Yup, it's a smeary mess. I have my N64 via s-video into my FrameMeister, and it's not pretty. It's not terrible, but not pretty. I'm not a big enough fan of the system to RGB mod it, especially considering it won't be a huge upgrade.
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Upscalers, CRTs, PVMs & RGB: Retro gaming done right!
- Thread starter IrishNinja
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Yup, it's a smeary mess. I have my N64 via s-video into my FrameMeister, and it's not pretty. It's not terrible, but not pretty. I'm not a big enough fan of the system to RGB mod it, especially considering it won't be a huge upgrade.
NormalFish
Banned
Ordered my XRGB-mini. pretty pumped
D.Lo
Member
It doesn't look like a mess on Framemeister to me, it looks better than my 14" PVM.
Mario, Rayman, Banjo etc look fantastic, Goldeneye and Mario Kart do not. I think it is like Mega Drive, some games were designed with older TVs/worse connections in mind, and so certain effects break.
NormalFish
Banned
What I got from the video was that it was a relatively subtle thing that wouldn't bother everyone. Kind of like the filtering that's sometimes used on modern games to hide jaggies (as a sort of cheap-as-piss antialiasing). He used a specific example where it's pretty clear what he's talking about, while he admitted that SM64 looks pretty darn good still.
D.Lo
Member
I saw that bit, it's just the over-filtered Jet Force Gemini. It looked bad and blurry when released as well. Poorly designed games didn't hide the filtering line (the point at which textures switch to a lower quality when they are further from the camera), and in some games you can see that line far too easily.
Bad game, not bad system.
It's certainly not the anti aliasing, that's inherent in the N64 design and present in every game. Mario's just a cleaner design with less blurred textures and hides the filtering line.
Guess I just disagree with this guy about the cause, I'm pretty picky with image quality and it looks very good to me (within reason for an 18 year old system of course). I do prefer the Saturn/PS1 pixely look most of the time, but N64 has some great looking retro polygonal games, and the system output is good when RGB modded.
NormalFish
Banned
no, no. He's not saying that the issue is from the RBG mod or anything like that. He's saying that there is a filter in every N64 game (dunno how true this is, but that's how he presents it) that causes some blurriness. It isn't about the connection.
Where he ties in the connection is that when you add a high quality video signal like RGB or upscaled svideo or whatever, you can see the filter more readily. His fix is to use a sharper, smaller CRT so that the picture is still very nice and high-quality, while reducing the blurriness from the filter.
Not sure if you understood this, but your comment made it sound like you hadn't. My bad if we're on the same page.
D.Lo
Member
Yeah all good, we're on the same page, and I get the argument.
But I think he's wrong, it's just that some games use too much texture filtering, not that the N64 output sucks. Yes better connections ill show it more, but it's not the system, it's the software, hence some games still look good.
Those blurry games would look better on smaller screens of course, so that part is right.
People have to have perspective with N64, comparable scale PS1 and Saturn games are a pixel, texture seaming mess with frame rates through the floor at times. I tried playing Driver and Coolboarders the other day *shudder*. Just about to possibly spoil my memories of Techu soon.
NormalFish
Banned
I admit I'm in the "N64 games have aged worse graphically than any other generation/console" camp, so his argument appealed to me more. the 5th generation is such an interesting topic since there are so many varied preferences due to the different "styles" of each platform.
D.Lo
Member
Yes, it's one of the best gens for that reason. I have by far the largest number of games for that gen, most on Saturn.
I'm playing Indiana Jones on N64 at the moment (on my Hori Mini-pad
), and it's a seriously impressive game, showing the N64 was in a class of its own. Apart from the 240p resolution, it looks like a Dreamcast game. I recommend it as a showpiece game for RGB on N64.NormalFish
Banned
Yes, it's one of the best gens for that reason. I have by far the largest number of games for that gen, most on Saturn.
I'm playing Indiana Jones on N64 at the moment (on my Hori Mini-pad
Just looked up that controller. Hadn't seen one before but that looks awesome. The build quality is good?
