gc-forever - Gamecube/Wii Forums

Hello. I've been lurking here for some time, and would like to say thank you to everyone who contributes to the scene.

As to my query, I prefer to use big, old 36" consumer CRTs and really enjoy the YUV color palette via the Component cable. When I used to boot everything via PSOload, I never had to contend with 480p being forced onto my old CRT. But it was inconvenient to have to use non-Plus PSO and connect to my laptop for all homebrew. So I installed a Xeno and adjusted the pot to read burned discs. Being able to just boot up Swiss immediately is priceless, but it has led to another issue. That being now emulators and other homebrew always loads in 480p from both disc and SD card, which is very annoying and almost impossible to navigate on an old 480i CRT. Once I get in-game, the 240p looks outstanding. However, any time I return to any out-of-game or config menu (other than Swiss itself, which saves it's settings to SD card), I am again forced to navigate a rolling, jumbled mess thanks to the 480p incompatibility.

I have tried to go back to using PSOload, but due to the Xeno 480i is no longer the default there either. The same issue presents itself. I have also gone back to using S-video on occasion, but man do the colors look drab by comparison to Component. Things are generally less clear, too.

Anyway, I would like to not remove the Xeno, and was hoping someone could instead point me to which jumper on the DOL-001 mobo actually allows 480p output. If I remove the transistor (or whatever it is), I can enjoy my gaming in glorious 240p for retro and 480i for GC titles how I prefer them. Or perhaps there is some modification I could more easily make to the Component cable itself? Bonus if it could be reversible for basic future-proofing, but this is not necessary.

While I can perform basic "monkey see, monkey do" modifications, I do not have the know-how to figure most of this stuff out for myself. I'm not asking anyone to open up a can of worms and walk me through this from start to finish holding my hand the whole way. But I do need to be pointed in the right direction because I cannot decipher this on my own. I have tried various searches after getting frustrated over the last couple of months, and feel like I have probably glossed over the very information that I'm searching for because I didn't understand quite what to look for. I lack the technical knowledge to reverse the progress made in the Component cable clone projects.

Well, thanks for taking the time to read.

Yeah this is a point of disagreement. Personally I tend to favor homebrew adopting Nintendo's standard prompts, but that's just me.
Still, following the setting last used would be less intrusive. Either way is an improvement over assuming all component inputs accept 480p.

You should check the programs' instructions to see if they have arguments (as in command line arguments) for 240p or 480i that Swiss can apply. Or try different Swiss settings to force the desired mode.

I don't see how Xeno could be the problem. It has no options to enable or disable 480p. But AFAIK a few PAL games will ask for progressive if they think they're running in NTSC.

Thank you for responding.

Regarding your homebrew preferences, I had thought at one point to simply use a SD Media Launcher disc in combination with a SD card containing Swiss as an autoexec.dol. I think it would have worked, unless I am misunderstanding something. Alas, I opted for another route.

Regarding the programs themselves, it is mostly the ported to GC emulators which Swiss doesn't directly influence which give me the most trouble. GCMM, GBI, 240p Suite, etc. will all run at whatever Swiss does. So 480i, in my case. And while it is the emulators which all give me trouble, this is only when a ROM is not loaded (i.e. not in-game). I don't have any knowledge of software modifications beyond the config or settings docs, which do not alleviate these menu interface problems. Though the games themselves look very nice and run well for the most part.

What I do know is that the console seems to want to default to 480p ever since I installed the Xeno unless I have some way to 'tell' it otherwise. My limited understanding is that it now wants to always output at 54MHz (480p), but I want it limited to 27MHz (480i) only. While I know where to find the origin of these signals thanks to pin-out and mobo diagrams, I am uncertain how to use that information. I'm pretty casul when it comes to this stuff, and the more technical aspects are lost to me. But I do know that this was never an issue before installing the Xeno. Anyway, I just want a way to 'tell' the GC to only output 27MHz from a hardware standpoint because I am can very roughly understand that aspect. From a software perspective, I'm just a big goof who can follow a readme file.

Full disclosure, I have very limited grasp of electrical engineering and barely understand how to use a multi-meter beyond following traces and whatnot. Hopefully, this isn't regarded as wasting anyone's time. Thanks again.

The only way to "force" non-progressive mode via hardware is to not use the component cable.

Ah, I see. I was hoping I could disable the 54MHz clock without disabling 27MHz, too. Shame, but thank you for responding.

