Purpose of PlayStation Multi-AV Port

Does anyone know why the early revisions of the PlayStation had discrete composite jacks and the multi-AV port? Of course the discrete jacks were eventually dropped and never returned, but they make no sense existing in the first place.

The Sega Saturn had one multi port, and the 3DO had discrete outputs. I've never seen another system, or home video unit at all, with two sets of outputs in different forms for the same thing. The even earlier Japanese SCPH-1000 PlayStation had discrete s-video in addition to the multi-AV port. What was the possible purpose for this? Some kind of Japanese preference?

The only purpose I can imagine is to make it easier to connect older home audio setups of the day that were isolated from the video section. You could have the PlayStation connected to your amplifier and the TV at the same time and use either the TV's speakers or your amplifier.

The original SCPH-1000 in Japan even had discrete S-video in addition to the composite ports. Why?

From what I understand the multi-AV port also has a slightly different signal path than the discrete outputs for the audio.

Here's a photo of what I mean (bottom one). The early revision English instruction manuals of the era just ignore the issue completely by saying to use the included AV cables and ignore the multi-AV port completely.

https://xdsppw.by.files.1drv.com/y4m...&cropmode=none

It’s sort of like the GameCube. It had a digital and analog port. I had to use both ports for Component video, with the analog port providing audio.

It was a cost cutting measure. There was an interview with either Kutaragi or the Sony CEO where it was specifically brought up.

Yeah, those $99 GameCubes had the digital port my missing to reduce costs.

My fat and slim PS3 both had the multi AV, along with HDMI. Did they cut out the multi AV from the PS3 super slim?

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by gamevet

It’s sort of like the GameCube. It had a digital and analog port. I had to use both ports for Component video, with the analog port providing audio.

---

But those were different signals. 480p from the digital port, and analog audio/video from the analog port. On the first PlayStation, the multi-AV port output composite/s-video/RF, and the jacks output the same.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by gamevet

Yeah, those $99 GameCubes had the digital port my missing to reduce costs.

My fat and slim PS3 both had the multi AV, along with HDMI. Did they cut out the multi AV from the PS3 super slim?

---

Not just Gamecube. Every Nintendo home console that got a revised version. NES top loader. SNES Jr. Gamecube and Wii. Revised versions removed ports on the back.

AV out is on the PS3 Super Slim. Like every console that gen it shipped with composite cables. Wii U was the first system to ship with HDMI in the box.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Blades

Does anyone know why the early revisions of the PlayStation had discrete composite jacks and the multi-AV port? Of course the discrete jacks were eventually dropped and never returned, but they make no sense existing in the first place.

---

For no other reason that being able to have the best picture out and able to hook sound output to their Amp/sound system. Systems like CD-i, CD32 did this too .
I actually think it was a nice feature and wished the Saturn and the DC had such arrangements back in the day. Since I loved how I was able to use the RGB output of my MegaDribe to the TV and the audio jacks of my Mega CD hooked up to my old Amp

Audio purposes? More games started to include stereo sound in the 90s.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by sull56ivan2010

Audio purposes? More games started to include stereo sound in the 90s.

---

Both the port and jacks had stereo output.

Quote:

---

For no other reason that being able to have the best picture out and able to hook sound output to their Amp/sound system. Systems like CD-i, CD32 did this too .
I actually think it was a nice feature and wished the Saturn and the DC had such arrangements back in the day. Since I loved how I was able to use the RGB output of my MegaDribe to the TV and the audio jacks of my Mega CD hooked up to my old Amp

---

Yeah, I think this is it.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by sull56ivan2010

Audio purposes? More games started to include stereo sound in the 90s.

---

Yes and if you wanted to get that better quality sound hooked up to your Amp meant it was rather nice to have the option of using the Left and right audio outputs, whilst also being able to use RGB Scart for the best quality picture. Very handy for the few games that supported Dolby too (since my TV at the time didn't support Dolby)

There's a reason why so many people want that 1st revision of the PS1. A lot of Audiophiles claim that the system puts out a very high quality level of Audio for at the time when it was new.

