Help! SNES s-video cable -> VGA monitor = weird grey colors?

[yo5hiki]

Hello, I recently picked up a new SNES/PS2/Xbox s-video cable. I have a s-video to VGA converter box that I use with my LCD monitor for older systems. Both the PS2 and Xbox look great with the new s-video cable on the LCD, BUT the SNES is outputting weird greyish colors. I've tested the new cable and SNES on a tube TV and the s-video looks great with normal colors. I don't get it...anyone know what's up?

[ninjainspandex]

hmm reminds me of when I didn't have my S-video cable plugged in snugly enough in my HDCRT, everything was in black and white.

[yo5hiki]

Hmm, yeah it's snug. I just tried the s-video cable with my Gamecube on the LCD and it works perfectly. I also tried just a regular Nintendo composite A/V cable with the SNES and it shows the same greyish colors! WTF! This is so frustrating because no other console through the VGA adapter to LCD has this problem.

[Mock]

Is your VGA adapter something like this one?
http://www.amazon.ca/gp/product/B00DJ16 ... ge_o01_s00

I got this one and I have the same problem you do with SNES (S-Video or composite), Genesis (composite), and Sega Master System (composite).

I also tried the NES through composite and had a different problem - the colours were slightly off, within range of the VGA converters HUE controls to correct, but I don't have to adjust for the consoles that work properly.

N64 (S-Video), Gamecube (S-Video), Saturn (composite), and Amiga CD32 (S-Video) all work fine.

There must be something different with the video signals the SNES, Genesis, and Master System are outputting that the VGA Converter doesn't like. I thought this might be a problem of low resolution until I tested the NES, perhaps there something wonky with the refresh rate?

I'm waiting for some new dedicated S-Video cables to try out with the SNES. The only one I have to test with now is a crappy 3-in-1 Gamecube/Xbox/PS2 cable that makes the screen door effect. I'll let you know if the new cables change anything.

I bought this thing mainly for S-Video consoles because my TV doesn't have an S-Video input, I really hope I find a way to get SNES working.

[Mock]

Got the new cables for the SNES, no joy.
I also found out that the N64 and CD32 pictures are plagued by vertical red lines across the entire screen, they're not always visible, but are really terrible in dark games such as Turok 2.

In the end, this thing is really only suitable for Gamecube. Back to Amazon it goes!

[ninjainspandex]

Hmm maybe your converter box doesn't support a 240p signal? Xbox and Ps2 would be 480i via svid i think

[Exhuminator]

Hmm maybe your converter box doesn't support a 240p signal?

This is what I'm wondering as well.

[Mock]

Seems like it, too bad since the image from the Gamecube was fantastic at 1440x900 on my LG 42CL11 LCD TV.

Ordered a Panlong S-Video/Composite to HDMI converter instead, at least I know it will work with the 240p sources from reviews. It also looks identical to the Lenkeng listed on Fudoh's page, so it is known to be OK quality too.

Since I could not find any good information on these S-Video to VGA converters before I took the plunge, here is an image comparing the difference between straight composite direct to the TV, and S-Video through the VGA converter on both N64 and Gamecube.



I took the N64 pictures before I had the new S-Video cables, with good cables the only difference is that the screen-door effect is gone (easily visible in the fire), the rest of the image is still horrible.