XRGB-3

[RGB32E]

From the announced specs for the XRGB-mini it seems that its primary purpose is to provide HDMI output at a given panel's native resolution to minimize input lag, ect... Only a few more months away!!! I wonder when/if NCSx and Play-Asia will start pre-orders for the XRGB-mini?

[darklegion]

From the announced specs for the XRGB-mini it seems that its primary purpose is to provide HDMI output at a given panel's native resolution to minimize input lag, ect... Only a few more months away!!! I wonder when/if NCSx and Play-Asia will start pre-orders for the XRGB-mini?

I hope it supports scanlines and has ZERO shaky/bendy sync issues that the older XRGB scalers had. It's also great having HDMI output, which will hopefully minimise any of the issues of analog cabling such as ground loops and interference (of course part of the cable will still have to be analog, but it can be made as short as possible).

[ikaruga007]

Hmmm... it seems my XRGB-3 has suddenly developed some personal issues

It almost always seems to fail to sync properly. By shutting it off/on several times, I can get it to work perfectly perhaps one in every 15 attempts. Tried different cables (RGB, composite and S-video), different consoles (SNES and Saturn), different monitors (plasma, arcade cab, PC monitor) and settings (AFC etc).

I've uploaded a video of what it looks like (SNES via RGB in B1 mode):
http://www.youtube.com/user/ikaruga74

Anyone has any ideas of what could've gone wrong?

[BuckoA51]

Mine looked like that when I was using an automatic SCART switch (which also worked at first then seemed to stop working) but I guess you have nothing like that in your cab right?

[ikaruga007]

I don't have anything in between the console and the XRGB. And I've tried it on three different screens, all of which have worked well with the XRGB before.

[Artemio]

Have you tried fully resetting it? I would guess it is VSync, but who knows.

[Konsolkongen]

Does it work with B0 mode and do you still get sound?

[ikaruga007]

Artemio: Yes, I've reset it, didn't make a difference.

Konsolkongen: Didn't test the sound actually, but B0 seemed to be the same. I'll do some more tests tomorrow and see if I can get some more info.

[Sargon]

I have some questions about using the XSelect-D4 with an XRGB-3.

1) I know there are noise issues with feeding a 480p PS2 signal directly into the D-terminal input of the XRGB-3. If I'm feeding it to the XSelect-D4 first, does it make any difference whether I use the RGB or D4 output to the XRGB-3?

2) For 240p systems like an NES (RGB-modded), is there any reason at all to feed them to the XSelect-D4, or would the best quality be achieved by going straight into the XRGB-3?

3) Does the XSelect-D4 accept 15 KHz signals through the RGB (HD15) input?

Thanks!

[Fudoh]

does it make any difference whether I use the RGB or D4 output to the XRGB-3?

I would suspect the D-Terminal output on the XSelect-D4 to be an exact replica of the source signal, since it doesn't run through the sync cleaner/stripper/splitter. Using a VGA to VGA connection is easier anyway.

2) For 240p systems like an NES (RGB-modded), is there any reason at all to feed them to the XSelect-D4, or would the best quality be achieved by going straight into the XRGB-3?

depends on your source's quality. You just have to try.

3) Does the XSelect-D4 accept 15 KHz signals through the RGB (HD15) input?

didn't try, sorry.

[Sargon]

3) Does the XSelect-D4 accept 15 KHz signals through the RGB (HD15) input?

didn't try, sorry.

Does anyone else know the answer to this one?

[Konsolkongen]

Konsolkongen: Didn't test the sound actually, but B0 seemed to be the same. I'll do some more tests tomorrow and see if I can get some more info.

Have you tried with a DVI connection? I know that you use B1 mode but just try it out if you can to isolate the problem.

What does it look like in B0 mode? Is it a flickering mess or just the blue screen?

Some pages back you can read about my problems I suddenly had with the XRGB-3. Screen was all blue and no picture in either mode, but sound was fine. It turned out to be the video switching chip that had fried. After I replaced that it works fine again.
No one else here have had this problem before so it seems pretty rare. Also your symptoms are a bit different (no flickering screen on mine) so hopefully the problem with yours can be fixed more easily.

[RGB32E]

The only odd flickering I've encountered while using the XRGB-3 was with the Saturn when displaying a 480i source (e.g. Radiant Silvergun title screen). Half of the rows (a field) were black, and some of the other rows had some flicker. However, this bug hasn't surfaced with any other source or configuration other than the Saturn (used CSync for sync input). Perhaps it's just my particular Saturn revision.

[ikaruga007]

Ok, I've done quite a bit of more testing of my XRGB-3 and have some more info that may help narrow down the problem. Beware of a somewhat long rant.

