SLIGHT streaking/shadowing with Syncblaster cable

[Jon Weaver]

After debating long and hard whether I should go for a JS converter or a SyncBlaster, I went for the Syncblaster.

This decision was based purely on price.

I now have my system all setup and can confirm that the Syncblaster works better than I expected.

I now also know that I won't miss the "Just" mode (I am sure a lot of people here will be glad to hear that this will be the last you will hear from me on this subject) as I have been watching everything in 16:9 and you can't really notice that the ratio is wrong.

However, its not 100%.. With certain colours (I think it was white on blue) VERY slight horizonal streaks/shadows could be seen in the blue eminating from the right hand side of the white.

Its like a very long ghost..

Saying that, it almost un-noticable and I am not even slightly concerned about it.. But if I could improve it, I obviously would..

Do you think that the JS box would be any better?.. For a start, the problem could be caused by the cable, which hard-wired into the SyncBlaster.

I don't mind spending the extra on the JS box, but I want to be sure that I will get an improvement in this area.

Any info on this would be appreciated.

 

Hi Jon
I have the JS vga and can report a faultless performance, no streaking or anything, as for Just mode

at first I thought it was going to be a minor problem, but on sky now more and more channels are in widescreen, so it is now a non issue about the squashing of 4x3 stuff

 

[symanski]

Hi Jon,

one advantage of my RGB to Plasma VGA design, and something I wanted right from it's concept, was the ability to change over which types of cables you were using. Not just so you could use high quality cables, but if you wanted to move equipment around and found you requried another metre or two.

Ghosting down a cable is because of a mis-match. The source is 75 ohms, and so is the destination. There's a slight time difference between when a signal appears on a cable at one end, and is present on the other. As the signal frequency goes up, this becomes more noticable. To solve this, you have the cable's characteristic impedance to match the 75ohm source and load.

If you don't have a matched cable, you start to get reflections up and down the length of the cable known as standing waves. Where this is evident is on sharp edges, where the frequency of the signal is at it's highest.

A measure of a good VGA cable is it's ability to pass the video information without causing any reflections. The ones I stock were the best I could source. Even better than the cable supplied with my Philips monitor. Once you've got no reflections, you can also look at difference in colour defition. Some of my customers have bought VGA leads from www.bettercables.com and Chord. As well as using ones from VDC. It gives you more choice on how you want your system connected, and what results you're after.

All the best,

Dr John Sim.

 

[Jon Weaver]

Hi John,

That is one of the attractions to me also.. When I was considering my options, I was concious that going for the 'SyncBlaster' would render my IXOS Scart-Scart cable (which I payed a small fortune for) redundant.

When I got the SyncBlaster, whilst I can confirm that its well built, I wouldn't describe the VGA cable as 'quality'

It looks like a Generic VGA cable with one end cut off and a SCART plug added.

Don't get me wrong, its not a bad product by any means, but the fact that you are stuck with the 'generic' cable bothers me.

The streaking that I saw was very VERY slight, but it does concern me that I might not be getting 100% out of my system.

Its been a valuable exersise.. As most people here know, my only concern was 'just' mode.. I didn't want to spend a fortune on a JS VGA box and find that I couldn't live without 'just'.

Now I have tried VGA input, I know that its fine for me, so I now know what type of converter I want.

Saying that, I am a little disappointed that you don't have ceratin picture adjustments (i.e 3:2 pull down and 'colour') on the VGA input, but you can't have everything.

How are the stock levels of the RGB-VGA converter doing?

 

[symanski]

Originally posted by Jon Weaver

How are the stock levels of the RGB-VGA converter doing?

More Plasma VGA units are being built as we speak. October has been exceptionally busy, leading to shortages for a couple days.

Most don't mind not having the "just" mode, and more programs are moving over to the widescreen format, expecially on digital TV. The main aspect is the superior picture on offer.

As for using a generic VGA cable, there's no shame in that. As long as you're starting off with a high quality cable to begin with. Assembling VGA connectors is quite difficult, well, more tricky than difficult. Using a pre-manufactuered lead of good quality is very much something that I'd advocate. I evaluated many different makes of VGA lead, and decided only to stock the ones that performed the best.

All the best,

Dr John Sim.

 

[Jon Weaver]

I have now seen another problem which I am hoping is caused by the 'syncblaster'

90% of the time, the picture is perfectly stable.

however, on a few occasions, I have seen it 'jumping' vertically (perhaps a pixel or 2) up and down.

It does this for a few mins (perhaps on average 1 jump per second) and then its stops.

If you bring up something static, i.e Skys EPG, you can clearly see that its jumping/juddering.. But its not all the time, so its very hard to debug.

I am assuming that this is caused by the SyncBlaster and am hopgful that the JS box will solve this.

Fingers crossed!

 

[JamesTapp]

Jon,

Could this be the wobble feature that you have turned on in the service menu?

James

 

[Jon Weaver]

Nope..

Whether wobble is on or off, it still 'jumps'.

I am convinced that its a Sync problem of some kind.

 

[JamesTapp]

Can only comment that I don't see this with the RGB to Component box. Everything is rock solid.

Just trying to determine whether a move to Sky instead of NTL would improve things a little, the pricing is about the same these days... except then I get the "red dot" issue!

James

 

[Jon Weaver]

With the SyncBlaster, 95% of the time, the image is dead stable.. But on a couple of occasions, I have seen the 'jumping'

Under the 'picture settings' there is a 'clock sync' (I think that what its called) adjustment.. I changed this a few clicks and the problem went away, but until it re-occurs, I won't know whether this was the solution.

I have now ordered a JS box.. Not because I believe its going to be any better, but I figure that as long as I am using the SyncBlaster, I am always going to blame each and every little problem on it.

Plus, I am not keen on the fact that I can't use my IXOS cables and put a decent VGA cable in.

With regards to Sky, I have always had it ever since the analogue days, so its impossible for me to be unbiased.

However, I have recently upgraded to Sky+ and I can honestly say its the most useful product I have ever bought.

I now couldn't live without it!

Fortunatly, its makes the 'red dot' problem a non-issue, as I watch 95% of my programs from the Hard-Drive and the "red dot" does not appear.

 

[JamesTapp]

I am waiting for my £99 Tivo to arrive from Dixons....

Most people are saying that it really does revolutionise viewing... but that isn't for this forum eh?

 

[symanski]

Originally posted by JamesTapp


I am waiting for my £99 Tivo to arrive from Dixons....

Most people are saying that it really does revolutionise viewing... but that isn't for this forum eh?

TiVo has it's pluses and minuses. Plus side is you can pause live TV, and you've got a recording medium that doesn't require tapes. Negative, output quality isn't quite "Live" quality. Menus are clumsy. Plus side, you can do manual recordings to suit yourself, even without a subscription. Negative, if you do, TiVo keeps telling you you should subscribe!

All the best,

John.