Wii having problems with 480p output?

A thread over at the Nintendo of America forums has highlighted a potential problem with the Nintendo Wii's output of 480p signals using component cables. Over a dozen members have reported blank and flickering screens on a range of televisions from 30" Toshiba CRTs right up to 65" Sony XBR LCD TVs. The type of cable isn't limited to third party solutions from the likes of Mad Catz, Psyclone, and Joytech either: several reports indicate that the standard Nintendo component cable also exhibits the problem (no word on whether DIY will save you). Strangely, the problem -- which Tharealfofo states is "like nothing is connected" -- occurs in similar sections of certain games and applications: several forum members have mentioned that the screen goes blank during specific sections of Zelda, the Wii Channel, and in the Opera browser. Switching to 480i output in nearly all cases fixes the problem. The broad mix of configurations that are affected suggests that the problem is the Wii itself, so hopefully Nintendo will issue some form of update in the not too distant future. In the meantime, feel free to sound off in the comments about how being forced to view your games with interlacing is a breach of your fundamental human rights.

[Thanks, Galls]

[Sean Benton @ Feb 18th 2007 1:57PM]

You're right, he's kinda got it backwards. It probably would have been easier to parse if he said "being forced to view a deinterlaced picture is a fundamental breach..."

[Rob @ Feb 18th 2007 1:29PM]

No problems on my Wii using Nintendo's component cables.

[LukeA @ Feb 18th 2007 1:32PM]

That's quite a euphemism.

[megadeth @ Feb 26th 2007 4:43PM]

I don't get a picture being displayed at all when I connected via the Component cable. I tested the inputs on my receiver with my 360 and they both work. I have tried two different cables from one manufacturer and one from another, all fail in the same way. I connect them as they recommend and the sound works, just not the video...

[cooquist @ Apr 13th 2007 7:07PM]

I can't get components to work with my Wii at all and I've tried 3 brands of cables now. I have a new 52" Mitsubishi 1080p rear Projection TV. As soon as I plug in the component cables the whole screen either goes blank or I get crazy scrambled lines. I turned off video control which gave me sound but that's it. I've tried just about everything else to no avail...

[Christian @ Feb 18th 2007 1:31PM]

I have a 23" samsung lcd tv widescreen that they usually used for demo-ing Xbox 360 kiosk and 480p wide has no problem... though I have to return it to non-widescreen 480i before I bring it to a friend's house even if it is in component as his TV is a 30~32 inch flat CRT. If I don't it all comes out funky.

[Evan @ Feb 18th 2007 2:17PM]

Uhh oh! Start an uproar how the Wii is terrible like everyone did for the PS3, in the end it will mean absolutley nothing

[RayMetz100 @ Feb 18th 2007 2:43PM]

xbox360 works fine in 480p. Fails on all parts of Zelda though.

[bbum @ Feb 18th 2007 3:12PM]

I haven't seen blacking out of the screen, but I have seen some serious artifacts when running 480p (or 480i). It appears to be a Wii specific software issue. Game Cube games that support progressive scan are simply gorgeous on the same piece of hardware/display/cable.

I took some pictures and wrote it up here:

http://www.friday.com/bbum/2007/02/18/wii-480p-output-problems-are-most-likely-a-software-issue/

[Arno @ Feb 18th 2007 3:15PM]

The Wii is such a joke.

[Charlie @ Feb 19th 2007 3:01PM]

You're such a joke.

[Red Duck @ Feb 18th 2007 3:27PM]

Anyone else have this problem? I have a Samsung CRT that outputs to 480p just fine, but when the Wii is doing it I'm somehow disabled from changing my TV's aspect ratio from 16:9 to 4:3. Sucks for any Wii or GCN game that has progressive scan but not widescreen. Even if I tell the Wii to do 4:3, it still won't let me change the screen size on my TV.

[Luke @ Feb 18th 2007 3:37PM]

For crying out loud my TV does not even accept S-video!!!

[Castle @ Feb 18th 2007 4:06PM]

I have a 1080p Sony XBR2 LCD TV, reported in this article, have absolutely zero problems with the Wii displaying 480p. Zero.

[Reginald @ Feb 18th 2007 4:27PM]

For whatever it's worth, I have a Sony Grand Wega LCD projection (720p/1080i) and have no display problems using the Wii component cables in 480p.

As a side note, however, I cannot connect my old XBox using component cables in 480p. I get screen flickering with my old XBox and component cables.

It seems that 480p signaling is not quite standardized across all gaming consoles.