D.Lo
Member
Outstanding. It's like playing with a Gamecube controller with the N64 button layout. The only issue is that the Z button has been turned into a normal shoulder button, so isn't a satisfying 'trigger' like on the real N64 controller. But overall it's by far the best controller for everything except maybe FPS.
NormalFish
Banned
I'll keep this in mind when I inevitably start picking up N64 games. Thanks.
**
ditto.
I finally did it! I ordered the Framemeister. I feel good about not having to worry about a separate CRT setup. My godly plasma will have glorious scanlines too.
Now, I have to wait about a month while it ships... sigh.
*high five*
Now, I have to wait about a month while it ships... sigh.
*high five*
BONKERS
Member
So. You are one of *Those* people eh?
Smooth vs Blurry debate will never end I suppose hah
ehnox
Member
My Bandridge SCART switcher finally arrived. Thanks to the user bodeiseifer wich gave us a good review of this switcher on a budget . There is no quality loss with this one. Believe-me.
I'm using all the input ports. SNES/N64/PSX/PS2/SATURN and Wii. I turned every single console on and switch back and fort each source with no problems.
I highly recommend this one. Audio quality seems fine, I will do more tests.
I'm using all the input ports. SNES/N64/PSX/PS2/SATURN and Wii. I turned every single console on and switch back and fort each source with no problems.
I highly recommend this one. Audio quality seems fine, I will do more tests.
Is this one automatic? I've seen two versions of the 5way Bandridge switch, one with five buttons on the front, and one with six buttons: five to manually select output if needed, one to duplicate the output to the fifth Scart for recording. I have the automatic with 6 buttons, and I must say this is a bliss to use. No more manual switching, literally just turn whatever console on and start playing, everything else is automatically switched / turned on.
ehnox
Member
No this one is manual,the only downside perhaps.
Sure the automatic version are even more suitable, but I'm more than happy knowing I wont switch cables any more! With just a click of a button I choose my destiny and no more loose cables either.
sixteen-bit
Member
Does it buzz on white screens?
NormalFish
Banned
if it has scart/RGB inputs you should be fine. That model number isn't pulling many hits in google, though so I'm not sure what else to tell you.
sixteen-bit
Member
bing to the rescue?
http://www.manualslib.com/manual/117937/Panasonic-Ct-20sx12d.html
looks like just composite and s-video
russian box
Member
CRTs are no joke
lift responsibly
I once took my ps1 on holiday to play in the hotel room,
as i was plugging it in the ps1 fell off the table and onto the floor,
that in turn pulled the tv off the table and ontop of the ps1,
my ps1 broke, first day of the holiday :'(
had to save up to take it to a repair shop for a new lazer,
being poor and young was crap, altho things did seem more fun and easy back then
NormalFish
Banned
Nice~
Tangent: Are N64 S-Video cables easy to find? A friend of mine just informed me she's looking to sell her's and I assume she only has composite cables (unless svideo comes with the system as standard?).
BocoDragon
or, How I Learned to Stop Worrying and Realize This Assgrab is Delicious
They're identical to SNES and Gamecube S-video cables, so yeah.
I actually still have my Monster Cable Gamecube S-Video haha. Which would be great except RGB is so much better.
99% of people probably have composite cables. No s-video didn't come as standard.
Shadow Hog
Member
Man, why did the Bandridge 5-way SCART switch suddenly become so scarce on eBay, anyway? I mean, I suppose I could figure out how to order from Amazon.co.uk to ship to the US, but I swear these things were commonplace on eBay just a few months ago.
Cool, thanks. Yeah the lack of google hits is what lead me to ask since I know very little about tvs. Luckily I've at least got a 3-way s-video cable that I can use on it w/ GC, Xbox, and ps2.
NormalFish
Banned
Alright, that's what i needed to know. Might get it RGB modded in the future, but for now I'll find an S-Video cable.
ehnox
Member
I got buzz on white screens even before I bought this switcher, I circumvet this problem by turning off loudness equalization option, I use a capture card to redirect the audio to my sony wireless headphones.
ehnox
Member
I do believe I bought the very last unity from thatcable.com, now they are selling 3way only from a weird brand.
