[Help] No image but Sync with SEGA Megadrive and MultiMega

[PX2]

All,

Just bought the OSSC because I thought it would be fun to be able to get all the old consoles out of their boxes and use them again.
Unfortunately the fun turned into sadness when I couldn’t get any of the consoles working…

What I did till now (including reading the starter manual and several posts in this forum):
I connected the OSSC via HDMI to my beamer, as I didnt get any positive result I decided to use an HD computer screen (IIYAMA E2409HDS)’, following test have been done on that screen:

1) Connected the OSSC to the screen via HDMI
2) Turned the OSSC on, I get a grey window on the screen and LCD indicate “fw 0.78a”
3) Turned the OSSC off
4) Connected a original Sega MegaDrive (RGB Model No: 1000-09 – not modded) with original SCART RGB adapter to AV1 of OSSC
5) Turned the OSSC on, grey window again, etc.. Pushed button “1” of remote to get into RGBS mode
6) Turned the SEGA on, the led OSSC LED turns green and LCD indicate “AV1: RGBS 313P 15.55KHz 49.69Hz”
But the screen remains black…! Although there is a signal between the OSSC and the screen because it won’t go into standby

So I though “weird, the consle might have an issue” and decided to try it out with my MultiMega (MegaDrive/MegaCD portable combo) as it has different cables (in case the RGB SCART adapter was broken).
1) Connected a original Sega MultiMega (Model No: MK-4121-50 – not modded) with original SCART adapter to AV1 of OSSC
2) Turned the OSSC on, grey window again, etc.. Pushed button “1” of remote to get into RGBS mode
3) Turned the SEGA on, the led OSSC LED turns green and LCD indicate “AV1: RGBS 313P 15.52KHz 49.60Hz”
This time the screen shows the beautiful SEGA MegaCD menu (when no game or CD is inserted) even with sound.
I thought cool, it was probably a console issue…!
4) I stop the console, put a cartridge in and start it again
But the screen remains black…! Although there is a signal between the OSSC and the screen because it won’t go into standby

I’ve tried different game cartridges with both consoles and then tried to play with different input/output settings of the OSSC, but couldn’t anything else working than the menu picture of the SEGA MultiMega.

I’ve even tried with the SEGA Master system 1 & 2, but for those the sync LED remains red and the LCD screen says “No sync”, so let’s discard them for the moment (I’m pretty sure that the DIN video output connectors of those is broken)!

Any clue what I can do to debug? I’ve tried different RGB SCART adapters (3 in total) and even changed the HDMI cable but nothing works.

[Harrumph]

”Scart rgb adapter”, do you mean it’s a composite cable with a scart adapter head? Because composite video doesn’t work on the ossc.
Though it doesnt make sense it can show the mega cd menu then…

[Anonymous]

Have you tried:

Output Opt >

240p/288p proc
pass thru

Are those pal systems? The led should read something like
AV1: RGBS 262P 15.52KHz 59.91Hz

I’m not sure how that differs for pal tho.

Also, try:

Settings opt >

Reset settings

Then retry the above, within the Output options.

Maybe you’ve already done all this. It would be good to get full details of everything you’ve tried.

[PX2]

Hi, thanks for your answers,

”Scart rgb adapter”, do you mean it’s a composite cable with a scart adapter head? Because composite video doesn’t work on the ossc.
Though it doesnt make sense it can show the mega cd menu then…

What I mean by SCART/RGB adapter is this beautiful thing:

I have no idea of the type signal (whether it’s composite or something else), so please confirm if you know about it.

Have you tried:

Output Opt >

240p/288p proc
pass thru

Yes, I tried all the settings for that resolution… It remains a black screen.

I was just wondering about the system type, checked wikipedia:

As 90% of the consoles I bought comes from France I guess it’s all SECAM.
I’m not sure about the MultiMega tho, anyway to check the signal type somewhere?

I just did a reset and after that even rebooted the OSSC (to check if I still get grey window = yes), did the above again but still LCD provides same values and no video on the screen.
As I’m not an expert in video formats/signals, I was wondering if it’s possible to have a partial signal that allows to sync but not enough to provide the video? (I guess not).

Any clue?

[BuckoA51]

As I’m not an expert in video formats/signals, I was wondering if it’s possible to have a partial signal that allows to sync but not enough to provide the video? (I guess not).

That’s exactly what will happen if you feed in composite video (only).

I’d say getting a new cable is your first point of call, I do not have any idea what’s in that big box on your current cable.

[paulb_nl]

Since you got an image with the Sega CD Menu the cable should be good. What you can try is setting TX mode to DVI.

If you start the Latency tester in the Post Proc menu you should see a white box on the screen. If the screen stays black then its your monitor but if you see a white box then its your console/cable.

BTW 19.60Hz is a typo right? It should be near 50Hz.

[Anonymous]

Here’s some incomplete info on the internal workings of that box:

http://www.smspower.org/forums/11012-AdaptateurRVB

Sounds like it may be doing something out of spec for the OSSC?

