Luma for sync PS1/PS2

[BuckoA51]

Does anyone have a guide on how to internally mod a PS1 or PS2 to use luma rather than composite video for sync? It should be fairly simple for anyone who can solder but my buddy just tried to do it on a PS1 console and said that it simply didn't work for him.

[antibolo]

Why would you mod your console (and thereby making its composite video permanently monochrome) when you can just do it at the cable level, like the ones that retro_gaming_accessories is selling right now?

[BuckoA51]

Availability of cables basically, getting the retro_gaming_accessories cable still means shipping it from the US and she likes to go on those long hiatus and the only other alternative was Wolfsoft who over-charge. As for breaking the composite video output, few people care about composite video here in the land of RGB SCART.

[antibolo]

But you're still better off modding a cable you already own rather than mess up your console with an entirely unnecessary and destructive mod...?

[BuckoA51]

To mod an existing cable you would need to open it at the Playstation end, most of the cables are moulded and this is nigh-on impossible. I was under the impression it was a simple internal modification anyway?

[Fudoh]

Nothing destructive about that. On PAL consoles the composite sync will always cause problems with checkboard patterns on solid colors. NTSC systems don't need any mod. And yes, the mod is as simple as it gets. On the mainboard just scratch the signal path running to the composite pin and bridge it with a cable from the luma pin instead. I don't see what could go wrong...

[ApolloBoy]

But you're still better off modding a cable you already own rather than mess up your console with an entirely unnecessary and destructive mod...?

Destructive? If you were that concerned about losing composite video you could always wire up a switch instead of just cutting the trace. Even then, broken traces can always be easily fixed.

[BuckoA51]

NTSC systems don't need any mod.

Do you happen to know if this is true in XRGB3 land as well? I was hoping luma for sync might cure the bright screen causes blackouts problem that the XRGB3 has.

I don't see what could go wrong...

Not sure either, could his TV have rejected the signal?

[Fudoh]

Do you happen to know if this is true in XRGB3 land as well? I was hoping luma for sync might cure the bright screen causes blackouts problem that the XRGB3 has.

oh yes, forgot about that. Can very well help with this as well.

Luma is just as compatible as composite. Never heard of any problems with it. Unless he tapped the chroma pin instead.

[BuckoA51]

Thanks Fudoh, will forward this information on!

[brownvim]

I did this mod the other day to my PSOne, it's cured the white screen then blackout problem which I noticed happening playing RollCage.

I found it hard to find the trace though so ended up soldering a new wire on the Luma pin and linking it to the composite sync pin on my scart cable, I just cut the composite sync wire as I would never use it.