CRT, LCD, Video Inputs, Lightgun HD and More Guides

[equalsign]

Turns out it was the monoprice component cables.

[benderx]

hi, Don't mean to bug. I just bought me a vga adapter for ps2... well results were somewhat unhappy. I plug ps2 into a device called G-Combo vga upscan, then into the lcd monitor. I have tried two lcd monitors, Sony 4:3 monitor flat screen. The quality on that one gave a ghosting wave scanline effect or composite somewhat blurry look. I had the device set to component, but it doesn't really look like component to me. I'm not expecting superb high resolution, but in between good gaming quality. I also tried a Dell widescreen HD monitor that gave the type blurry ghosting effect as before. Does anyone have this device G-combo? Or am I suppose to hook this up to a PC desktop tower. Here are some pictures of the device.
+Update+: Well I fixed the settings on the device a bit from brightness, contrast, sharpness. Still not good enough for me. Over all grade B- or C vga adapter. I tried to use GS mode scaler app, but it doesn't seem to allow vga or HD to upscale quality. The only reason why I put my vga here is because no one seems to have to it. This vga is out of production and no website or good instructions. If anyone out there has the blaze adapter and how its used (setup) please let me know, it may be similar to my device. I tried to use GSmodeselector for vga option latest version, but doesn't output the vga signal, scramble result.

[CRTGAMER]

hi, Don't mean to bug. I just bought me a vga adapter for ps2... well results were somewhat unhappy. I plug ps2 into a device called G-Combo vga upscan, then into the lcd monitor. I have tried two lcd monitors, Sony 4:3 monitor flat screen. The quality on that one gave a ghosting wave scanline effect or composite somewhat blurry look. I had the device set to component, but it doesn't really look like component to me. I'm not expecting superb high resolution, but in between good gaming quality. I also tried a Dell widescreen HD monitor that gave the type blurry ghosting effect as before. Does anyone have this device G-combo? Or am I suppose to hook this up to a PC desktop tower.

+Update+: Well I fixed the settings on the device a bit from brightness, contrast, sharpness. Still not good enough for me. Over all grade B- or C vga adapter. I tried to use GS mode scaler app, but it doesn't seem to allow vga or HD to upscale quality. The only reason why I put my vga here is because no one seems to have to it. This vga is out of production and no website or good instructions. If anyone out there has the blaze adapter and how its used (setup) please let me know, it may be similar to my device. I tried to use GSmodeselector for vga option latest version, but doesn't output the vga signal, scramble result.

According to this link you have Component coming from the PS2.

http://www.goldenshop.com.hk/AI-trad/Misc_htm/m_gcombo.htm

Connect your favorite game consoles (likes the x-box, PSX/PSX2, GC, DC , etc.) or AV devices to a PC VGA monitor. Specially designed for PSX2, but also works on all other consoles. Work fine on normal CRT VGA monitors and most of the TFT monitors. Component input on PSX2 for superior image.

Composite (Video or S-Video) input on others consoles.

The PS2 and PS3 use the same component so you are taking the best possible Analog output from your PS2. Have you tried this on a VGA CRT monitor? I suspect the same ghosting affect, but worth a try. Maybe the cable connections?

Out of curiosity, did you try a 480p compatible game set to 480p mode. In order to get the 480p, most PS2 games need a couple of buttons held during bootup.



My WEGA has this in the back:
2 RF
1 Composite
2 Composite shared 3 SVideo
2 Component
1 DVI for HDMI

A third Composite shared SVideo in the front is not used.

Multiple Switchboxes or one huge box?
A huge dedicated switchbox with all the input capabilities tends to be expensive. I prefer separate inexpensive boxes for each type of input. For example one Component input supports both DVD players and the wall unit DDR PS2. The other Component input gets a separate Switchbox for the main Component capable game consoles. A third switchbox is for the main SVideo and Composite game consoles. Then a fourth Switchbox is for the Laser Disc and wall unit PS1 and Dreamcast DDR consoles separate of the main gaming consoles. Another HDMI switchbox is used for the upscaler DVD player and Cable box. The CED player and VCR are shared thru the direct Composite input of the CRT. The two RF inputs are for analog cable TV if I want to bypass the cable box and the Atari 5200. Multiple Switchboxes are an initial hookup nightmare but have a very keen advantage.

The Advantage
If I had just one huge switchbox tying in all the inputs I would have to hit BOTH the TV remote input and the switchbox select input everytime I wanted to watch a DVD, Cable TV, CED, Laser Disc, VCR, Component Console, SVideo Console, Composite Console or the Atari RF output. With the multiple switch boxes I simply use the TV Remote input. I only have to select the switchbox if I have a different mood on a particular console that has a different type of output. For example I can play Gamecube Component or N64 SVideo simply by hitting the TV Remote input. The switchboxes are only used if I need to select a different console that utilizes its own specialty output such as SVideo.