[zorich @ Feb 18th 2007 4:28PM]

This is definitely happening on my roommates TV, which is a 55' Phillips LCOS. Glad to hear it's fixable.

[Matt @ Feb 18th 2007 4:30PM]

It happens on my Wii. I can run 480i perfect, but once I hit that 480p, I can unplug the video cords and have the same effect. 36" RCA Tube.

[David @ Feb 18th 2007 4:42PM]

I have this problem...however only when I use the component cables via a component switch box (This is the Joytech xbox 360 style switch box). When I use the cable normally in the back of my Samsung LCD (the same ones that they use on the Xbox 360 Kiosks). it works perfectly.

[Wayne Davis @ Feb 18th 2007 5:20PM]

I can report a similar 480P problem with my Wii, using a component video cable. The cable supplier is supposed to be sending me a new one, but in view of the reports, perhaps it won't do any good. I have also notified Nintendo, but have not heard back from them. It is most prevalent in Zelda, where the video drops out entirely in some areas - usually when it's telling a story. I also get some occasional flickering at the edges on Zelda and some other games. Occurs in both 16:9 and 4:3 modes, and is fixed with standard cable.

[macattacks10 @ Feb 18th 2007 5:24PM]

Those of you having the problems, when did you purchase your Wii. Were you an early adopter?

[TheChaz @ Feb 18th 2007 6:27PM]

I've got Sony's KDL46XBR2 1080p LCD and I've experienced no problems with 480p playback using Nintendo's component cables. That's after 50-odd hours of Zelda, and plenty of play time in Wii Sports, Red Steel and Need for Speed: Carbon.

[Vanillacide @ Feb 18th 2007 6:47PM]

There's a problem with 576p on Wii too.

The problem appear to be genlock related, and affects some digital displays and not others. Also, the problem only appears after a certain sequence of steps (which is too long to outline here).

I have some external video processors, from likes of Lumagen and DVDO, and I can replicate blanking screen issues when 'genlock' is on but can workaround the problem by forcing VPs to output 60Hz for 480p and 50Hz for 576p (with genlock off) and the results are perfect video.

What does this mean? Look like some tvs have genlocked signal but the Wii is (maybe) dropping fields and it's knocking it out.

[Fuzz @ Feb 18th 2007 7:19PM]

I have a November Wii, never had a problem with component cables. I have had it both running straight through, and through a pelican switch to my Optoma HD70 projector. Works great. Now back to Zelda.

[DezzyLee99 @ Feb 20th 2007 10:09AM]

I attempted to use Madcatz compnent cables on both my 42" Grand Vega and my 36" XBR, both TV's display fine for a few minutes, then the red channel cuts out and I get a few artifacts. I'm hoping a software update can fix this issue, I'd like to use my Wii on my 42" with all the colours.

[Matt @ Feb 18th 2007 8:01PM]

I have not had any problems with my cables. I believe they are Mad Catz. Althogh I do notice some artifacts around objects when the screen fades to changeto something else.

[Markarian @ Feb 18th 2007 11:38PM]

Could it be a firmware issue? I got my Wii on launch day and am using the Nintendo component cables on my 42" plasma. I never updated my firmware, and am still using the out-of-the-box firmware, keeping my fingers crossed for homebrew. I have no problems with 480p at all on either Zelda, Wario Ware, or any of my progressive scan Gamecube games.

[Edge00 @ Feb 19th 2007 9:34PM]

I am posting this from the wii opera browser running in 480p on my Sony KV-32HS420, a hi-def crt tv. I have a day-one wii with nintendo component cables, no problems here.

[ksj @ Feb 19th 2007 12:47AM]

480p or not, the Wii is head and shoulders above the rest of the consoles. thumbs up to Wii!

[kokernutz @ Feb 19th 2007 12:56AM]

november wii, 3rd party componant cables, 42" visio cheapo plasma, no problems.

[Werner @ Feb 19th 2007 4:30AM]

Ok here we go
Sharp Aquos 37 LC37 I had to switch back from component cable to RGB due to too many issues.
Normal games sometimes went black during in game for a few seconds, old virtual console games went black if progressive was turned on, the screen was haiwire but not black when progressive was turned off, the only virtual console game which did not expose thise behavior was mario 64 which apparently was newer or used a different display mode.
Newer games mostly worked fine except for the occasional screen goes black for 1-2 seconds issue.
I was using a madcatz cable, but I really doubt this is cable related, after all a cable only passes the signals to the TV.

[Tech^Cellfish @ Feb 19th 2007 5:07AM]

I have bleeding/contrast/brightness problems using EDTV/HDTV option on my PAL WII.

