Help with troubleshooting CPS2 + XRGB mini

[guldberget]

Hey guys

I'm posting this as a separate topic instead of in the XRGB mini thread since it´s possible that the mini isn´t the problem.

I´m having trouble getting a picture from a CPS2 (JP) via the mini using the following setup:
CPS2 --> Sigma AV5000 --> RGB scart cable from retrogamingcables --> Euro scart to RGB21 adapter --> XRGB mini (720p, FW 1.07a)

The thing is that the other PCB I have (Dyna Gears on SSV hardware) works through the above setup so I am (maybe mistakenly) ruling out grounding errors in the cables and so on.

Here´s the "diagnostics" I´ve done so far:
CPS2 --> Sigma --> RGB Scart --> Panasonic Plasma : Vertically rolling picture from bottom up. Graphics themselves are fine and are centered but like I said the picture rolls constantly.

CPS2 --> Sigma --> Composite video --> Panasonic Plasma : Picture is stable and centered. Quality is bad though (as expected).

CPS2 --> Sigma --> RGB Scart --> The kids shitty LCD from a supermarket: Works great. No rolling and picture is centered...´

CPS2 --> Sigma AV5000 --> RGB Scart --> Euro scart to RGB21 adapter --> XRGB mini (720p): Sound is there but only a black screen saying "no_input" on the RGB channel. (Dyna Gears works on this set up but there are some small graphical glitches that aren´t visible when not using the mini. JP Saturn and PAL PS2 both work with no problems)

Because it works fine with the kids´tv I´m basically ruling out the CPS2 and RGB cables and since Dyna Gears works through the scart-RGB21 adaptor I figure that´s fine as well: I also tried resetting the mini to defaults as I thought I may have tinkered with something and messed it up but it didn´t make any difference.

I´m not an expert by any means but I would think this has something to do with the sync signal (maybe it´s too weak through this setup for the mini to handle). I think the Sigma processes the sync signal in some way but I´m not sure. Does anyone have any similar experience? I thought I´d ask here first before I go out buying sync boosters, sync cleaners etc.

Any help with this matter is very much appriciated . And no, playing on the kids´TV is not an acceptable solution

[Fudoh]

If you adjusted the sync level on the mini to no avail, it's likely about the sync signal itself. If you know what you're doing you could simply use composite video for RGB Sync instead of the CPS2's direct sync signal. It's processed already and might do the trick. If not, you probably have to get a stripper and give that a try. (And yes, I realize that switching to composite for sync is basically to opposite, but it just be about the signal impedance and not really about the signal being clean or not).

[guldberget]

Thanks Fudoh. I think I'll first update to fw 1.08 and then try to change sync levels one more time just to make sure there wasn't a bad cable connection or something equally stupid before. If that doesn't work I'll try adding a sync stripper in the chain. Building custom cables isn't really my thing as I suck at soldering.

BTW and off topic. What was changed in 1.08 and what are the effects? The info on micomsofts website is kinda short.

[Fudoh]

What was changed in 1.08 and what are the effects?

nothing. No need to update if you're 07a.

[guldberget]

With a sync stripper (also from retrogamingcables) in the chain this now works fine. The setup is now CPS2 --> Sigma AV5000 --> Euroscart --> Euro XRGB mini 8 pin adapter w/ built in sync stripper.

So I guess a tip for anyone having problems with the mini when using CPS2 and a Sigma supergun (at least the AV5000) with RGB output is to add a sync stripper in the chain.

But I still don´t really understand what happened. The mini is very tolerant to all other sources I´ve tried and I haven´t had any trouble using the Sigma and mini in combination with any of my other PCBs. Is there something special about the CPS2 sync signal?

[RGB32E]

Is there something special about the CPS2 sync signal?

I can't speculate on your particular Sigma/Cable setup, but if you connected the CPS2 sync directly from the JAMMA connector to the XRGB mini you should not have any sync issues under normal circumstances.

[guldberget]

No, I didn´t connect the CPS2 sync directly to the mini. It was processed in some way by the sigma encoder and passed on via the cables. But since I had no problems with my original setup using other boards I just wondered if the CPS2 sync signal was weak or different in some other way since it required a sync splitter/cleaner in the chain for the mini to recognize it.