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GB/GBC/GBA Collecting Thread

Morfeo

The Chuck Norris of Peace
GCVideo should be marginally better IQ, and allow for 480p.

Sure, but it you see the discussion before, it was about how Gamecube only had composite/s-video and the incredibly expensive component. Compared to that, importing a pal machine should be a pretty good option.
 

Morfeo

The Chuck Norris of Peace
I just don't want any PAL systems. I know you can mod your way away from 50Hz but that's just not a world I want to deal with.

I can see it with the Gamecube-games, but im thinking when playing gb/gba-games. There shouldnt be a difference with them, or?

(btw I play my gamecube-games on an ntsc Wii, and since this is the game boy-thread, i assume its mostly for that).
 
Sure, but it you see the discussion before, it was about how Gamecube only had composite/s-video and the incredibly expensive component. Compared to that, importing a pal machine should be a pretty good option.

I just don't want any PAL systems. I know you can mod your way away from 50Hz but that's just not a world I want to deal with.

Not to mention not everyone wants to have 1 console for GBP and 1 console for actual NGC games. GCVideo is absolutely the best solution.
 

Morfeo

The Chuck Norris of Peace
Not to mention not everyone wants to have 1 console for GBP and 1 console for actual NGC games. GCVideo is absolutely the best solution.

Fair enough. Im using my Wii for actual NGC-games. And that is 60hz and has a cheap component cable :)
 
I mean, it's pretty much what you would think it looks like.

wD3DHjW.jpg
 

D.Lo

Member
I just don't want any PAL systems. I know you can mod your way away from 50Hz but that's just not a world I want to deal with.
PAL NGC does native 60Hz interlaced, and 480p, no mods required.

PAL Gamecube is actually the ultimate model, since it does 50Hz, 60Hz, 480p, RGB and component. Perfect for GB Interface to a PVM via RGB, and with a Freeloader or Xeno it plays 480p NTSC software perfectly as well. My Xeno PAL GC with GBP and GBI is one Gamecube to rule them all.
 

Peagles

Member
PAL NGC does native 60Hz interlaced, and 480p, no mods required.

PAL Gamecube is actually the ultimate model, since it does 50Hz, 60Hz, 480p, RGB and component. Perfect for GB Interface to a PVM via RGB, and with a Freeloader or Xeno it plays 480p NTSC software perfectly as well. My Xeno PAL GC with GBP and GBI is one Gamecube to rule them all.

Preach.
 

TheMoon

Member
I just don't want any PAL systems. I know you can mod your way away from 50Hz but that's just not a world I want to deal with.

Fair enough. Im using my Wii for actual NGC-games. And that is 60hz and has a cheap component cable :)

oO but the console is not what's 50 or 60Hz, it's the games!

most PAL games have both 50 and 60Hz options and playing other-region games on there is so simple.

That goes for all consoles, btw. Hence people using adapters to play their NTSC games on their PAL systems. Zero modding necessary for any of this.
 

Rich!

Member
oO but the console is not what's 50 or 60Hz, it's the games!

most PAL games have both 50 and 60Hz options and playing other-region games on there is so simple.

That goes for all consoles, btw. Hence people using adapters to play their NTSC games on their PAL systems. Zero modding necessary for any of this.

No. Not true in the slightest.

What you say can only really be applied to the GC, PS1, PS2 and a couple of others where 50/60hz is decided by the game and the console supports both. For everything else, it's dependent on the hardware - every single Mega Drive game is the same in each region and contains each version but the CONSOLE decides which to play, which is why PAL owners have to physically mod the console to get 60hz - even a region free adapter for a cart will play a 60hz title at 50hz on a PAL mega drive!! The Asian mega drive supports all region carts but plays ALL at 50hz!

The SNES is along the same lines but rely on lockout chips as well as hardware AND physical/region differences in the carts. The consoles are still the deciding factor.

You should probably not go around saying zero modding is required for 60hz on retro pal consoles as you're gonna just misinform and confuse people.
 

TheMoon

Member
No. Not true in the slightest.

What you say can only really be applied to the GC, PS1, PS2 and a couple of others where 50/60hz is decided by the game and the console supports both. For everything else, it's dependent on the hardware - every single Mega Drive game is the same in each region and contains each version but the CONSOLE decides which to play, which is why PAL owners have to physically mod the console.

