LaserActive RGB Mod

[SignOfZeta]

I'd be surprised if the LD side didn't take a significant hit if premium chips weren't used.

[SuperDeadite]

DAMN DAMN DAMN DAMN

Ok so did more testing, RGB LA + MD PAC = 100% working.
But, sadly, with a PCE PAC, the mod f*cks up the Sync on Composite video.
Meaning with a PCE PAC, composite output no longer works.
So PCE games look great in RGB, but it's impossible to play PCE-LD games
with this mod as is.  I removed the mod completely, and composite video worked fine
again.  So I can't have this mod and play Vajra 2 on the same unit.

From the searching I've done, it seems the N64 has this same issue, post RGB modded and
the composite is broken.  I'm wondering if a switch to turn the mod on and off would fix this,
any ideas?

[BlueBMW]

Are you tapping the composite sync from the PAC connection lines, or are you getting it from the final composite out?  My converter wants the full composite video input so I just tapped from the composite out connection directly and it seemed to work fine.  Worst case we just have to implement a switch that opens the circuit when one wants to use regular composite out instead of RGB.

[SuperDeadite]

I took it from the RGBB pcb like in the photos and runs through the amp as well.  In RGB mode, the PCE games are fine.  But the normal composite video out won't sync (LD games and videos won't sync with pce pac).  Guess I could try tapping from the RCA plug instead I suppose.  Weird as hell that with the MD PAC, everything works perfectly, problem is only with the PCE PAC..

[BlueBMW]

I took it from the RGBB pcb like in the photos and runs through the amp as well.  In RGB mode, the PCE games are fine.  But the normal composite video out won't sync (LD games and videos won't sync with pce pac).  Guess I could try tapping from the RCA plug instead I suppose.  Weird as hell that with the MD PAC, everything works perfectly, problem is only with the PCE PAC..

Only thing I can think of is a signal strength issue, since we're stealing some of the signal for the RGB out and maybe whats left on the line isn't strong enough for the rest of the system to use.  As I found, the sega PAC rgb signal was strong enough to be visible without an amp, but the PCE one was too weak.  So from that I can surmise that the PCE pacs dont put out as strong of a signal period.

[thesteve]

just means you need to add the RGB amp  so the LD player uses the amped sig too

[schweaty]

sorry to resurrect an old thread, but has there been any progress on RGB modding a Laseractive?

is there a definitive guide somewhere with schematics on how to do this?

i've been looking in this forum and the web for hours, but i havent seen anything really definitive on how to go about doing this.  my first technical question is, what is being tapped for the RGB signal?  the PAC or womewhere on the Laseractive board?  if its the PAC, is there a way to do this while preserving the ability to swap between PACs?  will thesteve / turbokon's component board work?

[BlueBMW]

When I've done the RGB mod on one I did it on the back panel.  You can tap the RGB signals on one of the boards that attaches to the rear panel.  You wont have to modify PACs at all.  They natively send RGB to the laseractive where it gets encoded into composite.  I think the points might even be labeled on the board.

http://www.cyberroach.com/new_laseractive_pics/misc/clda100_repair/page059.gif
http://www.cyberroach.com/new_laseractive_pics/misc/clda100_repair/page060.gif

[schweaty]

BB,

Thanks for the awesome response.  I see exactly where to pull RGB, G, and 5V.  I see a number of places to pull composite sync.  My question is, where do you typically pull C Sync from?   My second question is, have you used turbokon's component board on this?  if so, is there anything else i should know?  obviously, i would like to component video mod it if i can

-dan

[PunkicCyborg]

I did my LA, it was incredibly easy to do since it's all labelled so well. I don't have a NEC pac to test that on though. I just used one of Broken's amps and installed a panel mount DIN 8 on the back. It looks amazing. I think sega stuff looks better in RGB on my LA than on my model 1 genesis

[BlueBMW]

I have not tried the component board on it yet.  I think I just pulled composite straight from the composite jack on the same panel.  Seems like that usually works for most things.

Once the system itself is modded then all your pacs will run work with it.  What wont work is Laseractive games themselves.  The LD video is combined with encoded composite video from the PACs and then fed out from there.  We would have to figure out how to decode the LD video (luma + chroma) into RGB and then combine that with the PAC RGB in order for LA games to be in RGB.  As it is if you play an LA game with your RGB youll just see the PAC overlay graphics and none of the LD video.