Sega Saturn on LCD UPDATE

[MerRocher]

Here's one way to get a VGA signal out of a Saturn.

[Souther]

I took a look at the video. You may not have noticed this, but your signal actually appears to be stretched vertically (with the Donald Duck comparison). This is what I thought would happen, considering that Europe uses a different resolution and NTSC 4.43 is a European signal. Games like Siren 2 have black bars on the top and bottom (in Europe) because of the difference in resolution, where in Japan it's full screen. So it looks like your video signal is being stretched to compensate for the 100 extra "lines" that are missing from the NTSC signal that's going into the box.

Looking further into the matter, I also looked at different sites that brought up NTSC 4.43 and all of them were in the context of Europe and none of them mentioned Japan, aside from the link that was posted.

Edit: At the same time, his video could be stretched weird too. This is just my initial suspicions of the box that may or may not be verified from the video. I'm having some internet problems, so it'll take me a while but i'll look at your S-Video to RGB comparison to tell if there's a real difference in resolution, or if it was just my imagination/other factors.

Well I hope you find something that suits your needs.

[CRTGAMER]

Looking further into the matter, I also looked at different sites that brought up NTSC 4.43 and all of them were in the context of Europe and none of them mentioned Japan, aside from the link that was posted.

Edit: At the same time, his video could be stretched weird too. This is just my initial suspicions of the box that may or may not be verified from the video. I'm having some internet problems, so it'll take me a while but i'll look at your S-Video to RGB comparison to tell if there's a real difference in resolution, or if it was just my imagination/other factors.

Well I hope you find something that suits your needs.

Souther mention his TV is a NTSC so I think SCART RGB to Component is a more cost effective route. But still chunk of money to invest for not absolute positive result you are after. The RGB with SCART is a lot better the S-Video, because of isolating the video channels. Or you can go all out and RGB to that XRGB-3. If cost is not an issue, I would definitely choose RGB over S-Video out of your Saturn.

MerRocher, do you have a link to that Saturn VGA Mod? If its not simply an RGB connection, could be another route to pursue.

[MentalMan]

MerRocher, do you have a link to that Saturn VGA Mod? If its not simply an RGB connection, could be another route to pursue.

To be honest, to me that connector looks more like a DE-9. Maybe even a DA-15 but not sure. Picture isnt very clear, but looks like 2 rows of pins, and not 3.

With a DE-9 you can grab yourself any signal you want if you got a RGB monitor to use that connector on.

GamesX Example.

[CRTGAMER]

MerRocher, do you have a link to that Saturn VGA Mod? If its not simply an RGB connection, could be another route to pursue.

To be honest, to me that connector looks more like a DE-9. Maybe even a DA-15 but not sure. Picture isnt very clear, but looks like 2 rows of pins, and not 3.

With a DE-9 you can grab yourself any signal you want if you got a RGB monitor to use that connector on.

GamesX Example.

According to the link, a 9 pin. Same as round factory Saturn outlet, not VGA.
An custom cable and transcoder would still be needed to go component or VGA.

[MentalMan]

Yea that's just the point. I am guessing you where refering to above picture, with the saturn that has a DE-9 port on the back, which I am thinking you mistook for a VGA mod.

There is no purpose to a VGA mod since no saturn software even makes use of those display modes. So yeah, you actually need something to transcode the normal 15khz signal up without getting the saturn software involved. And thats completly external, and way above just a custom "cable".

[CRTGAMER]

There is no purpose to a VGA mod since no saturn software even makes use of those display modes. So yeah, you actually need something to transcode the normal 15khz signal up without getting the saturn software involved. And thats completly external, and way above just a custom "cable".

The transcoder mentioned earlier. Good luck which ever way you go, please let us know of results.

[MerRocher]

I was actually thinking of RGB to HDMI since the box said it supported the standard NTSC signal, until I found out it wasn't 1.3. Anyways, I thought about RGB as well. But after watching the videos by "phonedork," I didn't see so much of a difference that it would really matter to me, especially when I found the $60 S-Video converter for $30 on ebay. So I'm going to go with S-Video and I'll tell you how it goes.

The Sega Saturn in question is available off of yahoo auctions (Japan). Someone modded their Saturn and is selling it online. I found it and decided to post it, because I thought some here might get a kick out of it. I guess it's not VGA after all? Oh well, I just took a quick glance at it.

[MentalMan]

There is no purpose to a VGA mod since no saturn software even makes use of those display modes. So yeah, you actually need something to transcode the normal 15khz signal up without getting the saturn software involved. And thats completly external, and way above just a custom "cable".

The transcoder mentioned earlier. Good luck which ever way you go, please let us know of results.

I think we are reading past each other, lol. What are you talking about, im not doing anything.

I was just pointing out that the above "mod" is not a internal vga. I am assuming you mistook it for a internal VGA mod.

Since a 2 pin-row socket contradicts with the 3 pin-row VGA socket, I thought i'd clear that up. You really confuse me, I was just pointing something out, lol.

The Sega Saturn in question is available off of yahoo auctions (Japan). Someone modded their Saturn and is selling it online. I found it and decided to post it, because I thought some here might get a kick out of it. I guess it's not VGA after all? Oh well, I just took a quick glance at it.

Yea it is nothing unusual to use a one of these old connectors. They really do look similiar to VGA so one can be missguided. All it does is deliver the normal video signals, there is no special upscaling. And even so, some people state saturn can output the 31khz all on its own, just like the Dreamcast. However I dont know how much truth to that is, and as said before by me and others, no software officially ever made use of it and Sega did not sell any VGA cables for the saturn. No hi-vision either, many think. But I cant confirm that.


Good luck with your S-Video btw.

[CRTGAMER]

There is no purpose to a VGA mod since no saturn software even makes use of those display modes. So yeah, you actually need something to transcode the normal 15khz signal up without getting the saturn software involved. And thats completly external, and way above just a custom "cable".

The transcoder mentioned earlier. Good luck which ever way you go, please let us know of results.

I think we are reading past each other, lol. What are you talking about, im not doing anything.
I was just pointing out that the above "mod" is not a internal vga. I am assuming you mistook it for a internal VGA mod.

Since a 2 pin-row socket contradicts with the 3 pin-row VGA socket, I thought i'd clear that up. You really confuse me, I was just pointing something out, lol.

Oop, sorry, got you mixed up with MerRocher. Thanks for the info on the Saturn RGB adaptor though.