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Upscalers, CRTs, PVMs & RGB: Retro gaming done right!

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Chinner

Banned
13" is the minimum. I have a 8" PVM for laughs and curiosity, can't play games on it and be comfortable.

These are the sort of monitors you want:

BVM-20F1E (top tier, too sharp/scanlines too thick for some)
http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/SONY-BVM-...615276?hash=item4af696266c:g:vKYAAOSw9N1V1t~d

BVM-14H5E? (smaller version BVM, similar sharpness as above)
http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/SONY-BVM-...223910?hash=item4af6ebbb26:g:P50AAOSwLN5Wj70U

PVM-20L2 (probably the best value for what you're getting and may have the best old-school image)
http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/SONY-PVM-...627883?hash=item4d3e2d256b:g:hqwAAOSwLnlWmCsb

PVM-14L2 ("better" 14" BVM and bigger 20L2 above are same price, so this seems steep)
http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/SONY-PVM-...160838?hash=item4af7929d86:g:ZaQAAOSwZG9WkTOz

I can't see shipping to see if it's outrageous, but the item prices here seem generally okay. Put in an offer for like two-thirds of asking price and see if seller bites.

Cheers for this Mega, it's really appreciated. I'm not actually too far from the PVM-20L2, so I might just give it ago. Would it be a two person job to carry this? I remember the old crts being pretty heavy...

I feel like this, along with vinyl, may just kill me financially.
 

TeaJay

Member
Cheers for this Mega, it's really appreciated. I'm not actually too far from the PVM-20L2, so I might just give it ago. Would it be a two person job to carry this? I remember the old crts being pretty heavy...

I feel like this, along with vinyl, may just kill me financially.

As far as hobbies go, I'd still say that retro gaming is relatively cheap even if you go after the "hi-fi" approach with PVM & RGB, various mods, etc. I put 90 € on my PVM and 300 € on the RGB modded AV Famicom total and I still feel it's totally worth it.

I like to think that a good set-up is important and you shouldn't skimp on a good TV/monitor or a quality console. It's the whole foundation on which you build your gaming.
 

elmalloc

Member
13" is the minimum. I have a 8" PVM for laughs and curiosity, can't play games on it and be comfortable.

These are the sort of monitors you want:

BVM-20F1E (top tier, too sharp/scanlines too thick for some)
http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/SONY-BVM-...615276?hash=item4af696266c:g:vKYAAOSw9N1V1t~d

BVM-14H5E? (smaller version BVM, similar sharpness as above)
http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/SONY-BVM-...223910?hash=item4af6ebbb26:g:P50AAOSwLN5Wj70U

PVM-20L2 (probably the best value for what you're getting and may have the best old-school image)
http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/SONY-PVM-...627883?hash=item4d3e2d256b:g:hqwAAOSwLnlWmCsb

PVM-14L2 ("better" 14" BVM and bigger 20L2 above are same price, so this seems steep)
http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/SONY-PVM-...160838?hash=item4af7929d86:g:ZaQAAOSwZG9WkTOz

I can't see shipping to see if it's outrageous, but the item prices here seem generally okay. Put in an offer for like two-thirds of asking price and see if seller bites.

Now, please repeat post with ebay USA site. Thanks! I shall purchase PVM/BVM of your opinion.
 

Galdelico

Member
As far as hobbies go, I'd still say that retro gaming is relatively cheap even if you go after the "hi-fi" approach with PVM & RGB, various mods, etc. I put 90 € on my PVM and 300 € on the RGB modded AV Famicom total and I still feel it's totally worth it.

I like to think that a good set-up is important and you shouldn't skimp on a good TV/monitor or a quality console. It's the whole foundation on which you build your gaming.
It really depends on where you live, I guess. 90 euros for a PVM is a price I'd happily pay right now, if I had one single chance. :) On the other hand, it's easier to find pretty decent CRTs for free, which can be a convenient - yet temporary - mid tier solution. I can totally understand and relate with alot of people here, who are eager to jump in, no matter if they can't start with a top quality setup right off the bat.
 