The SNES is along the same lines but rely on lockout chips as well as hardware AND physical/region differences in the carts. The consoles are still the deciding factor.

Should've limited this to Nintendo consoles then, sorry.

My SNES and N64 work the same way. Put NTSC game in regional adapter, play 60Hz game on PAL.
 

D.Lo

Member
Should've limited this to Nintendo consoles then, sorry.

My SNES and N64 work the same way. Put NTSC game in regional adapter, play 60Hz game on PAL.
Sorry, no they don't for SNES. Unless you hard mod the PAL system to 60Hz by adjusting the voltage on one of the PPU pins, it is always playing in 50Hz.

N64 did select the refresh rate in software. Certain converters could manage to play NTSC games in 60Hz I believe, so you're right on that one.

The PAL NES was incapable of even being modded to run at 60Hz.

every single Mega Drive game is the same in each region and contains each version but the CONSOLE decides which to play, which is why PAL owners have to physically mod the console to get 60hz - even a region free adapter for a cart will play a 60hz title at 50hz on a PAL mega drive!! The Asian mega drive supports all region carts but plays ALL at 50hz!

The SNES is along the same lines but rely on lockout chips as well as hardware AND physical/region differences in the carts. The consoles are still the deciding factor.

You should probably not go around saying zero modding is required for 60hz on retro pal consoles as you're gonna just misinform and confuse people.
The bolded isn't true actually, many early (eg After Burner II) and most later Mega Drive games have region specific roms, only some games had multi-region roms that changed depending on the region. Castlevania Bloodlines/Vampire Hunter/Castlevania: Star Trek the New Generation for example have diferrent roms for each region. There are also lockouts if played against region for most of these non-JUE games.
 

TheMoon

Member
Sorry, no they don't for SNES. Unless you hard mod the PAL system to 60Hz by adjusting the voltage on one of the PPU pins, it is always playing in 50Hz.

N64 did select the refresh rate in software. Certain converters could manage to play NTSC games in 60Hz I believe, so you're right on that one.

oO dat placebo effect
 

TheMoon

Member
Lol. Childhood rose colouring I'm guessing.

more like half a year ago rose coloring! :D

I'll have to check this. I have a PAL and JP copy of the same game and access to a 60Hz VC copy (DKC2) but never did a direct comparison. Problem is that the PAL version of that game was already so smooth and well adjusted lol.
 
PAL NGC does native 60Hz interlaced, and 480p, no mods required.

PAL Gamecube is actually the ultimate model, since it does 50Hz, 60Hz, 480p, RGB and component. Perfect for GB Interface to a PVM via RGB, and with a Freeloader or Xeno it plays 480p NTSC software perfectly as well. My Xeno PAL GC with GBP and GBI is one Gamecube to rule them all.

But none of the games I have are PAL, and I don't want to get into the 50hz mess of PAL games. So in order to play the perfectly fine NTSC games I have, I'd either have to disc swap or mod.

I don't think GameCube output of s-video is bad anyway (the encoding also helps avoid noise/interference on cheaper cables), plus I already have d-terminal cables.

Even if we're limiting just to GameBoy Player I'd still rather use a JP or US cube.
 

prateeko

Member
Damn that escalated quickly.

Here is what I have: US GCN w/component cables.

HDMI sounds nice. I don't have the skill or tike to install it myself though.

Is a PAL system with freeloader (or a mod chip) the way to get the best PQ? And is the setup that's best for GCB PQ the same for GBP output?
 

Grief.exe

Member
Damn that escalated quickly.

Here is what I have: US GCN w/component cables.

HDMI sounds nice. I don't have the skill or tike to install it myself though.

Is a PAL system with freeloader (or a mod chip) the way to get the best PQ? And is the setup that's best for GCB PQ the same for GBP output?

You're pretty set with component cables.

You do need one of these so you can run programs like Swiss (where you can adjust resolution output) and GBI (where you can force the GBP to run correctly).
 

prateeko

Member
You're pretty set with component cables.

You do need one of these so you can run programs like Swiss (where you can adjust resolution output) and GBI (where you can force the GBP to run correctly).

Have that (well I misplaced the disk), but HDMI would be preferable. What's the cost/barrier to entry for that?
 
Throwing my two cents in, I have a $10k (new) JVC broadcast monitor (essentially a high end BVM with crazy resolution from 240p to 1080p/24), and once I plugged my Gamecube in with s-video, I didn't really care about getting component or RGB any more, it looks fantastic. I really only use the Gamecube for Gameboy Advance, so think 160p windowboxed in a 240p frame, 15-bit color (maximum).

