DREAMCAST VGA QUESTIONS! come here for everything VGA w/ DC.

[VincentX]

Okay. How do I do that? There are no other switches/buttons on the Box.

[CD AGES]

[VincentX]

What? Look I have no idea what I'm doing with this thing (obviously) and I've never had a problem with it so what do I need to do to get it working?

[CRTGAMER]

Got my VGA box in January 2012 (Retro Bit brand) and the last time I used my Dreamcast it worked great, this was September 2012 (comparing Sonic Adventure 2 VGA to the HD version that was on the PSN).

I just booted up the system yesterday and black screen until my TV gave me a "No Signal" message. Please note that I have not messed with any of the connections since it worked last. The red light in the VGA box turns on and everything looks okay; I know the TV registers that it's plugged in because if I change the "TV or PC" switch to "PC" it says "Not Supported." I unplugged everything and checked the connections, everything looks okay and I plugged everything back in correctly and it still doesn't work.

Confirmed it is not my system as I tried it with my other Dreamcast and got the same black screen and "No Signal" message. I also plugged the system in with the normal composite cables and that works so it shouldn't be a system issue.

The Dreamcast displaying in Composite confirms you are not in the VGA mode. When you used it back in September, I suspect you were also in non VGA Composite. From what you describe with the "Not Supported", does your HDTV automatically sense a signal and switch inputs?

If u r getting a not supported message, the issue has to be coming from your TV. You an remove all doubt by simply using your VGA box on another set that supports the connection (another HDTV, PC monitor etc.), of course that is you have an alternative set. Even if you don't, take it to a friends house or family member who a monitor.

THIS, CD AGES is correct you are not in VGA mode if the box is set to TV. I suspect your HDTV does not support the lower 640x480 resolution needed for the Dreamcast VGA. Try the VGA box on a regular computer monitor, preferably a CRT VGA computer monitor. The lower 640x480 resolution sometimes is not be supported by certain HDTVs and some LCD computer monitors.

Only getting that Not Supported message if I change it to the "PC" setting and when I first turned on my system, it was on the TV setting which had worked the last time.

I could try it with my computer monitor but not sure it'd be worth the trouble (I'd have to unplug the monitor and take it into the other room) and unfortunately I don't have another HDTV. Plus the set up I have makes it really hard to unplug everything and move it...especially with that rat's nest of wires I have behind the TV stand, haha.

It would be easier to haul the Dreamcast over to the computer monitior. If you want to troubleshoot, you will have to take the time to unplug from the HDTV. A good time to organize that rats nest and zip tie the various wire bundles.

I pulled a pic of the box from Wiki. There is that tiny slide switch shown at the right as you mentioned. Most VGA boxes have the switch which shorts a connection telling the Dreamcast to select VGA.

TV mode is for Composite and SVideo.

PC Mode is for VGA.

The HDTV also has to be set to the right input, matched by the VGA box selection.

I prefer the VGA box over just the Dreamcast VGA Cable adapter. It allows non VGA games to work in SVideo or Composite by simply sliding the switch back to TV mode. Both VGA and Composite or SVideo cables can all be hooked up as well as the PC Audio cable. This saves having to unplug any cables, just change the input selection on the HDTV.

[VincentX]

Bringing the monitor over will be easier so I will try that.

As for the TV set up and how I've been using it and what I did:
I've had the VGA Box hooked up to the TV using the monitor cable, not composite. The Box has always been on the TV setting ever since I got it and it has always worked. The last time I used it, it was on that setting. The TV, when I've used the Dreamcast, is set to PC, which I do manually using the remote.
When I said I tried the composite cables, I meant the normal ones that come with the system, I had unplugged the VGA Box when I tried that.
When I booted up the system with the normal set up the TV gave me the No Signal message after a black screen had been up for a few seconds.

I will try using the Box with my computer monitor but to me it looks like the Box just isn't working since I hadn't changed anything since the last time I had used the system.

[Smileyboy]

This is my first post here, I'd like to get my dreamcast hooked up to my HDTV. What do I need to buy? I searched dreamcast hdmi and didn't come up with much or it was a few years old. I'm just trying to find out if there is a new way. Thx

[Smileyboy]

Sorry, I was using the mobile and didn't notice there were 60+ pages.
Will this VGA to hdmi box work? Check this out on AMZN: Etekcity Video VGA to HDMI 1080P Converter/Adap... http://amzn.com/B008COJXHC

[elmagicochrisg]

Sorry, I was using the mobile and didn't notice there were 60+ pages.
Will this VGA to hdmi box work? Check this out on AMZN: Etekcity Video VGA to HDMI 1080P Converter/Adap... http://amzn.com/B008COJXHC

It supports VGA 640x480@60Hz.

Should do the trick...

[Smileyboy]

Thanks

[pheria]

I'm interested in a VGA box / cable, but I know that my HDTV does not support 640x480 over VGA.

I suspect that it may over component though, since I've used a Wii that way. Also: Xbox, Gamecube, PS2, etc.

Is it likely that using a VGA to component converter in conjunction with the Dreamcast VGA cable/box is all I need to get this to work?
Or am I missing/neglecting something that's obvious to someone else?

I was thinking about using something like this:



Thanks!