gscartsw / gscartsw_lite / gcompsw switches support thread

[naz]

Hello,

I have one of those shinybow SB-2840, it works great and didn't show any weird colors out of the box, so no adjusting is needed (I use it to connect to my sony trinitron 29fv310). The only complaint I had was the power supply, which made a really high and loud noise when plugged (during nights, you could even hear it from the next room).

People from ani-av help me a bit, but ended up just saying that my power supply was faulty (didn't offer to send me a new one). So I could have just been bad luck.

In the end I order a new 12v power supply from Digi-key corporation (thanks to Superg for the tip) and now I have no noise (even when press to my ear).

Regards

[arithmaldor]

It depends on a mod used. One warning is that TTL without resistor will fry the switch sync multiplexer. I have yet to mod my N64 with viletims N64 board and report the results but still have to allocate some time for that.

I used viletim's board on my n64, works great through the gscart_lite. I am using the 75 ohm csync out from the board.

[superg]

It depends on a mod used. One warning is that TTL without resistor will fry the switch sync multiplexer. I have yet to mod my N64 with viletims N64 board and report the results but still have to allocate some time for that.

I used viletim's board on my n64, works great through the gscart_lite. I am using the 75 ohm csync out from the board.

Thanks for confirming. That's what I like about his products, it all just works.

[wheelable]

Thanks for the advice all - went ahead and ordered one of those converter boxes. Much appreciated!

[strygo]

People from ani-av help me a bit, but ended up just saying that my power supply was faulty (didn't offer to send me a new one). So I could have just been bad luck.

You definitely should have asked. I have had great luck with ANI-AV. They seem to be part of Shinybow.

I had requested the SCART 2x1x8 from them, which they didn't have in stock and they tracked it down for me. It turns out to auto-detect signals in a way that wasn't compatible with my setup and they exchanged it for their 1x8. They definitely went above and beyond to help me sort out my problem and replaced my device without question.

Thanks,
Steve

[coderkind]

Hi superg. Will the gcompsw's you order after the next gscartsw_lite batch be 1.0 varieties, or a possible revamp with dual outputs and/or increased number of inputs?

[superg]

Hi superg. Will the gcompsw's you order after the next gscartsw_lite batch be 1.0 varieties, or a possible revamp with dual outputs and/or increased number of inputs?

Nope, it's gonna be exactly the same version as it was. No new developments this year for sure.

[GunstarSilver]

My gscartsw_lite just arrived to me in Australia!
Thanks Superg!!

[TestType]

Apologies if this has been answered before, but is there any solution for PS2's SoG? I was planning to order a few scart cables soon, including one for the PS2, and while I don't have any scart switcher yet I had hoped to buy the gscartsw sometime in the future. Am I safe in buying the PS2 cable or will I possibly need a different, special cable for it to work nicely with the gscartsw_lite?

[gordon-creAtive]

Retrogamingcables (and possibly Retro Console Accessoires) sells cables with included sync strippers that produce Csync. Those should solve your problem.

Update: I don't think my proposed solution does work, at least the cable from Retrogamingcables does not extract sync from green. Sorry!

[superg]

Apologies if this has been answered before, but is there any solution for PS2's SoG? I was planning to order a few scart cables soon, including one for the PS2, and while I don't have any scart switcher yet I had hoped to buy the gscartsw sometime in the future. Am I safe in buying the PS2 cable or will I possibly need a different, special cable for it to work nicely with the gscartsw_lite?

Currently I don't have a solution for SoG and lite. PS2 will work just fine in RGBS mode but it won't be forwarded in VGA SoG mode.

[zak]

Is PS2 SOG just an issue for 480p compatible games?

[gordon-creAtive]

I might have found a solution for the PS2 480p issue:
PlayStation 2 RGB SCART sync on luma cable into Extron VGA to EuroSCART adapter with CSYNC into Extron RGB 580 xi into Male RGBS break-out SCART (Direction "Output") into the gscartsw_lite. Female RCA to RCA cable is needed for the audio leads.

Do you think this would work?

[jwo825]

I am using the csync cable from Retrogamingcables.com for my PS2. I'm running it to the gscsrtsw-lite and from there directly into a PVM-20L5. I am having no problems with it at all.

