Advice for Best 8-bit/16-bit Picture Quality

[Snatch1414]

(If there is a thread on this please advise and I will take this down)

So obviously a tube TV is the way to go here, but after that? I know of S-video and that it's better but that's about it. Can you get it for all older systems or just some? I have some system that have an RF unit and some that have AV cables. Is this an issue when trying to maximize the quality of them all on one TV? Lastly, is there a semi-painless way to have everything hooked up where you can pretty much press a button and play your system of choice? All I have now is an old game switch from GameStop haha.

For reference here is a list of consoles I want to hook up to this particular TV:

-NES
-Master System
-Genesis
-Saturn
-Dreamcast

Thanks

[dukenukem]

The saturn can be used for rgb if you buy a sony pvm,bvm crt monitor.

[Duke.Togo]

NES: Best you're going to get is composite, unless you mangle a Playchoice board for its PPU, or wait a little bit and buy a HDMI NES when RetroZone releases it.

Master System, Genesis, and Saturn: Go RGB. Requires tracking down a studio monitor, or converter/scaler, but really beautiful to look at.

Dreamcast: Nothing better than VGA.

[theclaw]

Yeah a tube tv with component is the nearest potential mainstream quality to RGB.

Take care basic RGB to component converter boxes don't perform image correction, so you'll still only be able to use 60hz systems at 240p/480i on most tube tvs. Some arcade boards may work if their video is standard enough.

Official RGB was rare here outside of specialist and computer monitors.

[Valkyrie-Favor]

S-video is more than good enough for retro systems and tube tvs.

[Ziggy]

(If there is a thread on this please advise and I will take this down)

So obviously a tube TV is the way to go here, but after that? I know of S-video and that it's better but that's about it. Can you get it for all older systems or just some? I have some system that have an RF unit and some that have AV cables. Is this an issue when trying to maximize the quality of them all on one TV? Lastly, is there a semi-painless way to have everything hooked up where you can pretty much press a button and play your system of choice? All I have now is an old game switch from GameStop haha.

For reference here is a list of consoles I want to hook up to this particular TV:

-NES
-Master System
-Genesis
-Saturn
-Dreamcast

Thanks

There's a couple of different threads, but whatever.

A CRT (tube) TV, yeah, but not just any. Hunt for a Sony Wega Trinitron and you wont regret it. They're not hard to locate and well worth it. You can check eBay and sort by distance to you zip code. Check Craigslist and local thrift stores.

At the VERY least, ditch RF. Forget about the video quality, RF kills the audio quality as well.

The NES can output composite, and that looks fantastic on a Wega. It's possible to mod the console to output RGB (and with that the possibility of S-Video) but the current mods mess up the colors because they use a different PPU. There's a few things in the works right now, like an HDMI mod from Retro Zone, as well as a few other RGB projects I'm trying to keep tabs on.

The Master System and Genesis can both output composite stock, but they can also both be modified to output S-Video. Unlike the NES RGB mod, it's fairly easy to do and really cheap in parts. I don't own a Master System, but I know it uses the same video encoder as the (earlier) Genesis, and I highly recommend getting the Genesis modified for S-Video. It looks stunning.

The Saturn and Dreamcast can both output S-Video stock. The tricky part with them is the cables. The Saturn S-Video cables have become scarce, and the price of them has shot up. What I ended up doing was add S-Video and two RCA (audio) jacksto the back of my Saturn, that was I can just use standard AV cables. Cheap in parts to do.

I plan on doing the same for my Dreamcast, if I ever get around to it. You can buy S-Video cables for the DC, and they don't cost that much, but they all look really really cheap. Another option is to get a DC VGA box that has S-Video and audio output on it, but they get a little more expensive IIRC.

[CRTGAMER]

So obviously a tube TV is the way to go here, but after that? I know of S-video and that it's better but that's about it. Can you get it for all older systems or just some? I have some system that have an RF unit and some that have AV cables. Is this an issue when trying to maximize the quality of them all on one TV? Lastly, is there a semi-painless way to have everything hooked up where you can pretty much press a button and play your system of choice? All I have now is an old game switch from GameStop haha.

Just get the best possible connection for each system and run a switch box. For the systems listed, a combo SVideo and Composite box can work. The TV might have more then one input, take advantage of those too.

As others have already mentioned, the Unmodified Connections:

NES - Composite
Master System - Composite
Genesis - Composite
Saturn - SVideo
Dreamcast - SVideo or VGA

The Dreamcast VGA is best, your TV needs to support 640x480.

The Master System and Genesis can both output composite stock, but they can also both be modified to output S-Video. Unlike the NES RGB mod, it's fairly easy to do and really cheap in parts. I don't own a Master System, but I know it uses the same video encoder as the (earlier) Genesis, and I highly recommend getting the Genesis modified for S-Video. It looks stunning.

THIS.

I did not list RGB, good only in Europe, specialized TVs or investment in a conversion scaler box.

Official RGB was rare here outside of specialist and computer monitors.

I posted an in depth guide that might help, click the CRT vs LCD HD at my signature.

[RyaNtheSlayA]

S-video is more than good enough for retro systems and tube tvs.

This is my advice. Get a switchbox and find out whatever you have to do to get s-video on all your systems. The NES and Master System unfortunately will only go to composite. The Genesis however, can be modded for s-video and I'm sure there are a few people here you can contact to get that done if you don't want to do it yourself. Saturn and Dreamcast support s-video, but you might want to go to VGA for the Dreamcast if you're not too concerned with the few titles that wont work properly.

[Ziggy]

The NES and Master System unfortunately will only go to composite. The Genesis however, can be modded for s-video and I'm sure there are a few people here you can contact to get that done if you don't want to do it yourself.

The Master System can be modified for S-Video, just like the Genesis. All Master Systems use the CXA1145, the same video encoder used in the model 1 Genesis and earlier model 2 Genesis revisions.

[fastbilly1]

NES: Best you're going to get is composite, unless you mangle a Playchoice board for its PPU, or wait a little bit and buy a HDMI NES when RetroZone releases it.

Just dont count on getting one of those HDMI NES's this year. Bunnyboy only has a limited number and they will sell out on day one. I am ready to give him his asking cost right now.