The flicker fixer in the PIV doesn't work until the PIV gets initialised. So if the SS fails early, you only get a PAL or NTSC output from the on-board chip. Your monitor probably can't display the low H frequency, so stays black.
On my 4000+PIV, I have to have a PAL B&W monitor handy whenever I'm playing with things, otherwise I can't see what's not happening. I made up a cable from the 23-pin video output to an RCA plug in the back of a small TV, so I can see the early SS video.
tony
