XRGB-3 Display Help - PC Engine and PSP

[SkyeWelse]

Hello everyone,

Since I last posted where I was having some display issues with my new "used" XRGB-3 not displaying any picture correctly, I've since learned how to replace the capacitors and took out the two problematic ones that were causing the picture to go haywire.

I've also purchased a missing component from Solaris Japan that I believe was originally a pack-in with the XRGB-3 when bought new. This was the D-Terminal to Component Female Adapter, that I can use to hook up to D1, D2, or D3 ports on the XRGB-3.

PSP Display Issues

A couple of issues I've been having while trying to follow the XRGB-3 FAQ at JunkerHQ.net is that of getting my PSP to display a nice picture and have it display full-screen. I think I did see a PSP mode in one of the video settings, however when I select this on B0 Firmware Mode with Low Pass Filter set to OFF using DVI out to HDMI to my 40 Inch Sharp Aquos HDTV, it simply displays the left-half of the picture (still centered) and at an extremely bright contrast added...My PSP version is a PSP-GO sitting in the PSP-Go Cradle/Docking Station, with the component video going to the D-Terminal/Component Adapter hooked to the XRGB-3.

I was just wondering what the steps would be to try and get this working nicely and at a full screen. I have an LVK-8000 PSP to HDMI upscaler device as well that I used to use, but I wanted to see if I could get the PSP picture to look any nicer using the XRGB-3 since it said it can do TRUE Full Screen Mode.

PC Engine Display Issues

Another issue I'm seeing is that I cannot get my PC-Engine Duo-RX to output a picture when using Composite Video IN to the back of the XRGB-3, it just shows nothing but a black screen, but I am able to hear the audio. Now... I know that I'll probably be told that the best way to use this system with the XRGB-3 is to do an RGB Mod, but I'm really no good at anything that complicated when it comes to soldering. I even watched a tutorial on how this is done and right around the second video, my confidence in my ability to do an RGB Mod was shattered... lol

But, I should still be able to display a Composite RCA video signal through the XRGB-3 right? I guess it uses a pretty low resolution to display a picture, but each time I choose one of the lower resolutions as an option on the XRGB-3 menu, my television shows a message that says that that specific resolution cannot be displayed.

Any help with getting these to display correctly would be very much appreciated! Thanks!

Also, if I were to consider getting an old system modded for RGB output, how can I make sure that it is done in a way so that I would be compatible with a Japanese RGB-21 cable that could be hooked up to the XRGB-3? Or is that not usually a concern? And this may be a stupid question, but if I were to do an RGB mode on say a PC Engine or a Japanese Famicom Top Loader, would it only output RGB from that point forward, or is there still a way to use Component for this as well if I wanted to hook it back up to a traditional CRT monitor or without the XRGB-3?

Thanks again for your help!

-Thomas

[Fudoh]

PSP Display Issues

The D2 zoom option can be used on any 480p signal (hence the D2 which means 480p). Some people initially though it way limited to D-Terminal input #2, but that's not the case. So - obvious questions - your PSP is set 480p ? Did you try another input on the XRGB-3 ? Did you try another component 480p source ?

Also, if I were to consider getting an old system modded for RGB output, how can I make sure that it is done in a way so that I would be compatible with a Japanese RGB-21 cable that could be hooked up to the XRGB-3?

that's just a matter of using the right cable configuration. The mod itself on the system (e.g. PCE) does not change.

Or is that not usually a concern? And this may be a stupid question, but if I were to do an RGB mode on say a PC Engine or a Japanese Famicom Top Loader, would it only output RGB from that point forward, or is there still a way to use Component for this as well if I wanted to hook it back up to a traditional CRT monitor or without the XRGB-3?

component is an additional step over RGBs. Both the PCE and a Famicom titler have internal RGB capabilities. You do nothing than routing these signals to an output port, so you can use them (possibly add some color booster as well). If you want component you need to add a transcoder board.