Cheaper cables and video mods for the GCN are coming in the near future. If you are using it for Gameboy on a CRT, before spending a lot of cash, consider trying s-video first.
 

JLynn

Member
I'm in the middle of moving and I realize I had a lot of store credit at a retro game store I frequented. I ended up going for broke and got over $270 worth of goods and ended up paying $1.63 out of pocket. Among them was a Pink GBA. Needless to say this will be a fixer-upper. I wonder if I can mod this with the Gamebox GBA clone screen?

 
I'm in the middle of moving and I realize I had a lot of store credit at a retro game store I frequented. I ended up going for broke and got over $270 worth of goods and ended up paying $1.63 out of pocket. Among them was a Pink GBA. Needless to say this will be a fixer-upper. I wonder if I can mod this with the Gamebox GBA clone screen?

Gamebox screen is a different res afaik, so I don't think that's possible.
 

Mega

Banned
Anyone else get their GBA Everdrive? I got mine and it's awesome. Works perfectly like all Everdrives. The part of the cartridge that sticks out isn't big, hardly noticeable..

Throwing my two cents in, I have a $10k (new) JVC broadcast monitor (essentially a high end BVM with crazy resolution from 240p to 1080p/24), and once I plugged my Gamecube in with s-video, I didn't really care about getting component or RGB any more, it looks fantastic. I really only use the Gamecube for Gameboy Advance, so think 160p windowboxed in a 240p frame, 15-bit color (maximum).

Cheaper cables and video mods for the GCN are coming in the near future. If you are using it for Gameboy on a CRT, before spending a lot of cash, consider trying s-video first.

New $10,000 JVC monitor? Which one? I'm only familiar with the new Ikegamis still being sold around that price. Personally, I didn't find S-Video to be enough for the Gameboy Player on CRT. For example, playing Metroid Zero Mission: the bleed and lower fidelity felt like a step down from playing on a GBA AGS-101. Over Component it's better than AGS-101 and indistinguishable from RGB consoles.
 

ajfoucault

Member
Can I gush about Gargoyle's Quest here?

Gargoyles_Quest_GBC_ScreenShot1.gif


Cool.

I never got to play this back when GB games were still being produced. In fact, my first experience with it was an impulse buy from the 3DS Virtual Console. All I knew was that it was a Ghosts 'n Goblins spinoff, and that the third game in the series is apparently pretty godlike.

So, keeping in mind when the game was produced, I started playing it, and after a laugh at the somewhat lol worthy localization, I was surprised at how... well, not janky the game felt. I mean, it's very obviously a Game Boy game from 1990, but it feels and plays a lot more mechanically sound than I would have thought. I loved it so much, I went and bought the physical cartridge (Which thankfully isn't expensive at all, at least if you just want the cartridge!) and beat the game again on that.

Anyone looking for a somewhat challenging (But nowhere near the level of G&G) platformer with some very light RPG elements (World Map, Random Battles...) should definitely check out Gargoyle's Quest.

Demon's Crest for the SNES is like an enhanced version of this game that you're mentioning. Definately worth checking it out.
 
New $10,000 JVC monitor? Which one? I'm only familiar with the new Ikegamis still being sold around that price.

I meant "price when it was new". One of the video producers I bought one of my DT-V1710CGs from paid $10k new 15 years ago. I'm assuming he meant fully populated with input cards, though.

Personally, I didn't find S-Video to be enough for the Gameboy Player on CRT. For example, playing Metroid Zero Mission: the bleed and lower fidelity felt like a step down from playing on a GBA AGS-101.

I'm perfectly happy for now. AGS-101 fails on colors to me compared to s-video to CRT. Also the backlit GBA displays have motion blur. You can't beat the phosphor. Not very good pics because my good camera is in the shop.


ULL version of Game Boy Interface and a CRT = GBA heaven, even with s-video.
 

John Blade

Member
Just wishing my luck but wondering if anyone here fix GBA backbit screen as mine have some issue right now. It's like a white screen when the logo of Gameboy screen come up and wondering if it's the cable that is loose. Just wondering if anyone here know about this issue.
 

Morfeo

The Chuck Norris of Peace
Demon's Crest is the weakest of the trilogy imo. the GB and NES games are better. Great graphics tho.

