Cloning the GameCube component cable

[Unseen]

Also great that you shared it with everyone the same time you had it working.

Oh, you have no idea... ;)

From now on, would it be very hard to include DisplayPort as well?

I'm not aware of any (sufficiently small) FPGA boards that feature a Displayport connector, so a new one would need to be designed. As far as I know Displayport always runs at a bit rate of at least 1.6 GBit/s (per lane), which is as far as I know beyond the capability of most low-end FPGAs, so a dedicated DisplayPort transmitter chip would be required. If they are similar to existing HDMI transmitter chips (likely), adapting the existing code base to drive one of them would probably be reasonably easy, but designing a board for a chip that transmits data at these rates isn't that simple. I don't think I'll try it and I wouldn't bet on anyone else attempting it.

Also, does the Wii have digital video signals that can be tapped before entering the DAC?

I probed around on a Wii board some time ago and saw signals that looked suspiciously similar, but I haven't tried to connect anything to it. Since the graphics chip of the Wii is very similar to that of the Gamecube, I believe that chances are high that it will work.

[tesla246]

So, any progress on this megalomaniac? Is it DVI with optical, or HDMI? Is it an internal mod or outside of the cube? Would really like to buy one from badassconsoles

Also, would like to thank unseen for all the amazing work you've done thus far, really appreciated.

[Redmagnusx]

Given the current asking price for the original cables, I'm getting kind of anxious for a commercially available version of this. Hopefully the wait will be over soon.

[Unseen]

The repository has now been updated with new code for GCVideo-DVI. Notable features:

• SPDIF audio output
• no more jumpers
• on-screen display for configuration

I made a short video of some aimless wandering in the OSD: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=E_9ir0- ... e=youtu.be

[novenary]

Nice update ! I need to get the board at one point.

Browsing through the repo I noticed that you say it only works on DOL-001 Gamecubes. I can't find the info in YAGCD but the signals present on the digital port are the same that are fed into the onboard PAL/NTSC encoder, so it is definitely possible to adapt it to the DOL-101.

[Unseen]

I can't find the info in YAGCD but the signals present on the digital port are the same that are fed into the onboard PAL/NTSC encoder, so it is definitely possible to adapt it to the DOL-101.

Yes, I know - a thread on this forum here claims though that there is no 54MHz clock available. The FPGA could be adapted to work with just 27 if no 480p output is needed, but the current code wouldn't work.

There are counterclaims to this on the Assemblergames forums, but I haven't received any definitive "works/does not work" confirmations yet, so I left that paragraph in there.

[megalomaniac]

DOL-101 will need 54mhz and cable detect soldered directly to vias at the GPU..
compared to how easily available those signals are on a DOL-001, its just easier to use the DOL-001
im not sure how easy it would be for some people to solder to the vias

[novenary]

Oh I see. That makes it challenging but not impossible. But yeah, finding a DOL-001 is probably easier.

[andre104623]

I just got the Pluto 2x HDMI in the mail just waiting for the 100 ohm resistor to come and finally do some testing since my gcvideo-lite turned into a failure. Hopefully my programmer will have no problems flashing the board. Maybe when I get it all together and working I will work on getting the sound working.

Once the shuriken video is done I can compare the two and still waiting for mega's version I'm sure it will be the best of the 3.

[happy_bunny]

@unseen

oh this is your handle at gc forever cool, would not have bothered with the shuriken video thread if I know about this thread just making the pcb a bit smaller then will order 10 pcbs will send one ASAP after that sorry for the delay.

[badsector]

Sorry to interrupt your conversation, and maybe we already talked about it, but wouldn't Display Port be a good solution to output video and audio at the same time. No license costs and adapters to HDMI are like 10$.

[Unseen]

Sorry to interrupt your conversation, and maybe we already talked about it, but wouldn't Display Port be a good solution to output video and audio at the same time. No license costs and adapters to HDMI are like 10$.

The cheap DP-to-HDMI adapters/cables only work on dual-mode Displayport outputs (the logo should have a "++" on the left side), not pure DisplayPort outputs. When such an adapter/cable is plugged in, the Displayport output switches to HDMI mode.

Also, Displayport always runs at one of a few fixed bit rates even when the transmitted video+audio streams need a much lower clock rate. The lowest rate is 1.6GBit/s (1.296 GBit/s effective data rate). To handle that you either need a more expensive FPGA or a dedicated Displayport transmitter chip.

[badsector]

Then a board with DVI or even VGA output (+ Adapter that merges VGA or DVI with the GC audio to HDMI) seems to be the best solution. At least for me. Thanks for the clarification!

[Voltz]

Unseen this is awesome

[andre104623]

Thank you Unseen for this:
http://imageshack.com/a/img537/9094/5WBQbz.jpg

[andre104623]

Thank you Unseen for this:
http://imageshack.com/a/img537/9094/5WBQbz.jpg

Now I having a problem, everything is hooked up besides spdif and I'm getting 2 red LEDs on the Pluto board and no video any ideas?