I guess I have yet another reason to buy that Extron Scan Converter now...

If you look at http://gamesx.com/wiki/doku.php?id=av:nintendodigitalav, you just need to disable pin 1 in some way.

Alternatively, you can momentarily disconnect the cable when using software with this behavior.

I had seen that page, and was trying to think of something. But I have no experience with electronics beyond very basic mods, almost entirely following in another's footsteps. So I'm not familiar with what could be done, if anything. I also had assumed that it was pin 2 that I would need to find a way to bypass.

I was also looking at this page (http://modretro.com/xen/index.php?threa ... ube.13251/). But looking at my own DOL-001 in comparison, it isn't obvious to me what to do in an attempt to reverse that gentleman's success. I am hesitant to tinker with the cable due the cost of a new one, but I'm not as apprehensive about the GC itself. Though they do seem to be getting more expensive lately.

Thanks for the tip about disconnecting the cable momentarily. I'll give it a shot.

tueidj wrote:The only way to "force" non-progressive mode via hardware is to not use the component cable.

What about forcing it via software then? Games can be forced to progressive. Forcing non-progressive doesn't seem like a stretch.

Extrems wrote:If you look at http://gamesx.com/wiki/doku.php?id=av:nintendodigitalav, you just need to disable pin 1 in some way.

Alternatively, you can momentarily disconnect the cable when using software with this behavior.

I suppose I can be lenient to quick and dirty Wii ports. It's easy to overlook this when you're used to the presence of an unmissable 480p system option.

OttoBaus wrote:I also had assumed that it was pin 2 that I would need to find a way to bypass.

That'd only result in no video.

theclaw wrote:What about forcing it via software then? Games can be forced to progressive. Forcing non-progressive doesn't seem like a stretch.

For some reason, the emulators don't follow whatever flags set are by Swiss.

Extrems wrote:That'd only result in no video.

Huh, I see. Well that's something for me to mull over. I wonder if raising the corresponding leg of the chip and putting some shielding similarly to what they do on pin 12 for the RGB mod would resolve this?

I also tried unplugging and then hot plugging the cable back in while the Gamecube is running. It stops the screen from rolling at least. Not a long-term solution though, as getting down on my hands and knees and reaching into the back of my set-up is decidedly inconvenient.

Pop the back of the connector in the gamecube and cut the pin with side cutters, that's the easiest way to do it.

Streetwalker wrote:Pop the back of the connector in the gamecube and cut the pin with side cutters, that's the easiest way to do it.

Aha! Thank you, but would my previous post be feasible so that it was reversible down the line?

Edit: I am a fool, and misread in my haste. I was thinking you meant in the cable itself. Now I realize you mean the port. Thanks again!

Yeah, the point is if you do the mod on the GC itself it'll be cheaper to screw up.

Streetwalker wrote:...screw up.

And how!

Oh boy, am I done for today anyway. I used nearly all of my desoldering braid trying to get the darn Digital port disconnected from the mobo so I could remove pin 1, and I just could not get it free. It was kind of loose, but I didn't want to force it. So I soldered it back up and cracked open the cable to take a closer look at that. Good lord, I think I may be retarded. I ended up disconnecting the data 7 leg of the chip, basically going in blind but assuming it was the pin 1 equivalent.

Nope. No picture. Crap.

Opened it back up and resoldered that too. Got video back, and for now I need to get some sleep. This is just over my head, and I'll have to admit defeat temporarily. Thanks anyway.

Solder pads and stuff on a Gamecube are tinier than people give credit. It isn't a system to take lightly.

You don't even need to remove the connector for this. The rear of its shield can be broken off pretty easily, then pin 1 is easily accessible, cut it and bend it away.

Yeah, I was trying to keep things reversible (and clean) in case I completely mess things up and end up with no video. Although in retrospect, I do still have the multi-AV port as back-up... I'll give this another shot later. Right now I have to do some laundry though!

Sorry to bump this, but I just wanted to say thanks again for the help.

I did what Streetwalker suggested, but simply used an exacto-knife to lift and push back the pin 1 connector of the digital port on the GC so that it would no longer make contact with the cable when plugged in. This way, I can theoretically reverse it in the future if need be by pulling it back down and dabbing a bit of adhesive or something to get it to remain.

Sorry I doubted you. It worked flawlessly, and I can now back up my memory cards and run emulators on my GC again!

Nice that you got it working, have fun.