OSSC Profiles

[+Muddyfunster]

Using the 7800GD with the OSSC.

 

Some info that folks may find helpful when connecting their 7800GD via RGB out to an OSSC.

 

I use a simple RGB Mega Drive II cable with C-Sync. Plugged straight in to the OSSC it works just fine, however my V1 Hydra struggles to sync.

 

I do not claim to be an OSSC guru but I'm happy to share what works for me. If you have a deeper understanding then suggestions and enhancements are appreciated!

 

General

 

Every set up is different with different consoles, cables and TV's. I'm using an old 720p Samsung 32" LCD TV and 1080p PC Capture via Datapath Vision RGB E1

 

I didn't need to change any of the Sampling Options, only Sync Options.

 

NTSC Profile - RGBS 240p profile - no advanced timings - Generic 4:3

This profile will scale up to 5x on my PC and 3x on my old TV (the limits of the display devices).

 

• SYNC MENU
  • Analogue Sync LPF = 33Mhz (min)
  • Analogue STC LPF = 4.8Mhz (HDTV/PC)
  • Analogue Sync Vth = 123mV
  • HSync tolerance = 19.38 us
  • VSync tolerance = 23.38 us
  • H-PLL Pre-Coast = 3 lines
  • H-PLL Post-Coast = 3 lines

 

 

PAL Profile

 

I'll add my PAL profile in the coming day or two as my PAL console is stored and I can't remember which saved OSSC profile I used with PAL!

 

Questions

 

If anyone has questions, please ask, I'll do my best to help.

Edited July 12, 2023 by Muddyfunster
typos

[emuholic]

Did you get a chance to get the profile or settings for the PAL console. I can't seem to get mine working with my OSSC apart from literally a split second display of the menu occasionally, but nothing that remains on screen. The cable appears to be working fine as it works perfectly when used on my Amstrad CPC monitor and CRT TV. Thanks.

[SainT]

I can’t get a stable image from mine either, and I’ve fiddled a fair bit with the settings and tried component and RGB SCART. Component actually worked better (no idea why) but it still wasn’t great. I think it may depend on what version of the OSSC hardware you have, mine is up to date with the latest firmware.

[nick3092]

Using the settings above (and setting 240p to line2x and line2x to generic 4:3), I can't get anything to display after the RetroHQ logo through my OSSC. It has sync. But whatever it's outputting for a signal, my AVR/TV don't like. When powering up, the ossc has sync and I get the logo for a couple seconds, then sync drops, comes back, and then my tv just complains about no signal. Hooking up RF, I do see the menu. 

 

I've tried all the various line#X modes, and tried setting 240p mode to the various line#X options. But my tv just keeps saying no signal. I plug my genesis in with the same settings, and I have no issues.

[+Muddyfunster]

52 minutes ago, nick3092 said:

I've tried all the various line#X modes, and tried setting 240p mode to the various line#X options. But my tv just keeps saying no signal. I plug my genesis in with the same settings, and I have no issues.

6 hours ago, emuholic said:

Did you get a chance to get the profile or settings for the PAL console. I can't seem to get mine working with my OSSC apart from literally a split second display of the menu occasionally, but nothing that remains on screen. The cable appears to be working fine as it works perfectly when used on my Amstrad CPC monitor and CRT TV. Thanks.

What kind of cable are you using to connect the 7800GD to the OSSC? 

 

Does it work if you plug the 7800GD directly into the TV?

 

52 minutes ago, nick3092 said:

I've tried all the various line#X modes, and tried setting 240p mode to the various line#X options. But my tv just keeps saying no signal. I plug my genesis in with the same settings, and I have no issues.

Although you are using a Genesis cable, the signal from the 7800GD is not that of a Genesis. Have you tried the settings I noted above in the Sync menu? 

 

Try adjusting these settings, you may need to tweak the values to see what works with your display.

 

 

• Analogue Sync Vth = 123mV
• HSync tolerance = 19.38 us
• VSync tolerance = 23.38 us

 

 

6 hours ago, emuholic said:

Did you get a chance to get the profile or settings for the PAL console. 

 

Sorry, I'll try to get to this asap. My PAL console was in the loft and on my OSSC I have 12 profiles and I didn't actually write down which one I saved as the PAL 7800 during my testing.