Lots of different views on this. I actually found the nes-game the most underwhelming. Was really positively surprised when I played the Game Boy-game, and was all pumped up for the superior game on the Nes, just to beat it in a day and never really look back. At least Demons Crest had some challenge going for it, which made me spend much more time with it. The original is the best though, especially considering the hardware its on.
 

prateeko

Member

I was initially going to guess AGS-101 gutted but it looks cleaned up. Could be AGS-101 spares? Not sure but it may be worth the risk if refunds are easy enough. Never shopped alibbaba through so I can't say but on the whole it looks (and I emphasize LOOKS from a far) like it should be legit. Maybe Google the sellers name?
 

ajfoucault

Member
looney-tunes-usa.png


It may sound like a joke, but Looney Tunes was actually a little-known gem for the GB/GBC that shone because of its varied levels. Some levels were shooters (like the Porky Pig one), others were platform games (like the Daffy Duck one) and others were a cat-and-mouse type of game (like the tweety one).

Highly recommended.
 

Mega

Banned
Is it just not possible to fit a modern 320x240 LCD into a GBA and have the picture stretched or windowed in the middle? The Game Gear has such a straightforward LCD mod AND the more elaborate McWill screen mod with scaling options and vertical scanlines. The Turbo Express and Nomad also have modern LCD mods.

I have to wonder if it's not possible for GBA or if the existing supply of backlit SPs and DSes means that no one is trying. The NOS supply of factory AGS-101 screens (for OG GBA mods) is depleted and AGS-101 SPs have climbed up in price a lot. Also not everyone wants to play GBA games on a DS. I think at some point a modern LCD replacement solution will be necessary.
 
Is it just not possible to fit a modern 320x240 LCD into a GBA and have the picture stretched or windowed in the middle? The Game Gear has such a straightforward LCD mod AND the more elaborate McWill screen mod with scaling options and vertical scanlines. The Turbo Express and Nomad also have modern LCD mods.

I have to wonder if it's not possible for GBA or if the existing supply of backlit SPs and DSes means that no one is trying. The NOS supply of factory AGS-101 screens (for OG GBA mods) is depleted and AGS-101 SPs have climbed up in price a lot. Also not everyone wants to play GBA games on a DS. I think at some point a modern LCD replacement solution will be necessary.

It'd be possible, but you'd have to DIY an LCD controller to handle taking the (hopefully standard) data on the lines of the GBA output and center it / stretch it, and then also fit that + the bootleg screen inside of a standard GBA shell. I don't think it'd be particularly easy, and you'd be talking low unit numbers so there isn't a lot of incentive for anyone to go after it outside of hobbyists, and well I don't know if you've noticed but most people into old games overlook handhelds altogether but especially GBA.
 
TBH you should just give up and embrace the screen as is... it looks great, has no ghosting... it's just not backlit, so play near sunlight or under a lamp!

Problem I have is that I like playing at night, in bed. Lamp has to be right behind me to play. It's unfortunate.
 

Morfeo

The Chuck Norris of Peace
looney-tunes-usa.png


It may sound like a joke, but Looney Tunes was actually a little-known gem for the GB/GBC that shone because of its varied levels. Some levels were shooters (like the Porky Pig one), others were platform games (like the Daffy Duck one) and others were a cat-and-mouse type of game (like the tweety one).

Highly recommended.

Nice! I have a feeling there are a lot of decent licensed games for the game boy that i need to learn about.
 

Mega

Banned
It'd be possible, but you'd have to DIY an LCD controller to handle taking the (hopefully standard) data on the lines of the GBA output and center it / stretch it, and then also fit that + the bootleg screen inside of a standard GBA shell. I don't think it'd be particularly easy, and you'd be talking low unit numbers so there isn't a lot of incentive for anyone to go after it outside of hobbyists, and well I don't know if you've noticed but most people into old games overlook handhelds altogether but especially GBA.

Thanks for the reply, wish I had the sort of knowledge to tackle this myself. I would play someone who knew what he was doing to take this on.

On that last point, I always thought the GBA was the least overlooked of all classic handhelds. Last traditional Nintendo handheld, strong library of SNES-like games, great Pokémon games and other RPGs, a number of collectable editions and hardware revisions, escalating hardware prices, sought after screen mods. I mean look at the GBA Everdrive... it was highly anticipated for months and sure enough it sold out.
 
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