TeaJay

Member
It really depends on where you live, I guess. 90 euros for a PVM is a price I'd happily pay right now, if I had one single chance. :) On the other hand, it's easier to find pretty decent CRTs for free, which can be a convenient - yet temporary - mid tier solution. I can totally understand and relate with alot of people here, who are eager to jump in, no matter if they can't start with a top quality setup right off the bat.

Oh, definitely. Just using a nice CRT instead of a HDTV (assuming without upscalers) is a nice boost. That's why I said "hi-fi" since most people are not willing or even interested to get RGB modded 8-bit consoles or PVM's.
 

Balb

Member
Oh, definitely. Just using a nice CRT instead of a HDTV (assuming without upscalers) is a nice boost. That's why I said "hi-fi" since most people are not willing or even interested to get RGB modded 8-bit consoles or PVM's.

It adds up in the US at least, since there aren't really any consumer level TVs with RGB SCART support as far as I know.

Here's what you might be looking at if you're trying to get into this niche:

PVM/BVM (hard to put a price on these. Some can be scored for cheap while others end up going for hundreds)
BNC to SCART adapter ($25-30)
RGB SCART cables ($20-25 per cable)
SCART switch (optional but pretty expensive for a really good one)
Console mods (varies, gets very costly if you need multiple consoles modded)
Speakers if your BVM doesn't have built-in ones

It can get pretty brutal depending on how deep you get into this stuff.
 

Mega

Banned
Cheers for this Mega, it's really appreciated. I'm not actually too far from the PVM-20L2, so I might just give it ago. Would it be a two person job to carry this? I remember the old crts being pretty heavy...

I feel like this, along with vinyl, may just kill me financially.

It's about 65lbs but cumbersome. If you're average in size and strength, you can carry it a short distance on your own and into your car or a taxi with some effort. It's when you get to 25" and up that they become much heavier and difficult for any one person to handle.

I'm with Zello. This hobby is cheap compared to high-end audio. That demographic is older and more established than retro gamers and generally have a lot more money to throw around. I have spent a few thousand for all my stuff which is like the purchase of one thing in audiophile land!

Now, please repeat post with ebay USA site. Thanks! I shall purchase PVM/BVM of your opinion.

I'll have a look later. I'm always looking at this stuff for fun. :p

There was a really nice 14" BVM mislabeled as a low-end PVM a couple of days ago. Fairly cheap too. It's gone now as I'm sure I'm not the only one who noticed.
 
Kinda bummed about my new Framemeister. Looks like the S-Video port is dead. It worked the first day via SNES S-video cable, but today it says "No Input." Yellow composite on the same input works, but not S-video. I also tried my S-video Sega Saturn cable and I get the same thing (They both work fine connected directly to TV).

I have SCART cables on their way and my PS2 / PS1 / Wii / Gamecube games look great connected via component / D-terminal adapter. I'm almost sure I'll never use the S-video jack once my SCART cables arrive, but at this price, I want all functions to work. At the same time, I don't want to wait for a return to process, new shipment from Japan, etc.

What would you guys do?
 

Madao

Member
Kinda bummed about my new Framemeister. Looks like the S-Video port is dead. It worked the first day via SNES S-video cable, but today it says "No Input." Yellow composite on the same input works, but not S-video. I also tried my S-video Sega Saturn cable and I get the same thing (They both work fine connected directly to TV).

I have SCART cables on their way and my PS2 / PS1 / Wii / Gamecube games look great connected via component / D-terminal adapter. I'm almost sure I'll never use the S-video jack once my SCART cables arrive, but at this price, I want all functions to work. At the same time, I don't want to wait for a return to process, new shipment from Japan, etc.

What would you guys do?

well, if that happened to me, i wouldn't do anything since i don't use that input. i think i'd only do a return if the RGB, D-Terminal or HDMI ports got bad.
 

