Help with XRGB-3 and S-Video Atari 7800

[thetallguy24]

I just got an Atari 7800 modded with s-video. I want to hook it up to my plasma, and I have an XRGB-3. It works great with all my other consoles, even in s-video, but so far no luck. Doesn't work with the composite out either.

 

Anybody have any experience with this?

[+madman]

Can you be more specific? You get no picture at all? Sync issues? Picture looks terrible? The 7800 works fine with composite or s-video plugged directly into your TV?

[thetallguy24]

Can you be more specific? You get no picture at all? Sync issues? Picture looks terrible? The 7800 works fine with composite or s-video plugged directly into your TV?

 

7800 works fine plugged into a CRT TV. With the XRGB-3, I get no picture at all. Strange, because the S-Video and Composite inputs work with my NES and SNES.

 

Additionally, the S-Video of the 7800 only outputs black and white when I try using it in my Extron scaler or DVDO line doubler.

Edited January 30, 2016 by thetallguy24

[thetallguy24]

Actually, I plugged this back into my CRT, and its black and white in both S-Video and Composite no matter what the TIA Switch is set too. I guess the guy who sold it to me sold a bad mod.

[+madman]

Ah that's a bummer, but at least the mystery is solved.

[thetallguy24]

Ah that's a bummer, but at least the mystery is solved.

 

Well not exactly. I went and got a new s-video/composite cable just to be sure, and its got color again on the CRT TV and my scalers. Still no luck with the XRGB3

Edited January 30, 2016 by thetallguy24

[+madman]

Ah that is really odd then, I figured if it was black and white the xrgb would have problems syncing or some other signal related issue. My 7800 is RF only otherwise I'd try it out on my mini and let you know.

[Atariboy]

Maybe running it through a VCR will improve the signal enough for the XRGB to cooperate. Doesn't seem to like the resolution or signal strength.

[CatPix]

Yeah, I'd bet that the signal is too weak for the xRGB to make it out.

in S-video mode, the bulf of the picture (syncing signal and luminance) is transmitetd on the same wires, so even if the color didn't work, it should display a black and white picture on the xRGB.

[thetallguy24]

As an added note, I played around and ran my Atari S-Video to the XRGB 3 in B1 mode then ran the VGA through the Gonbes I have. Now it works. However, this is not an ideal setup as I want to use the XRGB 3 for all my consoles.

Any reason why it would work this way and not just solely using the XRGB 3?

[+madman]

I'm thinking it must be sync related, but I don't know why your TV would be fine with other 240p sources. Unless the 7800 is outputting some strange sync, but I have no clue about the composite or s-video mods. Have you tried different output resolutions on the xrgb? I had a similar issue with my Neo Geo CD, it outputs a slightly odd sync rate, I had to change the output to 720, then adjust the sync on the mini, then change it back to 1080 output for it to work properly. Other than that, I'm not sure what else to try or what options the 3 has that the mini doesn't.