It might not hurt to start with a cheap genesis scart cable off amazon or ebay, just for testing purposes. If that works for you, then consider getting a quality one from retrogamingcables.co.uk or retro-access.com.

[cyborc]

I have that same “Adapteur RVB” and I couldn’t ever get it to work with the OSSC so I bet that’s your problem. I have a different cable that is working fine.

[PX2]

Hi all,

Thanks for the support, appreciated!

Regarding the MegaDrive / Genesis:

That’s exactly what will happen if you feed in composite video (only).

I’d say getting a new cable is your first point of call, I do not have any idea what’s in that big box on your current cable.

I have that same “Adapteur RVB” and I couldn’t ever get it to work with the OSSC so I bet that’s your problem. I have a different cable that is working fine.

Here’s some incomplete info on the internal workings of that box:

http://www.smspower.org/forums/11012-AdaptateurRVB

That’s actually pretty interesting to know, it also means that all cables I have (all French DIN => SCART cables have this adapter) are now completely useless.

I will get a “adapter-less” cable for genesis and let you know how that helps.

Regarding the MultiMega:

Since you got an image with the Sega CD Menu the cable should be good. What you can try is setting TX mode to DVI.

If you start the Latency tester in the Post Proc menu you should see a white box on the screen. If the screen stays black then its your monitor but if you see a white box then its your console/cable.

BTW 19.60Hz is a typo right? It should be near 50Hz.

Yes, my bad, it should have been 46.60Hz, I corrected it…
I tried both TX settings, it started working, did reset settings of the OSSC and it kept on working, so I guess there was something wrong with console.

Thanks all, will keep you posted regarding the Megadrive (and Master system), I hope it’s just that adapter.

[PX2]

As promised, I post an update regarding status of this topic:

I received the cables (C-pin RGB Scart PAL cable) acquired here:
https://www.ebay.fr/itm/RGB-Scart-PAL-Cable-C-V-Pin-For-Sega-Genesis-1-Mega-Drive-MD-1-Master-System-1/253093982906
Yes, I know it’s cheap Chinese cables, but it should do the work for debugging, once I know whatthe issue is I will buy quality cables 🙂

Unfortunately, now I don’t even have sync anymore (according to LCD screen of OSSC) and as you can imagine that also means no video… Only audio.
I’ve done some research and it seems that, to make things simple, SEGA made specific consoles for the French market, distinguished by the name “SEGA RGB on their sticker”.

Now I’m wondering if this is true, could any of you confirm that you don’t have names such as below on the serial number sticker of consoles?
SEGA MEGA DRIVE RGB
SEGA MASTER SYSTEM II POWER BASE RGB

If this is true does it means that I will have to do some tricks to use the cables I bought to make them RGB cables and not PAL?

[PX2]

I’m back with still the same support request…

I haven’t got any time to try out / play with settings and consoles since beginning of May.
This weekend I got to get a part of my consoles (some Nintendo models) delivered home, so I thought it would be a good way to check if the OSSC works with those.

Unfotunately I have the exact same result… Sync and Audio but no video.|
I decided to remove all components between the OSSC and the diffeerent screens I tested and still I can’t make it work for any console.

As a refreshner:
I get to see the “test” screen (grey window) when I start the OSSC, but as soon as I select “input 1”, I can hear the music of the game but get no image at all.
As addition to the aforementioned consoles (Sega PowerBase, Sega Master System II, Sega MegaDrive 1) I tested with the European Super Nintendo and N64 I have and really can’t get it to work. I tried on a classic (cathodic) TV, and then all consoles worked.

When I try to connect the Super Nintendo I get following on the OSSC screen:
AV1: RGBS 312P 15.59KHz 49.99Hz but no image. How is it possible that I can’t get the video if the OSSC is synced?!
I’ve tried several screen (via HDMI) tried DVI format and other settings, but really nothing works.

So I got to a stage of irritation/frustration by this OSSC.
Can someone help with some debugging?

[Harrumph]

What kind of cable do you have for the snes? N64 won’t work unless it’s rgb-modded (unless the french n64 is an exception).
Only other thing I can think of is to make sue it is still set to x2 mode, as it is the most compatible.

If everything else checks out, at this point I’d say it could be a faulty ossc, although normally video problems would not occur if the test screen is working…

[PX2]

Hi Harrumph,

I use the default cable delivered with the SNES (similar to the one from the N64 BTW), it is visible in the picture hereunder.
Indeed, I left the settings on line 2x as I know that it should be supported for most consoles.

I agree with that statement, if the screen can show the test-screen, and if the OSSC states it is synced… It should work.

Any way to verify the video output format of the SNES?

[BuckoA51]

Oh dear. There’s your problem then, that’s not an RGB cable.

[PX2]

Hi BuckoA51,

Ah, I hope that’s the only problem then…
How do you differentiate the RGB and non RGB cables?

[Author]

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