PC Engine - RGB MOD PROBLEM

[Duo_R]

it is supposed to make the image brighter which maybe will prevent you from seeing the lines. On my PS1 RGB setup I have to turn the brightness all the way up to get a good looking image, but then I can seen the lines. This is the theory, which I will test.

Also there are amps you can build that also do a nice job or removing the lines.

[GohanX]

I don't know if this helps, but on my Duo I have none of these banding problems.  TV is a 27" Samsung CRT. However, my image is very, very bright, like the RGB amp is sending too strong of a signal.  Perhaps that's why I don't see it?

I think I know exactly what you are talking about though, I have several models of the Genesis, and many of them do the banding to a certain degree. 

[Joe Redifer]

I usually have to back off the color/saturation/chroma level (depends on the TV what it is called) a bit to get it to look normal, but not too much.  I usually don't have to mess with the brightness or contrast/picture.

[Everblue]

Well, on the same TV, I tried other systems, an Amiga and an arcade super gun, both in RGB mode, and neither have any of the said banding. Remember I tried this on 3 TVs, and I got the same problem on ALL of them, and all of them are CRT. The seller has walked away on this problem, saying that on his CRT TV its fine.

On the other hand, displaying the console in composite, all these vertical lines are gone....

I really dont know what to think!

Hmm what size, model #,  and brand are the 3 different tvs? You said rgb mode, so I am assuming they all support rgb natively. I know if the signal is pure rgb, the bands can sometimes be just barely noticeable on a crt especially large ones.

The composite thing makes sense as composite has all the video color signals and sync on one wire and then interpreted and separated when they reach the tv, therefore you lose a lot of video quality and fidelity. The subtle bands are lost because of this. It may be the case that the seller does not notice these bands on his display. Like I said there are probably ways to lessen these bands by filtering the lines, (don't know if the cap thing would work, likely you would get duller darker colors overall by doing that), I just don't know how to reliably do so, nor do I think many others know how either.

Two TVs I tried on are 'Grundig', one size 15" and the other 21". I also tried on a thrid TV, a Sony 32" trinitron. All of these are CRT.

[Everblue]

This is a common "issue" with the PC Engine or even the TurboGrafx.  Vertical stripes (though faint).  There are certain mods out there which use chips which do not have this problem, but as of now such a mod is pretty rare.  Basically the fact is this:  If you have a PC Engine-equivalent modded for RGB you're going to have vertical stripes.  Welcome to the club! 

Ah ok then, I will have to get used to it.

[Duo_R]

I was also going to try higher quality wiring, and maybe shield it, but maybe i will have to go the amp route....

[Everblue]

Meanwhile I have talked to NFG from gamesx.com, and he confirms that the 'jailbars' are normal and there is absolutely nothing I can do about them.

One other thing I have noticed (alright call me picky ) are like very, very slightly visible 'lines' (noise?)at 45 degree angles on dark blue areas. Maybe someone else can check it - I can see it in the game "barunba" on one of the levels. It is also visible, but much, much fainter on large gray areas.

Any ideas?

[Joe Redifer]

That's the same thing, basically.  It is kind of an illusion of moving chroma noise or something similar.  If you eliminate one, you'll eliminate the other.  Again, we all have it.  All 20 of us who have this system in RGB, that is.

[Everblue]

Ah ok. Then I'll shut up right now, and be happy with it 

[ogre]

Wow I guess I am also not the only one with this problem! If you don't see the bars try a different game as they are not prominent in every game. One game in particular that you can see the bars in is Shinobi,Splatterhouse, or any game with a light solid colored backround. I have tried many methods and different mods but nothing fixes it. I guess this is like a NES with rgb in that it will never be %100 correct.

[Everblue]

Yeah light solid background gives it away.

[ceti alpha]

I think I know what lines you guys are talking about. It happens when I play MAME on my PC. Some games are much more noticeable than others, i.e. Donkey Kong and Ghosts 'n Goblins - which, btw, I'm coming close to beating...at least the first complete run. Still have to beat the boss though. 

[Everblue]

Huh? I think you are off track here mate. We are talking about 15khz RGB signal on PAL60 TVs.

[Joe Redifer]

Or RGB converted to component on NTSC TVs (though component really isn't NTSC aside from the resolution).

[ceti alpha]

Huh? I think you are off track here mate. We are talking about 15khz RGB signal on PAL60 TVs.

Ah, yes. I'm thinking of something else.  heh