HOW-TO: make VGA cable using PS2 Component Video Cable
This cable would work for:
Materials you need:
Tools you need:
Notes:
* optional, can do without if you cut the three male RCA connectors from the PS2 VGA cable and connect the cables directly (this method is reccommended)
** optional, if short can be replaces with normal wire (not reccommended though)
*** PS2 configuration menu will let you select your "Video Output" to "RGB" and "YPbPr" (same as "YCbCr" or "Composite"). You should select "RGB".
IF YOUR MONITOR SUPPORTS SYNC-ON-GREEN (SoG)
If you monitor supports "Sync On Green" you're lucky - no additional electronic components are necessary.
You just need to cut out your male connectors from the PS2 VGA cable. DO THIS ONE BY ONE, such that you do not lose track of which COLOR you are connecting! Example: cut out RED, solder its signal wire (inner of the coaxial) to VGA connector pin 1. Solder its ground wire (wire mesh on the coaxial) to pin 6 of the VGA connector. Proceed with the rest according to the numbered reference:
And here's the VGA connector, again seen from the side with the holes (female side)
___5_______1____
\ o o o o o /
10 \ o o o o o / 6
\o o o o o /
----------
15 11
VGA Connector
The VGA input connector pinout for using RGB input: (pins not needed in this application are not listed here)
1 Red in 2 Green in 3 Blue in 6 Red ground 7 Green ground 8 Blue ground 10 Sync ground 13 HSYNC in 14 VSYNC in
You need to make the following connections:
RED PS2 cable's signal wire to VGA Pin 1 (red) GREEN PS2 cable's signal wire to VGA Pin 2 (green) BLUE PS2 cable's signal wire to VGA Pin 3 (blue) RED PS2 cable's ground mesh to VGA Pin 6 (red ground) GREEN PS2 cable's ground mesh to VGA Pin 7 (green ground) BLUE PS2 cable's ground mesh to VGA Pin 8 (blue ground)
NOTE: see a more detailed VGA diagram if the above does not show properly on your browser.
IF YOUR MONITOR DOES NOT SUPPORT SYNC-ON-GREEN (SoG)
You will need also: LM1881M (and integrated circuit (IC) from National Semiconductor, USA) or equivalent.
This IC will separate your V-and H-sync signals from the composite (available on the Green wire). These vertical and horizontal synchronization signals are connected the VGA connector (see diagram).
If your monitor does not support sync on green you need an additional sync splitter. The sync splitter used here is the LM1881N from National Semiconductor ( http://www.national.com/pf/LM/LM1881.html ).
You need to build the same cable as described above. Additionally, build the following circuit:
VGA LM1881(M or N)
Pin 13 | --------
-------|1 8|----- + 5 Volt (external)
GREEN 0.1uF | |
PS2 ---||--|2 7| ____ 575 kOhm
| | |----|____|---|
VGA -------|3 6|---| |---|
Pin 14 | | |------||-----| |
|-|4 5| 0.1uF |
| -------- |
|______________________________|
|
|
GND (external)
When building this circuit remeber to connect the two grounds (digital and sync) - pins 10 and 11. Good ground connection for the IC is to use the sync signal ground on the connector (pin 10). Connect also +5V power supply ground to this signal ground.
Features of the circuit:
YOU CAN FIT IT ALL INSIDE !
You can fit all (including IC the capacitor and the resistors) inside the VGA female connector. Here are a few pictures of how this can look like. I have not made it all clean and tidy on purpose - just to show you that you should not be a rocket-scientists to be able to do it :) !
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As you see, I decided that it is a pitty to cut the PS2 Component video cable, that is why I went the longer path of adding those female RCA connectors. But, I do not reccommend this method due to several reasons: it is more work, and, theoretically the quality of the image can be affected due to poor wiring (I do not see any quality degradation however). It is just not needed... and its less expensive.
Copyrights and Trademarks: All rights and trademarks are of their respective owners (Sony, National Semiconductors, etc.) No claims for intellectual property, product ownership or trademarks are implied or incorporated herein by reference or claimed in any other way.
Special Thanks go to: