Questions that do not deserve a thread

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GojiFan90
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Re: Questions that do not deserve a thread

Post by GojiFan90 »

Does anyone know of a good quality S-video cable for the Wii? Monoprice makes one but it is also wired for composite so I'm hesitant to buy one. Thanks!
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vol.2
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Re: Questions that do not deserve a thread

Post by vol.2 »

ldeveraux wrote:
I don't want to pay >$50 for a new cable and be beholden to their seemingly random and uneven schedule. I was hoping to spend <$20.
I would expect the cost of a roll-your-own to be right around $20 after the shipping costs. Mouser/Digikey don't carry cable connector versions of scart connectors (only pcb mount) so you'll have to order from ebay. Decent connectors are $8-10 for a single and then you need a right angle round din. This is assuming you already have cable hanging around and you don't need to buy any. (because good shielded cable is $$$ and is generally sold in minimum quantities)
Cannonballs
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Re: Questions that do not deserve a thread

Post by Cannonballs »

I have emailed retro access numerous times and been on their site when they say things will go on sale, no response and nothing is ever on sale. Is it even possible to buy from them?
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FinalBaton
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Re: Questions that do not deserve a thread

Post by FinalBaton »

Cannonballs wrote:I have emailed retro access numerous times and been on their site when they say things will go on sale, no response and nothing is ever on sale. Is it even possible to buy from them?
It is a weird format. You can only buy fom them on opening hours from 9 to 5 local time(I think they're on the east coast, so EST, but not sure). monday to friday
-FM Synth & Black Metal-
ldeveraux
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Re: Questions that do not deserve a thread

Post by ldeveraux »

vol.2 wrote:
ldeveraux wrote:
I don't want to pay >$50 for a new cable and be beholden to their seemingly random and uneven schedule. I was hoping to spend <$20.
I would expect the cost of a roll-your-own to be right around $20 after the shipping costs. Mouser/Digikey don't carry cable connector versions of scart connectors (only pcb mount) so you'll have to order from ebay. Decent connectors are $8-10 for a single and then you need a right angle round din. This is assuming you already have cable hanging around and you don't need to buy any. (because good shielded cable is $$$ and is generally sold in minimum quantities)
Yeah this is why I wondered if anyone knew of an option to satisfy what I need. I already own a working (for now at least) DIN8 to SCART cable for the TG-16, so I can't justify replacing it. I just fear it's going to break like the others if I bump it wrong and I'll have to pull off the shrink and resolder. I don't know if you thought I wanted a SCART terminating cable, but I want essentially a DIN8 extension cable.

EDIT: is there any reason to think this might work? http://www.amazon.com/CERRXIAN-Speaker- ... B07VD4GLGX
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vol.2
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Re: Questions that do not deserve a thread

Post by vol.2 »

ldeveraux wrote:
EDIT: is there any reason to think this might work? http://www.amazon.com/CERRXIAN-Speaker- ... B07VD4GLGX
I would be concerned about signal interference. If you already have a working cable, how about just buying the right angle din and replacing that end of the one you have?
Johnpv
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Re: Questions that do not deserve a thread

Post by Johnpv »

On the Xbox 360 Cave ports, what scaling setting is everyone using in Tate mode? Are you just sticking to the default 100, or do you go bigger?
ldeveraux
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Re: Questions that do not deserve a thread

Post by ldeveraux »

vol.2 wrote:
ldeveraux wrote:
EDIT: is there any reason to think this might work? http://www.amazon.com/CERRXIAN-Speaker- ... B07VD4GLGX
I would be concerned about signal interference. If you already have a working cable, how about just buying the right angle din and replacing that end of the one you have?
Yeah that's definitely a good solution, except I'm still concerned with the existing cable bending downward. If I replace the male DIN with a right angle, the cable will go out the back, but parallel, and will still torque the fitting. I honestly have very little confidence in these older RA cables that I still think it's not a 100% solution. With a short flexible adapter I could orient the RA cable so there's no torque at all.

By the way, can you tell this COVID mess gives me a lot of free time to delegate to thinking trivially? :lol:
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vol.2
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Re: Questions that do not deserve a thread

Post by vol.2 »

ldeveraux wrote:
By the way, can you tell this COVID mess gives me a lot of free time to delegate to thinking trivially? :lol:
lol. hey man, whatever gets you through the day. strange time we are living in.

as for the console goes, you might consider replacing the din with a DE15 connector. since they screw in on both sides, it will provide strain relief.
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MrMistermister
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Re: Questions that do not deserve a thread

Post by MrMistermister »

This is probably a stupid question, but I can't seem to find a straight answer anywhere else on the internet, so here goes.

I have an NESRGB modded AV Famicom, and even with dejitter built into the mod my TV still constantly drops sync when playing (through an OSSC). I was under the impression dejitter was supposed to help with TV compatibility, but should I just assume this is a basic incompatibility with my TV and 60.08hz signals?
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maxtherabbit
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Re: Questions that do not deserve a thread

Post by maxtherabbit »

MrMistermister wrote:This is probably a stupid question, but I can't seem to find a straight answer anywhere else on the internet, so here goes.

I have an NESRGB modded AV Famicom, and even with dejitter built into the mod my TV still constantly drops sync when playing (through an OSSC). I was under the impression dejitter was supposed to help with TV compatibility, but should I just assume this is a basic incompatibility with my TV and 60.08hz signals?
try a lower linex setting
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MrMistermister
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Re: Questions that do not deserve a thread

Post by MrMistermister »

Lower linex settings don't work at all. For some reason my TV only sort of works with 5x.
dreadnought
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Re: Questions that do not deserve a thread

Post by dreadnought »

So I've finally decided to tackle PC->CRT TV thingy and of course, right on cue, Calamity's crtemudriver site is down. Or is it?
strayan
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Re: Questions that do not deserve a thread

Post by strayan »

I have a gamecube with official component cables hooked up to a DVDO VP30 but I’m getting a purple flickering line showing up when forcing 1080i/540p (no issue at 480):

https://imgur.com/a/KpKKTJ2

If I bypass the DVDO and go directly into the component inputs on my plasma the problem goes away. If I connect the component cables to an Extron 301 or Crestron HD the problem goes away. If I connect the gamecube to my other DVDO (VP50Pro) the problem returns.

I am running Swiss v0.5r813

Seems like the DVDO's don't like the signal for some reason. Has anyone encountered this before and have a fix?
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vol.2
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Re: Questions that do not deserve a thread

Post by vol.2 »

Is it safe to orient a 16:9 BVM sideways for Tate? I know that some monitors are vulnerable to damage from rotation, but I've seen many pictures of people doing this.
Gabriel2Silva
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Re: Questions that do not deserve a thread

Post by Gabriel2Silva »

https://youtu.be/DxgNmqgoqrw

Sorry for the portrait orientation, I had to get my phone quickly so I could capture the color distortion that happens before it goes full red

I'm having a weird retrace lines pattern with this set. I had retrace lines in other TVs in the past but it wasn't colored or anything like this. It usually happens when the TV is just turned on, but once it gets warm it almost never happens. Also when this happens I just leave it on cause it tends to fix itself.
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geiger9
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Re: Questions that do not deserve a thread

Post by geiger9 »

I'm leaning heavily towards buying a MiSTer and using it with an LCD display (Sony KDL-40EX500) bought new in 2010 but there are some lingering questions. If I'm understanding right, flat panel displays generally are pretty strict about the refresh rates they accept. The SNES's refresh rate is not exactly NTSC spec and not all TVs will play nice with this. If I plug my SNES into my TV using composite and I get a signal, does that mean it accepts off spec refresh rates? Or do TVs only care about this when the signal is over HDMI?
eccoboy
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Re: Questions that do not deserve a thread

Post by eccoboy »

I saw in this video: https://youtu.be/0VxAmCYXp_0?t=504
an upgrade for the PC Engine's voltage regulator to reduce heat: https://www.mouser.com/ProductDetail/Mu ... bp1ey3tw==
Anyone else try this?
SamIAm
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Re: Questions that do not deserve a thread

Post by SamIAm »

eccoboy wrote:I saw in this video: https://youtu.be/0VxAmCYXp_0?t=504
an upgrade for the PC Engine's voltage regulator to reduce heat: https://www.mouser.com/ProductDetail/Mu ... bp1ey3tw==
Anyone else try this?
I have not tried it, but as a rule, those sorts of switching regulators are prone to putting more noise on the internal 5V rail than linear regulators like the 7805. This of course turns into noise in your video and audio.

The power savings are quite negligible - compared to a 7805 with 9V at the input, you'll have to have the system on roughly 500 hours to save a single kilowatt hour. And as long as you're not putting more than, say, 10V on the input, it should be perfectly capable of dissipating the extra heat without harming any components.

Personally, I wouldn't bother.

If you want to optimize your power usage, I'd recommend getting a 7.5V switching power supply and leaving the 7805. While you'll be coming precariously close to the minimum input voltage for the 7805 (there will be a protection diode in there, and that will cause a small voltage drop; the 7805 wants at least 6.8V), it should cause the system to run extremely cool and push the power wastage down significantly further.
Issac Zachary
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Re: Questions that do not deserve a thread

Post by Issac Zachary »

Here's my question. Has anyone done a front light mod on a GameBoy Advance with a switch to turn it on or off? Would a front light mod make it hard to see if the light is not on?

