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Dreamcast SCART? Best setup for PVM?
Posted: Sat Oct 03, 2015 8:18 pm
by Ghudda
So I have a Hanzo VGA box, and playing on a computer monitor is FINE, but I want to be able to play my Dreamcast on my PVM in RGB. I have a BNC > SCART adapter for my PVM and have been using SCART cables (JP pin-out) with all of my consoles. To my understanding, first party JP SCART cables don't exist.
If I bought Dreamcast EU SCART cable, would I just need to reconfigure the pins at the connector? Any other good options? I know that Beharius now makes a Dreamcast VGA box that also outputs SCART, but that's an $80 investment, and not worth it since I already have the Hanzo. Anyone here use their Dreamcast on a PVM?
Re: Dreamcast SCART? Best setup for PVM?
Posted: Sat Oct 03, 2015 8:36 pm
by bmoc
I use my Dreamcast with SCART but I have a very small library at the moment so I don't have it hooked up currently. I have never seen a JP SCART Dreamcast cable but then again I haven't looked very hard. I'd say you are correct that your best bet would be to rewire a Euro SCART cable. If you aren't comfortable doing that, you could buy an adapter.
https://www.retrogamingcables.co.uk/eur ... -converter
Re: Dreamcast SCART? Best setup for PVM?
Posted: Sat Oct 03, 2015 10:57 pm
by theclaw
Karat sold a Dreamcast RGB cable in Japan, it looks like.
http://poe74.at.webry.info/201108/article_5.htmlOf course that begs the question of what one intends to gain by using JP cables with a PVM in the US, with Euro SCART easier to acquire. Several other consoles like Xbox and Genesis didn't have first party ones either.
Re: Dreamcast SCART? Best setup for PVM?
Posted: Sun Oct 04, 2015 12:14 am
by Ghudda
theclaw wrote:Karat sold a Dreamcast RGB cable in Japan, it looks like.
http://poe74.at.webry.info/201108/article_5.htmlOf course that begs the question of what one intends to gain by using JP cables with a PVM in the US, with Euro SCART easier to acquire. Several other consoles like Xbox and Genesis didn't have first party ones either.
Yeah, when I bought the BNC > SCART cable for my PVM, I just went with JP because I lacked really any knowledge of how SCART worked. So from then on, I just went with the JP pin layout for all of my cables. Is it going to be difficult for me to re arrange the pin layout when I get a EU SCART cable? Is it enough of a hassle to justify buying a conversion cable?
Re: Dreamcast SCART? Best setup for PVM?
Posted: Sun Oct 04, 2015 1:39 am
by KalessinDB
The only thing to watch out for (that I only recently learned) is that RGB scart can only handle 480i tops, so if you're trying to play 480p games, the VGA box is going to be better quality.
It's why everyone hawking RGB as the be all end all isn't quite true (for example, Dreamcast or PS2 where you want to use VGA or YPbPr respectively for the 480p games)
Video standards are annoying.
Re: Dreamcast SCART? Best setup for PVM?
Posted: Sun Oct 04, 2015 2:46 am
by Ghudda
KalessinDB wrote:The only thing to watch out for (that I only recently learned) is that RGB scart can only handle 480i tops, so if you're trying to play 480p games, the VGA box is going to be better quality.
It's why everyone hawking RGB as the be all end all isn't quite true (for example, Dreamcast or PS2 where you want to use VGA or YPbPr respectively for the 480p games)
Video standards are annoying.
Ugh, yeah the original Xbox has certainly been annoying when it comes to this. The effect of two images side by side freaked me out when I tried 480p for the first time on my PVM. It's like I need three TV's to have "muh optimal videos". Damn, I guess throw a monitor with VGA support in there for that VGA support. Now I know I have a Dreamcast S-Video cable around here somewhere...
Re: Dreamcast SCART? Best setup for PVM?
Posted: Sun Oct 04, 2015 4:10 am
by KalessinDB
I don't bother with 3, I've got 2. My Wega for 480p and below (in my eyes and the eyes of many others out there YPbPr and RGB are indistinguishable, and I've modded an awful lot of older systems for YPbPr) and my LCD for 720p and above (and occasional below via Framemeister)
It's good enough for my turrible eyes. There comes a point where you need to say enough is enough, at least that's the way I see it.
Anyway I've derailed enough. Good luck with your Dreamcast quest!

Re: Dreamcast SCART? Best setup for PVM?
Posted: Tue Oct 06, 2015 1:40 am
by waiwainl
I would go for VGA - RGB is lower quality, most games support 480p anyway, so why go for below 'native'?
Re: Dreamcast SCART? Best setup for PVM?
Posted: Tue Oct 06, 2015 5:08 am
by Crynox
Dont be drawn into thinking that VGA is best.
I used to have my DC plugged into a Iyama 21in PC CRT via the VGA adaptor but since aquiring a Sony PVM 20M4E I have gone back to using the RGB Scart to BNC connectors as in my opinion it looks just as good if not not better especially on the 240P games.
I think it is all about what type of monitor you have ?
IMO RGB rules, (but then again Im from the UK where it was the standard on CRT`s).