Timu

Member
Kinda bummed about my new Framemeister. Looks like the S-Video port is dead. It worked the first day via SNES S-video cable, but today it says "No Input." Yellow composite on the same input works, but not S-video. I also tried my S-video Sega Saturn cable and I get the same thing (They both work fine connected directly to TV).

I have SCART cables on their way and my PS2 / PS1 / Wii / Gamecube games look great connected via component / D-terminal adapter. I'm almost sure I'll never use the S-video jack once my SCART cables arrive, but at this price, I want all functions to work. At the same time, I don't want to wait for a return to process, new shipment from Japan, etc.

What would you guys do?
It's a shame composite works but the superior svideo doesn't...should had been the other way around.
 

D.Lo

Member
If it's new and you want to use that port - send it back I guess.

I've personally never used S-video on the FM. Maybe there are some sync type issues with it? Reset the settings to whatever they were when it worked maybe?
 
What? No they don't. Unless you are using some sort of image processing, if you're using their native resolution (480p and over) then you shouldn't have any input lag.

My HD CRT upscaled 480i to 960i or some funky resolution like that. It was really bizarre and couldn't be turned off. The feature was called "Digital Reality Creation", the TV was the Sony Trinitron Wega KV32HS420.

All CRTs are not created equal. I ultimately scrapped that HD Trinitron in favor of a 480i only model, and even that had 1 frame of inherent lag (tested with side by side 240p suite lag tester, not the manual one).
 

Khaz

Member
My HD CRT upscaled 480i to 960i or some funky resolution like that. It was really bizarre and couldn't be turned off. The feature was called "Digital Reality Creation", the TV was the Sony Trinitron Wega KV32HS420.

All CRTs are not created equal. I ultimately scrapped that HD Trinitron in favor of a 480i only model, and even that had 1 frame of inherent lag (tested with side by side 240p suite lag tester, not the manual one).

Well yeah, I said it from the beginning that a consumer HD CRT wasn't cool for 240p/480i gaming. It's great for 480p and above though.
 

Xion_Stellar

People should stop referencing data that makes me feel uncomfortable because games get ported to platforms I don't like
OK I'm planning on buying a new Monitor this year and I'm ditching my TV. The problem is that I still need a Component Port and Composite port for my GameCube and maybe a VGA port for my Dreamcast assuming the Monitor I buy doesn't have one.So what's my best option to display these through HDMI?
 
OK I'm planning on buying a new Monitor this year and I'm ditching my TV. The problem is that I still need a Component Port and Composite port for my GameCube and maybe a VGA port for my Dreamcast assuming the Monitor I buy doesn't have one.So what's my best option to display these through HDMI?

The Framemeister.
 

Xion_Stellar

People should stop referencing data that makes me feel uncomfortable because games get ported to platforms I don't like
The Framemeister.
I was afraid that of that...
I already sold one arm to buy the GameCube Component Cable a few years ago and I'm not sure if I want to sell my other arm AND a leg for that Upscaler.
 

televator

Member
I was afraid that of that...
I already sold one arm to buy the GameCube Component Cable a few years ago and I'm not sure if I want to sell my other arm AND a leg for that Upscaler.

Oh, no my friend. This game is in for penny, in for a pound. If you went so far as to get the component cable you really want the rest of your equipment to make the best of it. You either get a badass TV with a good internal scaler and you could get by with a simple ADC transcoder. A box that'll do analog to digital with no scaling. If you're cheaping out on the monitor then you need a good scaler and the Framemeister is the only suitable thing.
 

Peagles

Member
There's something about new folk coming in here that makes me smile :)

Also I'm in the middle of a move, can't wait to show you all my new retro corner in a few days!
 

Huggers

Member
13" is the minimum. I have a 8" PVM for laughs and curiosity, can't play games on it and be comfortable.

