Dreamcast VGA to HDMI - Worth It??

[artphotodude]

The answer is HELL YA'!!

I few weeks back I bought one of these: http://cgi.ebay.com/1080P-VGA-Audio-HDT ... 2c593621ee
and am very pleased to report the quality is Fabulous (sharper than the Wii with component) and while it does not upscale the picture, the overall effect is great compared to the standard S-Video DC cable. So you do not have a VGA-in on your TV, this is very worth doing.

[Jamisonia]

sell below

[Jamisonia]

http://www.monoprice.com/products/produ ... 1&format=2

http://www.monoprice.com/products/produ ... 1&format=2

You should have searched for this first on the racketboy forum. I posted a thread about this one from Monoprice that actually combines the sound onto the HDMI cable as well. CRTGamer also has a section about it. Its a good product for those who don't have a VGA port on their HDTVs, althought as my tests though, it stretches the picture slightly into a full 4:3 or 16:9 frame, when in actuality DC games, like most games run slightly narrower I believe to compensate for overscan.

The you bought is slightly cheaper however, since it ships free.

[Croooow!]

What was the total cost for everything? I've been thinking about getting a Dreamcast again and was looking at setting it up to HDMI but I'm wondering how much a VGA cord, converter box, and HDMI cable will run me when its all said and done.

[artphotodude]

What was the total cost for everything? I've been thinking about getting a Dreamcast again and was looking at setting it up to HDMI but I'm wondering how much a VGA cord, converter box, and HDMI cable will run me when its all said and done.

I picked mine up for about $36.00 and then spent $6 for an HDMI cable on ebay. All I can say is if you are a Dreamcast fan, this is the only way to take these old critters into the future.

[sevin0seven]

hmmm....i wonder how this one would affect the Wii resolution on possibly 720p output??

http://www.monoprice.com/products/produ ... 1&format=2

http://www.monoprice.com/products/produ ... 1&format=2

edit: from a reviewer:

Pros: Works great for the Nintendo Wii, gives you nice 720p video and it looks a lot more cleaner than the 480p I was getting. Anybody owning a Wii and has a HDTV must get this, it really works great. 720p is a lot better then 480p.
I am also using my Wii for Netflix, and finally I am getting 720p with Netflix also...

...interesting.

[Croooow!]

Pros: Works great for the Nintendo Wii, gives you nice 720p video and it looks a lot more cleaner than the 480p I was getting. Anybody owning a Wii and has a HDTV must get this, it really works great. 720p is a lot better then 480p.
I am also using my Wii for Netflix, and finally I am getting 720p with Netflix also...

If I could hook my Wii up to this as well and get 720p I'm sold.

[artphotodude]

hmmm....i wonder how this one would affect the Wii resolution on possibly 720p output??

http://www.monoprice.com/products/produ ... 1&format=2

http://www.monoprice.com/products/produ ... 1&format=2

edit: from a reviewer:

Pros: Works great for the Nintendo Wii, gives you nice 720p video and it looks a lot more cleaner than the 480p I was getting. Anybody owning a Wii and has a HDTV must get this, it really works great. 720p is a lot better then 480p.
I am also using my Wii for Netflix, and finally I am getting 720p with Netflix also...

...interesting.

This will not hold a candle to a VGA to HDMI box. Even if it upscans, it is upscanning only one-field of the original interlaced image (only 50 % of the original image data). The best boxes like this are the Component to Digital transcoders like:

http://cgi.ebay.com/HD-Component-Video- ... 3a5616351a

but even then, they really only work if the incoming signal is already in progressive scan (actually pretty decent for original XBox, or Progessive-Scan PS2).

The only really good way to do what you are suggesting with interlaced video is the famed XRGB transcoders. They use a technique called field-scaling that scales both interlaced fields and essentially doubles all the information and then outputs it as though it were a Progressive signal to the monitor. Incidentally, this is the same technique used internally by the last generation of Sony Wega HD Tube sets (when you select DRC Interlaced mode) - so you might actually find one of these GREAT old TVs on craigslist for less money than buying the transcoder, and then you could use it for your modern consoles in 1080i also!

[sevin0seven]

Incidentally, this is the same technique used internally by the last generation of Sony Wega HD Tube sets (when you select DRC Interlaced mode) - so you might actually find one of these GREAT old TVs on craigslist for less money than buying the transcoder, and then you could use it for your modern consoles in 1080i also!

and i happen to have a Sony Wega HD Tube (with HDMI)

[artphotodude]

Incidentally, this is the same technique used internally by the last generation of Sony Wega HD Tube sets (when you select DRC Interlaced mode) - so you might actually find one of these GREAT old TVs on craigslist for less money than buying the transcoder, and then you could use it for your modern consoles in 1080i also!

and i happen to have a Sony Wega HD Tube (with HDMI)

They are not really good for light-gun games, but for everything else, it simply doesn't get any better!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! You others can keep your LED sets, I would rather play a CRT ANYDAY!