Affordable scanlines for retro consoles

[Spyke]

Hi.

I appreciate this might be a complex subject, but please bear in mind I'm not that technically minded.

I've watched some videos of retro consoles running through scanline generators into LCD TVs and I'd like to give it a go.

I'm thinking specifically of the Megadrive and Saturn consols which both have RGB SCART output. If I could also incorporate my PS2 and XBox 360,m so much the better, but I appreciate it might not be possible. Likewise, if I cna upscale the 4:3 image I get on my TV, all the better too.

So, I don't want to spend a fortune.

What can I get at reasonable budget that will give good quality scanlined image on my LCD TV and hopefully be relatively simple to set up?

Thanks!

Ant

[AppleQueso]

The SLG3000 is about $70. Combine that with something like the HDBox Pro (around $50) to convert the RGB signal to VGA, and you've got something manageable that's not too pricey.

If you want to get extra thrifty, don't mind losing a few options, and have some soldiering skill and tech knowhow, you can build a really simple scanline generator circuit. It's not as good as an SLG3000 as you can't adjust anything and pretty much just have on/off, but there you go.

For stuff like Dreamcast or 360, you won't even need the HDBox Pro, just a VGA cable for them. You'll need to keep the 360's VGA output limited to 480p though for it to work right.

[MrPopo]

Can someone explain to me why you want to see scanlines?

[Spyke]

Can someone explain to me why you want to see scanlines?

Certainly, and it may not be to everyone's taste.

It's kinda a retro thing, memories of arcade machines with that CRT-look screen and the "lines" going through the graphics. Plus, on LCD TVs the picture is very flat and smooth - almost too smooth. For the older games I play, I just think a more "organic" look would suit them better.

Like I said, it's probably a personal thing

Ant

[Spyke]

And thanks, AQ, I'll look into that!

[dunpeal2064]

Can someone explain to me why you want to see scanlines?

As far as 240p images are concerned, I think it looks much nicer. Without scanlines, you are getting your 240 lines put directly next to each other and then blown up, whereas with scanlines each of your 240 lines is being seperated by 240 lines of darkness, the way the image was intended to look. At least, this is how I understand things work, I could be wrong.

As for people that want their 480p images to have scanlines, that one I can't explain.

[AppleQueso]

Can someone explain to me why you want to see scanlines?

Helps sell the CRT look. It's especially nice on 240p stuff and sorta adds a degree of faux detail.

[Spyke]

Makes shmups look even better!

I've ordered a HDBox Pro just now, thanks. Looking for SLG 3000 next. At those prices if I don't like it it's not a lot to lose and I could always sell it on.

Ant

[AppleQueso]

Makes shmups look even better!

I've ordered a HDBox Pro just now, thanks. Looking for SLG 3000 next. At those prices if I don't like it it's not a lot to lose and I could always sell it on.

Ant

SLG3000 is only available from here: http://www.arcadeforge.de/

[AppleQueso]

Also, I'd reccomend checking out the shmups.system11.org hardware forum and this page: http://retrogaming.hazard-city.de/

not directly related to what you're doing necessarily, but there's going to be tons of useful info for you.