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Old Consoles on new HDMI TV's


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Forgive my console noobness but I'm sure I've read somewhere here that there is a device that will allow me to run my old consoles on a HDMI TV but not lose that awesome look that they had on old CRT TV's? Want to run Megadrive, SNES, Dreamcast and such. Is it just an upscaler or is there a particular video game converter of choice?

 

Thanks!!

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I know but it’s for a shop that already has an lcd tv in place.

 

Fair enough.

 

If you're talking a device to change the aspect ratio of a signal and also add scanlines though, I think they aren't cheap !

 

A straight SLG will give you the CRT look but it wont change the format to 4:3 which is pretty vital for retro consoles.

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If you're rich you can go for a device such as the OSSC.

 

If you're poor like me grab an RGB scart to HDMI encoder. They work really well and are under $50. Crisp picture but no scanlines, see above option for that.

 

Best utilising an RGB connection, most consoles have this natively and just need the appropriate cable. The consoles that don't can easily be modded.

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This is the model you want.

 

https://m.ebay.com.au/itm/KD-SCART-HDMI-to-HDMI-720P-1080P-HD-Audio-Video-Converter-Scaler-Box-US-Plu/152978316757?hash=item239e37ddd5:g:GeoAAOSwDZtZ1Y4r

 

I can't vouch for that particular seller, just showing you which type to buy. Avoid the rectangular ones with blue lettering, they perform poorly.

 

- - - Updated - - -

 

P.s. I use the same device to run a supergun to a modern TV. Works brilliantly. You can get devices to add scanlines to the mix, ArcadeForge sell a scart based solution, but honestly it doesn't look right. Scanlines are way too thick. I'm happy just having a crisp picture that shows pixels as intended.

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I have got the OSSC ver 1.5 and so far am finding it fine, possily going to get a ver 1.6 for extra input/outputs audio wise. If you think your going to have a RGB setup with more than 5 consoles than I think its a worthwhile investment.
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Would something like this work @Hashman ?

 

https://www.ebay.com.au/itm/YPbPr-RGB-Component-Audio-R-L-to-HDMI-Converter-Full-HD-1080p/112048830205?hash=item1a16a176fd:g:oUkAAOSwZ1BXfHPQ

 

Not sure how it would go with the screen ratio , but is that something you can change in the settings of the TV .

 

That is the exact same one I put inside classic Xboxes. HDMI plug on the back of the machine and and no more original hard to get lead sets required.

 

I set the machine to out component 720p, feed the component signal into that converter and HDMI @720p comes out.

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Gonna try out Franks eBay converter first. Ossc does look very nice though but I’ll try cheap first. :)

 

Thanks heaps for all the input.

Stop being a tight ass and buy yourself a OSSC...All boils down to what tv you have and pending how anal you are with pixel quality...If you can afford to buy high end pinball in 4 or 5 figures pinballs then you might as well buy the best..:lol

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Stop being a tight ass and buy yourself a OSSC...All boils down to what tv you have and pending how anal you are with pixel quality...If you can afford to buy high end pinball in 4 or 5 figures pinballs then you might as well buy the best..:lol

 

Haha yes yes Leo. I have already been looking at them. They look tops. They were out of stock of the power supplies. So was waiting till they came in as well.

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One rule that always needs to be considered. You can't get a better video signal than what you start with no matter what video converter you use.

 

Up scaling does not suddenly give you more lines of video data, it simply fills the lines without data to those most near them and that is rather pointless when most modern TVs are quite capable of doing excellent upscaling already anyway.

 

After market upscalers can also be incompatible with some TVs brands as well resulting in a milky image. Using the TVs own upscaling ability avoids this possibility.

 

Go back to my original post where I said I fed in a 720p component signal and get out after the converter a 720p HDMI signal. No upscaling as I'm well aware the TV will do that part.

 

If you fed in a 240p signal no matter what the converter, you still only have 240p of data to work with and that is fact.

 

240p viewed on a regular 1080 LCD screen, you have only 240 lines of data and the rest are all "filled" by a logical equation based on the nearest lines with data. It is a compromise as those lines in between do not actually have any data so the upscaler make a logical conclusion on what they should be and "fills in the dots".

 

One thing I have learnt though is a progressive signal is for more desirable that an interlace signal. Progressive scans every line of data on every pass instead of all the odds lines on one pass then all the evens lines on the next pass or refresh.

 

That is the difference between a progressive signal as opposed to an interlace signal.

 

If you do plan on signal conversion you are far better doing it to a progressive signal than an interlace signal even if you have less lines like 720p as opposed to 1080i.

 

While the 1080 interlace signal has more lines of data, it refreshes at half the speed as the progressive signal and the faster refresh makes for a sharper picture.

 

Heaps of shit about this on the net if you care to read. Always a hot debate as some just blindly believe it is all about the lines 1080i as opposed to 720p even with less lines is the clearer cleaner image because the picture is "FULLY" refreshed every pass rather than only half and needing another complete pass to do the other half in essence making for a slower refreshing image.

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Just saw the price of those Dave. Not for me :P

 

Unfortunately not cheap :(

 

Also need decent rgb scart cables as mentioned by others. Some consoles need modifications for rgb too.

 

Good videos on YT from ‘my life in gaming’ guys

 

Chat soon

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Yep as mckie1 said some consoles do need modification for RGB output which can be cheap or expensive depending on your soldering levels. But I think going RGB is worth it.

 

My recommendations is

- Voultar for 1chip snes and snes jr/ famicom jr. pc engine duo family.

- ETIM for n64, atari 2600, NES

 

For other consoles look at retrorgb.com for help.

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This is the model you want.

 

https://m.ebay.com.au/itm/KD-SCART-HDMI-to-HDMI-720P-1080P-HD-Audio-Video-Converter-Scaler-Box-US-Plu/152978316757?hash=item239e37ddd5:g:GeoAAOSwDZtZ1Y4r

 

I can't vouch for that particular seller, just showing you which type to buy. Avoid the rectangular ones with blue lettering, they perform poorly.

 

- - - Updated - - -

 

P.s. I use the same device to run a supergun to a modern TV. Works brilliantly. You can get devices to add scanlines to the mix, ArcadeForge sell a scart based solution, but honestly it doesn't look right. Scanlines are way too thick. I'm happy just having a crisp picture that shows pixels as intended.

 

So that converts RGBS through SCART?

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