SD Gecko in Swiss and NTSC issues

Portables, case replacements, mods etc, all in here!
Post Reply
L10N37
Posts: 60
Joined: Sat Jan 04, 2014 4:24 am

SD Gecko in Swiss and NTSC issues

Post by L10N37 » Thu Apr 03, 2014 10:06 am

I am using the alternate points directly to GPU via points for my SD gecko.

I am able to read from the SD Gecko using Swiss Flasher, hence I was able flash R256 autoboot successfully ...but R256 will not recognise any cards in the Gecko. Nothing happens when I select it. When I boot swiss flasher again, perfect.

I am also trying to find a way to get NTSC games in colour on my little 3.5' screen. Some games wouldn't load, others would but not full screen and also had one load fullscreen WiTH colour and all good. Now with Swiss I seem to have a 100% success rate, and all games fullscreen BUT in black and white! (including the one that was colour)

Any help would be SO good
User avatar
megalomaniac
Posts: 2480
Joined: Sun Aug 21, 2011 5:33 am
Location: Drunk in Texas
Contact:

Re: SD Gecko in Swiss and NTSC issues

Post by megalomaniac » Thu Apr 03, 2014 7:37 pm

slotA or slotB ??

B is default in r256, so if you have slot A wired up for Gekko, then you need to use button X to choose the option to read slotA...
emu_kidid wrote: beer is like WD40 for megalomaniac's brain, gets the gears moving
>>> BadAssConsoles.com <<<

Image Image Image
L10N37
Posts: 60
Joined: Sat Jan 04, 2014 4:24 am

Re: SD Gecko in Swiss and NTSC issues

Post by L10N37 » Thu Apr 03, 2014 10:26 pm

I will give it a go when I get home. I thought my other board also had gecko in slot a ..must be mistaken.

Any idea on the trace ive cut thats giving me b&w ntsc? Im thinking something to do with oscillator crystal?
theclaw
Posts: 324
Joined: Tue Dec 13, 2011 12:01 pm

Re: SD Gecko in Swiss and NTSC issues

Post by theclaw » Fri Apr 04, 2014 1:49 am

Little is known about Gamecube color encoding. As far as I'm aware, it cannot be modified in any way between NTSC and PAL.

Of course that isn't counting installing an external encoder chip. They have nothing to do with the console's capabilities.
L10N37
Posts: 60
Joined: Sat Jan 04, 2014 4:24 am

Re: SD Gecko in Swiss and NTSC issues

Post by L10N37 » Fri Apr 04, 2014 2:31 am

Uncut board = colour ntsc
Cut = certain games colour, others dont load, most load with black bars top and bottom.

All Wkf menu.

Swiss on cut board = pal good, all ntsc loading and fullscreen but b&w

So there could be a software fix.
I know with my uncut board and no c74 ntsc games load in colour but have a black bar top and bottom (not as big of a bar)

Ive obviously cut a trace somewhere that messed it up
L10N37
Posts: 60
Joined: Sat Jan 04, 2014 4:24 am

Re: SD Gecko in Swiss and NTSC issues

Post by L10N37 » Fri Apr 04, 2014 2:35 am

Also full uncut board with no c74 some isos dnt load at all. Its a cap on the 3.4v rail. Duno how a cap has that effect. Left that cap on my cut board
User avatar
emu_kidid
Site Admin
Posts: 4948
Joined: Mon Mar 29, 2010 10:06 am
Location: Australia
Contact:

Re: SD Gecko in Swiss and NTSC issues

Post by emu_kidid » Fri Apr 04, 2014 2:38 am

I'm just letting you know now that I won't be looking into a software fix for a potential hardware issue due to a over cut board :P
Image
User avatar
megalomaniac
Posts: 2480
Joined: Sun Aug 21, 2011 5:33 am
Location: Drunk in Texas
Contact:

Re: SD Gecko in Swiss and NTSC issues

Post by megalomaniac » Fri Apr 04, 2014 3:09 am

are you loading NTSC titles on a NTSC mainboard?
post a pic of your cut..
did you sand everything down to make sure you dont have any loose ends shorting out points??
emu_kidid wrote: beer is like WD40 for megalomaniac's brain, gets the gears moving
>>> BadAssConsoles.com <<<

Image Image Image
theclaw
Posts: 324
Joined: Tue Dec 13, 2011 12:01 pm

Re: SD Gecko in Swiss and NTSC issues

Post by theclaw » Fri Apr 04, 2014 3:54 am

Hmm never heard of this mod. Sounds dodgy if it's getting such effects.

