Trying to connect multiple Retro consoles......advise?...solutions?

[bob5150]

Hey All,

I've decided to take the old consoles out of storage, pick up a few that I never had (but remember from friends houses) and hook them up to a nice crt TV. This "RetroStation", that I've been calling it, will be set up in the corner of my arcade. I'm using a fairly new tube tv with multiple inputs including coax, several a/v, s-video, and component.  Some of the systems that I plan to hook up use a coax connection (2600/7800, Colecovision, etc). Since the TV has only one coax input, and I'd like to avoid having to switch console hookups, I was wondering if anyone knew of a switch that would allow for multiple coax lines in to a single line out. In a perfect world I would have a switch box solution that would accomidate the coax and a/v inputs coming from the 7800, Coleco, NES. Genesis, and a few others. Also, I know that some of the "classic" systems like the 2600/7800 can be modded to run off of a set of a/v cables rather than the coax/rf line original to the systems. If I was to run the coax line to a switch, and then run a/v, s-video, or whatever to the TV .......would there be a picture improvement (less noise than if running off of rf/coax)?

Sorry for the confusing post but I am just wondering if a solution exists before modding existing systems to connect to inputs on my TV

Thanks

Bob

[SavannahLion]

Hhmm...

You're looking for a video switch. Not an overly complex bit of hardware. However....
There are several types. The most common is simply a box with two or more lines out with one line out with a hard switch to switch between them. The most basic of basic models is generally a 1->4 A/V switch. I bought one for about $20 dollars back in the day. Good luck finding them now when most video components are using composite or even HDMI (coax might still be around though). If you're willing to shell out the dough, you can get one with all sorts of features, such as a remote control, different video feeds, even some measure of "intelligent" switching. However, you'll very quickly reach a price point that exceeds the total sum value of all your "retro" consoles. Absolutely not worth it after a fashion.

In a nut shell, the cheapest way to go about it is to group the consoles by the type of video out and to buy the appropriate switches based on those video outs. Unless you've got HDMI or composite, none of the basic switches should set you back very much money. I would guess $20 each, but there's market production to consider. I haven't looked at prices in yonkers.

As for converting coax to something with better video quality. Don't bank on it. That kind of "upconverting" is expensive and there's really no way to snooker data out of a cable that simply isn't there. Most of the video improvement mods to the older consoles tap into the IC's before any mixing occurs. My point is, the device that would "improve" whatever feed you've got coming in off the 2600 would cost more than the 2600 and the entire library. Might as well put that money towards a decent PC that emulates the 2600 and a dozen other consoles and skip the whole converting step altogether.

edit: After reading your post a second (and third) time, it kind of sounds like you already know what you're up against. Seems like you're hoping against hope that someone found a "better" solution. Sorry.

[syph007]

I thought the old systems that connected via coax were just passthroughs?  Why cant you daisy chain them all together, and then the only one that is turned on will have its signal sent though?  or am I think of this wrong... but I swear I remember doing this back in the day.

[bob5150]

I suppose I am looking for something that may be too expensive or may not exist due to the technology being long outdated. Switching all of my consoles and upconverting.......at the same time. Guess I was hoping for too much.

My plan is now to try to daisy-chain the coax-only consoles(thanks for reminding me...I remember doing that too) or mod them to an A/V connector. I'll grab an a/v switch box, which appear to be pretty cheap and will allow me to splint a single line into the TV. As my console collection grows, I may be able to  buy additional switches to use the 2 additional A/V inputs. I was looking at the back of the TV and there appears to be a component connection as well so I may even hook up the Wii (I have some arcade shooters and the VC games may add to the retro feel of the arcade room).

I appreciate the help and I am starting to really get psyched about this "project".....I have a feeling that I'll be dropping some coin on those consoles I never owned (price check...Neo Geo).

Thanks

Bob

[hypernova]

I thought the old systems that connected via coax were just passthroughs?  Why cant you daisy chain them all together, and then the only one that is turned on will have its signal sent though?  or am I think of this wrong... but I swear I remember doing this back in the day.

They were.  They had to.  How else were you going to watch your episode of Dallas after a round of Pitfall?

[AtomSmasher]

I thought the old systems that connected via coax were just passthroughs?  Why cant you daisy chain them all together, and then the only one that is turned on will have its signal sent though?  or am I think of this wrong... but I swear I remember doing this back in the day.

