Wii component quality across console revisions

[Andykara2003]

Hi, I wonder if any of the more knowledgable members can help me with this?

It is well known that the Wii has poor component image quality. Gamecube component is much clearer:

Example : http://retrorgb.com/gamecubevswii.html

Apparently, some of the later Wii hardware revisions had slightly better image quality than the earlier Wiis via component though.

I've been told that these might be later models - RVL-101 - the ones that had no Gamecube ports.

Does anyone have any more in depth information as to exactly which hardware revisions have this 'upgrade' in image quality?

Cheers

[lilshawn]

i've always used the analog output of the gamecube.

http://ramblings.narrabilis.com/gamecube-progressive-scan-cable

[Andykara2003]

Thanks for that. You're right, the Gamecube has a significantly better 480p component quality than the Wii - I only play GC games in 480p via component on a Gamecube for that reason & the quality as awesome.

I'm talking about the quality across Wii revisions though. There is an opinion that at least one revision of the later RVL-101 (non cube compatible) Wii version has a better component output. I'm hoping to hear from someone who has specific knowledge of the video output chips of the revisions of the RVL-101.

[northerngames]

monitor and it's settings would play a role in that and in the link the guy probably forgot that sometimes tv's still need a tune and why they still have menu/os built into them and now with various video modes.

could be the monitor itself if it dont care for 480p becuase it was made to like 1080P etc. then the higher res is going to look better and not just becuase there are more pixels.

so whats the big deal of the single fixed 480P res over the wii version?

if you have it for the qube already then why care about a wii revision that does not support the gamecube anyhow?

keep the qube for the qube and get the revised wii for the better display for the wii games if that is even fact but I am not even sure the two differ in the link as multiple monitors running the same progressive 480 side by side would be more believable but even a setting on the monotrs os can change that right around type thing.

heck I had a old 17" $3 garage sale lcd display fallout 3 on my pc better then my $300 24" asus so I played it on it cheapo!! 

[pbj]

Yeah, I'm not buying this based on the photos you've linked.

Not sure what's up with all the Gamecube love around here lately.  Guess all the 5 year olds that got it for Christmas are going to college.

[Andykara2003]

monitor and it's settings would play a role

I use only well tuned high end CRT monitors - including an NEC XV29 plus and a BVM-20E1E

could be the monitor itself if it dont care for 480p becuase it was made to like 1080P

No, I'm just using 480p CRTs for this.

so whats the big deal of the single fixed 480P res over the wii version?

There is quite a big difference, it's fairly well known

if you have it for the qube already then why care about a wii revision that does not support the gamecube anyhow?

My interest is based on wanting to improve image quality for Wii games  and how different Wii revisions compare. I have my Gamecube for GC games.

Yeah, I'm not buying this based on the photos you've linked.

The guy who made this is very knowledgable. If you're in doubt it's totally understandable. If you do a bit of reseach, though, you'll see that this is pretty common knowledge amongst retro gamers

Not sure what's up with all the Gamecube love around here lately.  Guess all the 5 year olds that got it for Christmas are going to college.

I was in my mid 20's when the Gamecube was released

[northerngames]

so in the end you already answered your own question?

you need a wii with no gamecube support since it is the latest revision with a supposed updated GPU.

there is no upgrading the older wii with GC support GPU if it differs so I am lost here anymore 

[Andykara2003]

No, the point is that we do not know which of the later non-'cube RVL-101 Wiis have the upgraded component. We can't assume that all of the RVL-101 consoles do - I know that not all of the RVL-101 consoles have the better component as I have a PAL one and it is no different to an RVL-001.

RetroRGB doesn't have any of them anymore so we don't know how to identify them. If I could find someone who knew how to do so - for example if they were within a range of serial numbers - then I could target some on ebay by asking the seller what the serial number is.

[ballboff]

For the little amount of quality it will improve I really don't see the point.  I use a component cable on my wii, and it's one of the old versions I think as it has gamecube support.  I hated the gamecube so I wouldn't want to test any of those games, but from what i've seen so far it improves the picture quality over standard scart connection so that was good enough for me.  If you put 2 tv's side by side with the improved gpu on one, and the standard wii on the other, I doubt you could tell the difference unless you were stood about an inch away from the screen.