576i/480i works fine

[twonjosh @ Feb 19th 2007 5:43AM]

I have this problem on my CRT HDTV. It seems to freak out when bright colors are on the screen. I thought it was my TV but all my other progressive inputs work fine. Nice to know my TV is fine.

[twonjosh @ Feb 19th 2007 6:07AM]

I took pics of my problems:

http://www.flickr.com/photos/twonjosh/395209873/
http://www.flickr.com/photos/twonjosh/395211416/
http://www.flickr.com/photos/twonjosh/395209879/

[Darquandier @ Feb 19th 2007 6:07AM]

And don't forget that other problem : on some TVs, NES, SNES, and Genesis VC games aren't showing pictures when using component cables (that goes for ANY Wii Setup)...
That's great ain't it !

[Darquandier @ Feb 19th 2007 6:36AM]

See :
http://www.wiichat.com/nintendo-wii-virtual-console/6464-video-turns-off-when-playing-virtual-console-games-4.html#post243020

for more details !

[TVGenius @ Feb 19th 2007 9:10AM]

No problems for me video-wise with the component output. The only problem I have is it seems like the audio output is much higher using the Psyclone cables (if I'm remembering right... whichever are the $20 ones at Wal-Mart) to the point that it's overmodulating a tiny bit. Not sure why this would be the case, though...

[Matt @ Feb 19th 2007 5:26PM]

No problems with my Wii, running on both a 32" Philips CRT through composite cables, and a 32" Sony Bravia at 480i through component.

Maybe it's just the US Wii's (mine's a PAL version)?

[SteddyMan @ Feb 19th 2007 6:24PM]

I think this has been incorrectly reported. I reported a similar article to this to Joystiq to this two weeks ago but it wasn't posted.

The real issue is that Virtual Console games do not work via 480p and Component when running certain NES and SNES games. The screen just goes black on both my Panny Plasma and Panny Projector. Official Nintendo cable too. Lots of people on the forums are reporting it and it is related to the weird 640x200 res used for those older games on PAL systems.

[nutcase @ Feb 19th 2007 11:58PM]

I'm running my Wii at 480p on my 67" Samsung DLP with out any problems what so ever. I am using 3rd party cables that where cheap too and work amazingly well.

[Matt @ Feb 20th 2007 2:57AM]

408p works just perfectly, and looks fantastic on the Sony 60" SXRD set I got her for Christmas.

[Martin @ Feb 20th 2007 11:21AM]

I have had zero problems with my HD set and the Nintendo component cable, I didn't preorder mine, but got it before Christmas, which, in the UK, i guess classes me as an early adopter(ish).

[Chris Lord @ Feb 20th 2007 12:11PM]

Obviously this doesn't affect everyone, all these comments that say 'works fine here' are pretty useless... Unfortunately, this does affect me - Any bright-ish screen causes my TV to lose sync and drop signal at 480p (all interlaced resolutions are fine, through component, SCART-RGB, SCART-Composite and Composite). I'd very much like Nintendo to confirm and fix this, progressive scan really does make everything look much better...

[Joe @ Feb 21st 2007 5:14PM]

Bought my Wii in mid-January. I've only played Wii Sports and Wii Play on it, but I do use the Opera Browser. I have a set of PenguinUnited component cables and 480p has been fine on my Sammy HLP. *knocking on wood*

[Nicolas Will @ Feb 24th 2007 8:56AM]

I'm using Wii component cables on a Sony XBR2 and I'm getting a slight latency issue! It's driving me nuts. It's about a .25 second delay and makes quite a few games unplayable. Has anyone had this issue?

[Zygomatic @ Feb 28th 2007 10:12AM]

I just bought a 3rd party component cable and I get a flickering screen when I switch to ED on my 20" Sony Vega Flat Screen CRT (KV-20FS120)

[Jered @ Mar 7th 2007 6:45PM]

I've been having real troubles with my HD Wii cables.
I got the Nintendo version cables.
The menus and pretty much everything on the Wii homescreen looks excellent.
Zelda looks extremely rough, the textures are messed up, and overall the graphics on games are MUCH worse with HD than the regular Wii cables. Am I messing up settings or what?
Could somebody please tell me if it's the same with others. Thanks.

[Sooze @ Mar 14th 2007 12:33PM]

I have a Sony Bravia HDTV, recently purchased the Mad Catz cables but have experiencing missing pixels, its only on certain games i.e call of duty and golf on Wii Sports. Is there a problem with the Wii or is it the games? not the Tv as picture on normal TV seems fine, thanks