Retro console upscalers

[BAcon]

Hi all,
I want to get all of my consoles from the loft and set up a retro gaming corner in my small office.

It would include PS1, PS2, PS3, original Xbox, 360, plus I'd want to add an N64 to it later if I can find a nice deal.

TV wise I have an old 40" Samsung 1080p LCD I can use, it's old, 2012, will check, but assume it will have a scart plus usual hdmi etc.

Which upscaler do you recommend?

I know a CRT will work better for the PS2 and older, but I don't have room for 2 TVs in this space!

Cheers

 

[OpenToSuggestions]

I recommend an OSSC such as this (first hit in Google, so not recommending any specific model or retailer). This will work with all your consoles and is far cheaper than getting individual HDMI adapters for each console.

Open Source Scan Converter (OSSC) V1.8

The worlds best zero lag retro gaming upscaler and video converter is now even better.

videogameperfection.com

Loads of used options on Ebay too.

Then I would use a high quality scart block so all consoles can be plugged in at once - Note that this is 100% optional. I have an auto switching one from Otaku Games (website seems to be dead?) but it only detects RGB enabled consoles, so the NES and N64 were no good. Make sure you get yourself a decent scart cable to go between the scart block and the OSSC too. You can get away with £5 scart cables for each console to the scart block - Yes it is not as good, but at £25 per fancy scart cable the price gets silly.

Whatever you do, avoid a cheap upscalers as they are awful.
Also avoid cheap scart switches - They have poor picture quality and your speakers will really hiss.

Using an LCD/Plasma tele with consoles plugged into the scart socket is a big no. The picture will be appalling since the TV doesn't know what to do with it. I am pretty sure the OSSC can deinterlace too which helps the OG Xbox and PS2 since they typically outputted 480i. Your PS3 will be pretty much fine plugged right into the TV HDMI port. The OSSC is not cheap, but it will be great value. I don't have one myself as I use an old CRT tele, but >25" non-widescreen ones these days are rare and pricey. Keep in mind for light gun games you will need a CRT (no idea about the Wii though, never owned one).

As I am a massive retro nerd, keep an eye out for the whole NES/SNES/Megadrive/PS1/PS2/N64 PAL vs NTSC argument as often the PAL version was sluggish and the picture was squished vs NTSC. A common example is Sonic 1, but not all games can be forced into 60hz mode.

The OG Xbox, GC and Dreamcast would ask upon bootup if you wanted 50hz or 60hz, which meant the PAL vs NTSC argument was void, but the PS2 never seemed to.
There are lots of hard and soft mods to get a better picture or force 60hz on a range of consoles, but console modding chat is not for these forums .

I have eddted this response more times than I can count!
Please post back with pictures of whatever route you pick .

 

[BAcon]

Thank you, that really helps.

I do recall the PAL/NTSC 50/60hz discussion back when I was a young un!

Mainly around Japanese and American imports requiring NTSC and why I wouldn't be able to play them on my PAL kit!

I have looked over the last year at CRT prices and they are indeed a bit spendy! I could still go that route, but would need to set the PS3 a 360 on the pc monitor and then sort out the sound output. Might be easier tbf ...

 

[cyclonus10]

Ha ha, still got my US SNES, remember the first day I got it, turned it on and the picture was in black and white. Had the wrong scart lead, waited another day for my RGB scart lead to turn up. Super Ghouls'n'Ghosts

Best/worst example of the NTSC debate was Street Fighter 2, that 17.5% speed difference made my mate swap his PAL UK SNES for a US one after he played it on my SNES

 

[pingwing]

100% you want an OSSC if you're only going to 1080p, even if it has built in SCART, such a good bit of kit getting pretty much any console (PAL or NTSC) on a modern TV.

CRT's are cool but to be honest they're all on the last legs and things like coil wine from the components in them is horrible to hear now, same for the practical problem of actually storing the thing, without a good dedicated space you're a bit trapped moving it about a lot and possibly damaging it (my last one didn't survive a stint in storage and has some dry solder joints preventing the tube getting going).