Wanting Better N64 Video: No S-Video Port

[Jamisonia]

Product ID: 7111
Composite and S-Video to HDMI® Converter
http://www.monoprice.com/products/produ ... 1&format=2

I would not get the above mentioned item because it stretches all 4:3 material to 16:9. If the change between composite and s-video bothers you, stretching the picture horizontally ought to bother you more.

Ugh, I didn't realize it changed the original aspect ratio. Sorry.

I know it sucks when they mess something up like that. Damn people and wanting their picture to "fill the screen"

[sonic2041]

I know it sucks when they mess something up like that. Damn people and wanting their picture to "fill the screen"

It irritates me when people stretch 4:3 to fit 16:9. It especially sucks when TV channels do this to older content.

I also remember when they updated the Netflix app on xbox, which removed this "feature." People were complaining so much, and when you tried to explain to them what that option actually did they were dumbfounded. No matter what words you used they just didn't get it.

[Spirit242]

So I got that converter box in the mail today. Turns out its defective because it won't even power on. I'm requesting an exchange... ugh fml. It must not be very common due to the positive reviews. I'll update here whenever I get a new one. If things work out anyway. Sigh.

[Ziggy]

Maybe just the power supply was dead? Either way, good luck with the exchange. Looking forward to hearing your results with it.

The video transcoder that I was talking about earlier, it came in the other day. My RCA to BNC adapters came in the mail today, so I was able to try it out. Unfortunately, the only thing I can try right now is S-Video to component, but that's enough to at least play with it. I used it to convert my N64's S-Video to component, and the results were great. It looks like S-Video should. The real test will be converting RGB to component. I have to add RGBs jacks to my SNES first, and eventually, mod the N64 to output RGB. Once I get around to that, I'll post a thread with all the info and hopefully lots of screen shots.

[nielse16]

I know it sucks when they mess something up like that. Damn people and wanting their picture to "fill the screen"

It irritates me when people stretch 4:3 to fit 16:9. It especially sucks when TV channels do this to older content.

I also remember when they updated the Netflix app on xbox, which removed this "feature." People were complaining so much, and when you tried to explain to them what that option actually did they were dumbfounded. No matter what words you used they just didn't get it.

Explain it to them with pictures! I slapped this together in 2001 when I was working as a cashier at mid-western grocery/general merchandise store to educate customers that didn't know any better (it was much more relevant when we were all watching movies on 4:3 tube TVs).

Upper Left: Original Aspect Ratio - what you see when watching the movie in the theater.
Upper Right: Matting done to movie to make it "fit" on your TV.
Lower Right: Resulting cropped/distorted image displayed on your TV.
Lower Left: Letter boxing preserves the original aspect ratio and all of the visuals of the film as you would see it in a movie theater.

[emwearz]

I quickly made this in paint, so the ratios are not right, but you get the idea.


http://mojoimage.com/free-image-hosting ... screen.jpg

EDIT: I read your post too fast, I thought you were asking for it to be explained in pictures. DERP!

[nielse16]

I quickly made this in paint, so the ratios are not right, but you get the idea.


http://mojoimage.com/free-image-hosting ... screen.jpg

EDIT: I read your post too fast, I thought you were asking for it to be explained in pictures. DERP!

No problem. Your pic is a great illustration of the inverse of mine, i.e. the difficulty in trying to display 4:3 content on a 16:9 screen.

Either way, OAR for the win!

[Jamisonia]

I saw a guy on Reddit post a picture of his first time beating the LoZ, and I noticed the screen was stretched to 16:9. The first thing I said was did you really just play that entire game stretched to 16:9?

Whats great are the few 16:9 games prior to this gen. DK64, GoldenEye, NiGHTS ftw!

[Ziggy]

Whats great are the few 16:9 games prior to this gen. DK64, GoldenEye, NiGHTS ftw!

But are they TURE 16:9? Or just letterbox? I just got Mickey's Speedway USA and it has a "widescreen" mode. When selected, it'll just give me a 16:9 image that's letterboxed for a 4:3 display (putting my TV back in 16:9 mode will just stretch it). In order to fill up the screen, I have to zoom, which makes it look like shit. IIRC, games such as Goldeneye did the same thing, letterboxed widescreen.

[AppleQueso]

Whats great are the few 16:9 games prior to this gen. DK64, GoldenEye, NiGHTS ftw!

But are they TURE 16:9? Or just letterbox? I just got Mickey's Speedway USA and it has a "widescreen" mode. When selected, it'll just give me a 16:9 image that's letterboxed for a 4:3 display (putting my TV back in 16:9 mode will just stretch it). In order to fill up the screen, I have to zoom, which makes it look like shit. IIRC, games such as Goldeneye did the same thing, letterboxed widescreen.

Banjo Tooie did actual widescreen. I think Perfect Dark did as well.