Question: Sega Saturn to Arcade Monitor

[niggenz]

According to GamesX.com, the Sega Saturn outputs SYNC natively:

http://www.gamesx.com/avpinouts/saturnav.htm

If this is right, then the only problem would be either fabricate a mini-DIN connector with the correct pinout to connect to RGB+GRND/SYNC of an arcade monitor (I haven't been able to find a 10 pin mini-DIN connector anywhere) or hack the system's internal PCB.

However, MAMEworld.net is saying that in order to get the Saturn to hook up to an arcade monitor, I am going to need to strip SYNC from the composite video signal with an LM1881N  circuit:

http://www.mameworld.net/pc2jamma/arc_sat2.html

The question is which site is correct?  I would love to be playing one of the many great shmups like Radiant Silvergun, Batsugun,  etc. on my cab sometime soon.  And if someone could direct me to a sight that sells a 10 pin mini-DIN male connector.........................

[niggenz]

Since I am not electronics tech savvy enough to even make the simple LM1881N circuit, I figured that way to go was the GamesX.com method.  I was re-assured that this is the way to go when I ran across an unrelated thread started by Mr. Megalo stating that he has a Saturn hooked up to a 15 khz monitor and was able to do that since the Saturn outputs composite synch. 

So after breaking apart my 9 pin min-DIN connector, I hooked it up to a male VGA cable via breakout.  And I almost was sucessful.  In order to hold the pins in place, shot hot silicone into the mini-DIN barrel once the pins were positioned in place and the barrel placed over the pins.  It worked!  Only thing was after removal and re-insertion, the sync pin broke and I couldn't get a stable picture.  I'll try again after I am able to pick up another mini-DIN connector at the electronics shop. 

[Mr-Megalo]

to my knowledge, the Saturn is the only console that I know of that can ge hooked up to an arcade monitor without needing to build the lm1881 circuit.

[niggenz]

Hey Mr-Megalo,

How were you able to go from the Saturn's AV connector to the arcade monitor?  Did you find a 10 pin min-DIN connector anywhere?

[ChadTower]

Is there a reason you can't just hack a Saturn cable?

[niggenz]

I have checked the pin configuration for a Saturn AV cable, S-video cabe, and RF cable.  The pin configuration of all 3 types of cables only contain the corresponding pins needed for each type of video plus R/L audio.  None have pins for RGB and RGB cables are hard to come by in the US.

[Mr-Megalo]

niggenz - to answer your question, I used an RGB Scart cable that I had with my Saturn and I simply tapped the RGB and sync lines by using a female scart socket and soldering from the correct pins to a JAMMA fingerboard

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/SEGA-SATURN-SCART-LEAD-CABLE-21-PIN-NEW_W0QQitemZ8212309593QQcategoryZ3654QQssPageNameZWDVWQQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem

ships worldwide

[ChadTower]

Ah, there's your answer then:  a Saturn SCART cable.

[niggenz]

Ok, so the remaining problem is to import the SCART cable.  But the question now is, which pin from the SCART connector is the synch pin?



http://www.mameworld.net/pc2jamma/arc_sat4.html

[Mr-Megalo]

Ok, so the remaining problem is to import the SCART cable. But the question now is, which pin from the SCART connector is the synch pin?



http://www.mameworld.net/pc2jamma/arc_sat4.html

pin 20