Visual Cortex alone enough to display video on a vector monitor?

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Hey folks. :slightly_smiling_face:

I’m new to video synthesis, but from what I read, I assumed that I could display a video from a given source on a vector monitor with just the Visual Cortex. Anyhow I couldn’t display anything (exept for ramps) yet.
I patched the horizontal ramp to X and the vertical to Y. When I patched the (composite) video into the Gamma Input on the Visual Cortex and the Output Signal into Z on the Vector Monitor I only saw bizare patterns and not the video.
The control lamp for sync lock is red unfortunately. Is this the mother of all this evil or was I completely wrong with my assumption that I’d only need the VC to begin with?
Any ideas for troubleshooting?
I’m waiting for a digital to analog converter so I can use my bluray/dvd player as a source via component (Y,Pb,Pr) cable. Maybe then the sync will work.
[Side question: Why is it that the VC sometimes is able to sync lock from an external source and sometimes not?]
Additional info:
I live in Europe and switched the VC to PAL-mode.
The video source is a super nintendo (composite).
The vector monitor is an oscilloscope.

Thank you and have a nice day y’all. :level_slider::sun_with_face:

Edit:
After cross checking the Video Output in my TV I see the Game in a weird unsorted fashion, similar to the “bizare patterns” on my oscilloscope. So I think it’s the sync, but I’m courious about your opinions. :v:

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Hi @Jan . I haven’t tried vector scanning yet, but I wanted to link you to this thread where there’s a lot of discussion about putting together a Rutt-Etra style output with LZX gear.

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Thank you mate. I know the original post, but maybe in the thread there are some things for me.

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Super Nintendo is a 240p/288p video source, not 480i (NTSC) or 576i (PAL). So Cortex will not synchronize to it. Visual Cortex will synchronize to all but the most unstable sources (like VCRs) in 480i/576i timing.

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That said, yes, Visual Cortex alone is enough to display video on a vector monitor! You need H and V ramp waveforms (for X and Y), and a DC coupled luma signal (for Z.) Cortex can provide all these ingredients, but the fun really starts when you start processing the signals.

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