[SkyeWelse]

Hi Fudoh,

Thanks for your assistance. I had not known about the D2 Zoom mode, and it appears that I was dealing with two issues, one that this mode was renamed in Screen + to PSP, and when I had tried it the first time I had problems viewing the image, but this time it seemed to work. Also I had my TV set to Dot-By-Dot which shrinks the picture a bit. I think it said that Dot-By-Dot was used for the best compatibility setting for PSP on the XRGB-3 FAQ, which is why I had this turned on. If I disable Dot-By-Dot, I'm able to get a full screen image when using the D2 Zoom PSP mode, which is great. It seems to output to 525P, which while better than running composite directly to the TV since it is as Full Screen, I found it to be less quality than using the LKV-8000 model that I already had which outputs the PSP at full screen (and adjusts for the PSP menu fitting on the full screen too) at 720P, so I think I'll just stick with that. The downside to using the LKV-8000 is that the sound channel is carried through the HDMI cable to the HDTV and it sound horrid. : ) Fortunately there is a regular Audio output that can run to a receiver for better sound while the TV is muted, but still not a perfect sound situation I guess. I'd have to say that unless I'm doing something vastly wrong here, it appears to me that the LKV-8000 beats the XRGB-3 in terms of overall picture quality for Full-Screen PSP games.

Or is that not usually a concern? And this may be a stupid question, but if I were to do an RGB mode on say a PC Engine or a Japanese Famicom Top Loader, would it only output RGB from that point forward, or is there still a way to use Component for this as well if I wanted to hook it back up to a traditional CRT monitor or without the XRGB-3?

component is an additional step over RGBs. Both the PCE and a Famicom titler have internal RGB capabilities. You do nothing than routing these signals to an output port, so you can use them (possibly add some color booster as well). If you want component you need to add a transcoder board.

Thanks! Actually what I meant to say was that if I were to do a RGB mod for the PC-Engine or perhaps the NES/Famicom, would I ever be able to hook up a regular "Composite Out/ RCA Video Out" to the console or would it forever be changed to output RGB which would require a device like the XRGB-3 to even be able to accept the signal? Alternatively, could I do a mod where RGB is output, and perhaps something like S-Video could also be used. That could work since most of my CRT's that I still own have S-Video.

I just wasn't sure if it was kind of a One or the Other type of decision I would have to make in these cases. Because while it would be nice to have a picture that is better quality when using the XRGB-3, it still might be nice to be able to hook it up to another TV directly just as it was originally intended for and still have it work fine.

As for getting my current PC-Engine Duo RX to display any type of picture when using my XRGB-3, I'm still unable to see anything, so any help or suggestions you may have for that, I'm all ears!

Thanks again for your time and advice.

-Thomas

[Fudoh]

It seems to output to 525P

525p and 480p are the same thing. 525p is a term used in Japan from time to time.

I found it to be less quality than using the LKV-8000 model

the looks of the XRGB's upscaling compared to the LKV8000 are very different. The XRGB is very blocky which is nice for 2D games, while the LKV uses a video-based scaling engine which smoothens 3D graphics, but also pixels. Assuming you're using the XRGB-3 in B0 with 1080p or 1200p output for 240p titles, you should actually like the XRGB for PSP better than the LKV....

Video Scaling on the left, pixel-orientated scaling on the right (pictures courtesy of Konsolkongen) - in this case it's a PSP on a Lumagen scaler on the left and on a XRGB-Mini on the right, but the Mini and the XRGB-3 are about the same.

Actually what I meant to say was that if I were to do a RGB mod for the PC-Engine or perhaps the NES/Famicom, would I ever be able to hook up a regular "Composite Out/ RCA Video Out"

if the mods are done to retain the composite capabilities, then sure, why not....

and perhaps something like S-Video could also be used.

the titler already does s-video without further mods. On the PCE you would need a rgb to s-video encoder installed in the system.

As for getting my current PC-Engine Duo RX to display any type of picture when using my XRGB-3, I'm still unable to see anything, so any help or suggestions you may have for that, I'm all ears!

I never tried composite from a Duo, so I can't help you there. I find it rather weird that you don't get any picture at all. Is that true for both B0 and B1, both with and without v-sync enabled ?