Gamecube + VGA??

[Goz]

I've looked all over the place and for some unknown reason I can find a VGA adapter for practically every console known to man other than the Gamecube.

Anyone know if one exists?

I imagine I can go RCA ---> VGA via a converter, but I don't imagine the picture would be as sharp.

Ideas?

Thanks

-Goz

[versapak]

http://vdigi.com/index.php?option=content&task=blogcategory&id=67&Itemid=28


That device will take any (Y, Pr, Pb) component input and put it to VGA. I have not used one personally, but I have heard nothing but good things about them.

[pointdablame]

Lik-Sang.com has a VGA adapter specifically for NGC but it's out of stock.  That at least says they exist though.  If you go to their Gamecube section under VGA boxes, there are a number of universal VGA boxes.  I'd like to think that they'd work for Gamecube since it's under the Gamecube section... that's probably your best bet.

[Goz]

I actually have a universal RCA to VGA box and when the cube is plugged it, it displays on my hi res monitor, but the colors are off and look like the contrast is cranked. Since I am planning more things to be using the same monitor, I'm hoping not to need to adjust the monitor setting for each use.

-Goz

[Minwah]

I actually have a universal RCA to VGA box and when the cube is plugged it, it displays on my hi res monitor, but the colors are off and look like the contrast is cranked. Since I am planning more things to be using the same monitor, I'm hoping not to need to adjust the monitor setting for each use.

RCA is the poorest going so no surprises there...

If you can't get a VGA box all I can think is that you might be able to hack an RGB Scart lead, and convert the signal somehow from 15 > 31 khz.  No idea how you would do that, but it must be possible...

[Goz]

Funny thing is... any other console connected to the same box looks fine. Not as good as a true VGA output to a monitor, but doesn't suffer from the contrast issue.

Was thinking it would be cool to play Resident Evil 4 in a cab... Maybe I'll revisit this later.

Thanks

-Goz

[versapak]

Funny thing is... any other console connected to the same box looks fine. Not as good as a true VGA output to a monitor, but doesn't suffer from the contrast issue.

Was thinking it would be cool to play Resident Evil 4 in a cab... Maybe I'll revisit this later.

Thanks

-Goz

No need to revisit. I gave you a link to exactly what you would need.


It is not just some RCA composite => VGA adapter.  It takes component input from ANY source, and displays it on a VGA monitor, essentially turning your monitor into an HDTV.

The quality reports from every source I have known to have had one is that it is superb.

[Goz]

Funny thing is... any other console connected to the same box looks fine. Not as good as a true VGA output to a monitor, but doesn't suffer from the contrast issue.

Was thinking it would be cool to play Resident Evil 4 in a cab... Maybe I'll revisit this later.

Thanks

-Goz

No need to revisit. I gave you a link to exactly what you would need.


It is not just some RCA composite => VGA adapter.  It takes component input from ANY source, and displays it on a VGA monitor, essentially turning your monitor into an HDTV.

The quality reports from every source I have known to have had one is that it is superb.

Thanks but..... it isn't exactly what I was looking for. It still takes the output from RCA's to upscan it to the monitor. I'm familiar with devices like this I use an X2VGA to do Xbox to HDTV quality. The X2 differs as it takes VGA output and cranks it up. The device you refer to takes a crappy output and cranks it up.

-Goz

[versapak]

Thanks but..... it isn't exactly what I was looking for. It still takes the output from RCA's to upscan it to the monitor. I'm familiar with devices like this I use an X2VGA to do Xbox to HDTV quality. The X2 differs as it takes VGA output and cranks it up. The device you refer to takes a crappy output and cranks it up.

-Goz

You are clearly misunderstanding what that device is.

Component inputs are NOT crappy RCA inputs.

Component inputs are the standard Red, Green & Blue inputs used for High Definition stuff.

It does not take some crappy composite (standard crappy yellow RCA plug for video) signal and upconvert it to VGA. It takes a great 480p - 1080i input and displays it PROPERLY on a display capable of handling it.

[JB]

Thanks but..... it isn't exactly what I was looking for. It still takes the output from RCA's to upscan it to the monitor. I'm familiar with devices like this I use an X2VGA to do Xbox to HDTV quality. The X2 differs as it takes VGA output and cranks it up. The device you refer to takes a crappy output and cranks it up.