It might have. I had my PlayStation hooked up to a Pro-Logic receiver using those RCA connections. DOOM was ultra creepy on that setup. I about jumped out of my seat when I’d heard a grunt behind my left shoulder.

That’s the one thing that pisses me off, when our apartment got robbed back @2000. I never replaced the PlayStation and got a PS2 instead. I’d really like to still have it.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Blades

But those were different signals. 480p from the digital port, and analog audio/video from the analog port. On the first PlayStation, the multi-AV port output composite/s-video/RF, and the jacks output the same.

---

I’m just saying that the extra port was removed to reduce costs, and most owners never used it. In the case of the PlayStation, the direct composite input wasn’t necessary, since the multi-AV port had that covered with the pack in AV cable. I think that the only reason those RCA ports were there, was to make it feel like a part of a home AV setup, or as Bonus said, for the needs of the enthusiast AV guys.

Ah, yes I agree.

Quote:

---

There's a reason why so many people want that 1st revision of the PS1. A lot of Audiophiles claim that the system puts out a very high quality level of Audio for at the time when it was new.

---

This was a common myth, but was actually proven wrong some years ago with objective analysis. It's acceptable for the time but nothing out of the ordinary, even then. The DAC was an early 1-bit design from AKM that just hadn't had time to mature yet.

Quote:

---

Overall, this is a pretty poor set of measurements. I wonder, therefore, if the "magic" of the PlayStation 1's sound lies not in its technical excellence but in the fact that it smears over and disguises much of what is wrong with typical CD sound quality, to which it adds a touch of low-level compression from the linearity error. Certainly, when I recently listened to a PS1 as the source in a system comprising an inexpensive Cayin tube integrated amplifier driving Definitive Technology Mythos ST speakers, it sounded relaxed and informative in a manner I would not have expected from this measured performance.—John Atkinson

---

That ever-dangerous "warm" sound.

Ah, tubes! It was all the craze in the 90’s.

I bet that thing kept his room nice and toasty in the winter.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Blades

But those were different signals. 480p from the digital port, and analog audio/video from the analog port. On the first PlayStation, the multi-AV port output composite/s-video/RF, and the jacks output the same.

---

There is digital audio available at the digital port on the Gamecube that could have easily been converted to normal ANALog audio. There's no reason a single cable couldn't have been used.

Count me in with the group who thinks that it was probably to help with setups where audio was separate from the screen (though that doesn't explain the video jack). Either that or somebody at Sony really wanted to support existing generic cables.

Also worth noting that this was peak "console as karaoke machine" phase. I know pretty much all of the disc-based SEGA consoles either had karaoke add-ons and/or karaoke-oriented variants (heck, this is the whole reason why Mega CD has the audio jacks on the back), wouldn't be surprised if Playstation was the same.

Why does karaoke need separate outputs?

Because the mixer is separate from the screen so you pretty much need the audio lines to be on a different cable (to make it clear to those not in the known: yes karaoke still uses video, both to show the lyrics and to help pick songs).

Though I looked up and couldn't find any karaoke stuff for PS1… not sure if Sony was still planning to aim that market or not. Honestly it also could just be that they didn't think it throughoutly when they added those jacks (or that the AV port originally was not going to include composite and was a last minute change).

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Sik

Count me in with the group who thinks that it was probably to help with setups where audio was separate from the screen (though that doesn't explain the video jack). Either that or somebody at Sony really wanted to support existing generic cables.

Also worth noting that this was peak "console as karaoke machine" phase. I know pretty much all of the disc-based SEGA consoles either had karaoke add-ons and/or karaoke-oriented variants (heck, this is the whole reason why Mega CD has the audio jacks on the back), wouldn't be surprised if Playstation was the same.

