S-Video turns some reds into purple/pink

[Hyper_Eye]

So I saw a good deal on Atari brand S-Video cables on ebay and I decided it was finally time to jump on one and get some. I have been using composite cables for many years now and I haven't had any issues. I hooked in the S-Video and the picture quality is great. But, some reds are not right. It is instantly noticeable when the JagCD logo shifts. It will shift to a bright pink which is not normal. It is most noticeable while playing Doom. The muzzle flash is pink and the red pain screen is also pink. In addition to that the blood is purple. I have taken a picture of it. The picture does not show how really purple the blood is but it showed up in the picture to some extent.

 

 

Has anyone experienced this? I have a PS1, Dreamcast, and 3DO all hooked into this same display with S-Video and none of them have this issue. Is it likely to be the cable or the console? I did find a mention of this issue here. That is all I could find on it. Thanks for any info.

[Bomberhead]

I have a home made s-video cable and i have never encountered this problem. Is it possible that the cable i made myself is superior to that of the official brand?

[Zerosquare]

Same here. But I don't see why the cable would create a color difference like this.

 

Have you tried adjusting your TV set's Hue setting? (I assume you're using a NTSC console since you're in the USA). It may be possible to compensate the color shift.

[Hyper_Eye]

I haven't changed any settings on the television. I didn't really think to try since the colors were fine when hooked in with composite and all the other consoles hooked in with s-video look fine. I don't really want to have to adjust the color settings specifically for the Jag every time I use it. Right now it doesn't really matter what I use because everything runs through RF converters. I suppose it could be there that things are going wrong. It is my intention to replace this set but that is easier said than done. It turns out it is pretty hard to find an SDTV CRT with particular dimension and particular inputs. There doesn't seem to be much to pick from.

Edited September 22, 2011 by Hyper_Eye

[Gunstar]

RF converters? Are you saying that you are taking composite and S-video and turning it into an RF signal? If so, THAT is your problem, I don't care if everything else looks fine, THAT is the problem. If I understand you correctly.

 

And why do you think you have to find a SDTV CRT?!? Modern HDTV's have conmposite and s-video inputs. Even SDTV LCD TV's.

It doesn't matter if you use composite, S-video, or other cable, if you are converting it back into RF signal, you might as well just be using the Jaguar's RF output. RF degrades EVERYTHING.

Edited September 22, 2011 by Gunstar

[Hyper_Eye]

I do not disagree that RF degrades the picture. The converters are not newly introduced though. Hooking the Jag through the adapter with the composite cables it has been hooked up with does not result in purple blood. The other consoles hooked up with s-video through the same adapter does not result in incorrect colors. I am not saying that the RF conversion is not the cause but your unequivocal declaration that the cause is the RF conversion is without merit. There are many factors that could be the cause and a lot of evidence that opposes the RF conversion as the cause considering all the things that work on it and the fact that the Jag S-Video cable is newly introduced. I also reject the idea that the conversion is the same as using the Jag's RF output. The Jag has particularly bad RF output. Given a good cable, the Jags superior composite or S-Video output, and a clean conversion this configuration can absolutely produce better results than the Jag RF output.

 

The reason for wanting an old CRT is simple...

 

1) I don't like looking at a 4:3 picture on a widescreen display

2) Given the resolution of SD consoles an SD CRT is the best possible display to use. Upscaling can be highly detrimental to the picture of a classic console. This is especially true for PS1 which is among the consoles I have hooked up. The clarity of the picture will be at its absolute best when displayed in its native resolution.

3) Given 1 and 2, a CRT might as well be chosen considering its vastly superior black level and contrast ratio in comparison to any digital display technology.

 

I have multiple 1080p digital sets as well as an 80" 1080p front projector in the same room as the console but my classic console area will always have a 4:3 CRT at the center of it.

Edited September 22, 2011 by Hyper_Eye

[Zerosquare]

While it doesn't explain why you get wrong colors with the Jaguar's S-video output, using S-video (or better) with a RF modulator is pretty pointless, since RF is actually modulated composite. If you can, find a CRT TV with SCART or YUV inputs (in the latter case, add a RGB->YUV converter module) and use RGB cables ; the quality gap is huge.

[Rex Dart]

Well, did you even try the composite or s-video without the conversion & see if you get pink and purple guts?

Edited September 22, 2011 by Rex Dart

[Hyper_Eye]

Well, did you even try the composite or s-video without the conversion & see if you get pink and purple guts?

 

Not yet but I do intend to. It isn't something that is incredibly convenient to do atm. I will have to pull some cables out and move the system to try it.

 

I am actively looking for a replacement for the television that is currently there. I acquired the S-Video cable in anticipation of that. I didn't originally use composite with a converter for an improved image. I had all these consoles hooked up to an HDTV and upon building in my classic gaming area I moved them all to the CRT. It was the only SDTV I had available at the time and was the only television I had suited for the spot. The converters were always intended to be temporary. I had already been using the composite cable with the Jag for a long time when I set the whole thing up. The reason why my suspicions didn't fall immediately on the converter is because it worked fine when the Jag was hooked to it with composite and I have a PS1, Dreamcast, and 3DO all hooked through the converter with S-Video without issue.

 

Still, I will try it on another television and attempt to eliminate or single out the converter as the cause. I will report back with the results. Thanks for the suggestions.

[bigferret]

I'm guessing the issue is a combination of your Jag and your TV. I've tried hooking my Jag up to my main Samsung HDTV with a third party S-video cable and I get the same exact pink issue. I couldn't stand how bad it looked and I took the Jag to another HDTV (an Insignia) and the colors were just fine.

[Hyper_Eye]

I went around to some thrift stores today and I found a nice looking CRT that was perfectly sized to replace my set and it has all the connections I need including S-Video. I went ahead and got it and everything is hooked up without the RF converters. The pink is gone and the Jag looks great! I put in Myst and the scenes look perfect. I don't see any noise at all. I've been meaning to replace that television and ditch those adapters for a long time and getting the new Jag cables gave me the push I needed. I'm glad I did it! Thanks for the suggestions guys.