[Andykara2003]

You might be right.....  Or maybe not.

The only way to be sure would be to do a real world test. I am collecting a few PAL and NTSC RVL-101s at the moment for this purpose.

The difference between the Gamecube and Wii component output is quite striking though. I guess it also depends on how much you care about image quality. If you're not that bothered about it then there's no point certainly.

[northerngames]

this is plain myth I see no evidence of the wii's gpu changing for the better in a console with less support esp running the same gpu.

the new mini does not even have a component out.

as for the wii there is the gamecube supported version and the non supported version but yet both run the same gpu and have the same exact output coming from the same exact chip.

board revision's mean nothing in this dept.

who ever told you there was a difference in the wii's display by board version is smokin boulders bud.

[Andykara2003]

The fact that you are prone to making sweeping statements like this without empirical evidence or detailed understanding of what is involved makes you hard to take seriously.

If you were to actually do the research instead of spout opinion as fact you would see that the Wii has had 3 AV chip revisions:

AVE-REL BU9055EKV - http://www.logictoyz.com/nintendo-wii/nintendo-wii-spare-parts/wii-u6-ave-rvl-bu9055ekv-audio-video-encoder-dac.html

AVE-REL BU9955EKV - http://www.logictoyz.com/nintendo-wii/nintendo-wii-spare-parts/nintendo-wii-u6-ave-rel-bu9955ekv-audio-video-encoder-dac.html

AVE-RVL A C8391 - http://www.logictoyz.com/nintendo-wii/nintendo-wii-spare-parts/wii-u6-ave-rvl-a-c8391-audio-video-encoder-dac.html

I am specifically looking to hear from people with actual in depth knowledge of this particular subject so with respect and no hard feelings at all, I will refrain from answering any more of your posts as this thread is about facts and not opinions.

[northerngames]

all 3 Wii U6 AVE-RVL

same chips same bios same size different manufactures of chip is the only difference there bud.

with close to 3000k post here alone and 25 years of green board work apparently I am still lost and only have opinion's.

until this myth is proven I am done here too lol.

[Andykara2003]

OK no worries mate no hard feelings

I'll get back here if anything significant turns up..

[SavannahLion]

I wouldn't immediately put the idea that the there are Wii's with slightly different GPU revisions and board revisions resulting in slightly different visual quality. It's not unheard of, Genesis is notorious for having crappier and crappier audio chips and board layout with each new revision. IIRC, I have a 2600 with a slightly different layout around the video output that don't quite match the schematic on AtariAge (not enough to get into a ruckuss about though).

Unfortunately, I don't think that anything short of buying your Wii and taking the damn thing apart are you ever going to know which GPU is in there. The reason is that those three GPU models are interchangeable according to that website. I can't read the date code on either of the three images, but seeing as how the BU9955EKV is the only one in stock leads me to think it's also the only one being manufactured (A quick search on Ali-baba shows the BU9055EKV has an asking price of $80/per, though I didn't dig all that much into it).

Even more importantly, it's possible that an older Wii can have a newer GPU. I think my Wii is the older model (I can't remember if I got a "replacement" or my original back on that repair.) Nintendo in their immense stupidity lumped together three different sub systems (Graphics, Audio, ARM) on the same chip. I have a post around here that describes it. Logically would use what's in stock, if they simply yanked the defective chip and put the new one in.

[lilshawn]

Logically would use what's in stock, if they simply yanked the defective chip and put the new one in.

with the debacle with what was the update that killed the GPU (made it artifact from being overheated while being OFF and nintendo took them back) i wouldn't undoubtedly think this may be the case. They've likely replaced the GPU's in them with newer versions of the chips.

it's a crap shoot really.

Still, don't forget we are talking about a console whose maximum resolution was 480p...not sure exactly what kind of performance you're looking to achieve.    1080p is still upscaled 480p. granted when upscaled to 1080p any advantage could possibly result in a better image.

this sounds more and more like a "you must play arcade games on their native resolution monitors" thing.