Where can I find a VGA to TV Converter?

[Bomber]

Can anybody recommend somewhere to find a VGA to TV converter?

I'm looking at getting a very small PC for my console emulators and roms and it won't have room for a graphics card, just on-board VGA. I want to connect this to a TV rather than a monitor, so I'm looking for an adapter. I'm not fussy about the adapter except to say the cheaper the better.

I found this one after a little looking around, but it seems pretty expensive. Maybe I'm just expecting too much for too little?

http://www.ascent.co.nz/mn-product-spec.asp?pid=108377

[paigeoliver]

Two comments.

They are also expensive.

They all have poor image quality.

If you think TV-out is bad, wait till you see what a scan convertor looks like.

Best to get a motherboard with onboard TV-out.

[Bomber]

Thanks for the reality check Paige. I thought that might be the case but was trying to convince myself otherwise.

I have enough components floating around to put something together, but I had my heart set on an ipaq mini tower because it wouldn't look horrible and nasty next to a TV like a big, beige box would. I guess I'll just have to keep my eye out for a nice looking case that doesn't cost the earth.

Thanks again for the feedback.

[paigeoliver]

There IS a solution. Hide the computer itself altogether. Put it out of site.

Get a dead nes. Take the guts out of the case. Install a USB hub so you can open up the cartridge door and plug stuff in. Also wire the nes power button to your computer one.

Usb hub cable and that power button wires come out the back to your hidden computer.

Problem solved, no nasty box.

[Bomber]

Its funny you should mention that. I was just looking today at some mods that put the guts of a PC in a old NES case and was thinking if there was a workable solution around that. Again the problem was getting a decent graphics card in there. I like the idea of using it as a link to the hidden PC. What would be ideal is to interface the NES control pads to the PC also. I'll give it some thought. Nice idea.

[paigeoliver]

Oh, I wasn't even suggesting using the nes pads at all. Just the Nes case. You'd actually be plugging your gamepads in, in the wrong spots. If you wanted to get creative I am sure you could make there be USB ports where the nes controllers are supposed to plug in.

[Bomber]

Yeah - I think I got what you meant. The NES case would basically be a big USB hub for some USB controllers (or some console pads with a USB adaptor) and the power from the NES would connect to the motherboard's power. Or am I barking up the wrong tree?

I was just letting my imagination get a bit further ahead and thinking NES pads into the NES ports would be nicer than opening the cartridge flap of having a USB hub. Probably an a**hole of a thing to rig up but as they say, dreaming is free...

[Lilwolf]

btw, before you say they ALL suck... Some of them are GREAT... but the good ones cost about 2000+ and used for professional purposes.  And some will give good results on composite TVs

Buy a TV-out card for 40 bucks or less.  MUCH better for the price.  

[Bomber]

This will pretty much be used for NES, SNES and SMS emulators so it doesn't need to be crystal clear. Just how bad a picture are we talking about? Say on a 21 inch TV? Seems like I could get one for around $100. Not too bad, but if the picture is awful I don't want to be throwing my money away.

[mahuti]

I have one. It cost about $120 (someone gave it to me)

I used it for about 3 months. I don't think it was that bad. I replaced it because it had too many wires, and I had intended to give it back.

The guy that gave it to me didn't want it back, so now I have it sitting in a box.

Who knows when / if I will ever use it again. Maybe though.

[SteveJ34]

This will pretty much be used for NES, SNES and SMS emulators so it doesn't need to be crystal clear. Just how bad a picture are we talking about? Say on a 21 inch TV? Seems like I could get one for around $100. Not too bad, but if the picture is awful I don't want to be throwing my money away.

As an alternative to ipaq and with TV out onboard, you might wish to take a look at shuttle xpc's. I've built several for nephews and friends using various models as a base platform. You can get  an SK41G refurb direct from shuttle for $120.00. Of course, you'll need to add CPU, mem, HD and perhaps DVD if you wish for it to double as DVD player.

[Bomber]

As an alternative to ipaq and with TV out onboard, you might wish to take a look at shuttle xpc's. I've built several for nephews and friends using various models as a base platform. You can get  an SK41G refurb direct from shuttle for $120.00. Of course, you'll need to add CPU, mem, HD and perhaps DVD if you wish for it to double as DVD player.

A shuttle was my first choice, but I wanted to keep the cost of this project as low as possible. One of the aluminum shuttles (or the new soltek barebones systems) would be the perfect answer if only I had more money

I picked up an ipaq mini-tower pretty cheap that I was hoping to use. the problem is it as onboard video and no way to add a graphics card. So unless I'm missing something the only answer is a VGA-TV adapter.

[wboy]

I'm about to build a shuttle pc sometime soon and had very similar intentions as yourself.

Primarily, I wanted to:

1) be able to connect it to my upright cabinet with JPAC, PC consealed within,

and

2) take it out and play it on a mates TV with USB2PS2 controller converters.... the mobile retro box.

I wanted a simple solution, as I didn't want to have multiple configurations for resolutions for my emulators when using native arcade vs tv out w/ hardware stretching - which looks CRAP IMHO!).

I decided to purchase as 15khz RGB to S-Video convertor off ebay.  Worked a treat!

I'm very picky, and was happy spend the cash and test the output, even if it sucked.  Well, it didn't and it was a great add-on solution for the ArcadeVGA, especially here in australia where SCART enabled tv's are rare.

There are a few limitations.... Vertical games do not appear as nice as horizontal (more noticable interlacing), but all in all its a very good solution.  The converter cost me $70AUD or so total, and I also used the Ultimarc video amp to easily interface it (15USD).

I post some more detail and pics soon to show you the results.  May not be perfect for you, as you probably don't want to buy AVGA, but it meets my need perfectly, with a near perfect image, especially horzontal orientated games...  even displays mortal kombat and neo geo games really well.

[Bomber]

Thanks for the info Wonderboy. Would love to see the pics whenever you have time to post them.

Did you find the converter on the US or Australian ebay?

[wboy]

I should still have the sellers name if required....

They're not on ebay all the time, but they do appear quite frequently.

Will try to get pics by monday/tuesday latest.  May have to be composite, as the only TV in the house doesn't have s-video!

[Bomber]

Just an update - I picked up one of these for NZ$60 (about US$40). I'll post some pics of a real NES compared to an emulator running through this box in the next couple of days, in case anybody else wants to go down this route. I'm really happy with the way the Ipaq looks next to the TV (and more importantly - so is the wife ), so hopefully the picture will OK.

[deoblo85]

just look at cyberguys.com you'll find it real cheap!!!!!!!!!!!!

[melarky]

somewhat on topic, does anyone know the cheapest way to do the oposite?  Seems like you can find a cheap 15" monitor these days, is there any way to turn that into a really cheap 15" tv?  Just curious if anyone here knows how to do that (it would be neat if it was something that we could build instead of buy, BYOTVVGAC, or Build Your Own TV  VGAConverter )