N64 s-video question

[Atari 5200]

I just recently ordered an svideo cable from ebay and was going to use it for a better picture on my hdtv. Thing is, though, when I use them, it looks like there are a lot of small out of color pixels all over the screen. Is this normal? Sure the picture is a bit sharper, but this really annoys me and was wondering whether or not it should be this way. Any info is greatly appreciated. Thanks!!!

[abbub]

No, I don't believe that's normal. Have you tried using it with a SNES to see if it's the N64 or the cable? I use the S-video cable that came with my Gamecube for both the SNES and the N64 and the picture looks pretty good (as good as a N64 is likely to get, anyway...).

[Atari 5200]

yeah, actually now that I look at it, it looks a lot worse than just regualar av cables. I tried it on both n64 and snes. I won't bother with the gcn, since i'm pretty sure it will do the same on it.

So, shall we call this a faulty cable?

[Retromangia]

Hey Atari,

Looks like you got hosed... i bought an N64 s-video cable off ebay a few years ago, and had the same problem happen to me. Although it looks sharper on screen, there's a noticeable amount of "spots", almost like a fuzzy checker board effect.

thats because that seller sold you a hacked up composite cable (normal yellow cable), and just put an s-video connector on the end.

here, buy this: this is THE BEST s-video cable on the market, hands down. This Monster s-video cable will work on SNES, N64, and Gamecube.

Buy this: http://www.amazon.com/Monster-GCGL300-SV-10-GameCube-S-Video/dp/B000092WZ2/ref=sr_1_7?ie=UTF8&s=videogames&qid=1237483644&sr=8-7

Enjoy!

and tell that seller he ripped you off, and you want your money back. :2gunfire:

[Atari 5200]

a fuzzy checker board effect.



EXACTLY! That's just what it looks like. Oh, well, time to kick some ass. And thanks for the link, I'll be sure to check it out.

[Orion Pimpdaddy]

I'm glad this was brought up because I am on my second N64 S-video cord and it looks terrible. It looks that way on both the CRT and my HD TV. My cord does not look like a hack though, I think it is just low quality. I'll try a third time with that link.

[aclbandit]

I had this exact same problem-- mine was the "Pelican" brand (I bought it on ebay) and it didn't work at all.

I bought a Monster s-vid from a DPer, and it's been lookin' wicked ever since.

[Orion Pimpdaddy]

I just received the Monster S-video cable that was suggested. I plugged it in, and it is the same problem. I now have bought three different s-video cables and the screen still looks bad. I went inside the N64 today and cleaned it, and cleaned the connecter where the cord goes, but there's no improvement.

The best way to describe it is that everything is a little fuzzy, and you can see black horizontal lines going through the graphics.

[evildragon]

The only odd thing I see in my N64 is dithering due to it's lower color count.

[Orion Pimpdaddy]

I found out that late model N64s cannot output in S-video. That may be the source of my problem. I have to look into it more.

[TheDomesticInstitution]

I was about to say, I had the Monster cable for my N64 and it didn't look that great either. I switched it to my Gamecube and put it to better use. There's a noticeable difference between S-Video and composite on the GC, but not the N64.

My N64 is also the classic system that looks the worst on an HDTV set.

[Ed Oscuro]

Let's get some serial #s in this thread. I'll check out the S/N on mine (which I'm certain is a "good model") when I get back home this weekend.

Interesting thread, had no idea even the N64 suffered from Nintendo Cheap-itis.

[TheDomesticInstitution]

Serial # NS157372210

Is there really a difference between models? I just thought it this was normal for an N64.

Also I didn't realize it was possible to "hack" a composite cable off and solder on an S-video connection. Don't S-Video and composite transmit the signal in a different way? The S-video signal separates the chrominance and luminance, whereas the composite cable transmits the picture down one pipe-line. Is it really just as simple as soldering on a different connector? Has anyone really tried this? I would assume it's a bit more complicated than that. Also wouldn't it cost more money to cut off one connector and put another one on? Does an S-video cable really cost that much more than a composite cable?

Anyway, maybe I'm just overly critical of the N64s picture output. But when I 1st connected my S-video many years ago, I thought it looked more grainy too. I just thought that the N64 wasn't really designed for an S-video out, and the higher quality connection revealed more flaws in the picture. I've also heard similar things about Laserdisc- that although they often had an S video out, it really wasn't an improvement over a composite signal.

Anyway, Ed, if you have some answers I'd love to hear a few. Or anyone else that has evidence to back up a claim.