These are the sort of monitors you want:

BVM-20F1E (top tier, too sharp/scanlines too thick for some)
http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/SONY-BVM-...615276?hash=item4af696266c:g:vKYAAOSw9N1V1t~d

BVM-14H5E? (smaller version BVM, similar sharpness as above)
http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/SONY-BVM-...223910?hash=item4af6ebbb26:g:P50AAOSwLN5Wj70U

PVM-20L2 (probably the best value for what you're getting and may have the best old-school image)
http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/SONY-PVM-...627883?hash=item4d3e2d256b:g:hqwAAOSwLnlWmCsb

PVM-14L2 ("better" 14" BVM and bigger 20L2 above are same price, so this seems steep)
http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/SONY-PVM-...160838?hash=item4af7929d86:g:ZaQAAOSwZG9WkTOz

I can't see shipping to see if it's outrageous, but the item prices here seem generally okay. Put in an offer for like two-thirds of asking price and see if seller bites.

Watch our for that BVM. The screen has a colour issue
 

D.Lo

Member
There's something about new folk coming in here that makes me smile :)

Also I'm in the middle of a move, can't wait to show you all my new retro corner in a few days!
Awesome

Yeah it's great to see people getting into classic games done right!
 

Huggers

Member
It's funny getting into retro games. I started with a handful of loose NES carts and a couple of mega drive games, using my old consoles plugged into a modern TV. Fast forward a few years and I have spent a fortune and got myself in deeper and deeper. I was super naive and though it'd just be a bit of fun to play some games from when I was a kid. Big mistake!
 

elmalloc

Member
OK I'm planning on buying a new Monitor this year and I'm ditching my TV. The problem is that I still need a Component Port and Composite port for my GameCube and maybe a VGA port for my Dreamcast assuming the Monitor I buy doesn't have one.So what's my best option to display these through HDMI?

Since you bought the GC component cable, it's probably fruitless now, and I also assume you have the digital AV out Gamecube model. But for others reading, the GC-Video mod is coming out soon. It allows (from what I understand) digital HDMI output straight from the gamecube. It emulates the video quality of the component cable, and spits out 480p.
 

Xion_Stellar

People should stop referencing data that makes me feel uncomfortable because games get ported to platforms I don't like
Since you bought the GC component cable, it's probably fruitless now, and I also assume you have the digital AV out Gamecube model. But for others reading, the GC-Video mod is coming out soon. It allows (from what I understand) digital HDMI output straight from the gamecube. It emulates the video quality of the component cable, and spits out 480p.
Not much of a consultation when that Mod costs £167.00 ($238.39 US Dollar) to get which at that point you might as well she'll out the extra $70-90 for a Framemeister.
 

missile

Member
I'm doing some studies on the Genesis II composite issue and stuff. To make my
picture complete I need a Sega Service Manual of the Genesis II Model 2,
VA > 2 (perhaps MD2 VA2.3), or any service manual of Model 3, which uses the
Sony CXA1645M video encoder. I only found the older manuals on the net. Can
someone help me out?
 

Peltz

Member
Since you bought the GC component cable, it's probably fruitless now, and I also assume you have the digital AV out Gamecube model. But for others reading, the GC-Video mod is coming out soon. It allows (from what I understand) digital HDMI output straight from the gamecube. It emulates the video quality of the component cable, and spits out 480p.
I'd rather use the first party solution wherever possible rather than a mod. Plus most sources don't take 240p over an HDMI cable for GB Player.

Plus, if your goal is GCN through HDMI, then the Wii + HDMI dongle is probably a cheaper route than that mod.
 

Mega

Banned
Although I want one I could never justify buying a GC Component cable for $250~. An old console, a handheld, maybe a rare valuable game... but not a freakin piece of wire with a little chip on one end. :( I will wait for the mod because I think that carries more value for what you're getting if that makes any sense. I also read that GBI ULL doesn't do 240p over Component which I hope was nonsense because that's personally my main reason to get one!

