American with UK Sega Saturn - Need Help

[Fudoh]

The only option I see is the H/V - C.Sync switch on the back next to the VGA output and that must be set to H&V sync. Try another display to confirm that the Andora itself is working.

[NWrain]

I took your advice. My room mates were using the Sony TV so I used my NEC LCD2490WUXI computer monitor. Initially, I was having the same issue as before. The colors were correct, but I was still losing the picture consistently. I went over all the connections and tightened them. I suddenly achieved a stable picture!

edit: The horizontal picture adjust on the Extron Andora was set too far to one side. If set too far to one side you will have an unstable picture or lose the picture completely.

This is how I hooked it up. SNES->Composite->Extron Andora->SLG3000->Montitor









Without the scan lines I did see combing artifacts. With the SLG3000 they all went away! I want to get a SCART cable for the SNES and try again.

I also have other good news. I bought an inexpensive NTSC model 2 Sega Saturn today. My custom SCART cable for my PAL Saturn worked on my NTSC Saturn. With the Sync Strike and Kramer FC-14 all the problems I had with the PAL Saturn are gone.

The Extron line doubles 240p into 480p. Does anyone know what happens if I run a Andora/SLG3000 into a video processor and upscale to 720p or 1080p? What will happen to the scan lines?

I even found an authentic Extron VGA to DB9 cable! Hooray!



edit bad news: I connected the snes to my sony TV wiith the Andora. TV won't output an image because the 720x480 30Hz signal is not supported.

[Fudoh]

The Extron line doubles 240p into 480p. Does anyone know what happens if I run a Andora/SLG3000 into a video processor and upscale to 720p or 1080p? What will happen to the scan lines?

it works fine one most video processors, but it will add the same lag again.

edit bad news: I connected the snes to my sony TV wiith the Andora. TV won't output an image because the 720x480 30Hz signal is not supported.

the Andora outputs 480p60, not 30Hz. And the Sony does support it, it's just picky about it. I had the very same situation with my XRGB (with VGA output), where the Sony would not support the output, unless you add an RGB interface in between. Those are very cheap (eBay: Extron RGB*).

[NWrain]

My TV claims that it is being fed 30HZ signal. I don't understand why.

edit: My computer monitor correctly identifies the signal as 480P 60HZ.

I am seeing many results for different kinds of equipment on ebay. Do you have a speific model name that you can give me? Thanks.

edit: I think I will buy a Extron RGB 580xi. edit again: Nevermind. The 580 does not have a VGA out.

[Ed Oscuro]

I don't want to be "that guy," but a US Saturn is pretty cheap. Has going this route saved you any money, or has the PAL unit served just as well as an NTSC one?

[NWrain]

I bought a US Saturn just yesterday. I mentioned it briefly a few posts back. I saved a little money because of the modchip in the PAL Saturn. I can try games before I buy. I stuck with the PAL Saturn as long as I did was because of the mod chip and region free switch. I junked the PAL Saturn and just transferred the mod chip to the NTSC Saturn. It was much simpler than I thought.

The PAL Saturn 50/60hz flat out does not work as well as a NTSC Saturn on a NTSC TV. With the equipment that I bought I was able to get a pretty impressive picture with the PAL Saturn. However, the one thing I could not solve was a occasional strange shuddering, and random loss of detail. When I used the NTSC Saturn with my equipment, I get better picture quality.

Another reason why I am doing this is so I can get an upscaled scan-lined picture with the least amount of lag.

[Ed Oscuro]

I bought a US Saturn just yesterday. I mentioned it briefly a few posts back.

I missed that, sorry!

[Fudoh]

edit: I think I will buy a Extron RGB 580xi. edit again: Nevermind. The 580 does not have a VGA out.

none of the interfaces do, they all have HD15 "VGA" input and BNC outputs.

[NWrain]

I'm a little confused as to where the RGB interface goes into the video chain, and how you connect it.

[Fudoh]

always last in chain, right before the display. In your case: Andora > SLG > Interface > TV.