[Unseen]

Thank you Unseen for this:
http://imageshack.com/a/img537/9094/5WBQbz.jpg

Now I having a problem, everything is hooked up besides spdif and I'm getting 2 red LEDs on the Pluto board and no video any ideas?

The usual diagnosis questions:
- Did you try a different display?
- Did you fit the 100 ohm resistor between "UNREG" and "DDC +5V"?

If the answer to both is yes, you can also try this test bitstream. It's identical to the release one except that the two LEDs should both blink at about 1Hz if the video processing works(*) - updated source will be in the repository tomorrow.

(*) or to be more precise than necessary: If at the output of the video pipeline both HSync and VSync are toggling at approximately the correct rate

[happy_bunny]

normally a sign of a bad flash, I have the smaller board (xc50a) which only has one led, it goes solid red if the flash was bad. To get my board to program properly I do the following

1) on FPGAconf.exe right click on the program boot prom and make sure erase before programming is checked.
2) click on the program boot-prom button once and let it finish (this will erase the fpga).
3) click on the program boot-prom button again and this time it will flash the fpga and hopefully work correctly.

not a big fan of this board, it all closed source so I dont know why I have to click two to get it to program correctly.

[megalomaniac]

is there no flash verification during the write process?? wait, more important, how do you possibly get bad flash writes to begin with?

[andre104623]

Thank you Unseen for this:
http://imageshack.com/a/img537/9094/5WBQbz.jpg

Now I having a problem, everything is hooked up besides spdif and I'm getting 2 red LEDs on the Pluto board and no video any ideas?

The usual diagnosis questions:
- Did you try a different display?
- Did you fit the 100 ohm resistor between "UNREG" and "DDC +5V"?

If the answer to both is yes, you can also try this test bitstream. It's identical to the release one except that the two LEDs should both blink at about 1Hz if the video processing works(*) - updated source will be in the repository tomorrow.

(*) or to be more precise than necessary: If at the output of the video pipeline both HSync and VSync are toggling at approximately the correct rate

I did everything as directed and it works! But only on a computer monitor which sucks. Is it possible to use it on a TV if I got a HDMI to component cable

Everything was right from the beginning I was tryin to use it on a HD TV well 3 of them and they didn't work. The red LEDs lite up even when its working.
http://imageshack.com/a/img911/4115/2EgrOj.jpg
http://imageshack.com/a/img673/1665/6UuCsF.jpg

I was trying to use two-sided sticky tape this time for mounting the pluto and it's not that good keeps falling off from the pressure of the HDMI cable

[andre104623]

is there no flash verification during the write process?? wait, more important, how do you possibly get bad flash writes to begin with?

No bad flash for me. Worked the first time via JTAG

[Unseen]

I did everything as directed and it works! But only on a computer monitor which sucks. Is it possible to use it on a TV if I got a HDMI to component cable

If it's an active HDMI-to-component converter that would work. You could also try to toggle the linedoubler, save the settings and try on the TV again.

Which brand and model of TV are affected?

The red LEDs lite up even when its working.

Yes, they are supposed to do that.

[andre104623]

I did everything as directed and it works! But only on a computer monitor which sucks. Is it possible to use it on a TV if I got a HDMI to component cable

If it's an active HDMI-to-component converter that would work. You could also try to toggle the linedoubler, save the settings and try on the TV again.

Which brand and model of TV are affected?

The red LEDs lite up even when its working.

Yes, they are supposed to do that.

sony, and sharp TV's there newer I just bought them within the last 2 years. I figured the leds are supposed to be red after it started working. So this wouldn't work: http://www.amazon.com/eForCity-538581-H ... B005QWH4QA

[Unseen]

sony, and sharp TV's there newer I just bought them within the last 2 years.

Weird, it works fine with my Sharp, although that one is a few years older.

So this wouldn't work: http://www.amazon.com/eForCity-538581-H ... B005QWH4QA

Indeed, this seems to be just a passive adapter for those few devices that can output (or accept?) analog Component on an HDMI connector.

[andre104623]

I did everything as directed and it works! But only on a computer monitor which sucks. Is it possible to use it on a TV if I got a HDMI to component cable

If it's an active HDMI-to-component converter that would work. You could also try to toggle the linedoubler, save the settings and try on the TV again.

Which brand and model of TV are affected?

The red LEDs lite up even when its working.

Yes, they are supposed to do that.

Ok I got the OSD working: http://imageshack.com/a/img673/6486/l6bUqm.jpg I have to say its a bitch soldering to the GPU vias,
Ok so what should I do disable linedoubler or enable it? and on what setting 280p,480p,480i?