Have you tried an NTSC console?
A factory PAL Gamecube uses PAL60 at 60hz. Not proper NTSC.
L10N37
Posts: 60
Joined: Sat Jan 04, 2014 4:24 am

Re: SD Gecko in Swiss and NTSC issues

Post by L10N37 » Fri Apr 04, 2014 3:56 am

Its somewhere between a max safe cut and almost wtf cut. I made sure I kept c74 due to problems mentioned on last mobo. Definitely not over trimmed. Pin 7 outputs comp video not pin 9 like ntsc boards. Also could never understand how a preamp ic could require 12v as preamp signals in car headunits are usually around 2volts ..going against every trimming guide you will read my board has perfect sound output with only 1.4 and 1.9 rails hooked to board ..but if 12v is just for the fan
why are there 12v caps on board.. the fans powered by a separate board. I have pics in my build log.
theclaw
Posts: 324
Joined: Tue Dec 13, 2011 12:01 pm

Re: SD Gecko in Swiss and NTSC issues

Post by theclaw » Fri Apr 04, 2014 6:26 am

Let's try to stay on track. What we need at the moment is technical documentation about Gamecube color encoding.
L10N37
Posts: 60
Joined: Sat Jan 04, 2014 4:24 am

Re: SD Gecko in Swiss and NTSC issues

Post by L10N37 » Fri Apr 04, 2014 6:55 am

Cheers mega, I couldn't see the switch for ports on the Gecko on that tiny screen.

looks like you already have provided a fix emu, I didn't try all the settings

Force video mode:

mario kart

green screen and lock up
576p, PAL



B&W
240p, 480p, NTSC,

colour with black bars
288p



resident evil 4
576p and 288p colour WITH HUGE BARS top and bottom, makes the viewable screen about 3cm tall lol!

Baldurs gate @ 576p, back to perfect fullscreen and colour

That's all the testing I've done for now, have flat batteries and can't be bothered ripping them off to run straight off DC .. doesn't play and charge like I thought it would

I guess I'll have to rip my own PAL iso's/ deal with the bars.. knew there had to be an offset to cutting the board ... components wouldn't be there for no reason!
theclaw
Posts: 324
Joined: Tue Dec 13, 2011 12:01 pm

Re: SD Gecko in Swiss and NTSC issues

Post by theclaw » Fri Apr 04, 2014 9:11 am

What about trying another TV? It could be your display doesn't really like PAL60.
L10N37
Posts: 60
Joined: Sat Jan 04, 2014 4:24 am

Re: SD Gecko in Swiss and NTSC issues

Post by L10N37 » Sat Apr 05, 2014 2:23 am

Yeah, it probably is the screen. The other board green screen lock ups on mario kart at 576 as well, but @ 480P is full colour.
480P is what I'm after.
When my desktops fixed I'll try an iso that gives the option for 50/60hz and see what happens.
theclaw
Posts: 324
Joined: Tue Dec 13, 2011 12:01 pm

Re: SD Gecko in Swiss and NTSC issues

Post by theclaw » Sat Apr 05, 2014 6:01 am

Now that doesn't make sense. Component video color is not NTSC or PAL.

Did you mean 480i when saying 480p?
L10N37
Posts: 60
Joined: Sat Jan 04, 2014 4:24 am

Re: SD Gecko in Swiss and NTSC issues

Post by L10N37 » Sat Apr 05, 2014 9:28 am

CompOSITE lol
How could I get component from one pin :p
novenary
Posts: 1756
Joined: Mon Dec 30, 2013 7:50 am

Re: SD Gecko in Swiss and NTSC issues

Post by novenary » Sat Apr 05, 2014 9:39 am

How could you get 480p from composite ? :P
L10N37
Posts: 60
Joined: Sat Jan 04, 2014 4:24 am

Re: SD Gecko in Swiss and NTSC issues

Post by L10N37 » Sat Apr 05, 2014 11:41 pm

This is the setting that works in fullscreen and full colour on my other board (with mario kart anyway)

Think my nex will hav rgb though
Post Reply