Which video cable for my Sega Genesis?

[Sonja]

I have the Sega Genesis photographed below. I've bought audio/visual cables from ebay twice, but I always get the same problem: audio works but video doesn't work. I can get both audio and visual to work if I do it with the old-school connector (RF?) but I'd rather use the modern s-video thingy.

 

Any thoughts on this or what cable I need? Or if maybe something is damaged about my Sega?

 

Edited August 15, 2010 by Sonja

[stalepie]

Search for "sega genesis av cable" on eBay - http://rover.ebay.com/rover/1/711-53200-19255-0/1?icep_ff3=9&pub=5574883395&toolid=10001&campid=5336500554&customid=&icep_uq=sega+genesis+av+cable&icep_sellerId=&icep_ex_kw=&icep_sortBy=12&icep_catId=&icep_minPrice=&icep_maxPrice=&ipn=psmain&icep_vectorid=229466&kwid=902099&mtid=824&kw=lg

 

In my opinion (and I am in the distinct minority here), Genesis looks best with regular A/V composite cables rather than something higher. This is because the games were designed for composite or RF, this being the standard when they were made.

 

In your case, you may already have composite cables but are connecting them wrong. It is a little tricky. With mine, which only has two plugs instead of 3, you have to put one in a certain audio connection (left? right? I'm not sure) or else you will just get sound from one speaker. however it sounds as though you may be experiencing a different problem related to what kind of tv you have.

[Bruce Tomlin]

Could you possibly have gotten a Saturn video cable? The plug is similar, and it's hard to tell the difference when they have all but the necessary pins removed from the plug.

[Sonja]

It turns out that the TV was to blame. I tried the same set-up on a completely different TV, and everything worked! woo!!