JVC X-Eye - no RGB output from CD side(!) , RGB great on carts

[erac3rx]

Hi all,

I was thrilled to receive a JVC X-Eye from an Ebay auction (couldn't find one locally ever), and even more excited that both cartridges and CDs work beautifully on it.  Imagine my horror when I happily hook it up using my Genesis 2-style RGB SCART cable and SCART to Component converter, and discover that while I get a beautiful picture from cartridges I get a black screen from CD games.

Say it ain't so!  Tell me that someone out there has an X-Eye for which the RGB output via the 9 pin Genesis multiout connector actually works on CD games.  Is it possible that I just need to run some wires from the output of a chip on the CD side over to the output?  I'm happy to do whatever is needed, I'm good with a soldering iron (did the extremely simple region switch mod to my Genesis 1 last night actually).

One last bit, I know there are quite a few X Eye variants out there.  Mine is a US NTSC version that has both the Genesis 9-pin multi-out and the RCAs for composite output and audio, but does not have the s-video port.

Any help people could provide would be great, I would love to resolve this problem.  As it is I am currently kicking myself for not getting a CDX instead, but I have admired the X Eye for years and finally had to have one!

Regards,
-erac3rx

[NFG]

That's totally bizarre.  I'd tear into my SGCD units to investigate if I had any, but I've only got wondermegas (the first, not the x'eye-alike second) and CDXs.  =/

I have theories, but maybe someone else knows for sure? 

[RGB32E]

Hmm... That's really odd.  I seem to recall RGB output working just fine with an X'Eye I've used.  Perhaps there's some sort of power supply issue going on?  Do you have the correct power supply?  Have you tried any other matching power supplies?  Do you get picture when using composite video cables?

The RGB output on the CDX is ok...  Others on this forum have gone through great lengths to replace SMD parts that go bad on the CDX.

[Hamburglar]

All the X'eye units I have had all output RGB fine on both the CD and cart side.

Must be some other problem, I agree with RGB32E,  are you using the correct power supply?

[erac3rx]

Thanks very much for the input guys.  I'm using the original JVC power supply (rare!) that it came with as far as I can tell. CD and cartridge games work perfectly using the regular RCA composite video output.  As soon as I swap to my gen2 scart rgb cable --> scart to component converter I get the following behavior:  cartridges look stunning, and black screen with sega CD games.  If I hook up both composite output and the RGB output at the same time, I can switch my TV between composite and component inputs while the system is on, and... picture comes through fine for both composite and rgb output on carts.  Then I put in a sega CD game and composite video comes up great.  While watching the intro to Final Fight CD on composite, I switch to component input on the TV and.. blackness.  So frustrating.

I will try a few different TVs, and also try swapping the power supply on the SCART to component converter.  It's one of those $60 ones from ebay, works swimmingly on my Genesis 1 and SNES (and on the X-Eye for cartridges) so I'm inclined to think it's not the problem... But perhaps the Sega CD side gives it a slightly different RGB output that the converter doesn't like?

Unfortunately I don't have a CRT or monitor that accepts RGB natively, so I can't test that out.  Nor do I have a Sega CD 1 or 2 unit that I can try with my Genesis 1 to see if that's the problem.

Anyway, thanks again everybody-- I'll try a few different tweaks to the setup and report back.  It's extremely encouraging to know that people have had RGB output work properly from other X-Eyes, that's great to know!

[Tiido Priimägi]

There is no such thing as CD side video... all video comes from the 315-5660 ASIC, which is MD VDP + YM2612 + PSG + I/O + Bus management

You may have a connection issue between the CD subboard, there's 3x connectors aswell as ribbon cables going to the CD mech... check them all out.

[Segasonicfan]

...You get composite out playing CD games...  If so, you're problem could be around your chroma encoder.  If I were you I would just pull the RGB lines from that, the CXA1645.  Depending on how much work it takes to find the problem.  If it's a sync issue, which is oddly possible, you can always use an LM1881 and pull sync from your working composite output.  Sounds like that would more likely be the problem than an actual lack of RGB output.  The composite is generated using RGB so it all comes from the same place.

-Segasonicfan