[gordon-creAtive]

While using 480p? According to Retrogamingcables this cable does not convert sync-on-green:

We have received a number of enquires stating that the Playstation cannot output CSYNC. This is correct, the Playstation cannot output CSYNC, however, our CSYNC version of this RGB SCART cable has a built in sync separator circuit inside the SCART plug which takes the "sync over composite video" from pin 6 of the Playstation's AV socket output and then the Sync separator circuit extracts CSYNC signal and sends this to the output of the SCART plug and the composite video part of the signal is disregarded. Here is the path of the sync signal from the PS to the SCART cable using a sync cleaner. PS AV socket (pin 6) ---> Sync over composite video (CSYNC + composite video) ---> sync cleaner circuit (removes composite video) ---> CSYNC only---> SCART (pin 20), BINGO CSYNC!

[superg]

Is PS2 SOG just an issue for 480p compatible games?

Yes, SoG is only active for those 6 480p (VGA) games.

I might have found a solution for the PS2 480p issue:
PlayStation 2 RGB SCART sync on luma cable into Extron VGA to EuroSCART adapter with CSYNC into Extron RGB 580 xi into Male RGBS break-out SCART (Direction "Output") into the gscartsw_lite. Female RCA to RCA cable is needed for the audio leads.

Do you think this would work?

Somebody is using Extron for this. Read RetroRGB PS2 page, he has it described I think.

While using 480p? According to Retrogamingcables this cable does not convert sync-on-green:

We have received a number of enquires stating that the Playstation cannot output CSYNC. This is correct, the Playstation cannot output CSYNC, however, our CSYNC version of this RGB SCART cable has a built in sync separator circuit inside the SCART plug which takes the "sync over composite video" from pin 6 of the Playstation's AV socket output and then the Sync separator circuit extracts CSYNC signal and sends this to the output of the SCART plug and the composite video part of the signal is disregarded. Here is the path of the sync signal from the PS to the SCART cable using a sync cleaner. PS AV socket (pin 6) ---> Sync over composite video (CSYNC + composite video) ---> sync cleaner circuit (removes composite video) ---> CSYNC only---> SCART (pin 20), BINGO CSYNC!

The mentioned problem has nothing to do with CSYNC.

[zak]

Is PS2 SOG just an issue for 480p compatible games?

Yes, SoG is only active for those 6 480p (VGA) games.

Sounds like a non issue to me then

[Guspaz]

Errm, Wikipedia lists 231 PS2 games that support 480p (and hence RGsB for 480p+ RGB) out of the box, and that number can increase substantially using GSM to force unsupported games.

[superg]

Errm, Wikipedia lists 231 PS2 games that support 480p (and hence RGsB for 480p+ RGB) out of the box, and that number can increase substantially using GSM to force unsupported games.

I exaggerated of course.

[arithmaldor]

The point of using a cable with a sync stripper is that extron devices only accept csync. If you didn't have a sync stripper, you would still get an image through the extron on 480p RGsB, but as soon as the system (menu, non-480p game) went to RGBs (sync on luma) the image wouldn't get passed through the extron. The point of the sync stripper here is that it makes it so you don't have to switch cables, as the extron will convert everything, even 480p RGsB, to RGBs (or RGBHV), but only with csync/RGsB.

[thebigcheese]

A while back we were discussing the dB Booster for the TG16 not working with the switch. Anyone have any updates/solutions on that? I could get Tim's AV Driver, but then I have to source a connector and take everything apart, which seems silly given there is already RGB availability on the back port. Maybe just a mod to the dB Booster would do it? Never had a TG16 until last week, so now I am keen to make sure it will work with the switch when I eventually get one.

[schnuth]

Before the dB Booster came out I bought an adapter off eBay that outputs RGB via SCART through the EXT port on a PC Engine. I picked it up a few years back. I've been using this with my Supergrafx through the gscartsw_lite just fine. I can post a pic if you'd like.

[thebigcheese]

Before the dB Booster came out I bought an adapter off eBay that outputs RGB via SCART through the EXT port on a PC Engine. I picked it up a few years back. I've been using this with my Supergrafx through the gscartsw_lite just fine. I can post a pic if you'd like.

From fiddle_se or whoever? RetroRGB has a link, but haven't seen anything lately. That seems the easiest as it already outputs everything out the back. Been thinking about just making one.

