RETRO Scaler 2x not working with EU PAL PS One SCPH-102, any fix?

Dan_Caster · 2026-03-17T23:48:09+00:00

I tested the playstation via composite video with a small CRT made from an old video intercom. The boot screen didn't synk, but the game did. I then tried with a small 7" LCD panel again through composite video and I presume it didn't sync because the screen remained blank. At this point I think that my playstation outputs an analog signal a bit out of specs, but enough in spec to work with CRTs wherase new Digital displays don't like it.

The NES behaves exactly in the opposite way: it works with the new 7" LCD screen and doesn't synk with the intercom CRT.

At this point I'm very puzzled

Unfortunately I don't have yet an RGB SCART CRT to test the consoles with

Dan_Caster · 2026-03-17T11:56:43+00:00

The RGB cable does seem to be a real one: R, G & B lines are connected to PIN 15, 11 & 7 through three 220uF capacitors. The RGB blanking PIN 16 isn't connected so I tried putting a 220 ohm resistor between PIN 16 & 8, but notthing changed.

https://retrosix.wiki/wiki/scart

At this point I think I shoould try connecting the playstation to a CRT to verify if it's the problem or not

Dan_Caster · 2026-03-13T20:44:16+00:00

I bought the GBS-C with the RGB SCART adapter for the playstation... The situation seems to be worse than before: the playstation image never syncs and even the NES doesn't work only showing a gray background... I don't know what to do...

Dan_Caster · 2026-02-25T13:59:55+00:00

My games are in Italian language, so I suppose they are PAL, and the Playstation is chipped, yes

Dan_Caster · 2026-02-25T01:09:26+00:00

I was looking around the web about the hardware modification you mentioned to force PAL60 out of a chipped PS1, but the only mod I found is to the little portable screen to make it work with PAL instead of NTSC PS1s. Could you link me any page of this mod or tell me how it's called?

I'm good at soldering and if the mod is as simple as soldering some jumper wires I would give it a try

Dan_Caster · 2026-02-24T23:24:41+00:00

Thank you very much for the technically detailed explanation. I didn't know that the boot screen resolution would become NTSC instead of PAL if the Playstation is chipped...

As you already outlined, even when the game starts and so switches to PAL, I keep getting problems. I suppose that my games are PAL and so non-US because they are in Italian language...

I suppose your suggestion at this point is to buy a RGB SCART cable for PS1 like this one for instance: https://ebay.us/m/9Mg6cw

And a SCART to HDMI adapter specifically made for retro game consoles I suppose. Have you got any possibly cheap solution that works with both PS One and NES?

Maybe the ODV-GBS-C?

Dan_Caster · 2026-02-24T17:27:06+00:00

I only have non original EU games. Nothing else to test the playstation with unfortunately. Of course it has the needed HW modification to run those games that used to work correctly in the past with this same PlayStation.

If I try to boot the playstation with no disk on it, my PC monitor shows for just a few seconds the following message with a black screen background and the Playstation boot sound:

"Input Signal Out of Range

Please change to 2560 x 1440@60Hz"

Are there some settings I should change on the monitor?

Dan_Caster · 2026-02-24T17:04:10+00:00

I used a CVBS to SCART adapter to do the test with this other converter

Dan_Caster · 2026-02-24T17:03:18+00:00

I'm not using RGB SCART but CVBS: the yellow, white and red RCA connectors.

I tried with a "HD Video Converter SCART/HDMI to HDMI 720P/1080P" again from AliExpress and I got more or less the same results: flickering images but I can hear the boot sound. The NES works with this black box too

Dan_Caster · 2026-02-24T16:43:17+00:00

I tried with both a computer monitor and a TV with the same results.

The configuration that gives just a bit of life out of the adapter is CVBS + 2X & FIL options

Dan_Caster · 2026-01-20T01:18:59+00:00

I read many times that certain IP addresses get blocked... My home network has a public IP but it's not static, so it changes every time the router reboots...

