SCART to HDMI Upscaler - Worth the time to invest in?

[larryinc64]

I guess I'll move over here

I was going after S-Video because:
1) I (For some reason) Thought SCART did not work on some US systems.*
2) HDMI converters introduce bad lag.

While looking for a S-Video to Component converter I found a SCART to Component, do you think that would introduce less lag? Also Component Switchers and wires are cheaper than HDMI.

I mostly just a little bit of an upgrade from Composite, I mostly hate how reds are handled on it.

I was watching a video that compared S-Video to Component (Through official cables) on a Gamecube and the video was not that much lower quality than the $300 cable.


I also want to work it into a set up where it is all hooked into switch boxes.

My original thought was:
[System Output S-Vid] -> [S-Vid Splitter] -> [S-Vit to Component] -> [Component Splitter] -> [Y Cable to split to TV and Capture Card] -> TV


I guess this could work:
[System Output Scart] -> [Scart to Component] -> [Component Splitter] -> [Y Cable to split to TV and Capture Card] -> TV
Or:
[System Output Scart] -> [SCART Splitter] -> [Scart to Component] -> [Component Splitter] -> [Y Cable to split to TV and Capture Card] -> TV


This exists:

Would SCART need a signal converter?


*It seems N64 and US Gamecube do not support SCART. Welp, S-Video Time!

[KalessinDB]

Larry: GameCube mod also coming out to restore component (and/or add HDMI) to all cubes that have the digital port.

To others... I have the framemeister after getting a good deal on one from another forum, and yes it's absolutely worth the money. As I've heard others say, by the time you buy two or three cheap ones and get frustrated at their lag or what have you, you're starting to drop a out of cash already, so I'd recommend just going all out to begin with.

Short of that, my recommendation is RGB scart to component converters (not HDMI). I found they worked pretty well before I went all out, and most everything still takes component.

Also yeah, don't buy $5 cables. Especially not in the states. RetroGamingCables.CO.uk makes great stuff and you can usually find a coupon on their Facebook or the like.

[zakurowrath]

PS2 - if possible, just use component video. It's native, just need cables. I wouldn't bother with HDMI. If you really want HDMI PS2, buy a full BC PS3 and be done with it

Resident Evil Outbreak File 1 and 2, they are still online with the "biohazard" version of the game.  However.... Network Adapter doesnt read on the PS3

The only drawback to component video for the PS2 is most PS1 and a select few PS2 games are 240p and some flat-screens and a select few upscalers really don't like anything lower than 480i/p. So it is worth noting to make sure the upscaler supports 240p video, which if it upscales NES,SNES, MegaDrive, N64 using RGB then it should be fine. Also if you use S-Video or Composite on any of those systems the signal will be 480i.

My Life In Gaming breaks down each system and shows what options you have available for native video output or modified video output, they're currently up to GameCube as of this posting but have covered SMS, NES, MegaDrive/Genesis, SNES, PS1 and N64 as well, I believe their next will be Saturn. They're also going to do a video about alternate upscalers to the XRGB Framemeister in the near future: https://www.youtube.com/user/mylifeingaming

I would LOVE the UltraHDMI, however the devkits seem impossible to buy

Same here, the demand is so high for them right now 

[larryinc64]

There is a big difference for me between a $5 S-video cable and a (probably) $100 HDMI mod.

I personally just want a inexpensive small boost, and my TV has no S-Video port.

The PS3 with Backwards Compatibility is not perfect for PS2, some games have errors. PS1 seems almost perfect and is on all PS3s.

[zakurowrath]

I guess I'll move over here

I was going after S-Video because:
1) I (For some reason) Thought SCART did not work on some US systems.*
2) HDMI converters introduce bad lag.

While looking for a S-Video to Component converter I found a SCART to Component, do you think that would introduce less lag? Also Component Switchers and wires are cheaper than HDMI.

I mostly just a little bit of an upgrade from Composite, I mostly hate how reds are handled on it.

I was watching a video that compared S-Video to Component (Through official cables) on a Gamecube and the video was not that much lower quality than the $300 cable.


I also want to work it into a set up where it is all hooked into switch boxes.

My original thought was:
[System Output S-Vid] -> [S-Vid Splitter] -> [S-Vit to Component] -> [Component Splitter] -> [Y Cable to split to TV and Capture Card] -> TV


I guess this could work:
[System Output Scart] -> [Scart to Component] -> [Component Splitter] -> [Y Cable to split to TV and Capture Card] -> TV
Or:
[System Output Scart] -> [SCART Splitter] -> [Scart to Component] -> [Component Splitter] -> [Y Cable to split to TV and Capture Card] -> TV


This exists:

Would SCART need a signal converter?


*It seems N64 and US Gamecube do not support SCART. Welp, S-Video Time!

That cable won't work. SCART doesn't carry component YPbPr video normally, it only carries RGB, Stereo Audio and Composite along with sync, voltage and grounds.

Correct me if I'm wrong anyone that's in Europe but there are instances where SCART can carry Chroma and Luma down the cable although I don't think it's standard. I believe those SCART to S-Video adapters just take the composite signal and separate it which is not real S-Video to begin with.

Looking at your setup, without an upscaler, you'll have to go the S-Video Route. Again 240p some TV's show it, others don't and most all capture cards do not like 240p video. Since Composite and S-Video is 480i a capture card and most all TV's accept it just fine, but once you go into RGB, the video is 240p, even with a component video convertor. Now there are a few games on the SNES, PS1, N64, MegaDrive/Genesis that output 480i but they are few and far in between, most classic systems output RGB 240p as standard. When they go through the video encoder for S-Video and Composite, it comes out as a standard 480i.

So your setup with not spending much money would be like this:

S-Video from the console > S-Video Switch Box > S-Video Y Splitter > S-Video into capture card & S-Video to Composite adapter into TV.

Does composite video suck, very much so on modern HDTV's, the only way to get good picture out of older consoles is to spend the money on an upscaler, I know it sucks that it costs tons on money, but you'll have the best possible signal your consoles could ever produce.

And yes there is the CRT route but, LED/LCD TV's take up less space, don't use as much power, and aren't heavy as hell. I'd rather spend the money on an upscaler with RGB cables than try and find a decent 36 inch CRT that weights close to 300lbs if not more 

[wiggy]

I've got a 36" that's featherweight at "only" 249 lbs.

I literally can't give the damned thing away, and getting it out of my basement is going to take more time and effort than I'm interested in spending.  Luckily we just sold the house, and I'm just gonna leave the stupid turd here. Good luck To the new owner!