Watch our for that BVM. The screen has a colour issue

I saw that but it's a slight imperfection, probably nothing to worry about. My 20M4U has a color purity issue on the bottom left corner but it sometimes doesn't show up and it's never noticeable in actual games. Degauss also fixes it like that seller mentions of his BVM. If it was a large patch that's always there and highly affects the visuals then I'd stay away.
 
Since you bought the GC component cable, it's probably fruitless now, and I also assume you have the digital AV out Gamecube model. But for others reading, the GC-Video mod is coming out soon. It allows (from what I understand) digital HDMI output straight from the gamecube. It emulates the video quality of the component cable, and spits out 480p.
I think it's out already. Costs something like £160 total to get it done here in the UK. I'd be interested but am worried about a physical external mod to my GC. I have a mod chip in there from a while back, but that was internal.

I paid top dollar to get my GC a nice yellow cost of paint a while back, don't want to risk damage.
 
Kinda bummed about my new Framemeister. Looks like the S-Video port is dead. It worked the first day via SNES S-video cable, but today it says "No Input." Yellow composite on the same input works, but not S-video. I also tried my S-video Sega Saturn cable and I get the same thing (They both work fine connected directly to TV).

I have SCART cables on their way and my PS2 / PS1 / Wii / Gamecube games look great connected via component / D-terminal adapter. I'm almost sure I'll never use the S-video jack once my SCART cables arrive, but at this price, I want all functions to work. At the same time, I don't want to wait for a return to process, new shipment from Japan, etc.

What would you guys do?

If you bought it through Solaris Japan I hear they have a pretty good customer service and I would return it and get it replaced.





All this talk about gamecube component cables has me wondering. Back in the day I actually bought 2 of them, one to use with my tv and one I had modded into VGA cables. My tv at the time supported component in but did not support 480p, where as my computer monitor did. I wonder if I could get the same price for my VGA cable that the component cables are going for. I just got this yesterday, and if I could get 200 - 250 bucks for vga cables it could fund me getting it RGB modded and recapped, and have some left over to build up a fund for the UltraHDMI.

24528340295_e2d21593ed_h.jpg
 

Xion_Stellar

People should stop referencing data that makes me feel uncomfortable because games get ported to platforms I don't like
Although I want one I could never justify buying a GC Component cable for $250~.
It's not THAT expensive (bit still is considering your buying a cable) but looking at eBay current prices go from $110-$350. I got curious to know how much I payed for my GameCube Component Cable back in 2012 and I looked through my email archives to look for the PayPal email confirmation. I only payed $74.55...wow did I get a deal and I was under the impression I payed over $100+ for it.
 

elmalloc

Member
It's not THAT expensive (bit still is considering your buying a cable) but looking at eBay current prices go from $110-$350. I got curious to know how much I payed for my GameCube Component Cable back in 2012 and I looked through my email archives to look for the PayPal email confirmation. I only payed $74.55...wow did I get a deal and I was under the impression I payed over $100+ for it.

Unless things have changed, it was $250 in several auctions I checked last week.
 

elmalloc

Member
I'd rather use the first party solution wherever possible rather than a mod. Plus most sources don't take 240p over an HDMI cable for GB Player.

Plus, if your goal is GCN through HDMI, then the Wii + HDMI dongle is probably a cheaper route than that mod.

Cheaper, but not better. There are probably 2 types of retro people, best bang for the buck video repro vs. the best available.

That's why the GC component cable is so expensive, the video quality is superior to Wii emulation with any cable output. GC-Video is supposed to be on par (and also HDMI) with the GC component cable quality.

I would be careful saying first party solution rather than mod. The hi-def NES is essentially how NES should be played, it's beautiful and near perfect. There is no noise that usually comes along for the ride with most analog to digital conversion connections. If we consider us to be that much of purists, just use composite/RF cables and enjoy the noise on most 240p consoles. I strive hard to find/mod retro consoles to RGB/HDMI if possible.
 

elmalloc

Member
I think it's out already. Costs something like £160 total to get it done here in the UK. I'd be interested but am worried about a physical external mod to my GC. I have a mod chip in there from a while back, but that was internal.