So the problem is that the picture is garbled (see http://www.youtube.com/user/ikaruga74 for a video of how it looks). Restarting the XRGB many times (15-20 times, sometimes more and sometimes less) will suddenly make it work perfectly until the next restart. The result is the same regardless of input or cable (tried RGB, SVideo and composite), console (tried SNES and Saturn) or mode (B0 and B1). Sound works and I've tested it with several monitors and stepdown transformers.

The problems seems to be completely unrelated to what is connected to it. In fact I can best observe the problem when nothing is connected:

* When everything works as it should (like I said, maybe once every 20 times), and nothing is connected when I turn it on, the AV input light on the front doesn't light up and the screen goes blue, indicating "No Input". If I plug in a console, the red AV Input light lights up and it will then work 100%. I believe this is how it always used to behave, maybe one of you can confirm that this is how your XRGB behaves as well?

* When things go wrong (which it almost always does), and nothing is connected, the AV input light on the front DOES light up anyway, as if it has detected some kind of input. The screen stays black instead of the normal blue. If I plug a console in, I get the garbled image, as if the XRGB is unable to sync. At this point, nothing I do seems to change things and all I can do is to keep switching the unit off/on until it eventually works.

The success rate is the same regardless of if I have anything connected or not when I turn it on. The AV light that lights up even though nothing is connected seems to be a sympton of whatever is wrong, like it incorrectly detects another input signal, preventing it from syncing with the console. Obviously, If I have a console connected from the start, the AV light turns on regardless of if everything works or not but I get the garbled image most of the time. So the best way to use my XRGB is to switch it off/on with no inputs, observe the AV Input light until it behaves as expected and then connect a console.

I've opened the XRGB up but couldn't see anything strange, although I have no idea what to look for.

Any help would be greatly appreciated.

[Konsolkongen]

The AV light doesn't turn on unless it detects some kind of input. When my XRGB had problems with the video splitter chip the light was always off, which makes sense and turning the unit off and on several times never helped.

Have you tried reflashing the firmware? Perhaps upgrading to the newest Japanese or an older one. It doesn't sound like you are having the same problems as I did. Hopefully yours can be easily fixed

EDIT: Off topic, why use an XRGB-3 in your arcade cabinet? Doesn't the screens in the Net Citys/Naomi's support 15,24 and 31kHz RGB and VGA?

[Xenogias]

3) Does the XSelect-D4 accept 15 KHz signals through the RGB (HD15) input?

didn't try, sorry.

Does anyone else know the answer to this one?

I just tested this with 15khz dreamcast VGA box mod and it works =] verified the difference between 15 and 31khz in the DC menus. I allowed it to transcode to component and my TV accepted the 240p component signal. so Im guessing the xselect would also be able to output 15khz rgbhv (VGA) but my tv cant take 15khz input.

I still cant figure out how to pipe 240p games from the xselect into the xrgb-3 using the HD15 connection and get a picture. works ok with D4 but then its doing a double transcoding and looks gross on output.

[ikaruga007]

I have reflashed with the latest english firmware. Gonna try a japanese or an older firmware and see if that makes a difference. Yeah, it's strange that the AV input light goes on even though nothing is connected.

My Naomi has a Nanao 2932 monitor which is 31khz only I'm afraid.

[Sargon]

I still cant figure out how to pipe 240p games from the xselect into the xrgb-3 using the HD15 connection and get a picture.

I was hoping to be able to do that. Why wouldn't it work?

[Fudoh]

I was hoping to be able to do that. Why wouldn't it work?

I've switched to a new TV and absolutely too little time on hand to get it set up. But I'll check this for you - step by step - as soon as I get around to it.

[Konsolkongen]

I still cant figure out how to pipe 240p games from the xselect into the xrgb-3 using the HD15 connection and get a picture. works ok with D4 but then its doing a double transcoding and looks gross on output.

Perhaps you are using a wrong D2 input setting on your XRGB-3. Have you tried all of them?

I have reflashed with the latest english firmware. Gonna try a japanese or an older firmware and see if that makes a difference. Yeah, it's strange that the AV input light goes on even though nothing is connected.

My Naomi has a Nanao 2932 monitor which is 31khz only I'm afraid.

I thought those screens were all the same

If that doesn't work try sending an email to micomsoft. They were very polite and helpful when i wrote them

[ikaruga007]

Yeah, I think I'll email Micomsoft and see if they have any ideas. Has anyone here actually sent their unit to them for repair? Not too keen on buying a new one.

Tried flashing with an old japanese firmware today but it still didn't work so I think I've pretty much emptied all alternatives that I can think of. Sniff.. my lovely XRGB-3 broken

Thanks Konsolkongen for trying to help me out.

[Konsolkongen]

I don't think anyone here have had it repaired.