[nick3092]

It's a Retro Access SCART cable. It's odd that I can get a picture when the cart boots, but lose it when it goes to the menu. I have a set of HD Retrovison genesis cables around here somewhere I can try with the OSSC.

 

I can also try tweaking those sync settings. But I'm not sure if it will help. The OSSC is showing it has sync. I would think those settings would only come into play if it didn't have sync. But I'm not a video expert, so I could be wrong. 

[SainT]

The video signal during boot is slightly different to the main system video, I have seen the same behaviour. The exact same video signals work with other scalers, so I’m not quite sure what the issue is. However some people have it working with OSSC, so I can only think it’s OSSC hardware version related?

[nick3092]

No difference with the retrovision component cables to the ossc, still only see the RHQ logo, then the tv claims there is no signal. I bypassed my AVR and ran the OSSC to the TV, and it's actually worse. I don't even get the RHQ logo. Just constant "no signal". This is a high end Samsung QLED from 2019.

 

Adjusting the sync settings did nothing for getting the menu to appear, as I suspected. All it did is eventually cause the OSSC to lose sync to the 7800GD if I went to far on a setting. 

[+-^CrossBow^-]

Well, I'm in the same club as @nick3092 as my OSSC refuses to see any sync at all. Not even from the logo coming up. I've tried the settings that @Muddyfunster posted but no change. I've tried with two different c-sync Gen/MD RGB cables without success. But the AV out does work because it provides a great picture when I use my Rad2x off it. 

 

My OSSC is a ver 1.6 and I believe only running FW .85. It was the first FW revision to allow you name the profiles etc. but doesn't provide the means to export them. As a result, I've never upgraded it further because it means I have to write down every single damn setting in my OSSC for each of my over dozen different profiles I have set and I've just not had the motivation to do that.

 

BTW one of the cables used is my Retro Gaming Cables Pack-a-punch c-sync MD RGB cables. Again... no sync. Oh well, it does work wonderfully with my built in UAV setup.

 

Few things I will note is that the default TIA audio off the AV port is WAY TOO LOUD!!! I have to drop it down to like 5 bars to be roughly the same as the other audio output and similar to what my NTSC console puts out with the default resistor values. It would also be nice if the 7800GD would remember the settings you set so I don't have to adjust the audio for each time I change out a game with the reset function. But those are minor issues that I'm sure can be corrected for in future updates.... well except for the sync thing as I think that might require a hardware change?

 

 

[+DrVenkman]

6 minutes ago, -^CrossBow^- said:

Few things I will note is that the default TIA audio off the AV port is WAY TOO LOUD!!! I have to drop it down to like 5 bars to be roughly the same as the other audio output and similar to what my NTSC console puts out with the default resistor values. It would also be nice if the 7800GD would remember the settings you set so I don't have to adjust the audio for each time I change out a game with the reset function.

Getting off the topic of OSSC profiles (since I'm not using one), but I noticed the same TIA volume issue in combination with 1942 (the YM music during gameplay is almost entirely washed out by the TIA volume of the plane's guns). Oddly, I don't notice the same kind of mis-match with Commando (POKEY music + TIA sound effects). So being able to save the volume settings would a nice feature. I was playing out of the RGB/Component DIN connection, but did not switch over to the console's own AV output to compare (my own UAV install, done per @-^CrossBow^-'s guide). 

[+-^CrossBow^-]

2 hours ago, DrVenkman said:

Getting off the topic of OSSC profiles (since I'm not using one), but I noticed the same TIA volume issue in combination with 1942 (the YM music during gameplay is almost entirely washed out by the TIA volume of the plane's guns). Oddly, I don't notice the same kind of mis-match with Commando (POKEY music + TIA sound effects). So being able to save the volume settings would a nice feature. I was playing out of the RGB/Component DIN connection, but did not switch over to the console's own AV output to compare (my own UAV install, done per @-^CrossBow^-'s guide). 

What I did just find a bit ago, was that the 7800GD.INI file exists and it has the default values for the volume within it. So you can set the volume as you want there and it should remain as the default values. Same with the blending option as well.

[nick3092]

2 hours ago, -^CrossBow^- said:

Well, I'm in the same club as @nick3092 as my OSSC refuses to see any sync at all. Not even from the logo coming up. I've tried the settings that @Muddyfunster posted but no change. I've tried with two different c-sync Gen/MD RGB cables without success. But the AV out does work because it provides a great picture when I use my Rad2x off it. 