[ProgrammingAce]

My N64 is also the classic system that looks the worst on an HDTV set.

Fun fact, the N64 and the NES have the same amount of texture ram, both have 2kB

I seriously doubt poor S-video cable performance has anything to do with the cable. I would think it's more likely that it's either the comb filter in the TV itself, or that there is a revision on the N64's scaler chip.

[TheDomesticInstitution]

Fun fact, the N64 and the NES have the same amount of texture ram, both have 2kB

I loved quite a few games on this system, but the sad fact is- the graphics have aged poorly. Some say that the VC N64 games on the Wii look a lot better than if you actually play them on the N64- I don't have a hard time believing this.


I seriously doubt poor S-video cable performance has anything to do with the cable. I would think it's more likely that it's either the comb filter in the TV itself, or that there is a revision on the N64's scaler chip.

Yeah, the notion of a re-soldered S-video cable really doesn't make a whole lot of sense. I'm thinking the TV has a bit to do with it too.

[FABombjoy]

I would think it's more likely that it's either the comb filter in the TV itself, or that there is a revision on the N64's scaler chip.
FWIW, the comb filter isn't used on s-video, only composite video.

[Sonicwolf]

FWIW, the comb filter isn't used on s-video, only composite video.

I thought it was.

When I hook up my LaserDisc player with an internal svideo comb filter, the tv's clashes with it and manages to produce a terrifying picture.

[FABombjoy]

Must be something else. A comb filter splits composite into Y/C signals; hooking a device up via s-video bypasses the comb stage of TV's video processing. You're not hooking composite & s-video up at the same time are you? A different question for a different thread I suppose.

[izarate]

Also I didn't realize it was possible to "hack" a composite cable off and solder on an S-video connection.



It isn't really dificult, is a pretty simple circuit:

http://img19.imageshack.us/img19/923/svideocompuesto.gif

[TheDomesticInstitution]

It isn't really dificult, is a pretty simple circuit:


Yeah, but cheap s-vids and composite cables aren't really that different in price. The time in labor, and the cost of extra s-video connectors would probably not make this a very common practice.

Also the s-video cable would probably be visibly shorter than the audio connectors, so this would be easy to spot. So, to make it look legit the seller would also have to hack off the composite tips to make all the cables match- therefore the buyer would also have to purchase additional composite tips. I don't really buy this reasoning, because I don't think it happens a lot.

[FABombjoy]

I guarantee that video quality of the above circuit sucks. It's intended purpose is actually backward: to convert s-video to composite. It's detailed on this page, including an observation on using it as comp->s-vid adapter

http://www.tkk.fi/Misc/Electronics/circuits/svideo2cvideo.html

[izarate]

Yeah, but cheap s-vids and composite cables aren't really that different in price. The time in labor, and the cost of extra s-video connectors would probably not make this a very common practice.

Also the s-video cable would probably be visibly shorter than the audio connectors, so this would be easy to spot. So, to make it look legit the seller would also have to hack off the composite tips to make all the cables match- therefore the buyer would also have to purchase additional composite tips. I don't really buy this reasoning, because I don't think it happens a lot.


I guarantee that video quality of the above circuit sucks. It's intended purpose is actually backward: to convert s-video to composite. It's detailed on this page, including an observation on using it as comp->s-vid adapter

http://www.tkk.fi/Misc/Electronics/circuits/svideo2cvideo.html


I just meant to answer his question about hacking a S-Video connector to the composite cable. I didn't mean to imply that the seller had done that or that the result would be similar to a proper S-Video cable. I've edited my previous post for clarification.

[TheDomesticInstitution]

I just meant to answer his question about hacking a S-Video connector to the composite cable. I didn't mean to imply that the seller had done that or that the result would be similar to a proper S-Video cable. I've edited my previous post for clarification.



Oops, my fault. I thought you were also the poster above that suggested that was what happened. I scrolled up, and sure enough it was someone else. Again, my apologies.

[FABombjoy]

I certainly believe that an eBay seller might have pulled that crap. It'd be interesting to use a VOM and see how the OP's cable actually pins out. Color sparklies is a good indicator of crossed luma/chroma lines.

[dreamcaster]

I don't know if this applies to NTSC seems, but on PAL systems the original black N64's will output through an s-video cable but the coloured systems don't.

I tried it on my clear purple N64, and I got no signal. Where as my black N64 displays okay (although PAL S-Video output isn't great).