Hi people,

First of all: sorry about my bad English, this is because I’m Dutch.

Since a couple of weeks I am the proud owner of a SONY 1031QM CRT projector. I have bought this projector to install it in my bedroom.

The problem is that I don’t get it working with a component signal from let’s say my Samsung digital HDTV cable decoder, the Xbox360 and a DVD player. The cable decoder and the DVD player have a component output of 576P. That resolution should work fine with the SONY1031QM. (Other people told me this should work fine).

Off course I use a transcoder to connect everything. It’s a KDS Key Digital Systems Xblaster. It has component and VGA input, and a VGA output. If I connect the DVD player with component to the transcoder, and the transcoder via an VGA to SCART cable to the 1031QM then it doesn’t work. The screen (all three tubes) is black. No image, nothing.

The same for my digital HDTV tuner. When I select 576P as output (via component), and use the transcoder to connect to the projector the screen still is black.

When I connect the Xbox360 via VGA @ 640x480 to the projector it works fine. A nice progressive screen shows up. But unfortunately in “low” resolution…

If I test the transcoder with the DVD player @ 576P via component , and the VGA output to a normal 17” TFT monitor it also works fine. The progressive 576P image shows up op the TFT monitor. So the transcoder works fine. (I think?)

The (selfmade) VGA to SCART cable to connect the projector works also fine. Because I’ve tested this with my notebook @ 640x480. Then also a nice progressive image shows up…

If I connect the Xbox360 directly via SCART to the projector it also works. But then I only have an interlaced image. I bought the 1031QM to view a progressive image at 576P, not for looking to an interlaced image ;)

Does someone have an issue for my problem?

Thanks in advance,

Atmoz

The 1031 seems to be a little picky about its sync pulses: I've had trouble getting my laptop to work with my 1031Q. You may need to invert one or more of the syncs to get it to work. However, if it wasn't syncing you should still see the image flashing across the screen(the inputs are not blanked with a lack of sync: the 1031 simply reverts to NTSC 480i scanning when no sync signal is present).

Remember that the 1031Q can only handle 36khz scanning. 576P50 is fine but 576P60 would be trouble.

Make sure that the correct input is selected on the back of the 1031Q.

Perhaps the KDS is looking for DPMS info and will blank its outputs until it has found some. Perhaps you could trick it by setting up the KDS to output to your monitor, then quickly swap cables to output to the 1031Q.

If you have a scope, you could check to see what the KDS is actually outputting.

my suggestion would be to check that your projector is getting the input from the scart cable. plug this directly into a computer, preferably a laptop or desktop with dual video output so you can still have a usable display. Scale the screen resolution to a usable resolution 640x480 50hz, possibly use powerstip if your video cant be set to this setting easily and just check that the projector is receiving the signal. If yes, then you know the problem relates to your scaler device. if no, its either the cable or projector causing the problem.

You could try connecting it with a VGA to 5 BNC cable so you are using the RGB inputs for the 1031.

The manual for other Sony's of that vintage say that it can take a higher resolution through the RGB connections than it can through the other connections, for example a 1030 can take 570 lines through video input and 900 lines through RGB.

The 1031 seems to be a little picky about its sync pulses: I've had trouble getting my laptop to work with my 1031Q. You may need to invert one or more of the syncs to get it to work. However, if it wasn't syncing you should still see the image flashing across the screen(the inputs are not blanked with a lack of sync: the 1031 simply reverts to NTSC 480i scanning when no sync signal is present).

Remember that the 1031Q can only handle 36khz scanning. 576P50 is fine but 576P60 would be trouble.

Make sure that the correct input is selected on the back of the 1031Q.

Perhaps the KDS is looking for DPMS info and will blank its outputs until it has found some. Perhaps you could trick it by setting up the KDS to output to your monitor, then quickly swap cables to output to the 1031Q.

If you have a scope, you could check to see what the KDS is actually outputting.

Thanks. I tried the "swap" method, but this also doesn't work. I also don't have a scope at home to test this. But the KDS Xblaster should sync everything to the right polarity.


my suggestion would be to check that your projector is getting the input from the scart cable. plug this directly into a computer, preferably a laptop or desktop with dual video output so you can still have a usable display. Scale the screen resolution to a usable resolution 640x480 50hz, possibly use powerstip if your video cant be set to this setting easily and just check that the projector is receiving the signal. If yes, then you know the problem relates to your scaler device. if no, its either the cable or projector causing the problem.

