[resolved] Gamecube Pluto IIx HDMI Mod blank screen - no signal

[sllabres]

Hello,

I'm hoping to get some help after probably doing something badly / wrong. I had an old working GameCube and decided to try and modify it after seeing the HDMI mod video. I'm pretty much a beginner for all things and have only really been practising soldering this last 6 months so apologies if my work is a mess / rubbish.

Video of initial result: https://photos.app.goo.gl/wKtNFG4SNRPjnXeE2

The other change I've made to the GameCube is to put a white LED in. I'm assuming this will have no baring.

I used this guide: https://docs.google.com/document/d/1FOQ ... KxcMc/edit

I also ordered the pluto board "Item#6117 (Pluto-IIx XC3S200 HDMI) (pre-programmed with GCVideo 2.4a for Gamecube)".

I've installed the mod but sadly only get a blank screen when attaching it to my computer monitor.

A friend helped me remove the initial DV port giving me this:

https://photos.app.goo.gl/AQ9ODZGL36Cf7Om03

I had some difficult cleaning up the pins on the motherboard and may have damaged ports 1 and 3:

https://photos.app.goo.gl/7g1tQpSunXrXVois1

or

https://photos.app.goo.gl/Tte26In2GUXArVQ32

I found this online in order to determine where the pins should lead:

https://www.gc-forever.com/forums/downl ... hp?id=2482

I checked to see if there was a connection between those points and couldn't get a reading so I attached some wires to the joints:



I've used 26 gauge wiring up until this point where I use part of an old PATA cable. Testing the connection seemed to yield good results with no resistance between wiring and attachment.

After doing that I did all the work to attach the mod:





Again I've used part of an old PATA cable for the controller connection.





I've also put a 100 ohm resistor as described in the guide.

Sadly plugging it in yields the following results seen in the video.

I'm going to check through the wiring and joints again tonight but any points or help would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks,

Seb

[sllabres]

I tided up my wiring and put it on the downstairs TV:



I'd really prefer it on my computer monitor so I'm wondering about bypassing the 100 ohm resistor...

Controller 1 isn't working and there's no sound however but that's a pretty damn nice picture

Fully functioning now. I'd soldered the controller into the wrong place on the fpga board. It only works on my computer monitor with the line doubler on..

[novenary]

Did you make sure that you have line doubling enabled for 240p and 480i modes? Monitors usually don't support those natively. Also check the corresponding 50 Hz modes since you're using a PAL console. PAL games don't support progressive scan natively, you will need a modchip to enable it with Swiss.

[sllabres]

Line doubled fixed it for my monitor. It's a bit shaky around the edges on my monitor (it seems be worsened by the monitor trying to fill the screen) but looks epic on the big TV downstairs.

ed: Made some shaky cam videos of it running on my computer monitor:

https://photos.app.goo.gl/rmWMuA6rSksGwSxl1

https://photos.app.goo.gl/fz1XeVobJqPmENoL2

ed: Also it fully works on my monitor with and without line doubler. No idea what I was doing...

[novenary]

Good to hear. I still recommend going out of your way to enable 480p mode, which gives double the vertical resolution. Otherwise, you might as well have used the RGB cable.

[sllabres]

My main motivation for the mod was to play on my computer monitor. I tried a scart to hdmi converter but it wasn't great and wasn't as cheap as I'd hoped (not as fun to do either).

I wouldn't know where to start with the 480p mod on pal system? (I do have a Wii as well but that maxes out at 480i on component cable)

[sllabres]

It's actually a fairly poor / shaky image on my monitor (27" Acer Predator XB271HUT) but still way better than scart -> hdmi. I think my monitor being an Acer monitor designed for gaming has poor support for these lower resolutions?!

It looks amazing on the downstairs TV (https://www.samsung.com/us/support/owne ... 500-series), which I took the Super Mario Sunshine picture on!

[novenary]

The picture is shaky because of interlacing. Your monitor most likely doesn't implement any form of deinterlacing. Using progressive scan would probably help.

[sllabres]

Thanks. I'll keep that in mind. I had a look at Swiss and it sounded interesting.