Sudden PS2 RGB SCART fault

[fallenangle]

Never had anything like it happen but over the past few sessions on my PS2 I'd noticed that on start up the auto-switching to AV1 on my TV wasn't working. I had to manually select it. But when I tried it later on ie,. when warmed up, the auto-switching worked. I tested the TV sockets with a Xbox and they all auto-switched under any condition.

Immediate thought was loose PS2 or SCART plug but they seemed fine although the PS2 plug on this particular cable has never been a tight fit.

Then today total failure. Swapped to one of my spare PS/PS2 RGB SCART and it worked perfectly so clearly not a PS2 problem so must be a cable fault. But I can't work out what's broken and why.

I tried the suspect cable on my PSOne and again the auto-switching didn't work but manual switching to AV was OK. Waggled the SCART plug and there was no change but when I did the same to the console plug end I immediately lost the picture and couldn't get it back.

So a console end plug problem, loose or damaged contacts I guessed but on examination I couldn't see anything wrong. I looked at contact 'pin' 10 especially, which according to the online info I've found is the one that carries the AV switching signal to SCART pin 8, and it looks fine. I've even snapped open the plug and tested the wires to see if any are loose - no obvious culprits. It looks like a well constructed cable too.

I'm perplexed - the cable hasn't been pulled or otherwise mistreated ever, I can't think when it was the last time I even touched it until these recent problems. So why the failure now? Could it be the cold temperature plus what may have always been a poorly fitting plug? The room has been as low as 5 degrees recently when I'm not using it, is that enough to cause enough shrinkage to affect the integrity of the contacts?

Any other ideas I haven't considered?

[egparadigm]

I may be telling you something you already know, so bear with me.

The switching is controlled by the machine sending 5 or 12 volts (for 4:3 and 16:9, respectively) through the correct pin in the Scart to its opposite number at the TV end. Since the TV is quite happy to switch for other consoles, I would guess that either the cable and pin really are disconnected in some way, or the console has ceased sending the 5 volts down the line it did before.

I would test with a multi-metre to see what voltage, if any, is being sent through the relevant pin (#8) on the outside of the Scart.

As a point of interest, I had the same experience with an Xbox 1 RGB cable, but that was before I started modifying consoles and learnt the info above.

[fallenangle]

The PS2 itself is fine, as said I did the obvious thing first and tried it with another of my many PS/PS2 SCART cables and it worked perfectly.

It's definitely a problem with this particular cable which, being gold plated, AV block, good shielding and heavy than average insulation, I've always considered it my best PS/PS2 cable. It's the lack of an obvious cause and the relative suddeness of the fault that is bothering me.

It should be, as you say, traceable to a loose or broken connection either with or somewhere between contact 10 in the PS2 connector plug (which carries the switching voltage) and pin 8 in the SCART.

It's seems most likely to be a problem in the PS2 plug itself but a). I can't find anything obviously wrong and b), why did it fail at all when the console/cable hasn't been moved in months? I'm thinking now it might simply be due to a congentitally dry or cracked solder joint in that plug pushed into failure by the cold conditions perhaps. But it will be nigh on impossible to prove let alone repair due to the plug design.

Hey-ho another item to go into my spare parts drawer.



BTW are you sure you've stated those 4:3/16:9 switching voltages correctly? There are some contradictory sources out there but the majority say:-

0- 2v on pin 8 = TV remains in existing mode
5v - 8v (nominally 6v) = TV switches to AV in 16:9
9.5v - 12v = TV switches to AV in 4:3

Pin 16 selects RGB if driven 'high' ie. 1v - 3v which seems to be done by connecting it to pin 8 via a 75 - 100 Ohm resistor.

What I've never been sure is what happens if you're using a 4:3 only TV and have the PS2 set to WS. The PS2 is presumably only outputting 5v - 8v to pin 8 in this mode so will the TV auto-switch to the AV input?

Anyone know?

[Link83]

Hi fallenangle,
Sounds like you have already narrowed down the cable fault as much as is possible It sounds like a cold solder joint to me, as you already suspected (Either that or the plugs pins have become tarnished?) I would suggest trying to resolder the pin connections if possible.

-------------------------------------------------------------------------

With regards to the TV switching voltages, you are correct:-

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Scart#Blanking_and_switching

If you use a CRT 4:3 TV and the switching voltages are set for widescreen 16:9, then from experience one of three things can happen:-

1) The TV will not switch to AV1 automatically because the voltage on Scart Pin 8 is not high enough, you would then have to select the AV1 channel manually using your remote (If you have the option)

2) The TV will switch to AV1 but the picture will remain as 4:3

3) The TV will add widescreen letterbox bars at the top and bottom of the screen because it believes its receiving a widescreen 16:9 signal, this will result in the 4:3 picture being squashed. This can sometimes be overridden manually using the TV's remote, but sometimes it can't so you could be stuck with a squashed 4:3 image with black bars, unless you remove the scart switching voltages

Old CRT 4:3 TVs that dont offer letterboxing for widescreen pictures will do either number 1 or 2.

Newer CRT 4:3 TV's that have a letterbox option will do either number 2 or 3 (My TV does 2, which is the best option)

It varies between different manufacturers/TV models as to which one of the three will happen

I hope that helps

[fallenangle]

Thanks a lot, it does.

Resoldering the plug on the cable looks impossible.

The outer case was a simple snap fit job easily removed but inside where all the cable wires are soldered to the contacts is inside a recess. This main part of the plastic/metal plug assembly looks like it was factory sealed post soldering. I certainly can't find a way to lever or slide off the plastic cover without risking breaking it.

Edit: managed to get it working again but again no, consistent, auto-switching.

Far from ideal, so I have been trying out my 3 spare cheap, previously bought for my PS/PSOnes, alternatives with my PS2.

PQ is just about as good but what I'm noticing more is mild but uncorrectable (by any of the usual methods) crosstalk/ interference patterns with all of them. I just don't get this with my prime better quality, now faulty, cable. Strange also because the problem didn't/doesn't seem to affect my PS or PSone.

So I'm now looking for a replacement well shielded PS/PS/PS3 RGB SCART cable, something I haven't done in 7 years when I bought the 'good' RGB SCART for my new PS2. Trouble is on places like eBay and Amazon there's a lot of stuff that looks exactly like the cheap ones I have and few state whether they're properly shielded or not.

Any (sensible priced) recommendations/sources appreciated.