UAV to HDMI (UAV2HDMI) Mod

[Heatvent]

OK, so I saw this youtube video where the guy made is own Xbox OG HDMI adapter by replacing the connector on a Wii2HDMI...

 

 

I have one of these (Wii2HDMI) because I was originally going to do this but never got around to it.  So I am currently struggling with a good way to get my UAV output into my 11 yr old TV.  Nothing I have has S-Video input.  I tried running composite to my receiver which then converts to HDMI but for some reason I get jailbars. I originally thought it was the UAV, but I tried with a Flashback 2 hooked up and get the same results so it is definitely something the receiver is doing when converting the signal.  I can pass through composite video which is fine but need to fish a RCA cable through the wall between receiver and TV (FYI, tried this with RCA cable and no jail bars).  Then I thought what if I could connect the UAV S-video to the Wii2HDMI ... maybe that would work better!  Certainly for my and many out there HDMI is the only thing being used these days.

 

Pinout for the Wii AV connector is here http://www.hardwarebook.info/Wii_A/V.  I tried connecting pins 7 to Luma and 9 to Chroma and of course ground to ground.  I powered the Wii2HDMI with an external USB power adapter with +/- soldered to pins 4 and 12 on the Wii2HDMI.  So far no luck.  I also tried connecting pin 3 to composite video.

 

Maybe I am missing something and there is some reason this would/should not work.  Although I am hoping it will and if I can power the Wii2HDMI adapter off of the 5V on the Atari even better (tried this but was getting 3.8V for some reason instead of 5V so I went to the external power).

 

Any thoughts ideas, etc. would be apprciated!

Edited October 27, 2020 by Heatvent

[Mr Robot]

Jailbars might be your cable. Lot's of technical stuff about that here 

 

 

Once you've got a decent cable, go and read this page

 

Your credit card will forgive your transgression in a few weeks  

 

 

[Heatvent]

I am aware of the Retrotink and it is the gold standard for connecting to modern equipment.  I would be happy with just good results and an easy way to connect into my receiver with all my other stuff under the TV with the one HDMI cable going from the receiver to the TV.  Composite would be fine, just trying to avoid yet another wire running up the wall to the back of the TV (receiver would get audio).

 

Regarding the jailbars, I don't think my cable is the best but I see the exact same results with the Flashback 2.  That probably has cheap cables as well but I am thinking it has to with the signal/upscaling and I don't have a way to easily swap the cable for the UAV since one end of the composite cable is cut off and soldered to the board for audio and connected to the screw terminals on the UAV for video and ground (did not install RCA jacks just a direct wired composite cable).

 

I think this is also a bit of proof of concept for me.  I had the Wii2HDMI already and opening the case was simple ... just hit the Wii connector end against my hand and the board popped out the other end of the casing.  The input pads on the Wii2HDMI board are easily accessible and have all the necessary connections so fairly simple to solder wires to and connect to the UAV screw terminals for testing.  I am also pretty sure there might be some advantages to the Wii2HDMI vs other upscalers in that it runs off of 5v and I don't believe draws much in terms of amps so possible could be powered by the Atari and I supports 4:3 aspect ratio (I think) where a lot of / all of the less expensive upscalers support 16:9 only.

 

I rechecked my wiring and things look to be correct.  Not sure if there is an issue with the video signal put out by the 2600 that the Wii2HDMI doesn't recognize it as an appropriate signal so it doesn't try to convert.  I have tried connecting both composite video and S-video to the input pads of the Wii2HDMI but so far no joy.  I also tried connecting the device to a Wii and it seems to be working.

Edited October 28, 2020 by Heatvent

[manterola]

Check if pins 8 and 10 are shorted in the converter. My guess is that the wii2hdmi converts RGB to HDMI, not S-video or composite to HDMI, so the converter by shorting 8 and 10 forces the Wii console to output RGB signals which are the signals the converter is expecting.

Check it out, to see if my hypothesis is correct...

If not, I would love to have a converter for less than 10 dollars and make it work. So I will consider to get one

Edited October 28, 2020 by manterola

[Heatvent]

Good call.  So on the Wii2HDMI the two mode pins (8 and 10) have a connecting trace so they are shorted which would put the Wii in component video mode. The board I have does not have the Wii input pads labeled but the video above does.  I think this also explains why in the Wii AV Pinout, Pin 3 is labeled as composite video.  However, in the video the Retro Frank's Wii2HDMI is labeled and the corresponding pin on the Wii2HDMI board is labeled as NC.  So while there are pins in the connector for composite video, doesn't seem like the Wii2HDMI can deal with it.  So it looks like you need a RGB component signal for this to work (maybe another $75 for one of these https://etim.net.au/shop/shop.php?crn=210&rn=552&action=show_detail) :(.

 

I guess I at least learned something!

Edited October 28, 2020 by Heatvent