MiSTer FPGA Forum

So, any tips on where to buy a proper vga->scart cable for MiSTer?

Afaik this cable https://www.ebay.com/itm/253706610409 for example is missing resistors to bring sync signals to safe levels. Some others are missing proper voltage for the RGB detection etc. And sellers don't seem to list these things even though one would imagine they would be quite important info.

Of course I can always build one myself, but I'd rather just buy one. I'm a little surprised that I couldn't find any cable easily that would use the mister's ability to bring some voltage on the vga connector. Does anyone sell those?

This is the one recommended on Wiki: https://retro-access.com/products/miste ... 1000&_ss=r
It has the 470 Ohm resistor, don't know about RGB voltage but I suppose so. For 48 USD, it better!

I'm a cheapskate so at first I bought MiST cable from Lotharek (~25USD) because I was told it will work with MiSTer. It mostly does, but there are few cores which refuse to sync (eg Atari ST). Later on I had a brainwave and tried the Ultimate Scart Adapter from arcadeforge.de which I use for PC MAME setup. This works fine and handles all the cores.

I think the whole "safety" thing is a bit overdone, because I'm pretty sure none of my connections have it (definitely not that MiST cable) and yet I've been using it on several TVs for over a year with zero problems, and I've also never heard of any disaster cases so far (and these non-safe cables are pretty popular). But it's just anecdotal evidence so YMMV. I suppose it depends on what kind of "RGB device" one is using.

hotmultimedia wrote: ↑Mon Nov 22, 2021 6:57 pm So, any tips on where to buy a proper vga->scart cable for MiSTer? Does anyone sell those?

Where are you located?

→ in the US (Currently out of stock)
→ in the EU

Those are tried and tested. You should be worryied more about your actual CRT's capabilities.

akeley wrote: ↑Mon Nov 22, 2021 8:15 pm This is the one recommended on Wiki: https://retro-access.com/products/miste ... 1000&_ss=r
It has the 470 Ohm resistor, don't know about RGB voltage but I suppose so. For 48 USD, it better!

Yeah, you'd imagine, but I believe it doesn't.

akeley wrote: ↑Mon Nov 22, 2021 8:15 pm I'm a cheapskate so at first I bought MiST cable from Lotharek (~25USD) because I was told it will work with MiSTer. It mostly does, but there are few cores which refuse to sync (eg Atari ST). Later on I had a brainwave and tried the Ultimate Scart Adapter from arcadeforge.de which I use for PC MAME setup. This works fine and handles all the cores.

Good to know that these exist, looks a bit overkill for mister tho!

akeley wrote: ↑Mon Nov 22, 2021 8:15 pm I think the whole "safety" thing is a bit overdone, because I'm pretty sure none of my connections have it (definitely not that MiST cable) and yet I've been using it on several TVs for over a year with zero problems, and I've also never heard of any disaster cases so far (and these non-safe cables are pretty popular). But it's just anecdotal evidence so YMMV. I suppose it depends on what kind of "RGB device" one is using.

Okay, maybe I could consider those..

lamarax wrote: ↑Mon Nov 22, 2021 9:16 pm → in the EU

Those are tried and tested. You should be worryied more about your actual CRT's capabilities.

These don't have the RGB detect voltage on SCART don't they? (description says "Our cable does not use VGA PIN 9" so how could it?)

If you are using the HDMI to VGA converter for direct_video be sure the cable fits the female VGA connector.

Retro Gaming Cables sells a good Analogue/MiSTer cable from the UK: https://www.retrogamingcables.co.uk/ana ... packapunch
I upgraded to it from an AMIGAstore Minimig cable when I encountered a TV which demanded pin 9 to function in RGB mode.

Thanks everybody for the answers! I finally settled on the ultimatemister.com cable (I found out my TV actually doesn't need the rgb pin with special channel setting) - the www.retrogamingcables.co.uk one looked very good but it was slightly more expensive and I didn't want to go though the brexit-induced customs hassle..