Genesis PQ

[The Manimal]

Is there any particular reason that the Genesis video output tends to almost "ghost" itself, especially bad on yellows and reds like on text? I've always found a jaggedness to the picture on a Genesis, but when I play games like Choplifter (SMS) on it, the numbers in the menus at top (in red) are seem to ghost themselves, and in NHL 98 and you have yellow tiny numbers for stats in menus like "League Leaders" and it's nearly imposssible to tell the difference between a "2" and an "8". They kind of blend together. Is this a sharpness issue (being set too high for the unit *it's NOT my TV*)? I've noticed that with a Genesis 1, it's not anywhere as bad as with a Genesis 2, due to a noticeably softer picture. Anyways...


1- I'm curious as to what they picture is this way
2- Is it corrected through an S-Video Mod
3- Since (as far as I'm aware) the 32X can't be modded for S-Video, is it possible to mod the Genesis so that it can send out S-Video through an additional connector but yet still have the original output still work (So that I can use S-video output on Genesis games and use composite for 32X/Sega CD games?)

[PDP-13]

Sounds like you are using RF? don't its awful.
Composite is also lousy for picture sharpness.

Yes you could mod your Genesis 1/2/32X for S-Video.
(the 32X is very hard for non electronics gurus)

A better solution is to build a connector cable + box that takes the RGB signal from the Genesis/32X and converts it to S-Video. (this way it could also work for many other systems)

http://www.gamesx.com/index2.htm
The specs are somewhere on the forum. search for it.


OR if you wanted you could upconvert it to VGA and getREALLY sharp images.

[FABombjoy]

1- I'm curious as to what they picture is this way
2- Is it corrected through an S-Video Mod
3- Since (as far as I'm aware) the 32X can't be modded for S-Video, is it possible to mod the Genesis so that it can send out S-Video through an additional connector but yet still have the original output still work (So that I can use S-video output on Genesis games and use composite for 32X/Sega CD games?)

1 - The RGB encoder is old tech, and Sega's implementation of it is probably sub par. The Neo Geo system uses the same chip, and the first run of NG consoles had such poor video that they had special boards installed in an attempt to clean up the image.

2 - An s-video Genesis is a thing of beauty. It really is unbelieveable how much quality is gained, and must be seen to be appreciated.

3 - This should work just fine. Although, DavidLeeRoth (the user, not the singer ) posted some info awhile back on possible Y/C pins on the 32x RGB encoder. I've really been meaning to test them.

[The Manimal]

Sounds like you are using RF? don't its awful.
Composite is also lousy for picture sharpness.

I'm using composite in both cases. I have several of each version (as well as the third, which is more like the Gen 2).


I highly prefer the cosmetics of the Gen 2. BTW, none of my Gen 2's (I have 2 of them) can be modded for S-Video, I believe. I figure they are so plentiful, that if I paid someone on this board who did these mods to an extra they may have lying around, and pay a little more. Either that or try to snag one beforehand off eBay after questioning what kind of chip is inside (which could be troublesome).

[PDP-13]

Exactly, a Gen 2 that supports S-Video is semi-uncommon.

you have less than a 1 in 3 chance of getting one.

It really is better to make a universal converter that would work for a Genesis (1 or 2 or even 3!) or 32X or even Nomad.

http://web.njit.edu/~jal0737/Neo-Geo/Neo-HomeMVS2.htm

The AD725 technical sheet's circuit is what you want to build.

If I had seen a schematic on the net, I'd give it to ya. but there arn't any good ones.

[SkiDragon]

I have considered an RGB to component converter in the past, but from what I can tell they cost a ton.

Are you saying that an RGB to S-video is easy enough to assemble yourself? If so, I could not find any of the instructions.

I like this idea, because it seems simpler to mod most systems for RGB than it is for S-video.

By the way, I have several Genesis 2s and the majority of them ARE compatible with an S-video mod. There are at least 3 types of chips, and two of those are definitely "moddable", although one is easier to implement than the other. Unfortunately, I modded the difficult chip before I realized that the other chip existed and that I even owned one. Oh well, it works and looks great.

[PDP-13]

the RGB converter does need some Surface mount soldering, but only for one part.

The link I gave out actually has a pic of a 'converter' board that turns the sm chip into a dip style one.

Easy, no. Hard not exactly. Its a moderately difficult project.

Very fiddly though if the values are wrong / need changing.

there IS no central design or layout, my own is cobbled together from 3 different designs...