Intermittent 60Hz flicker on Sony TV

[Gareth Clark]

Hi everyone, I hope someone can help.

I've had a Dreamcast for a couple of days now - incredible machine too -
but when I try to play a game (eg Sonic or Soul Calibur) in the 60Hz
mode, I sometimes (about 70% of the time) get a nasty flicker in the top
inch of the screen.

It's particularly visible when showing blue sections, such as the sky in
Sonic. It appears to be flickering red.

I'm using a normal UK DC, the TV is a Sony 28" widescreen job, and I'm
using a Mad Katz lead. The problem occurs on both the S-video and phono
plug outputs for the lead.

Has anyone else had this? Is it the TV or the Dreamcast? (ie should I
take the Dreamcast back and swap it for another one?) And is there any
way to clear the flicker for good, as it appears to be random at the
moment?

Thanks all.

[Colm Cox]

Hi Gareth,

I've experienced the same thing, especially in the 1st Sonic stage where
there's loads of blue sky... Blue seems to be the problem colour... I've put
it down to my TV as I tried the DC on a small portable and it's fine. BTW -
I'm just using the standard RF lead - haven't bothered with SCART - I'll
grab me one of those VGA boxes when/if they're in stock.

Colm.

[Andrew Milne]

Yeh,
the same thing happens with me, i think a scart might solve this
problem, but i haven't got round to getting one yet. so i don't know.

[John Bourne]

I have a 32" Sony Widescreen TV and don't have that problem, however I am
using a official scart lead, haven't tried any other connections.

Gareth Clark <mad...@ndirect.co.uk> wrote in message
news:MPG.12b07ec8f...@news.netdirect.net.uk...

[Krystian Timmins]

I have found it only happens when you boot a 50Hz game and then a 60Hz one.
Like if you test the 60Hz mode at the beginning of sonic and then it goes
back to 50hz while you get to choose - then when you select 60hz it gives
the flicker at the top or say if you go into the web browser and then come
back to the game you have the flicker.
Or you play a game, do a soft reboot and then load up a 60hz game itll
happen.
If I do a hard boot (from off) then it loads just fine - no flicker
I have found this using the VGA box svhs and phono connections this happens
and also the direct phono connections that came with me JAP dc
have yet to try the official scart lead.
oh and yes I have a 28" Sony too.
And it works flawlessly with my US N64 and also my Jap Dreamcast.
seems to be some sort of glitch with the switch from 50hz to 60hz

[Gareth Clark]

Just to say thanks to everyone who took the trouble to reply, either
directly or on the NG.

From what everyone's saying, it looks like it's a problem with Sony TVs.

I've spent most of the afternoon playing around, and a soft reboot seems
to fix the problem most of the time - within a couple of reboots I can
always get it working perfectly. So it's not a major problem, and I
won't be taking my Dreamcast back!

Cheers all anyway.

[yu...@uk.uumail.com]

I had the same problem on a JVC TV. Try adjusting the tuning a bit. That
fixed the problem on my tv
Cheers, Nick Patchett
email yv...@uk.uumail.com

[gmo...@my-deja.com]

In article <MPG.12b07ec8f...@news.netdirect.net.uk>,

mad...@ndirect.co.uk (Gareth Clark) wrote:
> Hi everyone, I hope someone can help.
>
> I've had a Dreamcast for a couple of days now - incredible machine too
-
> but when I try to play a game (eg Sonic or Soul Calibur) in the 60Hz
> mode, I sometimes (about 70% of the time) get a nasty flicker in the
top
> inch of the screen.

I have exactly the same symptoms. I have a 29" Sony TV but its not
widescreen.

It could be a fault in either the DC output, the Sony way of
handling PAL/60, or a weird combination of both.

I always see this problem in conjunction Dreamcasts and SONY
sets.....

Gavan
--
There can be only one.............

Sent via Deja.com http://www.deja.com/
Before you buy.

