Dreamcast video connections (1 Viewer)

[ChrisV]

Alright Dreamcast experts, I recently picked up one of these bad boys and have a question about the video options.

First a little background I suppose. I have a non-progressive TV with a PS2 hooked up via component cables. I have tried the PS2 with composite, s-video, and component and found that the component connection is far superior to the s-video, at least on my TV.

Now we come to my problem. My recently purchased DC is currently hooked up with the default composite cables that it comes with. This is no good. What I want to know is should I get s-video, component, or a VGA adapter for the DC? Keeping in mind that with the PS2 hooked up there are no more component connections available. Is the difference worth the hassle of swapping connections all the time? Should I just forget it and hook it up to my computer monitor?

Thanks,

Chris.

 

[Michael St. Clair]

Frankly, I'd go the VGA route, and get an s-video cable for when you have family/friends playing and want a bigger screen.

Once you play 480p for a while, you won't want to go back.

 

[Kip]

Yeah, I gotta go with Michael there. The Dreamcast through the VGA adaptor is a sight to behold. Once you've tried it, it's hard to go back.

The s-video connection is a nice backup when you just have to play on the TV.

BTW: I'm not aware of any component connectors for the Dreamcast. Do they exist, and if so do they allow 480p on your TV?

Kip

 

[ChrisV]

Alright, guys, sounds like a plan. Although, I was kind of hoping someone would suggest a component connection to give me an excuse to upgrade to a receiver with component switching.

 

[NickSo]

The best would be VGA. The downside is that you can only play infront of a computer monitor... but you can shell out $150 or so and buy a VGA-to-component adaptor, which will output as a 480p signal for a HDTV.. THAT would look sweet...
I recommend the NAKI VGA box. Its cheap ($12.99 last i saw at ebgames.com), and it has VGA out as well as a 1/8" stereo output (for computer speakers), RCA L/R analog outputs, Composite and Svideo output too. So you wont have to swap cables or buy another Svideo cable...

 

[Len Cheong]

What's better, using a vga adaptor or using an iscan pro on an hdtv? On the iscan pro, one would use the svideo connection from the dc and connect the iscan to the hdtv via component. Just wondering.

 

[Bergan Peters]

I don't think the DC will throw out a 480p signal if it's not connected to the VGA adaptor.

 

[NickSo]

VGA box by far... because the VGA box is natively in 480p, it doesnt upconvert a 480i signal to 480p, it already is in 480p.

The ISCANPro is a line doubler of sorts, that will take a 480i signal, and double the lines to create a 480p signal. YOu'll get the same effect (maybe not as good) if you hooked the DC up with svideo to your HDTV, as the TV will also line-double it to 480p.

 

[ChrisV]

Alright, I have another question. Where to get the VGA box, and which one? I've scoured the town, and there are none for sale locally. So obviously I'll be going to the web for this one.

Whoops, missed Nick's post, I'll check that one out.

 

[Jason Handy]

Addendum to this discussion:

How MUCH better are the graphics when using the VGA box? I acquired a VGA-component converter box for X-mas (hey, santa is high-tech!), and I am hoping to have my VGA box by late next week. The current issue I have with DC graphics is that there are a ton of jaggies when played on my Tosh 50H81. The Tosh upconverts from 480i to 540p, and I hope that once I start feeding it a native progressive signal, then it will look a LOT better. But am I wasting my time? Are the jaggies here to stay? Thanks.

Jason

 

[Wolf Jenkins]

I can highly reocmmend the VGA adapter. VGA from the DC pretty much rocks. If you have a HDTV RPTV witha VGA in (like my Mits) it's nirvana. Else, play it on a VGA monitor; that pretty much kicks butt too. If you've got a good size one - 19 or 21", it's pretty sweet. IMHO, it looks better than a lot of PS2 stuff.

 

[Jason Handy]

Thanks Wolf...do you have any screenshots of the DC powered by a VGA adapter? Especially of NFL 2K1 - the jaggies are most apparent in this game, due to the field lines.

Jason

 

[NickSo]

The VGA box DOES show more jaggies because lines aren't blurred by the low-resolution of the TV, but it just makes everything sharper and everything is much clearer.
I think the tradeoff is in favour of the VGA Box.
I would love to see DC on a HDTV using a VGA-to-Component adaptor... those suckers are like $150... i dont got that kind of money... :p)
Ill see if i can get a couple screens of it playing on vga, but dont expect it to be very clear since im gonna use my DV Camcorder to take a snapshot and transfer it using an Svideo (should've waited for the DV connection... )

 

[Michael Hudson]

I am using the VGA on my Proscan 36in semi Hi Def TV and it looks great.

 

[Bill Slack]

You can buy the RCA VGA->Component transcoder on eBay for about $40-$50. There are a ton of them being sold by a surplus dealer.
I was about to go this route with my DC but my brother was kind enough to give me an X-Box for Christmas...