Just got an XRGB Mini...

[Ziggy]

edit: Old thread. Jump here: http://racketboy.com/forum/viewtopic.ph ... 49#p997249

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So, does this allow me admittance to the club now? Can I put that banner in my sig?


Naturally, I have some questions since using the XRGB Mini isn't the most straight forward thing. I would appreciate any info or links for a newbie.

I've been reading about the Mini for a while now, so I do know some about it. I've read this page, most of this page, and skipped through some threads on various forums here and there. But now that I own one, I want to know as much as I can about using it.

I think for right now the thing I want most is a quick and dirty settings guide. As in, a list of settings that work best (or well) for a specific console. But I'm also interested in anything that you guys think is worth reading.

For those that don't know, my gaming setup is split between two rooms: In my man cave I have a CRT with all of my retro consoles. My HDTV has all my new(er) consoles, as well as a second SNES, N64, and my PS2. The console I'll be using the most with the Mini will be the SNES. I have a 1chip model as well as older models with the two separate PPUs and CPU. My N64 is already modified to output RGB. I'm thinking now that I have the Mini I'll use one of my spare NES too. The NES, SNES and N64 are the consoles that I'm most interested in getting quick and dirty settings list for.

The Mini came with a few RGB cables. The mini-DIN cable was rewired to use PAL SCART cables. I have SCART cables for SNES/N64, model 1 Genesis, Saturn, PS1/PS2, and an adapter that will let me use component cables on the D-terminal.

Since I have the cables, and happen to have a spare model 1 Genesis, I'll probably use the Genesis with the Mini. Now I've read that the Mini isn't as great with 480 resolutions as it is with 240, but I do plan to try and use my Wii and PS2 with it via component. For the PS2, I have the option of using RGB or component. For the Wii, I have component cables.

I also have a PSP Slim with component cables, but I don't recall ever reading anything about using the PSP with the Mini. Anything on that?

My Mini came with version 1.10 firmware. Is this still the latest version?

I'll probably have more and more questions the more I use it. So far, I've pretty much only unboxed it and verified that it works. I was only able to use it for a short while after work yesterday, but I'll probably a decent amount of time into it over the next two days.

So let me know of any tips, tricks, info, or links you think would be useful!

[AppleQueso]

When I had it, I got most of my info from the xrgb-mini thread on the shmups.system11 forums. You should poke in there around if you haven't.

I also have a PSP Slim with component cables, but I don't recall ever reading anything about using the PSP with the Mini. Anything on that?

Real fast I can tell you that one of the zoom functions (I forget which one) is actually built pretty much just for zooming in the PSP so it's properly full screen.

[Ziggy]

When I had it, I got most of my info from the xrgb-mini thread on the shmups.system11 forums. You should poke in there around if you haven't.

Nope, I haven't. Is there a particular thread that you can link me?

Real fast I can tell you that one of the zoom functions (I forget which one) is actually built pretty much just for zooming in the PSP so it's properly full screen.

Ah, awesome! Now that you've said that, I can vaguely remember reading something about the PSP with the Mini. I'll definitely have to try it out.

[AppleQueso]

When I had it, I got most of my info from the xrgb-mini thread on the shmups.system11 forums. You should poke in there around if you haven't.

Nope, I haven't. Is there a particular thread that you can link me?.

http://shmups.system11.org/viewtopic.php?f=6&t=33450

It's REALLY big and has been running since the mini was announced.

[Ziggy]

Thanks!



So what's the story with sync and the RGB input? Can it not take composite as sync? Does it need a pure sync signal?