 

My OSSC is a ver 1.6 and I believe only running FW .85. It was the first FW revision to allow you name the profiles etc. but doesn't provide the means to export them. As a result, I've never upgraded it further because it means I have to write down every single damn setting in my OSSC for each of my over dozen different profiles I have set and I've just not had the motivation to do that.

 

BTW one of the cables used is my Retro Gaming Cables Pack-a-punch c-sync MD RGB cables. Again... no sync. Oh well, it does work wonderfully with my built in UAV setup.

 

Few things I will note is that the default TIA audio off the AV port is WAY TOO LOUD!!! I have to drop it down to like 5 bars to be roughly the same as the other audio output and similar to what my NTSC console puts out with the default resistor values. It would also be nice if the 7800GD would remember the settings you set so I don't have to adjust the audio for each time I change out a game with the reset function. But those are minor issues that I'm sure can be corrected for in future updates.... well except for the sync thing as I think that might require a hardware change?

 

 

My issue is a little different, although I did have the same sync issue at first.  Originally I was also on 0.85 (v1.6 hardware), and noticed one of the sync settings listed above was missing (the STC LPF setting, which looks like it was added in 0.86).  Even setting all the remaining sync options to match the first post, I couldn't get sync on 0.85.  As soon as I updated to 0.90 (and losing my profiles in the process), then I could set the STC LPF and get sync with the settings from the first post.

 

My issue now is the OSSC has sync when I get to the menu.  But whatever it's outputting to my TV during the menu, my TV doesn't like.  My TV only likes what it's getting during the RHQ logo portion of the boot process.  Which SainT did confirm is a slightly different signal than once the cart is fully booted.  But no changes I have found so far to the output settings can get a signal my TV likes.  I haven't had this issue with any of my other RGB/SCART consoles/cables.

 

But for sure it seems firmware 0.85 will not be able to get sync at all due to the missing setting in the sync menu.

[+-^CrossBow^-]

1 hour ago, nick3092 said:

My issue is a little different, although I did have the same sync issue at first.  Originally I was also on 0.85 (v1.6 hardware), and noticed one of the sync settings listed above was missing (the STC LPF setting, which looks like it was added in 0.86).  Even setting all the remaining sync options to match the first post, I couldn't get sync on 0.85.  As soon as I updated to 0.90 (and losing my profiles in the process), then I could set the STC LPF and get sync with the settings from the first post.

 

My issue now is the OSSC has sync when I get to the menu.  But whatever it's outputting to my TV during the menu, my TV doesn't like.  My TV only likes what it's getting during the RHQ logo portion of the boot process.  Which SainT did confirm is a slightly different signal than once the cart is fully booted.  But no changes I have found so far to the output settings can get a signal my TV likes.  I haven't had this issue with any of my other RGB/SCART consoles/cables.

 

But for sure it seems firmware 0.85 will not be able to get sync at all due to the missing setting in the sync menu.

Hmm... that stinks because another reason I've never upgraded beyond .85 is because I believe the Jaguar RGB starts to get sketchy with FW newer than that, and the Jag isn't the most stable as is on .85 to begin with.

 

[SainT]

3 hours ago, -^CrossBow^- said:

What I did just find a bit ago, was that the 7800GD.INI file exists and it has the default values for the volume within it. So you can set the volume as you want there and it should remain as the default values. Same with the blending option as well.

You can edit the global setting by hitting START on the megadrive pad via mega7800 or by pressing SELECT on the console.

[SainT]

5 hours ago, DrVenkman said:

Getting off the topic of OSSC profiles (since I'm not using one), but I noticed the same TIA volume issue in combination with 1942 (the YM music during gameplay is almost entirely washed out by the TIA volume of the plane's guns). Oddly, I don't notice the same kind of mis-match with Commando (POKEY music + TIA sound effects). So being able to save the volume settings would a nice feature. I was playing out of the RGB/Component DIN connection, but did not switch over to the console's own AV output to compare (my own UAV install, done per @-^CrossBow^-'s guide). 

Yes, the TIA is much louder than the YM, I’ll add the per game setting save, it does make perfect sense. The volume levels from internal and external audio are the same.

