audio buzz question.

[bozo55]

I notice audio buzz on the Turbo more than my other systems... the turbo is not as loud as my Genesis for example, so I crank the speakers more and thus hear the buzzing more. 

I'm using composite cables from GameDoctorHK for my PC Engine Duo.  My TG-16 I'm reluctant to judge since I only run it through RF.

Can the buzzing be fixed?  If so, how?

[Keith Courage]

Those AV cables from Game doctor HK are kind of cheap. Meaning the cable wire is too thin. Get yourself a cable with thicker wiring and the buzz will go away. I know from experience with cheaper cables compared to stock cables specifically with the DUOs.

[bozo55]

Those AV cables from Game doctor HK are kind of cheap. Meaning the cable wire is too thin. Get yourself a cable with thicker wiring and the buzz will go away. I know from experience with cheaper cables compared to stock cables specifically with the DUOs.

Sweet, thanks for the advice Keith.  I might just sacrifice some AV cables and wire them on myself.  Also, the top and bottom of the ground ring for the plug are not soldered together, maybe that might help too?  Thanks again!

[Keith Courage]

the top and bottom do not need to be soldered together.

However there should be a wire running from the center ground pin 3 to one of the round grounding plates. if that isn't there then add a wire. 

[bozo55]

the top and bottom do not need to be soldered together.

However there should be a wire running from the center ground pin 3 to one of the round grounding plates. if that isn't there then add a wire.

Thanks again Keith.  You rock.

[bozo55]

I took apart the cable and sure enough, pin 3 was not connected to Ground.  So I cut the cord back 6 inches and redid the wiring.  It seems better now; wiggling the connector does not cause interference anymore.  The humming/buzzing (whatever you want to call it) is still there though.

Is it my imagination or is buzzing inherent in some games more than others?  I noticed that if the system is idle (no music playing) it buzzes less.  When I am in just the CD menu, the buzzing is much less pronounced than say, at the pause screen for Bonk's Revenge.  If I boot out of a CD game with Select+Run, the menu sometimes has that buzz I'm talking about.  Almost like EMI noise.

For full disclosure, I am using an Everdrive V2 to play the games and I haven't region modded my PCE to play my US Hucards (I have no Japanese Hucard games).

EDIT: I also noticed that when I press Start to load a CD game, I hear 3 pops out of the right speaker (pop... pop-pop).

EDIT 2:  I just also noticed that Hucard games are significantly quieter than CD games Redbook Audio.

[esteban]

I took apart the cable and sure enough, pin 3 was not connected to Ground.  So I cut the cord back 6 inches and redid the wiring.  It seems better now; wiggling the connector does not cause interference anymore.  The humming/buzzing (whatever you want to call it) is still there though.

Is it my imagination or is buzzing inherent in some games more than others?  I noticed that if the system is idle (no music playing) it buzzes less.  When I am in just the CD menu, the buzzing is much less pronounced than say, at the pause screen for Bonk's Revenge.  If I boot out of a CD game with Select+Run, the menu sometimes has that buzz I'm talking about.  Almost like EMI noise.

For full disclosure, I am using an Everdrive V2 to play the games and I haven't region modded my PCE to play my US Hucards (I have no Japanese Hucard games).

EDIT: I also noticed that when I press Start to load a CD game, I hear 3 pops out of the right speaker (pop... pop-pop).

EDIT 2:  I just also noticed that Hucard games are significantly quieter than CD games Redbook Audio.

Call me crazy, but I observed this:

More intense/greater amount of "white" (lighter colors) on CRT screen --> more pronounced buzz/high-pitched whine.

Buzzing is not just due to the intensity of "white" displayed on screen...but it is a factor, perhaps.

I am sure the gurus can explain why this happens, in addition to crosstalk (and _____ and _____).

[Keith Courage]

Some hu card games are much quieter than CD games. Especially the original bomberman and Battle royal. Both are very quiet audio wise. On the other spectrum, JJ and Jeff and Keith courage are two of the loudest Hu cards. This is normal.

[VenomMacbeth]

Bozo, some of that quietness can potentially be remedied if you use the headphone jack for audio out instead of the composite cable.  I've noticed on my Duo, hucard games especially are somewhat louder this way.

[bozo55]

Some hu card games are much quieter than CD games. Especially the original bomberman and Battle royal. Both are very quiet audio wise. On the other spectrum, JJ and Jeff and Keith courage are two of the loudest Hu cards. This is normal.

Interesting.  I noticed that the humming is almost non existent in Keith Courage when paused, and indeed it is quite loud.  Battle Royale had much worse buzzing and the quiet audio made the situation worse.

Call me crazy, but I observed this:

More intense/greater amount of "white" (lighter colors) on CRT screen --> more pronounced buzz/high-pitched whine.

Buzzing is not just due to the intensity of "white" displayed on screen...but it is a factor, perhaps.

I am sure the gurus can explain why this happens, in addition to crosstalk (and _____ and _____).

I think you're onto something here.  Maybe when the picture is brighter there is more buzzing.  Which probably implies that the composite cable is not shielded well enough.

EDIT:  Hmmm.  Air Zonk has some annoying background noise on the difficulty select screen, even though it is mostly black.  And then when paused in game on a bright screen the noise is mostly gone.

[esteban]

As I said in my post, there are probably several causes of audio noise...sometimes it might simply be a matter of how PSG routines/subroutines were programmed (ie when to start/stop a sound effect, song, etc.), so pausing a song at different points might result in more/less noise.

Some songs/sound effects are not as "clean" as others...so some audio noise is a result of how songs/FX are generated, independent of anything else.

[bozo55]

As I said in my post, there are probably several causes of audio noise...sometimes it might simply be a matter of how PSG routines/subroutines were programmed (ie when to start/stop a sound effect, song, etc.), so pausing a song at different points might result in more/less noise.

Some songs/sound effects are not as "clean" as others...so some audio noise is a result of how songs/FX are generated, independent of anything else.

That explains the weird noise some games generate that others do not.

Bozo, some of that quietness can potentially be remedied if you use the headphone jack for audio out instead of the composite cable.  I've noticed on my Duo, hucard games especially are somewhat louder this way.

Sweet, I'm gonna try this!

EDIT:  'Tis true.  The headphone jack maxed out is definitely a good bit louder than the AV out.  But the buzzing is still there.  So I guess it's either my Duo has issues, or the Everdrive might create more EMI noise.

[bozo55]

I just realized...   I have static coming though the right channel and it comes and goes, regardless of whether I have the sound connected through the AV cable or headphone jack with completely different wires and TV...  The sound is exactly like that sound a worn volume pot makes when adjusted (scratchy static).  This whole time I thought it was the AV cable but now I realize it can't be.

I think either it's a bad trace or Opamp?  What should I be looking to reflow? 

Video


I posted a video showing the sound problem I have.  I cranked the volume on my TV so the mic on my phone would pick it up...  So it sounds a little more exaggerated in the video than in real life.  This static only comes out of the right channel.

I know I've asked a million questions already, but is the headphone jack supposed to mute the TV audio?  My system still outputs sound to the TV with the headphones connected.

[Keith Courage]

does the system have new caps yet?

[bozo55]

does the system have new caps yet?

Yes. I redid the caps with a console 5 kit.  When I removed the old caps, there were 5 caps that had leaked.  1 close to the CD LED, 2 near the headphone jack and 2 behind the VR heatsinks. I cleaned the board as best as I could and even used a fiberglass pen to scrape off any residue. The system was not too damaged since it worked before I recapped it.  The only dumb thing I did was I broke the original headphone volume pot, but successfully replaced it with one from a gameboy color.

I'll try to post some pics later today.