Expert: Octane - 8/16/2009

Question
We have a 4 port Gamestop RCA composite selector switch connected to a NES, SNES, N64 and Wii. All games displayed and worked perfectly when connected to my sons old Akai CRT TV. He just got a new Sony KDL32L5000 LCD TV, and none of the Nintendo console games will display or give audio through the new TV via the switch, only the Wii, which works perfectly. They do work if directly connected to the TV, although they exhibit a "sawtooth" effect (where it should be a straight diagonal line) on characters.

I suspect there may be some kind of signal loss issue when going through the manual switch which might be resolved by using a selector switch that does it electronically. Can you plz confirm or deny that, make any recommendations about brand/model (preferably for the budget-minded if possible), or offer any other insights or suggestions? I fear the "sawtooth" effect issue may just be the way the modern TV interprets an old type of signal format, and not resolveable (at least with that TV).  Thanks so much for your advice!

Answer
Gday Bill,

I would say it most definitely the RCA composite selector switcher that is at fault.  The Wii works because it outputs a digital signal which the TV is picking up better than the Analog signal and others are putting out.  I can't give you any advice as to which Composite selector you might need as I rarely ever use them because they usually are more trouble than they are worth, actually I had one of those Gamestop Models and they where a piece of garbage.  (Like most things the cheaper you go the worse off it is going to be.)  I'd maybe shoot an email off to Sony and see what they recommend for the TV.

The Sawtoothing effect is interesting I have hooked up older equipment to a few LCD HD TV's and sure it looks very pixely but never what you described.  I would bet it the modern technology not interfacing well with the older equipment.  (You also can't play any light games on LCD TV's so no more good old Duck Hunt)

I had a brief look at the TV manual and because of the inputs on the TV I would be inclined to skip the Switch and buy Component Cables for the Wii (Since it does Digital) and hook the SNES/N64 to one Composite Input (They use the same cable which would have to be switched on the back of the system) and use the last Composite input for the NES.  Provided you aren't using the inputs on the TV.  Direct connection is always going to give you the best signal.

Hope this helps

Octane