiness was either eliminated or much more bearable.
From my experience out of the three machines the old '2' is still the one giving the best stability on LCDs with most systems.