---

You could just use the Multi-AV still if you wanted separate audio, it could just as easily be hooked up to an amplifier as your TV.
The RCA ports where there simply to make it more high quality, since Sony at the time was the most prestigious manufacturer of A/V goods. Then whoever was heading Sony and the Playstation section (or Ken Kutaragi) butted heads with each other over the cost and futility of entering a saturated videogame market, and they removed the ports to lower the cost of production and appease the Sony CEO - especially since they started showing good numbers. There was an interview I don't remember that says this out explicitly.

And iirc the Sega CD had those RCA outs simply because the model 1 Megadrive couldn't do stereo, only through the headphone jack, so making a mixing input and RCA outs was the only way to connect it to your A/V setup. Which is where CD players all belonged to, at the time. Multimedia did not exist yet other than a few poor attempts (Commodore CDTV, a handful of PC FMV games), and CDs were primarily a hi-fi audio format.

Philips CDi?

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Sik

Count me in with the group who thinks that it was probably to help with setups where audio was separate from the screen (though that doesn't explain the video jack). Either that or somebody at Sony really wanted to support existing generic cables.

Also worth noting that this was peak "console as karaoke machine" phase. I know pretty much all of the disc-based SEGA consoles either had karaoke add-ons and/or karaoke-oriented variants (heck, this is the whole reason why Mega CD has the audio jacks on the back), wouldn't be surprised if Playstation was the same.

---

SONY and Philips with their audio backgrounds would no doubt have understood the importance of having a game system able to be hooked up to a sperate Hi-Fi or Amp. In fact the CD-DA output of the CDi is quite mighty . The Mega CD has audio jacks simply because of the way the Model 1 Mega Drive outputted stero sound, I would say . I have the karaoke add-on for the Mega CD and that features audio outputs built in to the actual add-on itself :)

I also liked it on my Neo Geo CD and like I said the Mega-CD combo and 3DO (though that was limited to S-Video display). Wasn't happy at the time SEGA didn't look to offer the same approach with the Saturn or to a point, the DC.
Ok, not many Saturn games used Dolby, but I did like to play the likes of Fifa 96 and Road Rash via Dobly and on the Saturn had to use S-Video leads in order to hook it up to my surround HI/FI at the time, which was a pain and a comedown from the Saturn's awesome RGB output.

Thanks fully that fixed when Argos brought out their Scart switching box with separate audio outputs and it was only £10

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by zyrobs

And iirc the Sega CD had those RCA outs simply because the model 1 Megadrive couldn't do stereo, only through the headphone jack, so making a mixing input and RCA outs was the only way to connect it to your A/V setup. Which is where CD players all belonged to, at the time.

---

You could connect the MD1’s headphone output to your stereo directly. The “mixing” jacks were a misnomer. If the Sega CD sensed the jack was used, it would supply CD audio from the mainboard instead of through the Genesis so there might have been a slight quality increase.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Team Andromeda

The Mega CD has audio jacks simply because of the way the Model 1 Mega Drive outputted stero sound, I would say . I have the karaoke add-on for the Mega CD and that features audio outputs built in to the actual add-on itself :)

---

No, I meant that the audio jacks are the back of the Mega CD are intended to be used as the input for the karaoke add-on (which acts as a mixer between the CD audio and the mics). Though yeah, forgot about the part where stereo doesn't come from the AV jack either, wouldn't be surprised if they had accounted for both cases.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Sik

No, I meant that the audio jacks are the back of the Mega CD are intended to be used as the input for the karaoke add-on (which acts as a mixer between the CD audio and the mics). Though yeah, forgot about the part where stereo doesn't come from the AV jack either, wouldn't be surprised if they had accounted for both cases.

---

I see You can also use the Mega CD karaoke with any CD system that features left and right audio out's and it works really well. Quite a nice little device. I've never used the Saturn or DC ones and DC one is said to be brilliant