The Atari Jaguar (1993) uses a proprietary dual-row card-edge AV connector with 24 contacts arranged in two rows of twelve. Unlike the DIN or D-sub sockets found on contemporary home computers, this edge connector simultaneously carries stereo analogue audio, composite video (CVBS), S-Video luminance and chroma (Y/C), and a full analogue RGB signal with composite sync — the richest A/V output of any console of its era. The Jaguar’s video hardware supports 24-bit RGB output (8 bits per channel) alongside a composite sync signal controlled by the Tom chipset. Atari never published a public specification for the external connector pinout.
| Pin | Name | Description |
|---|---|---|
| 1A | AL | Audio Left |
| 2A | AGND | Audio Ground |
| 3A | GND | Ground |
| 4A | GND (chroma) | Ground (Chroma) |
| 5A | B | RGB Blue |
| 6A | HSYNC | Horizontal sync |
| 7A | G | RGB Green |
| 8A | CHROMA | Chroma |
| 9A | GND ??? | Ground ??? |
| 10A | +5V ??? | +5 VDC ??? |
| 11A | +5V ??? | +5 VDC ??? |
| 12A | ? | ? |
| 1B | AR | Right audio |
| 2B | AGND | Audio GND |
| 3B | GND | Ground |
| 4B | R | RGB Red |
| 5B | CSYNC | Composite (Vertical) Sync |
| 6B | ? | ? |
| 7B | LGND | Luminance Ground |
| 8B | LUM | Luminance |
| 9B | GND | Ground |
| 10B | CVBSGND | Composite Video Ground |
| 11B | CVBS | Composite Video |
| 12B | ? | ? |
Notes
The connector is a proprietary dual-row card-edge type with 0.1″ (2.54 mm) pitch contacts, not a standard DIN or D-sub. Row A occupies the top edge and row B the bottom edge as viewed from the rear of the console. Pins 9A, 10A, 11A, 12A, 6B, and 12B are marked uncertain or unknown in the table above; their functions are not publicly documented. The official Atari Jaguar accessory cables (composite, S-Video, and RGB/SCART) all connect via this single edge connector, with each cable type breaking out the relevant signal group.
Signals
- AL — Left-channel analogue audio output
- AR — Right-channel analogue audio output
- AGND — Ground reference for analogue audio circuits
- CVBS — Composite video (NTSC or PAL CVBS) output
- CVBSGND — Ground reference for the composite video signal
- LUM — S-Video luminance (Y) signal
- LGND — Ground reference for the luminance signal
- CHROMA — S-Video chroma (C) signal
- GND (chroma) — Ground reference for the chroma signal
- R — RGB red component
- G — RGB green component
- B — RGB blue component
- CSYNC — Composite sync (vertical sync); enabled via a register bit in the Tom chipset
- HSYNC — Horizontal sync signal
- GND — Signal ground
- 9A, 10A, 11A — Function unknown
- 12A, 6B, 12B — Function unknown