Saturn RGB

[ken_cinder]

Now that I've got my arcade cabinet running cleanly with my PC (MAME etc) and my PSOne LCD hooked up via S-Video to it and mounted in the scoreboard so I can see what's going on while the video card is running in 31khz (Have to turn my arcade monitors on after Windows has started), I thought it might be fun to stick my Sega Saturn in there too.

I'm assuming all I need is a SCART RGB cable for it right?

Then I'd hack the end off, tie all the grounds together and wire up RGB+S?

Should I be tying ALL the grounds together, or leaving the video ground seperate? ie; v-ground to my monitor(s) and all other grounds to the monitor chassis or all grounds inc. v-ground to the monitor connector?

I ask this because I've never dealt with a SCART cable, and every other video cable I've dealt with only had the 1 ground for video (Other grounds were accounted for in the source or monitor seperately)

[NFG]

As a rule you should always tie ALL grounds together.  It's rarely necessary, but occasionally you'll run into a piece of gear that is using just one (and you don't know which) or is using one (and again, you don't know which) for a sense line...

It's easy, and a good habit to get into.  You probably CAN get away with just one, but why bother?

[duo_r]

If you are going to hack a Scart cable, no need in buying that (and spending more money). I used a S-video cable that broke on me and hacked that for my RGB output. The key is the S-video cable has to have all the pins, so ask the seller (on ebay is the cheapest i found) to let you know if it has all the pins (9 i think) present on the connector end. If it does, hack that cable. I built a RGB output just like the Lawrence showed on Gamesx.com. The issue I found: I really couldn't tell the difference with RGB VS S-video with the Saturn, it must do really well on the S-video connector. Both signals are both much better than composite, and normally u can tell a grade higher with the component, but on the Saturn it was pretty darn close.

FYI - on the PS1 screen if you are using it for RGB input, you are using one of the s-video inputs (it is either chroma or luma) to send the sync line to NOT the sync line on the PS1 connector. If you pm me I can get you more details.

Now that I've got my arcade cabinet running cleanly with my PC (MAME etc) and my PSOne LCD hooked up via S-Video to it and mounted in the scoreboard so I can see what's going on while the video card is running in 31khz (Have to turn my arcade monitors on after Windows has started), I thought it might be fun to stick my Sega Saturn in there too.

I'm assuming all I need is a SCART RGB cable for it right?

Then I'd hack the end off, tie all the grounds together and wire up RGB+S?

Should I be tying ALL the grounds together, or leaving the video ground seperate? ie; v-ground to my monitor(s) and all other grounds to the monitor chassis or all grounds inc. v-ground to the monitor connector?

I ask this because I've never dealt with a SCART cable, and every other video cable I've dealt with only had the 1 ground for video (Other grounds were accounted for in the source or monitor seperately)

[RGB32E]

I'm assuming all I need is a SCART RGB cable for it right?

Then I'd hack the end off, tie all the grounds together and wire up RGB+S?

Should I be tying ALL the grounds together, or leaving the video ground seperate? ie; v-ground to my monitor(s) and all other grounds to the monitor chassis or all grounds inc. v-ground to the monitor connector?

I ask this because I've never dealt with a SCART cable, and every other video cable I've dealt with only had the 1 ground for video (Other grounds were accounted for in the source or monitor seperately)

Depending upon which Saturn RGB cable you pick up, you'll likely only have one conductor carrying ground from the Saturn.

[RGB32E]

The issue I found: I really couldn't tell the difference with RGB VS S-video with the Saturn, it must do really well on the S-video connector. Both signals are both much better than composite, and normally u can tell a grade higher with the component, but on the Saturn it was pretty darn close.

You really couldn't tell the difference?     Sounds like FUD... and/or a poor monitor...  The s-video output from a Sony CXA1645 (in the Saturn) is blatantly inferior to the RGB output... strange what people say... 

[duo_r]

I really couldn't tell the difference, no joke! I can test on other screens to eliminate the monitor theory, but my component video on my Duo looks incredible. How much are Scart cables to be had for because I could give that a whirl if you think it should look much nice (I have an Atlona RGB Scart to YUV converter).

[ken_cinder]

I actually have a Saturn S-Video cable here, infact several. I used to sell accessories and when I shut my store down, I kept a bunch of stuff for myself.

I was thinking of using an S-Video cable, but I assumed without even checking, that only Chroma and Luma pins/wires would be present and missing RGB. Why put more wires in and add to the cost if you don't have to right?

@duo_r - I have no issues with the PS1 screen, I've been abusing it for years, running my Jamma boards etc off it. It is hooked up to the PC via S-Video.

I bought this cab last year and I haven't needed it, so I removed one of the LED scoreboards, made a black bezel and mounted it in the marquee faceplate where the 1st Player scoreboard normally shows through.
Now I can boot the PC with my arcade monitors off, watch everything boot and once it's in Windows and switches to 15khz, flip the power switch for the monitors on.
I have the monitors adjusted so they don't shut themselves off now if a 31khz signal is thrown at them, but I'd rather spare them the exposure to a signal they can't use.

P.S. If anyone is reading this and ever plans on running 2 arcade/15khz monitors off a PC, DON'T use the DVI port for your second monitor, run both lines off the VGA port. From what I've read, and I've seen on 3 different video cards, 15khz over DVI is very flickery and pixels get squished. I combined the plugs for my monitors into 1 VGA cable, looks perfect on both monitors now.


P.S.S. I'm going to have to post pics of all this, some of the info I've gleaned here has helped me set all this up right.

[duo_r]

So you are wanting RGBS for Saturn to monitor then? All I was saying is that if you are hooking to the PS1, you should use RGB input (and you can do this via PC port). You need to change some settings, but you will get an even better image if you hookup that way.

I actually have a Saturn S-Video cable here, infact several. I used to sell accessories and when I shut my store down, I kept a bunch of stuff for myself.

I was thinking of using an S-Video cable, but I assumed without even checking, that only Chroma and Luma pins/wires would be present and missing RGB. Why put more wires in and add to the cost if you don't have to right?

@duo_r - I have no issues with the PS1 screen, I've been abusing it for years, running my Jamma boards etc off it. It is hooked up to the PC via S-Video.

I bought this cab last year and I haven't needed it, so I removed one of the LED scoreboards, made a black bezel and mounted it in the marquee faceplate where the 1st Player scoreboard normally shows through.
Now I can boot the PC with my arcade monitors off, watch everything boot and once it's in Windows and switches to 15khz, flip the power switch for the monitors on.
I have the monitors adjusted so they don't shut themselves off now if a 31khz signal is thrown at them, but I'd rather spare them the exposure to a signal they can't use.

P.S. If anyone is reading this and ever plans on running 2 arcade/15khz monitors off a PC, DON'T use the DVI port for your second monitor, run both lines off the VGA port. From what I've read, and I've seen on 3 different video cards, 15khz over DVI is very flickery and pixels get squished. I combined the plugs for my monitors into 1 VGA cable, looks perfect on both monitors now.


P.S.S. I'm going to have to post pics of all this, some of the info I've gleaned here has helped me set all this up right.