They were.  They had to.  How else were you going to watch your episode of Dallas after a round of Pitfall?

Yup, I remember having three or four systems daisy chained together on the same tv.

[danny_galaga]

Most of my consoles have composite, so i use a 3 way switchbox. I'd prefer more ways, but three was readily available. A tip if you buy something like that. You can get $5 jobs with push button switches, but chances are it won't even work straight out of the blister pack! The ones I use have a rotary switch and cost about $25. In fact this is the exact one. It even has a retro look to it with it's anodised aluminium knob and aluminium case (",)

My master system is coax but i know it can be modded to eithe s-video or composite or summink. And I'm pretty sure the 2600 can be modded too. But otherwise, as the others have said, you could daisy chain your coax consoles in one group and switch box the others...

[missioncontrol]

Daisy chain them

[SavannahLion]

Daisy chaining only works up to a degree before you get too much degradation in the signal. It was one console that really exasperated the problem too. I want to say it was the 2600 or an early Atari, but seeing as how I've never used the manual switches with any of my Atari's it's probably a later console. Genesis perhaps?

In any case, if a particular console is showing a lot of static, move that particular one farther down the chain.

From the OP, I got the impression he was trying to connect a variety of connections, not just coax. Is this not the correct assessment?

[northerngames]

there's ton's of coax box's out there I may have one still that has 6 ins to 1 out but have to look.

you could also mod the console's for composite or use a coax to composite convter and use a composite box instead of coaxial.

just google image search until you see what you need really.

[DillonFoulds]

Seconded Northerngames' post.I used a splitter (well, merger, i suppose) just like what he described. It was super helpful, because the signals all get the same chance to be first in line, rather than next down the line. When you're chaining coax cables, once you get to about 3 or 4, you'll really start to see the static on the consoles furthest the TV.

At least with a merger you'll get decent signal quality from all the machines.

[huygens]

gamesx has a great selection of console video mod guides if you decide to go that rout. I've done an s-video mod on a 2600 and its not that difficult.

[Frigo]

gamesx has a great selection of console video mod guides if you decide to go that rout. I've done an s-video mod on a 2600 and its not that difficult.

Where is this "great selection" you speak of? I see a NES Mod, some PS mods and a bunch of broken links.

[Malenko]

gamesx has a great selection of console video mod guides if you decide to go that rout. I've done an s-video mod on a 2600 and its not that difficult.

Where is this "great selection" you speak of? I see a NES Mod, some PS mods and a bunch of broken links.

not to mention it tries to install spyware and virus ---steaming pile of meadow muffin--- on the PC

[Howard_Casto]

I'll agree with the others... using splitters is the way to go.  Since no more than one console will ever be on at once, there's no need for switch boxes.  And also, as the others have said, daisy chaining is NOT the same and it will lead to signal degredation. 

Also something of note is the fact that if you are hooking up older systems (atari's ect..) ditch the old-fashioned rf switch immediately!!!  Those things cause more signal degredation than anything else.  Go down to the rat shack and pick up a rca to coaxial (type f) adaptor.  Now you screw it directly into the cable line of the tv.  If you want to watch tv on this thing then you'll need a single, manual a/b switch for the coaxial stuff ONLY.  Hook all of your consoles to line a and the cable to line b.  You are done.    While you are at the rat shack you can pick up Y cables for virtually everything.  Those are what you use to hook up multiple  consoles to a single input. 

Also about up-converting.  It doesn't really work so don't bother.  Sure you can hack an atari for svid out, but don't you remember the graphics on the average atari game?  Yes now that unidentifiable blob of boxes is sharper than ever!  The same goes for xx to vga adaptors.... garbage in, garbage out.  The only reason to ever pick one of those up is if you are trying to be cheap and use a computer monitor, which is vga only, as a monitor for game consoles. 

[DillonFoulds]

To be quite honest, if it came down to using a computer monitor, I'd be using some RGB outputs from as many of the consoles as I could :S

[huygens]

Where is this "great selection" you speak of? I see a NES Mod, some PS mods and a bunch of broken links.

To be more specific: http://gamesx.com/wiki/doku.php?id=matrix A bit hard to find.
I've never had a problem with the wiki vis a vis viruses. All the links are good except for the Odysee 2 and the Atari 7800 (the Atari 7800 link is accessible via archive.org)