I already tested this. I don’t use a scaler device. I only use a sync converter between image source and projector. Form the startpost I quote:

The (selfmade) VGA to SCART cable to connect the projector works also fine. Because I’ve tested this with my notebook @ 640x480. Then also a nice progressive image shows up…

And

When I connect the Xbox360 via VGA @ 640x480 to the projector it works fine. A nice progressive screen shows up. But unfortunately in “low” resolution…

So the cable works just fine. I don't get it why it's not working with 576P (via component)


You could try connecting it with a VGA to 5 BNC cable so you are using the RGB inputs for the 1031.

The manual for other Sony's of that vintage say that it can take a higher resolution through the RGB connections than it can through the other connections, for example a 1030 can take 570 lines through video input and 900 lines through RGB.

My SONY1031QM doesn’t have 5BNC (RGBHV) input. It only comes with SCART, composite (BNC) and some DB9 connector.

Ah, SCART. make sure that the correct signal voltages are on the SCART connector. If the 1031Q doesn't see +12v on the correct pin, then it will default to the composite pin input, which should be disconnected in your cable. I think that it is pin8 that needs +12v.

If you had just used the DB9 RGBHV connection you could have avoided the need for +12v.

Ah, SCART. make sure that the correct signal voltages are on the SCART connector. If the 1031Q doesn't see +12v on the correct pin, then it will default to the composite pin input, which should be disconnected in your cable. I think that it is pin8 that needs +12v.

If you had just used the DB9 RGBHV connection you could have avoided the need for +12v.

Aha, thanks a lot :)

I've looked for the schematic of the DB9-RGBHV cable, but I didn't find it.
Not on Google and not on other forums...

So does someone have a schematic for a VGA (DB15) cable to the DB9 SONY1031QM connector?

Thanks in advance,

Atmoz


[edit]


From this site: eboyztoyz

I've used this schematic:


European 1031QM:
HD15 -> SCART
---------------------------------------
1 -> 15 // Red
2 -> 11 // Green
3 -> 7 // Blue
6 -> 13 // Red ground
7 -> 9 // Green ground
8 -> 5 // Blue ground
10 -> 17 // Sync ground
13 -> 20 // Horizontal Sync
14 -> 20 // Vertical Sync



They don't speak about SCART pin 8 (+12 volt) there...

Curt's files on 1031Q (http://curtpalme.com/Sony10xx_Downloads.shtm)

The 1031QM service manual is on there and the first couple pages are dedicated to signal input. For DB15 to DB9, you might be able to find a cable/ converter at a specialty electronics store. 20 years ago you most certainly could have found one, but DB9 for video died with the rise of modern computers that standardized on DB15. It might be easier to just get a little 12v DC power supply and run a cable to your SCART connector. It requires 9.5v to 12v to run in "Peri mode". While "Peri mode" doesn't mean anything to me, the alternative is TV mode, which is definitely the composite input on pin 19, so Peri mode is most likely RGB.

Edit:
Oops, it apears pin 16 is the correct pin to select RGB. Pin 8 is to select aspect ratio (apparently peri = 16:9, TV= 4:3). Pin 16 needs 1V-3V to select RGB input.

This site has the details:

http://pinouts.ru/Home/Scart_pinout.shtml

Also, check the 1031Q: make sure to cycle through the inputs and fiddle with the superimpose mix level control on each input.

Edit: okay, my interpretation of this silly clash of legacy Japanese and French engineering:
1: Pin 16 on the 1031QM is the old standard blanking control, meaning that whenever high, the composite video is blanked over
2: When RGB 2 input is selected on the 1031, it still displays the composite input from the SCART connector and overlays the RGB from the SCART. Adjusting the Superimpose knob on the 1031 QM will change the level of the RGB signal superimposed on the composite signal.
3: It will only sync on green if the composite signal does not have sync, which yours does not. I'd also suggest grounding pin 20 to pin 18 to reduce video noise.


When the 1031 was designed, computer signals did not contain video or graphics. They had 16 colors and were only useful for text. The purpose of the whole RGB2 input scheme was to overlay text from a computer onto a projected video. The RGB inputs were never designed to be the video inputs, yet nowadays we would find it impractical to use the video inputs(composite) over the RGB inputs.

Edit:
Okay, make sure that the switch beside the SCART connector is set to normal, and the input is set to RGB 2. These old video standards are just so cryptic, and the Sony manual's lack of organization with respect to inputs doesn't help.