The interface reconditions the sync signal. As said, it made the XRGB series work on my Sony via VGA, while I got just a black screen without it. SLG to Interface is VGA to VGA, Interface to TV is BNC to VGA.

[NWrain]

Does that mean I need a VGA-RGBHV cable with 5 BNC connectors?

[Fudoh]

indeed

[NWrain]

I received the LBC cable and a RGB203rxi today. I hooked everything up to my TV to no avail. I have two problems. My Sony TV will not accept a line doubled image from the Andora even with the RGB unit.

The LBC cable that I ordered to connect from the Sync Strike to the Andora does not work either. If the VGA cable with a DB9 adapter does not work I think I will give up on the Extron Andora. The XRGB-2 looks like a good alternative with more modern inputs.

I'm starting to hate myself for returning the Silicon Optix video processor now.

[Fudoh]

I hooked everything up to my TV to no avail.

sorry to hear. Did you try the different dip switches on the Extron ?

The XRGB-2 looks like a good alternative with more modern inputs.

but if the Andora does not work, then there's a good chance that the XRGB-2 won't work either (via VGA).

[NWrain]

I tried DDSP and ADSP switches, Sync on Green, and Serr Impulse. I couldn't play with the Neg Sync option because I don't know how to take the cover off and get to the jumper.

I used a composite source on the Andora , and used the RGB interface (RGBS and RGBHV) on my computer monitor to verify that it was working. I transferred the setup to my TV and it says it does not support the signal.

Thanks for the info on the XRGB-2. I think I am starting to prefer Component over VGA. My TV accepts a line doubled image from a composite source into the component input. I can get scanlines on component if I feed RGBS into the SLG3000 and then into the Kramer FC-14. I think the XRGB-2 may work in this situation. I'll only go this route if I cannot figure out the Andora's Dsub input.

Edit: I found a store that may have the original female Dsub9 to 4 male BNC cable for the Extron Andora. If I can get the cable I am going to attempt to hook it up like this.

Sync Strike->VGA-> RGB 203Rxi ->RGBS(4 BNC) to Dsub9 female-> Extron Andora -> SLG3000 -> Kramer FC-14 -> TV

Edit: The store doesn't have the cable. Oh well.

[NWrain]

Sorry to bump.

Does anyone actually know the pinout of the Andora RGBS input? I sent Extron an email, but I'm not sure how much luck I will have.

This is the pinout listed in the Extron 202Rxi manual that Fudoh suggested.

1. Ground
2. No connection
3. Red video
4. Green Video/sync
5. Blue video
6. No connection
7. No connection
8. Horiz/sync/composite sync
9. Vertical sync

From what I researched, this seems like a variation of the DB9 monitor cable pinout. I tried this style of connector and received colors flickering across the screen.

I think I may have found another clue regarding the Andora. There are some instructions on the bottom of the Andora, and it mentions a DB9 to 4 BNC/RCA RGBS Targa cable.

I'm not quite sure what targa is, but I found a reference to a Sony targa BNC monitor cable.

This is the pinout I found.
3. Red
4. Green
5. Blue
6. Vertical Sync
7. Horizontal Sync

The H sync and V sync are on different pins. This is a 5 BNC cable, but with the Extron RGB unit I think I can output RGBS.

I don't know how to go about making this cable. Any help is appreciated!

[Fudoh]

Is it so hard to figure it out by just testing it ? As long as you got ONE color right (doesn't have to be a matching color), you can simply try the sync pins. Once you get ONE right, you get a rolling picture and then the other one's just a matter of going through the remaining pins.

Or just PM rCadeGaming. He's got an Andora setup running.

[NWrain]

Thank you. I received a response from rCadeGaming. He told me the correct pin out.

1 Ground
2 Ground
3 Red
4 Green
5 Blue
7 Composite Sync
6,8,9 No Connection


I made a makeshift cable with a DB9-HD15 adapter.





Now I just need a more robust cable, and get back to gaming!

Thank you everyone for your help.