XSELECT-D4 Miscellany

[Jeremy Pallant]

Just a couple of things to report on for potential or existing XSELECT-D4 owners.

Firstly, it is now available from National Console Support. The price is $199.

Secondly, in response to a query from NCSX, I spent some time playing with my PS2 and input #5 on the XSELECT-D4. That's a 21-pin RGB port, aka Japanese RGB. NCSX reported problems getting interlaced video to work with this port.

The configuration I used when investigating was as follows:

Console (DC or PS2) connected to XSELECT-D4 via Japanese RGB cable connected to input #5 configured for RGBCS. D-Terminal output connected to D-Terminal input of an XRGB-2+. VGA cables connected to a switch box.

Now, I didn't have any problems with interlaced video from both a Dreamcast and a PlayStation 2, but I did with progressive scan from the PS2. My sole progressive capable game, SOCOM: US Navy Seals, totally lost video (but not audio) when progressive scan mode was enabled. It hadn't had a problem when connected using a Sony D-Terminal cable.

At this point, the PS2 was configured to output RGB, and input #5 on the XSELECT-D4 was configured for RGBCS. A little fiddling revealed that by changing the PS2 so that it output Y-Pr-Pb, and the 21-pin RGB so that it accepted YUV and the switch from interlaced to progressive scan occurred without problems.

NCSX are doing some experimentation of their own and if they get back to me, I shall report further.

[RichieB]

RGB is incapable of displaying progressive scan, it is not a fault of the unit.

The D-terminal connector works because it is carrying a component signal, which can carry a progressive signal.

[matt]

You can get a "progressive" signal with RGB - you're seeing it right now on your computer monitor, in fact.  The PS2 can display progressive games in RGB, but it's doubtful that the X-Select is adapted for this.  You'd probably have to feed the RGB through the VGA input.

[Jeremy Pallant]

Interesting. Obviously I knew that RGB in 15-pin format can carry a progressive scan signal, however I had not heard that RGB in 21-pin format could not. Or is it just Japanese RGB that doesn't?

[matt]

RGB is the same no matter what connector you're using.  If it's not working through your X-Select's 21-pin RGB port, then it means that the unit isn't prepared to take progressive signals that way.

AFAIK, the PS2's progressive RGB output uses sync-on-green, which is another reason why it may not work.

[RichieB]

I've never heard of RGB carrying progressive at 15khz.  RGB was designed eons ago long before progressive scanning was possible on monitors.   I was under the impression you needed alot more bandwidth than 15khz for progressive scanning.

I am well aware that SVGA is progressive.  If you can indeed get a PS2 to display progressive scan through RGB (not component) then I stand corrected.

[dum dum]

15khz video is just like broadcast TV but with no interlacing (so 50/60Hz video but half the vertical resolution) because consumer affordable anti-flicker technoligies didnt exist back in the 8/16bit console days.  being an RGB signal is no different, all tv-style video signals contain the dimensions of vertical and horizontal timings as well as the actual image info itself. "RGB" is just a nicer way of getting the image info to the TV than RF, composite of s-video; the H+V timings are all the same between them

[dum dum]

i ment to say "15khz progressive video" is like broadcast tv but with no interlacing.

[matt]

I've never heard of RGB carrying progressive at 15khz.  RGB was designed eons ago long before progressive scanning was possible on monitors.   I was under the impression you needed alot more bandwidth than 15khz for progressive scanning.

I am well aware that SVGA is progressive.  If you can indeed get a PS2 to display progressive scan through RGB (not component) then I stand corrected.

"Progressive scan" as most people know it is 31khz, not 15khz, and as dum dum has pointed out, most people don't know what it means.  Scanrate is independent of the signal type.

And yes, the PS2 can give 31khz output in RGB.