Randomizer
Member
Does anyone besides retro gaming cables sell BNC to SCART cables? They are out of stock at the minute.
dear rgb gaf: i'm looking for someone that can make custom rgb cables for me that just terminate in BNC video connectors (and 1/4" audio jacks, but that's not the hard part here).
if it were just a question of making cables, i might give it a shot, but adding caps or resistors on the lines where necessary seems like something i'd rather leave to someone with some actual skill. however, i've had no luck getting the larger and busier outfits like retro gaming cables or retro console accessories interested in taking on this job.
does anyone have any recommendations for other sources to commission eccentric and unnecessarily complicated projects from?
if it were just a question of making cables, i might give it a shot, but adding caps or resistors on the lines where necessary seems like something i'd rather leave to someone with some actual skill. however, i've had no luck getting the larger and busier outfits like retro gaming cables or retro console accessories interested in taking on this job.
does anyone have any recommendations for other sources to commission eccentric and unnecessarily complicated projects from?
http://www.ebay.com/itm/Female-RGB2...328?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item2c94786d70
I own this and love it. You can buy it with confidence. They also make a JP21 version as well as male versions of both SCART and JP21 so make sure you get the right one (probably the one I linked you to).
FYI: Retro gaming cables also doesn't have the best reputation in this thread. People have reported issues with a few of their products.
Fortunately for me, i had a female scart receptacle left over and made my own.
Universal scart to vga.
PS1,2,3 specific cable with lm1881 sync seperator chip, with a little help of gamesx.com diagrams.
Unfortunatley for me, my PVM doesnt do progressive scan, but I did watch Akira on dvd with my retro setup yesterday.
Universal scart to vga.
PS1,2,3 specific cable with lm1881 sync seperator chip, with a little help of gamesx.com diagrams.
Unfortunatley for me, my PVM doesnt do progressive scan, but I did watch Akira on dvd with my retro setup yesterday.
sixteen-bit
Member
it's 2015 so I might bust out my Evangelion DVDs for a rewatch like this.
baphomet
Member
Unless you're buying used the only place to get them is Japan.
sixteen-bit
Member
Buy SCART RGB cables for your Saturn, Genesis, and SNES and this transcoder:
http://www.amazon.com/dp/B004XSSDPO/?tag=neogaf0e-20
Additionally, you might want to get an RGB SCART input switch so you don't have to keep swapping the connectors on the transcoder every time you change the active console.
NormalFish
Banned
About what time of month does Solaris get new stock? November was apparently about the 18th. That sound consistent with how its been in the past, if anyone remembers?
NormalFish
Banned
Sorry for the double post.
Does the XRGB allow you to switch which input channel is output with multiple inputs plugged in? In other words, if I have a PSone plugged in via RGB and a N64 by SVideo, can I swap between them without turning the console off/unplugging anything?
Does the XRGB allow you to switch which input channel is output with multiple inputs plugged in? In other words, if I have a PSone plugged in via RGB and a N64 by SVideo, can I swap between them without turning the console off/unplugging anything?
StevieWhite
Member
I believe that it does.
Danny Dudekisser
I paid good money for this Dynex!
Wait, is this the year second impact happens?
yes, you can do that.
NormalFish
Banned
angelic
Banned
I cant find anything on this subject, does anyone know the best settings for the scanlines on the framemeister?. I've got them turned on but there are 2x other settings for the different lines, presumably the alternate scanlines like A and B, both values from 0 to 127, but I cant get an even looking spacing for them.
sixteen-bit
Member
No, Second Impact was in 2000 IIRC. The series takes place in 2015.
http://www.neogaf.com/forum/showthread.php?t=964150
How does it wobble? Does it manifest as sine waves moving up or down
the screen? If so, does the distortion decreases while approaching the
vertical center of the screen from either side of the tube, or does the
distortion remains the same across the screen?
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