[superg]

A while back we were discussing the dB Booster for the TG16 not working with the switch. Anyone have any updates/solutions on that? I could get Tim's AV Driver, but then I have to source a connector and take everything apart, which seems silly given there is already RGB availability on the back port. Maybe just a mod to the dB Booster would do it? Never had a TG16 until last week, so now I am keen to make sure it will work with the switch when I eventually get one.

I think somebody replied that figured it out. Basically it was the combination of incompatible booster settings and cable (Mega Drive).

[thebigcheese]

A while back we were discussing the dB Booster for the TG16 not working with the switch. Anyone have any updates/solutions on that? I could get Tim's AV Driver, but then I have to source a connector and take everything apart, which seems silly given there is already RGB availability on the back port. Maybe just a mod to the dB Booster would do it? Never had a TG16 until last week, so now I am keen to make sure it will work with the switch when I eventually get one.

I think somebody replied that figured it out. Basically it was the combination of incompatible booster settings and cable (Mega Drive).

Ah, I found it. Looks like the issue was that the cable used is a Genesis 2 cable, so it was made for that. Have to change the sync jumper on the board to account for it. Thanks!

[RGB0b]

citrus3000psi's been working on some great PS2 mods that handle sync: http://www.dansprojects.com/ps2sync.html

If you don't mind using S-Video or composite for light gun games (or if you don't play light gun games at all), then Dan's current solution is perfect: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_g ... yStation_2

My ultimate goal would be to find some way to sever the luma line, connect csync to it and disable SoG altogether. This way you can still have composite video support at the same time as RGBs and all you'd lose is S-Video support. Some local modders and I will experiment on my PS2's and hopefully Dan will keep working on it.

Just a friendly reminder: This is not the thread for PS2 RGsB / 480p discussions, so while I wanted to list this as a solution for PS2 480p through a gscartsw, please keep this thread on-topic and start another if you'd like to discuss citrus3000psi's solutions.

[chromium]

Any update on more gcompsw?

[superg]

Any update on more gcompsw?

After the current gscartsw_lite batch.

[morfeo]

I ordered a new gscartsw_lite batch, a plenty of units, it's currently being manufactured, shouldn't be any issues this time.
I'll order some gcompsw's after this batch, that's the plan.

[gordon-creAtive]

The following story is not supposed to be criticizing superg, instead I want to give other Germans a perspective what they have to deal with when they want to import a gscartsw_lite.

I just spent almost two hours the German's customs office. Since superg does not take the responsibility for importing (and he clearly states that on his homepage), the receiver has to take care of that (which I was clearly aware of when ordering). But if you have to deal with the incompetence of German clerks, this can be a frustrating experience.

I got a letter that my packages (I ordered two gscarts) did not clear customs and that I have to visit the customs office for further steps. I went there immediatly after getting that letter and I had to wait ca. 45 minutes for my turn. The content of the packages has been identified as "Scart Watch" (sic!) each. I tried to explain to them that there are actually scart _switches_ in there.

Then they asked for a bill so they could determine the value and charge customs based on that. I showed them the Paypal transaction email on my smartphone, but they insisted on a paper bill and asked me to print out this email. I notified them that the value of the package was written on the parcel label, but the told me that this could be made up. I asked myself if they believe that a printed out Paypal email could not be faked. They let me open the package since I was hoping of finding some kind of invoice, but I got no luck.

Luckily a friend is just living around the customs office, and seven minutes later I showed up back at the office with the untampered printed out email. I had to wait another 30 minutes. Then they told me that they just experienced a computer crash and that everything's going to take a while. After I opened the packages again and described in detail what the content was (not a watch), they searched ca. 20 minutes for the correct category in their catalog (which denotes how much customs I have to pay). They were unsuccessful with both "SCART switch" and "SCART Umschalter" (switch in German), but managed to find "HDMI Umschalter". To get out of there before sunset I told them that this is basically the same. After some more waiting they charged 81€ (~97$), based on the value of the gscarts _and_ the shipping costs, this included ~20€ of administrative charge.

But since the payment is managed by another employee I had to wait another 20 minutes. Oh dear.

Fun fact: Customs offices are not obliged to take credit/ec cards, only cash (I was warned of that in the inital letter I got). Luckily this one did take cards.