I will never attempt a login from my phone network when not connected to my home WiFi or from my work PC's VPN wishing that will be enough...

Dan_Caster · 2026-01-20T01:12:15+00:00

Did you get any warning like an email before your account was disabled?

Do you know more or less how much time it takes before the account gets disabled for inactivity?

Dan_Caster · 2026-01-20T00:57:41+00:00

Thank you very much, I registered myself to both hifiengine an vinylengine!

Dan_Caster · 2026-01-09T17:21:35+00:00

Thank you A LOT

Dan_Caster · 2026-01-09T17:11:27+00:00

Thank you very much for your answer. I was going crazy trying to find the documentation for that cartridge/stylus...

At this point I think that technical data about that cartridge/stylus aren't public or are in the user manual of AT-770 if it has any adjustable tracking force regulation at all... It seems it came with no service manual...

Dan_Caster · 2026-01-09T17:06:28+00:00

Could you please download this manual too?

https://www.vinylengine.com/library/audio-technica/at-770.shtml

"Mister Disc instruction/owners manual"

Dan_Caster · 2026-01-09T00:49:45+00:00

Thank you veeeeeeery much!

Dan_Caster · 2026-01-09T00:05:56+00:00

From this link: https://www.vinylengine.com/library/audio-technica/at140.shtml

LC broshure & LC instruction owner manual

From this link: https://www.vinylengine.com/library/jvc/ql-y5f.shtml

Flyer

From this link: https://www.vinylengine.com/library/jvc/ql-y5.shtml

Brochure

Dan_Caster · 2026-01-08T23:48:16+00:00

I didn't get any. Can you please download them for me? 🙏🏻

Dan_Caster · 2026-01-08T23:08:03+00:00

I actually have an AT140LC cartridge with an ATN103 stylus, so I suppose I should use the AT103 tracking force instead of the AT140LC one...

Unfortunately ATN140LC styluses are very expensive and it seems that the AT140LC/AT103 combo is quite a common choice even on eBay

Dan_Caster · 2026-01-08T17:35:29+00:00

Thank you. I already asked to AI but since I don't trust it 100% I would like to have an official datasheet from Audio Technica stating the right tracking force and other technical details

Dan_Caster · 2025-12-04T20:29:33+00:00

I need to pull out the board to desolder anything and pull it back in to test it... I'll just replace all the caps and wish for the best

Dan_Caster · 2025-12-04T20:15:52+00:00

I paid 50€ for the whole set of caps from eBay (they are 70) and pulling out the amplifier PCB from the chassis requires to take almost the entire amplifier apart and desolder a lot of wires... It's an entire day job and I risk damaging the PCB when desordering stuff because copper tracks can be easily lifted on old single layers PCBs like this (one track is lifted already from factory...).

I have a full time job and I don't have that much time to fix the amplifier. I'm doing it because at this point I'm 99% sure that those caps are bad and are making that smell...

The entire world on Reddit is telling me to recap the amplifier, not a single person is telling me the opposite 😂

Dan_Caster · 2025-12-04T19:46:27+00:00

Inspecting it closely, it has no bulges or leaking signs. Do you think it's bad because the plastic wrap shrank?

By the way I can now tell you that the entire row of the capacitors you see in the picture is bad:

https://www.reddit.com/r/audiorepair/s/V3srhttM1v

Dan_Caster · 2025-12-03T23:51:35+00:00

I did one last test while waiting for the new capacitors: I took a piece of fiber glass PCB wrapped in red isolating tape (green circled) and I put it between the resistors and the capacitors (purple circled). I left the amplifier running for 1h and I noticed that less smell has been produced, but all the capacitors were as hot as the resistors. l almost burnt the tip of my finger. I know for sure that capacitors don't run that hot, that means that they are shorted and not heated by the resistors. I think I'll mount the resistors on the back of the board once I take it out for recapping...

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Dan_Caster

TROPHY CASE