[+-^CrossBow^-]

9 hours ago, nick3092 said:

My issue is a little different, although I did have the same sync issue at first.  Originally I was also on 0.85 (v1.6 hardware), and noticed one of the sync settings listed above was missing (the STC LPF setting, which looks like it was added in 0.86).  Even setting all the remaining sync options to match the first post, I couldn't get sync on 0.85.  As soon as I updated to 0.90 (and losing my profiles in the process), then I could set the STC LPF and get sync with the settings from the first post.

 

My issue now is the OSSC has sync when I get to the menu.  But whatever it's outputting to my TV during the menu, my TV doesn't like.  My TV only likes what it's getting during the RHQ logo portion of the boot process.  Which SainT did confirm is a slightly different signal than once the cart is fully booted.  But no changes I have found so far to the output settings can get a signal my TV likes.  I haven't had this issue with any of my other RGB/SCART consoles/cables.

 

But for sure it seems firmware 0.85 will not be able to get sync at all due to the missing setting in the sync menu.

Okay, so I bit the bullet and upgraded to .90 last night. I made video of me going through most of my settings (The ones that matter most anyway) so I could replicate them. I'm glad to say that .90 now shows sync from a MD c-sync RGB cable from the 7800GD to my OSSC and I've got a pretty stable picture as a result. However...

 

The audio isn't coming through properly and will keep dropping in and out constantly through my AV receiver. The receiver has a signal info section and it detects it properly at 96khz PCM, but only for a second and then it drops away for a few seconds...comes back...drops out... But just the audio. Not sure what to make of that. I did try setting the OSSC to 48Khz mode, but then NO audio at all would come through to my AV receiver. In fact, I usually use 48Khz on my SNES profile with the older OSSC FW and even that wasn't working now. So I'm guessing something is buggered with the later OSSC FW and audio since it seems the 48Khz mode is effectively broken. I also tried to use .89 FW but that resulted in the same situation with even slightly less stable video as it would drop out more often every few min for a sec or two.

 

I'm tempted to give the slight hardware modification a try on the OSSC I've seen Marq's mention that would allow use of the beta 1.x series FW that is supposed to really address video/audio sync issues and is part of what is incorporated into the upcoming OSSC Pro. There is another thing I'm going to try as well a bit later to see if it helps and if it does I will report back.

 

I guess the good news at least, is that now that I can export my profiles, I can more easily create the settings needed with FirebrandX online profile tool and import them back in as well.

 

[SainT]

Is there a link to any HW mods? I’ve always found the OSSC pretty poor with unusual sync (the Jaguar also has odd sync, not sure why), so I’d be game to modify mine.

[nick3092]

9 minutes ago, SainT said:

Is there a link to any HW mods? I’ve always found the OSSC pretty poor with unusual sync (the Jaguar also has odd sync, not sure why), so I’d be game to modify mine.

The only mod I know of is the mod to enable the beta firmware that changes the way sync is handled. Basically you remove one resistor and then run a wire from one of the resistor pads to one of the ic pins. The mod and firmware are at https://videogameperfection.com/forums/topic/ossc-v1-xx-series-beta-firmware/

[+-^CrossBow^-]

8 minutes ago, nick3092 said:

The only mod I know of is the mod to enable the beta firmware that changes the way sync is handled. Basically you remove one resistor and then run a wire from one of the resistor pads to one of the ic pins. The mod and firmware are at https://videogameperfection.com/forums/topic/ossc-v1-xx-series-beta-firmware/

I was just about to post the same link. But yes this is the one I was talking about. I can say that with .89 / .90 I can more or less get the picture to come in stable but now the audio constantly drops out. Not sure if the issue is from the signal off the 7800GD or from the OSSC to my AV receiver. The OSSC doesn't seem to show anything or change on the display, but receiver constantly shows the audio signal dropping in and out resulting in a second or two of audio followed by a few seconds of silence as the receiver tries to lock back into the audio.

 

I get the same results using HDRetrovision cables to the OSSC and I'm not sure that has been reported yet? In fact, the video signal might even be a little less stable from the HDRetrovision cables vs the RGB cables.

 

 

[nick3092]

9 minutes ago, -^CrossBow^- said:

I was just about to post the same link. But yes this is the one I was talking about. I can say that with .89 / .90 I can more or less get the picture to come in stable but now the audio constantly drops out. Not sure if the issue is from the signal off the 7800GD or from the OSSC to my AV receiver. The OSSC doesn't seem to show anything or change on the display, but receiver constantly shows the audio signal dropping in and out resulting in a second or two of audio followed by a few seconds of silence as the receiver tries to lock back into the audio.

