Confused with RGB sync - in need of advice.

[verden]

I'm getting a new gaming setup for my PS2 and Dreamcast. Having already bought a PVM, CRT VGA monitor, Kuro Plus and Hydra, now I'm kinda confused with PS2 Scart cables. To be honest, a few weeks ago I didn't even knew there were different types of sync. Do I need a Csync one or should I go for sync on luma? Lotharek mentions on his website that Hydra requires simplest cables possible and "sync stripper installed inside scart socket and "composite sync" signal exceeds voltage level,", but does it mean I need luma one?

[NewSchoolBoxer]

Sorry if too late. I have a PVM-20L2MDSDI myself. PVM RGB inputs are either 4 slot BNC (RGBS) or D-Sub 25 pin. D-Sub 25 to BNC cords are super cheap. Edit: The PVM-2030 takes sync over Green (RGsB) for its D-Sub 25 input. All BNC to RGB PVM's I'm aware of need Csync, i.e. sync sent by itself on a cable, and that goes into the External BNC slot. You'll notice some BNC cords are 4 slot and some are 5. The 5 slots separate Vertical sync and Horizontal sync, as does VGA. Some (most? all?) VGA monitors accept the combined H+V sync (= Csync) on the H pin as well.

I'm curious that you would have both a PVM and a CRT VGA but I assume it's because Dreamcast VGA with Kuro outputs native 480p that very few PVM's support. VGA <-> BNC cables are $12 or less. If you're still outputting into the PVM, I think you're fine only plugging in the H sync into the PVM versus trying to combine H and V into one cable, but I haven't tested myself. Sync combiners do exist.

The sync issue is PS2 outputs sync on Green (RGsB) by default, not Csync (RGBs aka RGBS) so you likely have to use a sync stripper. Yeah, some Scart cables have a built-in stripper in the plug that goes into the console. I see Retro Gaming Cables sells a PS2 cable with a stripper that outputs Csync for BNC BVM or to convert to VGA. Other with no stripper outputs sync over Luma, which needs an external stripper to convert to Csync.

One such external device is called Sync Strike that takes Scart input with sync over Composite (Composite combined with sync) or sync over Luma (S-Video's Luma combined with sync) in pin 20 that extracts the pure Csync signal. Outputs VGA and screw terminals for RGBS. Switch for C (H+V) sync for BVM or separate H+V sync for VGA.

Only option I know of that isolates the sync from Green is Extron Rxi. Converts it to RGBs (Csync) for Scart and RGBVH (V+H sync) for VGA. Alternately, you could try splitting the synced Green and plug one into G and the other into External but I doubt that will work.

I read Lotharek's website about the Hydra. So it's a Scart switcher. Scart uses sync on pin 20. Doesn't manipulate the sync, keeps it as is on the pin. Give it sync over Composite, Luma or CSync in, get sync over Composite, Luma or CSync out. Doesn't like TTL (high voltage CSync) but I've only seen that for SNES that cables add in a 330 or 470 ohm resistor to drop to the right level. Else probably going to damage the cable.

[nmalinoski]

The sync issue is PS2 outputs sync on Green (RGsB) by default, not Csync (RGBs aka RGBS) so you have to use a sync stripper.

This isn't entirely accurate. When component output is set to RGB, the PS2 outputs 480i/576i RGBS by default, and then switches to RGsB for 480p, 576p, 720p, and 1080i modes, which breaks compatibility with SCART equipment.

Additionally, like you said, there is no clean composite sync available on the PS2's (Or PS1's or PS3's, for that matter) AV Multi-out; so, yes, you would need a cable with a sync stripper in order to get clean composite sync for use with the PVM (Which I expect will not take composite video or luma as sync).

Only option I know of that isolates the sync from Green is Extron Rxi. Converts it to RGBs (Csync) for Scart and RGBVH (V+H sync) for VGA. Alternately, you could try splitting the synced Green and plug one into G and the other into External but I doubt that will work.

There are a few different approaches to the RGsB problem. An Extron RGB interface combined with Ultimarc's PS2 cable (Just the cable; no need for the video amp) is probably the most economical solution that doesn't involve modifying the console. If you're going straight to your PVM, you can use plain BNC cables.

A more-expensive, but cleaner solution would be to trade out your hydra for a new gscartsw (5.x series). The new gscartsw models have support for RGsB, and can be configured to either pass it on without modification (you'd have to toggle external sync on and off when switching between 15kHz and 31kHz+ modes) or to strip sync from green and provide it as external sync (effectively taking RGsB in and outputting RGBS). If the latter, I expect it would respond to the RGBS<->RGsB switch pretty much instantaneously.

Finally, if you're fine with modifying your console, there's a procedure for disabling sync-on-green so that the console will always output RGBS with clean composite sync.

[fernan1234]

With all of that said, if your monitor supports both external and internal (SOG) sync, you can use the same RGBS cable (of whatever type of connection, and can be wired for composite video or luma sync) and simply switch between the corresponding output setting on the PS2 and external/internal sync on the monitor. So really all you need is the cable and willingness to change settings when you want to switch between 480i to 480p.

I know later PVMs like the L5 can do this, but not sure about older models.

[Alf]

Hi there, new guy here

Very sorry to resurrect this old thread but I have a similar question/problem.

I'm buying a BVM-14F1E, a model which comes without a control unit. I'm sure I'm going to have to buy the BKM control unit in the future but the seller will preconfigure the monitor the way I want.

So my setup will be PC VGA (from an old Radeon) to a RGB VGA to YPbPr Component transcoder/converter. This converter accepts VGA and outputs Pr/Y/Pb. Since there is no fourth output, I'm guessing the converter puts sync and green together.
So now, should my BVM come with external sync option to ON or OFF? And should the format be component?

This is the converter:
https://www.ebay.com/itm/174166352619

Any help is really appreciated.