PSone S-Video problem

[SkinnyV]

I have a PSone (the small redesigned model) that is working really well except that it output bad video when connected through an S-Video AV-Out. The same cable is working fine with a regular phat Playstation (great picture quality). You can see the video, but the color are wrong and really dark, for example the white boot up screen is actually grey. I tried to play with the connecter to see if it was just not making proper contact or the required pin were dirty but didn't work. Are PSone able to display S-Video or did Sony remove some component needed for S-Video (quick search online make no mention of that). I'm trying to have it work because the laser is better in this one and my old phat is sometime skipping during FMV even after CD-Drive replacement and pot adjustment.

Thanks for the help!

[H360]

The PSone has S-Video support. They did not remove it.

[CRTGAMER]

I'm trying to have it work because the laser is better in this one and my old phat is sometime skipping during FMV even after CD-Drive replacement and pot adjustment.

Does the other PS1 work with the same SVideo cable? If it does then this will rule out the cable and the TV connection. If it does not, maybe the cable is bad or one of the end pins are bent or broke off.

[mooseblaster]

Actually, the boot-up screen *is* grey on the PSOne (you can see here in this emulator demo: http://youtu.be/MJwRBej-wC4?t=2m26s where the Sony screen is grey but the text on the settings menu is bright white).

If you let it go to the menu (as in, don't put a disc in and let it go to the memory card/settings page) is the text white? Also, is it noticeably darker on actual games (rather than just the logo?)

[pool7]

I can't see why they would remove S-Video (unlike other features they tend to remove, S-Video wouldn't help piracy), but then again, it's Sony we're talking about...

Anyway, I'd say it's most likely something faulty in the PSOne, but can't say for sure since I don't have one to test...

[SkinnyV]

I did try the same S-Video cable with another play station (regular grey model) and it was working. The color are all messed up and dark on the psone even during game. Dark to the point that it is not playable, the color are really messed up in a pretty obvious way.

[ApolloBoy]

There might be broken solder joints on the AV port, try reflowing them just in case. S-video on the PSOne should normally work fine and it even has RGB which works out of the box.

[SkinnyV]

There might be broken solder joints on the AV port, try reflowing them just in case. S-video on the PSOne should normally work fine and it even has RGB which works out of the box.

I was thinking of that but was too lazy to do it thinking Sony might have just removed some component involve in Svideo output but I'll open it this weekend and reflow them now that you suggested it.

[SkinnyV]

Well I made some possible progress while creating more of a problem lol. The good part is that I located a component that is completely burned on the motherboard. Now the bad part. I'm usually skilled at soldering and using hot air soldering iron but I was tired and decided for some reasons to start checking it out at 1 AM. I didn't notice that I left my hot air soldering station at high temp and full pressure and accidentally blown away 3 SMD part near the av multi-out. I managed to find 2 out of 3 but not sure which one goes where. I am now trying to figure out the parts value so I can solder them back and replace the one that got lost. I saw some psone diagram and schematic on google but still can't figure out which one is which. If anybody could help me it would be appreciated, I would hate to see a good console goes to waste because I was careless. Also, once these resistor or capacitor will be back on the board, I would need to replace the blown part and it is so badly burned that I can't really figure out what it is.

Here are a picture of the components

http://skinnyv.com/img/psone.jpg

Thanks

[SkinnyV]

Well, I managed to fix my clumsy mistake. I actually found the missing part by pure luck hiding on the pcb but of course I had another mishap and one of the 3 part flew off while I was holding it with my smd plyer lol. I managed to replace the missing capacitor with a similar one from an old ps2 motherboard without actually being sure if the value was the same (my multimeter has a capacitor test mode but it never work and keep giving different value). It worked, the PSone was working perfectly on composite once again. I then proceeded to replace the burned part which I have identified as a capacitor. Again took a similar sized one from a PS2 mobo. The PSone still work but same issue with S-Video. At least it's working now, I guess I'll just endure the occasional skipping on my phat Playstation console.

[H360]

Get the SCPH-10x schematic, and find the correct part and replace it http://psdev.psio.com.au/downloads.html

Put those parts back into your PS2 so it will work again.

[SkinnyV]

Like I mentionned I already took a look at the psone schematic and still can't figure out where are those part on it. And don't worry about the ps2, it's a dead machine that actually sparked and started to flame around the LA chip.

[APE]

If you can take a very clear high resolution photo of the spot I'll trace the schematics and find the parts you need.

Use macro mode on your camera if you have one. Turn off flash and use ambient lighting such as that from a window. Alternatively I can probably fix it if you send it to me. Sounds like chroma isn't getting the boost it needs in order to work.

[SkinnyV]

Here you go:

Capacitor near the AV Multi-Out (The black one appear to be at correct location, not sure about the 2 other one as one was replaced with random cap): http://skinnyv.com/img/psoneavout.JPG

Capacitor that was burned (only the right one was burned and replaced with similar cap but you can see burn mark on the left one too): http://skinnyv.com/img/psonecap.JPG


Thanks for the help!

[APE]

Somewhat hard to tell without having one in front of me to probe a bit as I can't tell which pad goes to which pin on the connector. It looks like the caps misaligned are mostly for RGB but without a PSOne in front of me it is rather hard to be sure where they send their signals off to.

For the picture labeled "psonecap.jpg": One component is a capacitor with the value of 0.001uF, the other is a diode with the name of MA8120-TX. Not 100% sure but I think the icon for it indicates it is a zener diode. The board and schematic has it marked as D004 but I can't tell which one it is with 100% certainty due to the fact the schematic isn't 100% identical with what is on the board. The schematic shows those two components in a nice line with the 47uF capacitor next to it. They're wired up identically to the schematic but they aren't in a nice order. One is a diode and one is a cap with about 90% certainty. You'd have to test them to see which is a diode and go from there.

[SkinnyV]

I can't realy test to see if it's a diode since that specific part was completly burned and crumbling when I opened the PSone. The part left to the one that was burned is most definitly a capacitor.

Come to think of it, it got to be that MA8120-TX diode because I never saw a cap burn like that. It's funny that the psone work perfectly without that part beside for the S-Video...

[H360]

Like I mentionned I already took a look at the psone schematic and still can't figure out where are those part on it. And don't worry about the ps2, it's a dead machine that actually sparked and started to flame around the LA chip.

Dude. It is right there on page 10. I am guessing you dont know how to read a scheme...
I see capacitors, and a few resistors on the AV lines. It also seems that in the schematic they have a spare resistor. Maybe for the technicians to swap over with...

[SkinnyV]

I unfortunately can't read a complex schematic like this and that was the reason for me coming here to ask. Not everyone got the same knowledge of electronic as you might have.

[H360]

This is not complex at all. All you are doing is following lines until you find a component on the path.

That is very frustrating to read from you. I have been told and yelled at many, many times by users to shutup and Google, and stop letting us do all the work for you, yet you troll along doing the same and get off scot free.

[SkinnyV]

Wow, you are really something. I'm not sure why you are so frustrated but not everyone can read schematic. Up until now everyone were really helpful, I'm not sure why you feel the need to come here and be frustrated. It is not something I can shut up and google and magically learn how to read schematic. It is not just a matter of following line as I am not even sure which line I am looking at.