The First Spark: Bringing the Video Signal to the CRT
With the motherboard now installed, we faced one of the biggest challenges of the project: how to connect a modern PC to a 90s television? It was a true clash of technological generations.
The Bridge Between Two Worlds: The Adapter
The problem was clear:
The PC: Offered a composite video output (AV).
The Television: Only had a SCART (Euroconnector) input.
The solution was an adapter that would act as a translator between both worlds: a SCART to AV (RCA) converter. This small device would be the key to sending the video signal directly from the graphics card to the heart of the cathode-ray tube.
Adjustments to the case
As expected, the modern connectors did not fit into the old slots. We had to make a couple of modifications:
Graphics card output: The original slot was too small for the video connector, so we had to enlarge it.
SCART port: The SCART adapter itself was too bulky and also didn’t fit into the slot, so we also had to enlarge it.
We have a signal!
After the adjustments, the moment of truth arrived: the first video test. The result was a success. The screen showed the Recalbox boot sequence, the first sign that the project was on the right track.
(Note: In the photo, the board is outside because we took the opportunity to change its thermal paste).