[Swpez]

I own a Sony VVega 28 100hz Widescreen TV (KVWFX60).

All 60hz games run perfectly. Including SA and SC.

Gareth Clark <mad...@ndirect.co.uk> wrote in message
news:MPG.12b07ec8f...@news.netdirect.net.uk...

> Hi everyone, I hope someone can help.
>
> I've had a Dreamcast for a couple of days now - incredible machine too -
> but when I try to play a game (eg Sonic or Soul Calibur) in the 60Hz
> mode, I sometimes (about 70% of the time) get a nasty flicker in the top
> inch of the screen.
>

[Rone]

My guess is that the 60 hz mode (as with dvd) is vulnerable to
inconsistencies. Hence some people get some flicker on some systems and not
on others. As frequencies can be variable by a few hz this would cause
different results. 60hz is however a work around on a system designed to be
run on 50hz.

--
Tyrone Braithwaite
tyro...@virgin.net
www.besq-productions.co.uk

[Gary Kilby]

I get the same problem on my 28" Ferguson TV. It's about 5 years old. I have
tried RF and scart with no improvement. I also have a very cheap Matsui 20"
TV in a spare room. I plugged the DC into that and it ran 60HZ fine. Looks
like it's the TV.

Hope this helps.

Gary

[c_y_...@my-deja.com]

In article <MPG.12b07ec8f...@news.netdirect.net.uk>,
mad...@ndirect.co.uk (Gareth Clark) wrote:

> Hi everyone, I hope someone can help.
>
> I've had a Dreamcast for a couple of days now - incredible machine
too -
> but when I try to play a game (eg Sonic or Soul Calibur) in the 60Hz
> mode, I sometimes (about 70% of the time) get a nasty flicker in the
top
> inch of the screen.
>
> It's particularly visible when showing blue sections, such as the sky
in
> Sonic. It appears to be flickering red.
>
> I'm using a normal UK DC, the TV is a Sony 28" widescreen job, and
I'm
> using a Mad Katz lead. The problem occurs on both the S-video and
phono
> plug outputs for the lead.
>
> Has anyone else had this? Is it the TV or the Dreamcast? (ie should
I
> take the Dreamcast back and swap it for another one?) And is there
any
> way to clear the flicker for good, as it appears to be random at the
> moment?
>
> Thanks all.
>

yep i get the same thing on my 14'' Sharp tv with Scart/S-Video/Normal
but only when in 60hz. Its kinda annoying. It works fine on my Sony
28'' Widescreen though. TV's good for everything else.
DVD/OnDigital/Video/SCART/S-VID. Its not soo bad, Soul Callibur is
fine at 50hz. Sonic is noticably slower. Haven't tried Ready2Rumble.

cyKey (I am cyKey, feel my rath! Go on, feel it.)

[EuPhOriA]

Apparently these sony TV's do that (my cousins does) it is not the
dreamcast....

CHILL

Gareth Clark <mad...@ndirect.co.uk> wrote in message
news:MPG.12b07ec8f...@news.netdirect.net.uk...

[Krystian Timmins]

i switched to a scart lead and it doesn't happen any more

"EuPhOriA" <a_highe...@hotmail.com> wrote in message
news:84lvnv$1vv$1...@news5.svr.pol.co.uk...

[Swpez]

Sony VVega FX60 here (28" widescreen)- no problems at all. I am using the
offical scart lead (why would u want anything else)

Krystian Timmins <Kr...@btinternet.com> wrote in message
news:84mpkr$9hb$1...@neptunium.btinternet.com...

[Jarrod]

I had the same problem with a Sony "The One" 28" TV and posted to an
Australian sega site - another user had the same problem on the same model
TV but the game works fine on another TV, so it looks like it's the TV, not
the DC. Just isn't the best TV for the dreamcast TV signal. =(

Swpez <Sw...@some.really.lame.company.com> wrote in message
news:3874...@eeyore.callnetuk.com...