[benderx]

well i just found out from the ebay seller "Ya I always went through my computers video card. I would try that and see how it goes." That is something I would like to try to see and what happens from there. I bought that product because I got it dirt cheap and took the chance. I'm very busy with college that work is cringing on my back even though I'm doing good. I would like to get tv/HD tv/ or that wega tv you have there. I'll keep you guys up to date with this device. Yes, I also did try 480p such games as Resident evil 4 got double screen. Beyond good and evil got 480p option except it didn't look like anything changed.

[Soldier Blue]

Have any advice on a good monitor for tate shumps?

[Jamisonia]

CRT its been awhile since i've been active here. I got into the LD scene really hard. But I'm back and I'm bringing what I learned over there here. Lets add some information about comb filters to the guide. Its something people should look for in a TV if they plan to use an NES or TG16. Because these systems require RGB modding to get anything better than composite, a comb filter maybe a better alternative. a 3D digital comb filter will yield results very close to s-video. A few Wega TVs, but not all of them, (or most of them) contained these filters. I posted a little about this in the Comb Filter NES thread in the hacks and mods section.

[CRTGAMER]

CRT its been awhile since i've been active here. I got into the LD scene really hard. But I'm back and I'm bringing what I learned over there here. Lets add some information about comb filters to the guide. Its something people should look for in a TV if they plan to use an NES or TG16. Because these systems require RGB modding to get anything better than composite, a comb filter maybe a better alternative. a 3D digital comb filter will yield results very close to s-video. A few Wega TVs, but not all of them, (or most of them) contained these filters. I posted a little about this in the Comb Filter NES thread in the hacks and mods section.

By all means please add your info to the thread, you researched it better then me. If you want I'll include your Quote back to the OP.

Someone on Craigslist in my town is selling a KV-36XBR400 for $100. Honestly, this TV is massive and I don't even know if I have a place to put such a thing, but do you think that's a pretty decent deal on the set? He says it's in "excelent condition" but never mentions if it actually works; I'm assuming it does though.

If you do not want a HD and considering 36" WEGAS are sometimes hard to come by YES! However you can find a large HD CRT usually around that price and sometimes cheaper. I would hit all the local Thrift stores first to get a comparison.

Be sure to test the TV in particular the Component connection. Bring a DVD Component player or game console to test.

KV-XBR400 Manual: http://www.docs.sony.com/release/KV32XBR400.PDF

[sabrage]

Someone on Craigslist in my town is selling a KV-36XBR400 for $100. Honestly, this TV is massive and I don't even know if I have a place to put such a thing, but do you think that's a pretty decent deal on the set? He says it's in "excelent condition" but never mentions if it actually works; I'm assuming it does though.

If you do not want a HD and considering 36" WEGAS are sometimes hard to come by YES! However you can find a large HD CRT usually around that price and sometimes cheaper. I would hit all the local Thrift stores first to get a comparison.

Be sure to test the TV in particular the Component connection. Bring a DVD Component player or game console to test.

KV-XBR400 Manual: http://www.docs.sony.com/release/KV32XBR400.PDF

Thanks for the reply/input. I don't think I need an HD CRT, as I run all my current-gen models through my computer monitor. Are there any HD CRTs besides Wegas I should keep my eye out for? More importantly, will any perform as well/better than this XBR for GCN, PS2 and older consoles? I guess I do have an OXbox that will be hooked up to it, so I'd like to explore my options.

[benderx]

Quick question do retro gamers prefer old standard tv to be flat or slightly curved on the edges of the screen? I found a Small Sony Triton tv except it was dammed sold. I wasn't sure if that tv had component slot. Or do you guys prefer old crt monitors instead?

[CRTGAMER]

Thanks for the reply/input. I don't think I need an HD CRT, as I run all my current-gen models through my computer monitor. Are there any HD CRTs besides Wegas I should keep my eye out for? More importantly, will any perform as well/better than this XBR for GCN, PS2 and older consoles? I guess I do have an OXbox that will be hooked up to it, so I'd like to explore my options.

Quick question do retro gamers prefer old standard tv to be flat or slightly curved on the edges of the screen? I found a Small Sony Triton tv except it was dammed sold. I wasn't sure if that tv had component slot. Or do you guys prefer old crt monitors instead?

I prefer a HD CRT for gaming while kicked back on the couch over playing at a computer monitor at the desk. WEGAs do have a good reputation, there are other brands that put out a good pic too. In today's very limited used market of HD CRTs, I would take any at a good price that worked. You can only get these local, shipping costs would be too high due to the weight involved.

The HD capability is great to get the higher resolutions even for older consoles such as the Gamecube and PS2 at 480p. NES and PS1 consoles also look just as good, the CRT is more forgiving then a LCD. The only drawback of the HD CRT is no Retro Lightgun or NES ROB Robot support.

Flat or curved screens are fine, the flat CRTs are just less curved, usually a better image and less reflection of the room lighting. Flat screen CRTs can be Standard or High Definition tubes.

As for CRT VGA monitors, they are small by comparison. They work well with a Dreamcast VGA box and support a DC Lightgun! I could not play Dreamcast House of the Dead anymore on my HD CRT, so I play it on the VGA CRT. The HD CRT works great with the Wii "lightgun" games.