I paid top dollar to get my GC a nice yellow cost of paint a while back, don't want to risk damage.

I only know of badassconsoles selling it, if you know of another supplier please PM me - as I have an orange GC I'd like to mod.

Thanks!
 

Khaz

Member
I sincerely doubt the GC Component is better than Wii Component. And if it is, it's only marginally better and certainly not worth the asking price.
 
I sincerely doubt the GC Component is better than Wii Component. And if it is, it's only marginally better and certainly not worth the asking price.

You would be sincerely wrong then. The GC's Component out is much better than the Wii's. The DAC chip used in the GC's component cables is really good, honestly the GC probably has the best Component output of any pre-hdmi console.

GameCubePage02%20-%20large.jpg


I'm not going to say it's worth 250 bucks as that's up to the individual to decide, but it is definitely superior to the Wii.
 
I sincerely doubt the GC Component is better than Wii Component. And if it is, it's only marginally better and certainly not worth the asking price.
It's a tiny amount better. Mostly it's nice to have for use with a GameBoy Player.

I don't know that I like the GC HDMI solution. It's internal and kinda bootsy. I was hoping for a cable that would just go into the GC digital out and terminate in HDMI.
 

elmalloc

Member
I sincerely doubt the GC Component is better than Wii Component. And if it is, it's only marginally better and certainly not worth the asking price.

I believe that to be incorrect based on articles (speaking of Gamecube games played on either device). There is a proprietary DAC inside the Gamecube Component cable. The reason it is expensive is only Nintendo sold it during the time when most didn't care ("EDTVs" were out).

This is where we're talking about bang for buck vs. those who are looking for the best quality. Sorry for RetroRGB's huge image, you can see the difference in the pipe detail in this image. If you're not a fan of Gamecube or not a perfectionist/pixel purist, might as well go with Wii, or even Wii-U with Nintendon't. I believe the purchasers of GC component cables on ebay nowadays know what they're doing.

[Edit - Shin posted the same image]

I'd definitely spring for GC-Video instead, digital trumps analog in most cases.
 

Xion_Stellar

People should stop referencing data that makes me feel uncomfortable because games get ported to platforms I don't like
When I bought my GameCube Component Cable in 2012 I did it begrudgingly because I could buy a PS2 Component Cable for $10 or less but with the GameCube it was going for nearly $110 back than so it felt like I was being ripped off but now in hindsight I'm glad I did it anyways because the current price for GameCube Component Cable is even more ridiculous.
 
OK I'm planning on buying a new Monitor this year and I'm ditching my TV. The problem is that I still need a Component Port and Composite port for my GameCube and maybe a VGA port for my Dreamcast assuming the Monitor I buy doesn't have one.So what's my best option to display these through HDMI?
What do you mean by monitor? If you are talking about a computer monitor most of them can take VGA by conversion to DVI. If you're talking about professional monitors like people use here, there are some with VGA input and most have component. The NEC XM29 or 37 has VGA in and displays 480p. Most pro monitors have component input either separate from or as the same inputs as RGsB. Some of them display 480p. And for any of those options, as well as the Framemeister, you can use the Toro or Kenzei to convert VGA
to RGsB SCART.
 

Mega

Banned
Now, please repeat post with ebay USA site. Thanks! I shall purchase PVM/BVM of your opinion.

A lot of the US PVM/BVM monitors are on the pricey side because the ebay sellers know a bunch of us are actively looking for them online. Most of that UK stuff I linked would have sold out here already at similar prices. But there are other non-Sony monitors that are just as good. Are you looking for a smaller 13-14" set or 19-20"?
 

