Retro console and games thread

kinger8938 said:
Im not very uptogether on cables etc.

My megadrive and n64 both have the red yellow and white cable? So would an rgb offer an advantage over these? Are they called component cables?

Ta
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I'm trying to get my head around all the cable options myself. The cables you describe are composite, they are not highly regarded but they're certainly better than RF.

PAL N64 doesn't support RGB, S-video is considered the 'best' video output for these but you have to be careful in getting a PAL modified one. This is the only site I know that sells them,

http://www.consolegoods.co.uk/

It's the same guy as in the links below but he doesn't sell the N64 cable on his eBay page for some reason.

Megadrive and Dreamcast both support RGB and these can be bought easily enough and just look like regular scart cables.

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Stereo-RG...541573?hash=item2eeb249fc5:g:husAAOSwuTxV-D96

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/RGB-Scart...hash=item2ca8855a56:m:m0qPZ6KwcC3CPB6B0a9EbQA
 
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bobbyspangles said:
I'm trying to get my head around all the cable options myself. The cables you describe are composite, they are not highly regarded but they're certainly better than RF.

PAL N64 doesn't support RGB, S-video is considered the 'best' video output for these but you have to be careful in getting a PAL modified one. This is the only site I know that sells them,

http://www.consolegoods.co.uk/

It's the same guy as in the links below but he doesn't sell the N64 cable on his eBay page for some reason.

Megadrive and Dreamcast both support RGB and these can be bought easily enough and just look like regular scart cables.

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Stereo-RG...541573?hash=item2eeb249fc5:g:husAAOSwuTxV-D96

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/RGB-Scart...hash=item2ca8855a56:m:m0qPZ6KwcC3CPB6B0a9EbQA
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Luckily my DC is being supplied with a scart so will get one for megadrive then! Will look into svideo for n64 too! Need my crt first!
 
bobbyspangles said:
It's a minefield! It's probably worth noting that 'scart' is just a plug type that can carry many different video signals. I'm guessing Barmy's blurry example shows composite video.
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The Mega Drive is connected to the Hama switch box, I linked to earlier, via an RGB SCART cable. The Hama box has an RGB button which switches the signal from Composite SCART to RGB SCART.

......................

I think :D
 
I'm a big advocate of PQ for retro consoles. I think i personally border on OCD when it comes to PQ. All my consoles are RGB. Majority I have modded to output RGB using raw sync.

Just to give you some examples of what RGB Snes and NES can pump out.

All captured directly off a CRT using a DSLR.

IMG_5544.jpg

IMG_5538.jpg

IMG_5948.jpg

Zelda.jpg
 
barmyllama said:
The Mega Drive is connected to the Hama switch box, I linked to earlier, via an RGB SCART cable. The Hama box has an RGB button which switches the signal from Composite SCART to RGB SCART.

......................

I think :D
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Just to clarify, SCART is just a plug, it can carry a variety of signals. This is where the confusion comes from. DE-15 plug (VGA plug for most people :)) can carry RGB along with horizontal and vertical sync signals. BNC is also a method of carrying RGB or YCbCr (component).
 
I'm very short on knowledge when it comes down to it, which is why I asked on here before I bought my MD.

That's why my Mega Drive and Master System are both mark 1's which are capable of RGB output.
 
barmyllama said:
I'm very short on knowledge when it comes down to it, which is why I asked on here before I bought my MD.

That's why my Mega Drive and Master System are both mark 1's which are capable of RGB output.
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Its a very confusing subject which gets most people when talking about cables and signal types.

A little bit of tech info for the MD. The MD actually uses Composite video for sync. Because of a design flaw in the video encoder in MD's this would introduce jailbars which were very visible in RGB.

You can actually modify the MD to utilize Raw Sync and drastically reduce the effect of the jailbars. This required completely disabling composite video (which is quite drastic for most people) by removing a small resistor from the mainboard. You then cut a trace and add a resistor and a capacitor. I did this mod on one of my MD's and it really did improve the PQ.
 
cee-S-dee said:
Its a very confusing subject which gets most people when talking about cables and signal types.

A little bit of tech info for the MD. The MD actually uses Composite video for sync. Because of a design flaw in the video encoder in MD's this would introduce jailbars which were very visible in RGB.

You can actually modify the MD to utilize Raw Sync and drastically reduce the effect of the jailbars. This required completely disabling composite video (which is quite drastic for most people) by removing a small resistor from the mainboard. You then cut a trace and add a resistor and a capacitor. I did this mod on one of my MD's and it really did improve the PQ.
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My soldering iron is still new in the box :D:D:D

I'm happy with picture quality I get with the MD and cables I have.

Mine has been modded to switch between PAL, NTSC and J-NTSC. But not by me.
 
cee-S-dee said:
This is the converter i use

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/New-NES-t...347799?hash=item3f38690ad7:g:fiwAAOSwnDZUAeS2

It can play pal games due to the Fami AV having no lockout chip. You have to be mindful though some games were pal optimised so don't play at the correct speed on NTSC machines causing sped up gameplay and the sound plays at a different pitch. That's actually a PAL copy of CV playing in that picture.

Regarding the Jaguar PSU, yeah its fine to use. I actually use one myself along with a MK1 megadrive PSU and have no issues. Its a well built PSU.
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Ok thanks.

kinger8938 said:
Oh so does megadrive 2 not support rgb?

My hdtv doesnt have scart at all so need to find a crt fast!
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The MD2 does but not the mastersystem 2 afaik. The MD1 and Mastersystem 1 can use the same RGB cable, i guess thats why Barmy went for those.
 
^^
Plus the fact I owned them originally as well.

I've been playing a lot of Power Strike on the Master System over the last few weeks. That's one tough game, I've only just managed to clear round two for the first time tonight.
 
I think TVs can accept more than one video signal through scart and somehow pick the best one. I noticed the N64 S-video cable consolegoods sell has both composite and S-Video, which both connect into the scart adapter plug. I'm not sure the point of this but it might explain how your box switches signal Barmy.

I just discovered I have a retrogamingcables MD RGB scart I didn't know about. It will be interesting to compare it with the composite cable I ordered yesterday when it arrives. I've never considered PQ much before but it makes sense to have the best :D
 
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craig_kennedy83 said:
Yey! Won a Saturn on eBay yesterday for 43 quid delivered!

Happy enough with that... Some poor games and two worth about 20 each!

Nice wee base to start my Saturn collection!
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Wow, very nice. The console alone has got to be worth that, and with games to boot! I've had some very questionable 'bargains' on eBay lately, but that's proof it can be done. :)
 
robgmun said:
If i was to get another C64 i would get the older breadbin version. The C64C version in your picture has the cheaper less good SID chip that doesn't do samples as well as the original version
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There are none bread bin versions with the good sid chip.

Three ways externally of telling before you buy.
 
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