SCART to HDMI Converter + RGB Scart Saturn not working. Any ideas???

[youtoo]

Hi everyone,

I posted not long ago about my setup in Canada:

- Toshiba 32"
- JAP white Saturn
- Saturn Scart RGB cable from this seller:

http://www.ebay.com/itm/200665089861?ssPageName=STRK:MEWNX:IT&_trksid=p3984.m1439.l2649#ht_1892wt_956

- A HDMI Converter like this:

Well, it's not working

The seller states clearly that the cable is for NTSC Saturns, mine is a JAP white Saturn... so I don't know what's wrong. Is the cable faulty, is the HDMI converter faulty?

I can tell that the audio goes through, I can hear the game playing, but there is no video. I've tried both 720p and 1080p to no effect. I have no means right now to test the box or the cable independently to gather more info...

Anyone has had a similar problem?

Thanks

[danholo]

Whatever it is, sounds interesting! I hope you get it to work because I have a Saturn I'd like to connect to an HDMI display.

[youtoo]

Well, it's been a bit of an odyssey... and btw, the HDMI box is back to its seller...

I've researching the nets for the last 2 weeks, basically reading forums (bordersdown, sega-16, sega-saturn.co.uk, racketboy, shtmp, etc, etc...) and of course you get mixed answers, but it seems to be some trends...

- Some people have been lucky with SCART to HDMI boxes, but the majority have had bad experiences (like me): in my case I tried with a Saturn and a Mega Drive (both japanese) and the Saturn the image doesn't show up (but the audio does), and the Mega Drive it does show up... but the image quality is WORSE than composite! lol

- It seems to be that, if your tv accepts low resolutions over component, the best is to go with a SCART to COMPONENT box (http://www.ebay.com/sch/i.html?_nkw=....c0.m270.l1313)... but again, it's a hit an miss. I'm trying it at my own risk, hopping that my tv will accept via component the low resolution that a MD or SS output (because these boxes don't scale the signal, unlike a SCART to HDMI box...)

- If everything fails... then I'll go for the SLG3000 + Scaler option (http://www.bordersdown.net/showthrea...-picture-heavy), which is the most expensive option... :S

Anyway, it's a bit of a hit and miss...

[Lyris]

The most widely used version of SCART was the European one. Judging from what the seller says there, perhaps you have a Japanese SCART cable, which had a different pin configuration.

You should just be able to get a European Saturn SCART cable and it'll work.

Or, perhaps there is a quirk in the Saturn's video output that makes it non compatible with that converter. A European SCART cable shouldn't cost too much money to find out though.

[youtoo]

See, here's the thing. When I first started researching everyone said: Japanese Saturn has to go with a japanese Scart cable, otherwise won't work.

Then I saw other people saying the same as you, that the scart box only would work an Euro scart cable... but the Saturn is still japanese!

So I think I will wait to test the box with the cables I have now (1x jap scart for a jap Saturn + 1x jap scart for a jap MD) and if it doesn't work...

I'd like to find out if the SLG3000 + cga/vga scaler + Sync Strike (arcadeforge.de) will work with japanese scarts or have to be european scarts? Does anyone know?

[sj33]

A Japanese Scart cable ('JRGB') should not work with any device configured to accept a European Scart input. The pinouts are different. I use a European Scart cable with my Japanese Saturn.

[youtoo]

A Japanese Scart cable ('JRGB') should not work with any device configured to accept a European Scart input. The pinouts are different. I use a European Scart cable with my Japanese Saturn.

Fair enough, maybe that's why it didn't work with the SCART to HDMI box... (although I don't remember seeing anywhere in its add that the signal had to be European Scart specifically)

But with the SCART to YUV box (http://www.ebay.com/sch/i.html?_nkw=....c0.m270.l1313)... will it work? The ad says that "This Scart to Component Video adapter operates in PAL, PAL M, PAL N, NTSDC, NTSC 4.43 and SECAM".

[Yakumo]

What you need is Maicomsoft's XAV2-s converter box. It will take any 15KHz signal from 15 pin or 21 pin RGB and output it to S-Video or ****ty composite. I have one and can tell you it works very well on modern TVs. It will be featured in the new Retro Core 3 which will go on-line in a few hours.

[youtoo]

Ok, so I got a SCART-to-YUV transcoder and...

Good news: It works on my Toshiba! The TV actually scales up 240p!
Bad news: Lots of artifacts

Shinoby on Jap MD (with NTSC Scart cable):

http://www.box.com/s/dq7oj36z5yevc9pn55t5

http://www.box.com/s/ohro7h4n87y6y4lsvvt5

• Notice the blurred areas, anything in these to areas is blurred, while the rest of the screen is sharp
• Also, tons of artifacts (white on black, etc...)

.
Parodius Deluxe and Sega Rally on Jap Saturn (with NTSC Scart cable):

http://www.box.com/s/b7shbqogkhjjbkm0hz9l

http://www.box.com/s/y2hf3exfu30n6qexrnvk

http://www.box.com/s/ztbu2ts54npcv5qtv8cd

• The Saturn results are even worse. The blurring is still happening and bands appear along the screen, interference-like distortions, color blending...
• The blurred areas are still there for the Saturn as well.

.
Ok, so I'm ready to jump on the SLG3000 + CGA Scaler + SyncStrike.

Just out of curiosity, as some people say you're supposed to use PAL Scarts even on Jap Saturns/MDs... would I get any image at all if I was in fact using the wrong Scarts? (btw, the Scart-to-YUV box is supposed to accept NTSC RGB)

[youtoo]

A Japanese Scart cable ('JRGB') should not work with any device configured to accept a European Scart input. The pinouts are different. I use a European Scart cable with my Japanese Saturn.

Btw, just to make it clear, I live in Canada, so my TV I guess is not configured to accept European Scart Input at all, if anything is configured to accept NTSC RGB input over component...

[muddy]

I've used a modded Multi-mega on my SLG3000 + CGA Scaler + SyncStrike set up, in 50/60Hz mode. Just make sure you have an RGB SCART lead.