Xion_Stellar

People should stop referencing data that makes me feel uncomfortable because games get ported to platforms I don't like
What do you mean by monitor? If you are talking about a computer monitor most of them can take VGA by conversion to DVI. If you're talking about professional monitors like people use here, there are some with VGA input and most have component. The NEC XM29 or 37 has VGA in and displays 480p. Most pro monitors have component input either separate from or as the same inputs as RGsB. Some of them display 480p. And for any of those options, as well as the Framemeister, you can use the Toro or Kenzei to convert VGA
to RGsB SCART.

PC/Computer Monitor

As for my situation I decided to get the Framemeister but it's going to have to wait because my current plan is to build a Gaming PC (most likely in March-June) than buy a Monitor (Haven't decided which one specifically) and than I will get a Framemeister.

I got to say thou I have spent so much so far just to play the GameCube version of Phantasy Star Online in a modern set up.
I bought the GameCube,the GameCube memory card,the PSO game in mint condition,the GameCube Broadband Adapter,the GameCube "Power Board" Keyboard plus adapter,the GameCube Component Cable and finally it's going to be the Framemeister.All that just for one game sheesh.
 
When you say you are ditching your TV though, what are you going to hook up the Framemeister to? A lot of computer monitors would probably do as well with a raw Gamecube signal as the Framemeister would. Or is that monitor just for PC gaming?
How do you get a raw GameCube signal in to a monitor. the only other option outside of an upscaler or other kind of transcoder is a rather new and invasive mod.
 

Xion_Stellar

People should stop referencing data that makes me feel uncomfortable because games get ported to platforms I don't like
When you say you are ditching your TV though, what are you going to hook up the Framemeister to? A lot of computer monitors would probably do as well with a raw Gamecube signal as the Framemeister would. Or is that monitor just for PC gaming?
Most modern PC Monitors only have HDMI Input so Framemeister is my best option for my GameCube to convert the Component signal to HDMI and I don't think I have ever seen a PC Monitor with Composite/Component Inputs anyway.
 

Mega

Banned
Don't triple post... edit your initial post!

There are probably 2 types of retro people, best bang for the buck video repro vs. the best available.

There are more types. I'm neither the pixel-perfect HDTV type nor the collector type. There are also the kind who are strictly about clones, Retro Pis and emulators. I just want to play on original hardware via any convenient means (Everdrive) with the occasional physical purchase that catches my interest and a display that is an ideal version (pro monitor) of what I grew up with (RF/composite TV).

I would be careful saying first party solution rather than mod. The hi-def NES is essentially how NES should be played, it's beautiful and near perfect. There is no noise that usually comes along for the ride with most analog to digital conversion connections. If we consider us to be that much of purists, just use composite/RF cables and enjoy the noise on most 240p consoles. I strive hard to find/mod retro consoles to RGB/HDMI if possible.

It's not about picking one extreme or the other and I quite disagree that the hi-def NES on a big HDTV is the best and essential way to play the console. We're not trying to achieve pixel perfection with 100% clarity (the games were not designed with very large, perfect pixels in mind. ) and at the same time we're not trying to bring back the bad days of the worst fuzzy, blurry TVs.


While this is a Genesis screenshot* (and one could argue Gen visuals were often made with composite in mind), it encompasses my ideal best. I think a clean RGB picture on a CRT is the best of worlds and it's what the game designers probably saw in studio while making the games and what they wanted us to see if we all had decent televisions. I find this the most aesthetically pleasing even if it technically "falls short" of a HD version.

*This is from my mediocre phone camera so the picture is actually blurrier, cooler and less vibrant than in person.
 

NOLA_Gaffer

Banned
Finally heard back from the JVC seller on eBay today. Gave me his office hours and phone number and said I'm welcome to drop by and check it out as long as I call beforehand.

He said there's a small defect on the top of the casing where a halogen lamp got a bit too close, and also mentioned having a PVM-20L2. I might try to get out of work early today and drop by otherwise I might just wait until Tuesday.
 
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