If Micomsoft thinks the Panasonic AN15865AA video splitter chip is to blame in yours too then I have 3 of them left. I'm not super skilled with a soldering iron but it turned out pretty nice when I replaced the one in my own XRGB. I could take a look at it if Micomsoft won't

Unfortunately the international shipping prices from Denmark are pretty insane. It probably won't be cheap sending it back to you

EDIT: A <2Kg package shipped with Post Danmark will cost 213DKR :O

[ikaruga007]

Thank you very much offering to help out If it comes to that, I'd be happy to send it over to you if there's hope that a new video splitter chip will fix it. I'll see if Micomsoft have any suggestions.

BTW, the XRGB-3 on my arcade monitor (31khz Nanao 2932) looks fantastic. Before trying it out, I'd actually forgotten how good a CRT can look. Colors that glow in that cosy RGB way I'm going to try it with some "cheap" CGA-> VGA upscalers and see how those perform. It would be interesting to compare the XRGB (B1 + scanlines) to cheap upscaler + the coming scanline generator. I would also like to compare the MAME PC with direct draw upscaling + software scanlines to MAME PC with Soft15khz + XRGB (B1 + scanlines).

[Sargon]

Does anyone have an English-speaking contact at Micomsoft? I have a brand new XRGB-3 that I received 2 months ago from Amazon Japan (through a purchasing service). I had been operating it completely from the front panel until last night when I tested the remote and found that the box is not responding to any remote commands. I tried a fresh set of batteries and that didn't help, so it seems possible the remote was DOA. I'm sure the Amazon Japan returns process would be a huge hassle, so I'm hoping maybe if I contact someone at Micomsoft they will be willing to send me a replacement remote.

[grace]

Hi,

I recently got an XRGB 2+. It is working great for the wii, ps2, Gamecube, and N64 all using S-video (I haven't got better cables yet.) I can't seem to get it to work with the SNES (NTSC) though. Using S-video or composite I get a signal but it drops out (both audio and video) every few seconds. I got a Japanese RGB21 cable for it, but I get no signal. I connected my DVD player to the rgb port using the component to RGB21 cable that came with the xrgb and it worked fine. So it seems like the problem isn't the port.

Any help would be appreciated. Thanks!

[Konsolkongen]

You did remember to change the GAME_IN option to RGB before using the RGB cable right?

http://junkerhq.net/xrgb/index.php/XRGB ... #Main_menu

[kamiboy]

I would say that it sounds like your display does not like the SNES's signal, likely something about the sync timings, but then you say audio drops out as well which is strange.

Does the game keep resetting, like as if the rest button is being continually pressed or does the game continue normally but the audio/video keep dropping out? If it keeps resetting then the problem is with the system itself, likely some sort of region code malfunction, but then you would have noticed that I guess.

So my guess is display and SNES incompatibility, have you tried to hook the SNES directly into your set bypassing the XRGB? If that works then I would say your set's VGA input dances out of tune with the SNES's signal. You can try the timing options of the XRGB to see if you can fix it. Might work. If, however, the SNES does the same directly hooked up I'd say its busted.

[Strider77]

I can't seem to get it to work with the SNES (NTSC) though. Using S-video or composite I get a signal but it drops out (both audio and video) every few seconds. I got a Japanese RGB21 cable for it, but I get no signal.

I had this issue as well for my super famicom. It turned out to be my power supply. Are you using a original snes power supply? A genesis power supply will do the trick also... totally cleared up that issue for me. This was with my XRGB3 though.

[grace]

You did remember to change the GAME_IN option to RGB before using the RGB cable right?

http://junkerhq.net/xrgb/index.php/XRGB ... #Main_menu

Yes it is set to RGB

I would say that it sounds like your display does not like the SNES's signal, likely something about the sync timings, but then you say audio drops out as well which is strange.

Does the game keep resetting, like as if the rest button is being continually pressed or does the game continue normally but the audio/video keep dropping out? If it keeps resetting then the problem is with the system itself, likely some sort of region code malfunction, but then you would have noticed that I guess.

So my guess is display and SNES incompatibility, have you tried to hook the SNES directly into your set bypassing the XRGB? If that works then I would say your set's VGA input dances out of tune with the SNES's signal. You can try the timing options of the XRGB to see if you can fix it. Might work. If, however, the SNES does the same directly hooked up I'd say its busted.

The screen just blacks out for a second, and the tv seems to get no signal, then everything returns to normal. It works fine when connected directly to the tv. I'll try with a different monitor and see if that makes a difference.

I can't seem to get it to work with the SNES (NTSC) though. Using S-video or composite I get a signal but it drops out (both audio and video) every few seconds. I got a Japanese RGB21 cable for it, but I get no signal.

I had this issue as well for my super famicom. It turned out to be my power supply. Are you using a original snes power supply? A genesis power supply will do the trick also... totally cleared up that issue for me. This was with my XRGB3 though.

I don't have a genesis, but I might have another power supply around somewhere.

[Strider77]

I really think that there is good chance that it's the power supply to the SNES... especially if it's not the stock power unit that came with it. Your description sounds IDENTICAL to what was going on with mine.