Mega Drive 2 + SCART cable problem

[Iki]

Hi all. I recently purchased a SCART cable for my Mega Drive 2. (because RF just doesn't cut it compared to RGB ) The console itself was working fine just recently.

My problem is that whenever both ends of the SCART cable (TV and console ends) are plugged in, the console switches itself off. If just the SCART plug or the console plug are in on their own, the console stays on. On a slightly more technical note, shorting pins 17 and 14 on the SCART plug causes the same problem; the console just turns itself off.

I'm waiting for a response off the person I bought the cable from, but I thought I'd ask here in case someone else has had this problem too. (and since there isn't another console handy to try it with. Help!

[albino_vulpix]

Sounds like that, for some reason, +5v and ground are being shorted when everything's plugged in. If you can, try it on another TV and try a different cable on the current TV you're trying.

[viletim]

Iki,

Third party SCART cables are usualy pretty dodgy. Hand soldered by cheap labor - what do you expect is the resault?

You can easily find the problem by unscrewing the SCART end and useing a multimeter to compare with this diagram. http://members.optushome.com.au/eviltim/gamescart/gamescart.htm#mega2

[Iki]

Sounds like that, for some reason, +5v and ground are being shorted when everything's plugged in. If you can, try it on another TV and try a different cable on the current TV you're trying.

I got the same result with this cable on another TV and neither TV has shown such a problem before. This is the first time I've tried a SCART cable with this particular console and an RF cable worked fine before that. I think that's what you were asking, at least.

Iki,

Third party SCART cables are usualy pretty dodgy. Hand soldered by cheap labor - what do you expect is the resault?

You can easily find the problem by unscrewing the SCART end and useing a multimeter to compare with this diagram. http://members.optushome.com.au/eviltim/gamescart/gamescart.htm#mega2

I appreciate the advice, (some of it ) but I sadly don't have access to a multimeter... not that I would particuarly know what to do with it. I think the most advanced equipment I have is a bunch of wires from an old IDE cable. I've been meaning to get into electronics and such but thus far I haven't had the time.

[albino_vulpix]

If you can, take some pictures of inside the scart end of the cable.

[Drakon]

Hi all. I recently purchased a SCART cable for my Mega Drive 2. (because RF just doesn't cut it compared to RGB ) The console itself was working fine just recently.

My problem is that whenever both ends of the SCART cable (TV and console ends) are plugged in, the console switches itself off. If just the SCART plug or the console plug are in on their own, the console stays on. On a slightly more technical note, shorting pins 17 and 14 on the SCART plug causes the same problem; the console just turns itself off.

I'm waiting for a response off the person I bought the cable from, but I thought I'd ask here in case someone else has had this problem too. (and since there isn't another console handy to try it with. Help!

yeah....half the cables I buy I wind up taking apart and either fixing something or changing something around with it to make it do what I want.  I've bought so much crap that worked fine for a short while and then a wire came loose and I'd had to take it apart and do a bit of surgery