How is your Dreamcast gaming going on?

[Tanooki]

Seems like it's both up there in price but also a risk where you could end up with an adapter and cables that won't work because your TV wants to have a potential fit. Either the conversion factor or that odd resolution potentially too.

Perhaps this is just being over thought and it's best to leave well enough alone.


Armada came in the mail today, VERY happy about this, and early next week Sega Rally 2.

[CRTGAMER]

Actually, 640x480 is the original VGA resolution. The VGA connection is named after the video adapter that introduced that resolution. But I have read several places that the Dreamcast actually outputs a nonstandard 720x480 resolution that most systems interpret as 640x480 and then end up squashing down to 640x480. I have. I have no means to test this.

Agree, already mentioned VGA is a standard resolution of 640x480 and also at 259 color. However, I think you are mistaken on the 720x480, that would put the Dreamcast signal at a "widescreen mode" which was not the default standard for the Dreamcast. The squashed image of Dreamcast VGA on a widescreen TV is normal since it sets to 4:3 in standard VGA 640x480. This could be part of the compatibility issue (especially thru additional HDMI conversion box) on some Widescreen LCDs and LEDs; the 256 color 640x480 requirement.

Here is my Dreamcast VGA 640x480 picture again displaying on a standard VGA Computer Monitor which is 4:3. Anyone with a Dreamcast VGA setup should really try a PC CRT Monitor (cheap at thrift stores) which are already at 4:3 and Dreamcast VGA Lightgun Compatible. I posted information on this with charts in my Guide (CRT vs LCD in my signature) as well as the Dreamcast VGA Thread.

[marurun]

Some others have tested with LCDs and verified the Dreamcast does often use 720x480, even for non-widescreen games. In those cases it just uses black bars to frame the image. But clearly the resolution the system outputs is not consistent, which probably is at the root of many of the compatibility issues. I wonder also if the Dreamcast is sending the wrong resolution identifier at times. CRT monitors are the single most resolution tolerant screens around (assuming you don't go back before multi sync was standard). But some displays may need the actual video data to match the resolution indicator and if they don't match it may choke. I am guessing many displays will ultimately defer to the video signal itself. Times like this I wish I understood the inner workings of signaling better.

[CRTGAMER]

Some others have tested with LCDs and verified the Dreamcast does often use 720x480, even for non-widescreen games. In those cases it just uses black bars to frame the image. But clearly the resolution the system outputs is not consistent, which probably is at the root of many of the compatibility issues. I wonder also if the Dreamcast is sending the wrong resolution identifier at times. CRT monitors are the single most resolution tolerant screens around (assuming you don't go back before multi sync was standard). But some displays may need the actual video data to match the resolution indicator and if they don't match it may choke. I am guessing many displays will ultimately defer to the video signal itself. Times like this I wish I understood the inner workings of signaling better.

Agree, CRTs are much more forgiving in displaying different resolutions, no upscale issues. Could be the LCD TV is "upscaling" to 720x480; a widescreen resolution it supports? On older LCDs that do work the black bars will show on the sides due to the 640x480 4:3 mode. The Dreamcast is similar to a 480p signal, in 4:3 mode. I wrote extensively on this in my CRT vs LCD Guide, take a look.

[Tanooki]

Debate aside just put a bit of time on Armada. I forgot how hard that game can be if you don't grind a bit between the general topic missions they give. You need to pick off a LOT of stuff to rack up the dough to get the gear (and some specialized by station/world base) you can find. Still limited though by the fact you like an RPG get levels and at breakpoints the ship size increases with more capacity for added goodies to equip.

[Reprise]

Eh, my Dreamcast is hooked up to my LCD via VGA and I don't ever notice weird resolutions or black bars. It always displays perfectly in 640x480.

[TSTR]

Eh, my Dreamcast is hooked up to my LCD via VGA and I don't ever notice weird resolutions or black bars. It always displays perfectly in 640x480.

And every time it does I get a chub...

[Thierry Henry]

Here is my Dreamcast VGA 640x480 picture again displaying on a standard VGA Computer Monitor which is 4:3. Anyone with a Dreamcast VGA setup should really try a PC CRT Monitor (cheap at thrift stores) which are already at 4:3 and Dreamcast VGA Lightgun Compatible. I posted information on this with charts in my Guide (CRT vs LCD in my signature) as well as the Dreamcast VGA Thread.

I've had one of those really old CRT PC Monitors for the longest time, and only recently have I taken it out of storage to mess around using it for some old PC games.


Fortunately, I had one of those VGA splitter type devices and was able to get everything set up via VGA on the DC.









Just to ask,
Did yours fill that 4:3 screen with the DC's image, or did you have to fiddle around with the display settings/geometry on the monitor?


This is what I'm getting,

[TSTR]

^I'm almost positive that's an issue with geometry on your monitor. The aspect ratio looks spot on to me, so perhaps a stretch function or similar would be something to look into.

[Thierry Henry]

^^
Yup. Had a hard time though getting those adjusted settings saved. After a while it would just "reset" itself back to those default settings.
But it looks fine now.