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svideo.txt
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1996-04-15
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7KB
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174 lines
Subject: Do it yourself S-Video for US Playstation!
It's a crime that Sony released the US Playstation without a S-Video
cable, let alone a S-Video jack. After a few days with the likes of
Toshiden, Ridge Racer, and the demo of Wipeout, I decided enough is
enough, I'm going to wire up a S-Video connector until they get their act
together and put out a cable. I grabbed an oscilloscope and opened up my
Playstation.
Here's the result: A cheap undoable S-Video connector for the US
Playstation that doesn't require case modifications.
=============
DISCLAIMER:
=============
First off, this is intended only for those electronically minded
individuals who don't get squeamish at the thought of taking apart their
new Playstation and soldering a few wires. The info I'm giving here
should be taken as is, I make no claims outside that it worked for me.
===================
WHAT YOU'LL NEED:
===================
Wire/wire stripper
Soldering iron
Rosin core solder
Phillips screwdriver
Electrical tape
Female S-Video jack (or 6/8 pin din equivalent)
Continuity tester (optional but handy)
===============
HOW TO DO IT:
===============
This article is split up into two parts. In part one, I'll explain how to
take the Playstation apart for those who might need it or want to know
what's involved, and in part two I'll cover the wiring of the
connector/jack. Skip part one if disassemble is your middle name :).
============================================
PART I: DISASSEMBLING THE US PLAYSTATION
============================================
1) Make sure there isn't a CD in it, it's unplugged, and place the
Playstation in front of you upside-down with the controller/game card
ports facing away. Use a Phillips screwdriver and remove the case five
screws.
2) Flip the Playstation back over so its rightside up with the
controller/game card ports facing you. Lift up carefully on the top and
remove it.
3) You'll see the power supply board off to the left and the CD drive
mounted on top of a metal riser off to the right. They're separated by a
small gap.
4) Near the front (where the controller ports are) there's an aluminum
shield that covers the controller ports. Remove the screws holding the
shield in place and remove shield. The controller/game card port module
should be loose now and connected to the main board via a white ribbon
cable. Carefully pull straight up and the ribbon cable and disconnect it
from the board. Set the controller port module off to the side with the
screws.
5) Now, to remove the metal riser and CD drive so we can get at the main
board. Notice that there's an orange ribbon cable that runs straight from
the CD drive to the main board and a white four wire connector that
connects nearby. Unplug the connector from the main board (remember where
it goes !) and using your thumb and index finger, pull up on the black
connector that surrounds the CD ribbon cable where it connects to the main
board. The connector won't come off, it'll just unsnap as you pull up.
The orange ribbon cable should now be loose and pull out of the connector
easily.
6) Remove the screws around the metal riser that hold it in place,
including the screw in the center right of it. Pull up on the corners of
the riser and remove it. Be careful not to touch the CD drive lens and
keep in mind that the CD drive is only attached to the riser with rubber
fittings. If you tip it upside down it could fall off!
6) Notice that just about every chip on the main board is manufactured by
Sony, these guys are smart cookies. There should be just one cable left
in the case. It's on the lower left, has magnets on either end, and
connects the main board to the power supply.
7) Disconnect the cable from the main board and remove the remaining
screws that attach it to the case.
8) Carefully lift the board out of the case and marvel at Sony's consumer
electronics genius :).
9) Get that soldering iron ready, time to strip some wires.
==========================================================
PART II: DO-IT-YOURSELF S-VIDEO FOR THE US PLAYSTATION
==========================================================
1) Assuming you've disassembled the Playstation and removed the main
board, flip the board upside down and look at it with the AV connector in
the upper right corner. There's a group of 12 pins that make up the AV
connector. They're staggered slightly and should look like the
following. The pinout is as follows:
| AV Connector |
-----------------------------------------------
------------------- |
| 1 2 3 4 5 6 | |
| 7 8 9 10 11 12 | |
------------------- |
|
US Playstation Main PCB |
|
1(*) = GND 7 = Audio Left
2(*) = GND 8 = Audio Right
3(*) = S-Video "Y" 9 = ???
4(*) = S-Video "C" 10 = GND
5 = ??? (RGB Signal) 11 = ??? (RGB Signal)
6 = ??? (RGB Signal) 12 = ??? (RGB Signal)
2) Our main concern is the first four pins. These will be the ones wired
to the S-Video jack/connector. Here's the pinout for a female S-Video
jack/connector:
+-------------+
| 1 2 | (Looking at the front)
| |
| 3 4 |
| |
| ### | (Notch on bottom)
+-------------+
1 = S-Video "C" (Pin 4 on Playstation) (1 - 4)
2 = S-Video "Y" (Pin 3 on Playstation) (2 - 3)
3 = GND (Pin 1 on Playstation) (3 - 1)
4 = GND (Pin 2 on Playstation) (4 - 2)
3) Now strip four wires and solder them to the S-Video connector/jack.
Make sure they're long enough to run out the back of the Playstation.
About 6-7" should be plenty. Notice the gray plastic piece that fits over
the connectors on the back of the board. It's thin and very flexible.
The wires can be run underneath it and out the back without any problem.
No need to hack the case!
4) Solder the wires from the S-Video jack/connector to the main board as
shown in the above diagram.
5) For good measure, if possible, check the connections with a continuity
tester to make sure there aren't any shorts (the GND lines are the same
circuit). Put a piece of electrical tape over the AV connector pins on
the Playstation board to make sure they won't touch the bottom EM shield,
especially since you've added wires to four of them now.
6) Bend the wires so that the S-Video connector/jack hangs out from the
back of the Playstation board and put the board back in the case.
7) Reassemble the Playstation and get ready for the big comparison...
8) Hook it up to your TV and compare the factory standard composite video
to your add-on S-Video. Was it worth it? Oh yeah! Damn, that composite
looks like sh*t! :)
9) Keep in mind that this is all undoable. If Sony manages to come out
with an S-Video cable at a decent price, the add-on connector can be
discarded easily without leaving any evidence :).
Good luck!
John Laird
laird@caesar.iaf.iowa.edu