Like I said, I have multiple SNES revisions. I've been going back and forth with original chipset and 1chip revision, which one is better to use on my HDTV. Most recently I've been using the 1 chip because the SNES PowerPak creates horrible vertical lines. The 1chip makes them almost nonexistent. The only thing is my 1chip is actually a PAL SNES, but, I've hardwired it to be NTSC 60Hz. So when I tried this SNES with the XRGB mini and an RGB SCART cable I got sound but no signal. It's been a while, so I forget exactly, but does the PAL SNES output composite as sync? So I'll have to rewire it for pure sync?

edit: I just Googled it. That's right, now I remember. On the Nintendo multi AV output, the sync pin is +12v on PAL consoles. That's all I'll have to do is cut the trace to that pin and jump sync to it. Simple.

edit edit: Well shit, I forgot something else. NTSC RGB cables have caps in them. PAL RGB cables have resistors. I just opened the Nintendo cable that I got with my XRGB and it has caps in it. So this cable wont work for my PAL SNES. I'll switch to one of my NTSC SNESes for the time being.

I can't use either RGB cable (NTSC with caps or PAL with resistors) with my N64. The RGB mod that I did doesn't require any components in the cable, it's just straight thru to the display. That means I'll be making a custom cable. At least I'll be able to share it between both consoles.

[Ziggy]

OK, so I was just messing around more with it. Since I can't use my PAL SNES, I switched back to my NTSC SNES so I could use the RGB output. The horrible vertical lines from the SNES PowerPak are gone, go figure. To make life easier, I might just keep using my old SNES instead of the 1chip.

Apparently the RGB mod that I did to my N64 doesn't require caps in the RGB cable, but stock RGB21 cables can be used (which have the caps) with "perfect results." So I suppose I'll just have to hook up the RGB to the multi AV (I currently the signals going to RCA jacks) and see what happens.



I've pretty much only messed around with the SNES so far, and I'm liking what I see, but I'm noticing something kinda weird. It's really hard to tell because of the black screen between switching, but I think I prefer setting the XRGB to 480p output rather than 1080p. When it's set to 1080p the pixels are really sharp and jagged. When it's set to output 480, it's a lot more smooth and more pleasing to the eye IMO. Does any one else think this?

I've still yet to try any other consoles other than the N64 via S-Video. I'm looking forward to trying the NES and Genesis. I think I'll leave the Wii and PS2 for last since they sound like headaches.

[AppleQueso]

I've pretty much only messed around with the SNES so far, and I'm liking what I see, but I'm noticing something kinda weird. It's really hard to tell because of the black screen between switching, but I think I prefer setting the XRGB to 480p output rather than 1080p. When it's set to 1080p the pixels are really sharp and jagged. When it's set to output 480, it's a lot more smooth and more pleasing to the eye IMO. Does any one else think this?

Yeah, it's a preference thing, definitely looks softer. You're letting your TV do most of the scaling there. If you want scanlines, 480p is absolutely preferred as well, as the scanlines don't quite look right at 1080p because of how the system generates them.

[ninjainspandex]

I found 720p output to be the optimal setting when doing games with scanlines, and I always use scanlines

[Ziggy]

I just have no love for scanlines.

[Anapan]

Congrats!
I got one of these
http://www.retrogamingcables.co.uk/mico ... ipper.html
It eliminates the small distortion I saw on Genesis input. Apparently it did more on earlier firmware. It's unnecessary otherwise as far as I can tell, but I got it to replace the Japanese wired one so I do not need to use a pigtail.

I only ever use 480p - this is necessary to make my games look like all the big screen CRT displays I enjoyed the most. Gotta love the scanlines! Maybe start with a small amount of scanline and work your way up?
Using 1080p you can simulate square pixels like emulators output without filtering, but it's not what I got the XRGBs for.

I've gone through a pile of SCART cables and console-wise I think I only have ones from the earlier link and http://www.ebay.ca/usr/retro_console_accessories - the rest have been cut and parts of them were reused for other things (should've been trashed, but I can't just do that).

I generally followed the Junker HQ XRGB Wiki guides for settings-per-console. Anything I did beyond that was small tweaks aside from eliminating Jailbars I encounter with defaults - they can be eliminated without affecting clarity if you set things right.