-Goz

You are clearly misunderstanding what that device is.

Component inputs are NOT crappy RCA inputs.

Component inputs are the standard Red, Green & Blue inputs used for High Definition stuff.

It does not take some crappy composite (standard crappy yellow RCA plug for video) signal and upconvert it to VGA. It takes a great 480p - 1080i input and displays it PROPERLY on a display capable of handling it.

Right. RCA is a connector, nothing more.
Composite and component video are both standards that use the RCA connector.

Re-stated and re-iterated because people have troubel grasping the concept(to the extent that they've insisted I was an idiot and RCA was the name of  composite video, not a plug)

[Goz]

Here's where it gets confusing.

info quoted from http://cgfm2.emuviews.com/gc.php

The GameCube has an analog A/V and digital A/V connector, which provide the following:

Analog A/V Out

    * Composite video
    * S-Video
    * RGB (PAL consoles ONLY, not available in NTSC consoles)
    * Stereo audio

The GameCube ships with a "Stereo A/V Cable" which has composite and stereo audio RCA plugs. Nintendo also makes a S-Video cable which is sold separately. In my experience, original and 3rd-party SNES "Stereo A/V Cable" and S-Video cables work fine with the GameCube. Nintendo also sells an adapter to get RF output from the GameCube, using the analog A/V connector.

Nintendo kept the RGB output intact for PAL GameCubes beacuse most European video hardware supports RGB through the widely-used SCART connector. In North America and Japan, the RGB connection type is not standardized, and 9-pin, 21-pin, 25-pin, and BNC connector interfaces all exist. In Japan the 21-pin type of connector somewhat more prevalent.

Digital A/V Out

    * Digital video (format unknown)
    * Digital audio (in Digital Audio Interface (DAI) format, not S/PDIF)
    * YPbPr / YCbCr component video (via component video cable only)
    * Analog RGB (via modified component video cable only)

There are no official or 3rd-party cables or adapters to enable RGB or digital audio output from the digital A/V port. Some inventive people have figured out how to modify Nintendo's component video cable for RGB output, and interface a DAI to S/PDIF conversion IC to the digital A/V connector, providing stereo 48KHz sound.

The component video cable has no audio outputs, you'll need to use the "Stereo A/V Cable" (packaged with the GameCube) in conjunction for sound.

The GameCube always boots up in 15KHz mode, and will switch to 31KHz (e.g. 480p, progressive-scan) if the 'B' button is held down during the boot sequence, and if the game supports a progressive scan display too. As far as I know this is only available from the component / RGB video output from the digital A/V port. RGB video from the Analog A/V port of a PAL GameCube is fixed at 15KHz (480i, interlaced) output only.

Am I missing something or does it not sound like RGB is output on NTSC (US) gamecubes?

-Goz

[AmericanDemon]

Hey Goz!  Here are the cables you seek, well sort of.  It gets the proper connections needed to use those converters stated in the rest of this thread.

D-Video Cable
http://www.ncsxshop.com/cgi-bin/shop/DOL-009.html

Component Cable
http://www.ncsxshop.com/cgi-bin/shop/DOL-010.html

[hooded_paladin]

Right, RGB is not output on NTSC consoles like the US ones.
But RGB isn't the same as component, which uses red, green and blue RCA plugs but isn't the same format, in case that's what's confusing you.

US GC's definitely output "YPbPr / YCbCr component video (via component video cable only)" through the Digital A/V Out port.

[JB]

Right, RGB is not output on NTSC consoles like the US ones.
But RGB isn't the same as component, which uses red, green and blue RCA plugs but isn't the same format, in case that's what's confusing you.

US GC's definitely output "YPbPr / YCbCr component video (via component video cable only)" through the Digital A/V Out port.

Actually...
The component video cable contains DACs to CREATE a component video(or RGB) signal from the digital video information carried in the digital AV port.

So while there IS a component video cable, the 'Cube doesn't output component video. If that makes sense.


Similarly, the component video cables can be modified to output true RGB through (if I recall) the flipping of a single jumper inside the cable, even though US 'Cubes don't output RGB..