 

I get the same results using HDRetrovision cables to the OSSC and I'm not sure that has been reported yet? In fact, the video signal might even be a little less stable from the HDRetrovision cables vs the RGB cables.

 

 

Yeah, the only downside is that the profile generator doesn't seem to support the beta firmware. So it would require manually recreating profiles.

 

And I did report at least in my case HDR cables were no different than my SCART cable experience. Just the RHQ logo, then nothing. But the OSSC does show sync is established with both. 

[+-^CrossBow^-]

Just now, nick3092 said:

Yeah, the only downside is that the profile generator doesn't seem to support the beta firmware. So it would require manually recreating profiles.

 

And I did report at least in my case HDR cables were no different than my SCART cable experience. Just the RHQ logo, then nothing. But the OSSC does show sync is established with both. 

Well, I'm able to get picture following @Muddyfunster's settings, but I have to keep the Pre-coast setting at 1 as anything else will drop the pic and keep the post-coast setting at 0.

 

And according to that thread, it looks like profiles exporting/importing might be working on the 1.03 beta FW?

 

[SiLic0ne t0aD]

Unfortunately the 7800GD does jive with my OSSC 1.6 into my old 2017 Vizio at all. Seems like a sync issue? Cuts in & out pretty bad. IDK, but I'll play with it some more later and will try setting up a new profile with Muddyfunsters settings. 🤞Hopefully it'll help.

 

In the meantime, it's working great with the Retrotink 2X Scart though! RGB looks absolutely incredible. 😍

[+-^CrossBow^-]

8 hours ago, SiLic0ne t0aD said:

Unfortunately the 7800GD does jive with my OSSC 1.6 into my old 2017 Vizio at all. Seems like a sync issue? Cuts in & out pretty bad. IDK, but I'll play with it some more later and will try setting up a new profile with Muddyfunsters settings. 🤞Hopefully it'll help.

 

In the meantime, it's working great with the Retrotink 2X Scart though! RGB looks absolutely incredible. 😍

Mine is a first release 7800GD, but I actually did the OSSC mod on mine and have it running 1.08FW. However, I'm back to where I was in that I get nothing at all on the OSSC at this point from the 7800GD. Doesn't even show an active signal from it whereas it did before. I was hopeful the new sync stuff would help on my OSSC but no dice. 

 

That said, I've got other ways I can use it just fine like my Rad2x, and my HDRetrovision cables. Not sure what the Tink products do differently in this regard compared to the OSSC, but yeah, just seems that the 7800GD is not workable with the OSSC at this point. Especially the newer units on 1.08FW. 

 

Although the Jaguar RGB output seems to be corrected now!

[SainT]

It's something I need to look at again, but in general the OSSC doesn't seem to handle jittery sync very well. Although it seems to depend on the hardware revision, I think, as some people have it working ok. 

 

I know for me it just doesn't work well at all. But the Tink5xPro is perfect.

[+-^CrossBow^-]

3 hours ago, SainT said:

It's something I need to look at again, but in general the OSSC doesn't seem to handle jittery sync very well. Although it seems to depend on the hardware revision, I think, as some people have it working ok. 

 

I know for me it just doesn't work well at all. But the Tink5xPro is perfect.

Well, I've not really had any issues with my OSSC over the years. The only exceptions being that I had to install the dejitter mod into my SNESjr as it wasn't sable on the RGB beyond 2x mode. Now it works fine up to 5x with that mod board installed. My Jaguar RGB output was fine until I updated the OSSC FW to .85 and then I noticed quite a few games both homebrew and official, would cause random dropouts. Earlier RGB boards for the Intellivision were a no got at first but then those boards were improved and they have been fine. 

 

So with the older .85 FW I was able to get a stable picture, but no audio as my AV receiver would just show the audio signal constantly coming on and off about ever second. Now with the OSSC modification and 1.08 FW, the OSSC doesn't even register anything from the system at this point and needless to say my AV receiver isn't showing anything through it either of course.

 

I haven't really messed with the settings much but I can try and go through the settings outlined at the top of this thread again and see if anything changes. But again, I've got solution that work outside of the OSSC in this case. The Rad2x might be the best option I have because using it, my capture device is okay with the signal output from it whereas my HDRetrovision cables will work through the capture device and give a picture, but the capture device doesn't allow me to record the video and shows incompatible signal through it.