The 1031QM service manual is on there and the first couple pages are dedicated to signal input. For DB15 to DB9, you might be able to find a cable/ converter at a specialty electronics store. 20 years ago you most certainly could have found one, but DB9 for video died with the rise of modern computers that standardized on DB15. It might be easier to just get a little 12v DC power supply and run a cable to your SCART connector. It requires 9.5v to 12v to run in "Peri mode". While "Peri mode" doesn't mean anything to me, the alternative is TV mode, which is definitely the composite input on pin 19, so Peri mode is most likely RGB.

Edit:
Oops, it apears pin 16 is the correct pin to select RGB. Pin 8 is to select aspect ratio (apparently peri = 16:9, TV= 4:3). Pin 16 needs 1V-3V to select RGB input.

This site has the details:



Also, check the 1031Q: make sure to cycle through the inputs and fiddle with the superimpose mix level control on each input.

Edit: okay, my interpretation of this silly clash of legacy Japanese and French engineering:
1: Pin 16 on the 1031QM is the old standard blanking control, meaning that whenever high, the composite video is blanked over
2: When RGB 2 input is selected on the 1031, it still displays the composite input from the SCART connector and overlays the RGB from the SCART. Adjusting the Superimpose knob on the 1031 QM will change the level of the RGB signal superimposed on the composite signal.
3: It will only sync on green if the composite signal does not have sync, which yours does not. I'd also suggest grounding pin 20 to pin 18 to reduce video noise.


When the 1031 was designed, computer signals did not contain video or graphics. They had 16 colors and were only useful for text. The purpose of the whole RGB2 input scheme was to overlay text from a computer onto a projected video. The RGB inputs were never designed to be the video inputs, yet nowadays we would find it impractical to use the video inputs(composite) over the RGB inputs.

Edit:
Okay, make sure that the switch beside the SCART connector is set to normal, and the input is set to RGB 2. These old video standards are just so cryptic, and the Sony manual's lack of organization with respect to inputs doesn't help.

Thank you Michael for your help!!

The problem is that I have the RGB input already working. This because it works fine when I connect Xbox360 or notebook (both with VGA @ 640x480). Therefore, the cable that I've made from the schematic above is working correctly. If the cable was not working properly, then I also had no image with Xbox360 or notebook.

Now I have made an alternative setup. I use the Xbox360 @ 640x480 with VGA cable directly to the 1031QM (without XBlaster transcoder) for watching DVD, HDTV movies and to watch tv via Windows Media Center computer.

But now another problem shows up: (has nothing to do with above)

I got horizontal lines/fields in the image when the image moves fast, or from white to dark or visaversa. In slow scenes the image is just perfect!! This problem is much bigger then my 576P problem....

Someone who knows what this could be?

Thanks in advance,

Atmoz

I got horizontal lines/fields in the image when the image moves fast, or from white to dark or visaversa. In slow scenes the image is just perfect!! This problem is much bigger then my 576P problem....

That sounds like interlaced artifacting. Is your signal 480p or 480i? Does it happen on just the xbox or both sources? Can you post a screenshot?

That sounds like interlaced artifacting. Is your signal 480p or 480i? Does it happen on just the xbox or both sources? Can you post a screenshot?

The signal is 480P. The image has absolutely no interlaced scan lines. This "lines" or "horizontal fields" are something else. I don't think this is normal, even not with this (old) projector... Further the image is very nice, only (sometimes) these annoying lines...

I've filmed it with my photo-camera: can't post link until I've made 5 posts...

Note that it's NOT the horizontal (yellow) line that scrolls slowly upwards. That's some artefact that comes due to the camera (I think :D )


Atmoz

Now I can post a link (6st post) :)

CLICK (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Awqzs4_w9H0)

I am going to guess you are scanning too high.. 960x540p60 is right at the upper limit of the 1031's ability, 576p may be too high. Maybe try outputting 540p instead if this is possible. Or alternatively try reducing your refresh rate.

Also I have found that the 1031 just doesn't like some screen settings, I could not get mine to sync at all at 720x480p60, although it would do 640x480p60.. It just wouldn't do it no matter what I did, and I wanted it for watching dvd's so this would have been the ideal setting for me.

It looks like you're hitting the beam limiter. Put up a white screen and adjust the "picture control" until it stops increasing in brightness, then back it off a bit.

As for the lines, I am not seeing them. Could you point out what I should be seeing?

It could be a bad inverse telecine on your DVD player, which would cause artifacts. When you play non-DVD video from your laptop does it do it as well?