I know, I know, a back light mod would be the "best way to go." But I kind of like having a reflective display. I might be a bit of nostalgia or because to me it's efficient use of solar energy. Or perhaps because I kind of like having a portable game console that entices me to go outside to play it.

Anyhow I recently aquired a GameBoy Advance and have mixed feelings about the screen. For the most part, like I said, I kind of like the non-lit display. But at other times I wished it had just a bit of built-in light to help me out. So it dawned on me that maybe I could install a front light screen mod and figure out how to add a switch to turn it on or off, preferebly a three-way power switch (1. GBA off 2. GBA-on & Screen-off 3. GBA-on & Screen-on). That way I could turn it off whenever I feel I don't really need it, and have it there for those few times it's a bit too dark outside to sit by a window and get enough light to see the screen.

I realize that adding a thick piece of plastic with some LOCA glue in front of a dark old GBA screen is probably going to make the screen a bit harder to see without the light. But how much worse? Maybe one of those silly looking attached front lights would be better??
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Kez
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Re: Questions that do not deserve a thread

Post by Kez »

The GBA SP has a front light.. If you prefer the AGB 001 form factor maybe you could transplant the screen into that.
Issac Zachary
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Re: Questions that do not deserve a thread

Post by Issac Zachary »

Kez wrote:The GBA SP has a front light.. If you prefer the AGB 001 form factor maybe you could transplant the screen into that.
Sounds like a good idea! Thanks!
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Kez
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Re: Questions that do not deserve a thread

Post by Kez »

No worries, don't think it would be a straight swap though.. there would be some casetooling needed for it to physically fit, and some mods to the circuitry in order to power it. Still should be a good place to start, and existing resources on modding GBA SP and AGB-001 for backlit screens should help point you in the right direction.
fernan1234
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Re: Questions that do not deserve a thread

Post by fernan1234 »

As nice as the GBA SP AGS 101 backlit screen looks on the surface, it drives me nuts that it produces the same garish colors as emulators without color correction, or subsequent backlit screens like that on the DS Lite. It's kinda crazy that GBA mods with AGS 101 or clone screens got so popular the past few years.

Most of the GBA library was designed with the non-backlit, non-sRGB screen of the AGS 001, where the colors look very different. From original hardware handhelds, you can get the correct colors when using a backlit Gameboy Micro OXY-001, or a frontlit but very good screen on the original phat DS.

Good emulators, the GBI, the GBA Consolizer, and the GBA core on MiSTer all offer color correction filters or shaders for GBA games.
dreadnought
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Re: Questions that do not deserve a thread

Post by dreadnought »

I'm looking at MAME benchmarks on MAMEUI site (tyring to decide on what processor to buy for MAME box). What exactly are these figures? FPS?
eccoboy
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Re: Questions that do not deserve a thread

Post by eccoboy »

SamIAm wrote:
eccoboy wrote:I saw in this video: https://youtu.be/0VxAmCYXp_0?t=504
an upgrade for the PC Engine's voltage regulator to reduce heat: https://www.mouser.com/ProductDetail/Mu ... bp1ey3tw==
Anyone else try this?
I have not tried it, but as a rule, those sorts of switching regulators are prone to putting more noise on the internal 5V rail than linear regulators like the 7805. This of course turns into noise in your video and audio.

The power savings are quite negligible - compared to a 7805 with 9V at the input, you'll have to have the system on roughly 500 hours to save a single kilowatt hour. And as long as you're not putting more than, say, 10V on the input, it should be perfectly capable of dissipating the extra heat without harming any components.

Personally, I wouldn't bother.

If you want to optimize your power usage, I'd recommend getting a 7.5V switching power supply and leaving the 7805. While you'll be coming precariously close to the minimum input voltage for the 7805 (there will be a protection diode in there, and that will cause a small voltage drop; the 7805 wants at least 6.8V), it should cause the system to run extremely cool and push the power wastage down significantly further.
Thanks, that's the answer I was looking for. My white PC Engine runs warm (using 9v Retro Game Supply adapter) so the switching regulator caught my attention. I may look at other power supply options.
Ikaruga11
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Re: Questions that do not deserve a thread

Post by Ikaruga11 »

fernan1234 wrote:As nice as the GBA SP AGS 101 backlit screen looks on the surface, it drives me nuts that it produces the same garish colors as emulators without color correction, or subsequent backlit screens like that on the DS Lite. It's kinda crazy that GBA mods with AGS 101 or clone screens got so popular the past few years.

Most of the GBA library was designed with the non-backlit, non-sRGB screen of the AGS 001, where the colors look very different. From original hardware handhelds, you can get the correct colors when using a backlit Gameboy Micro OXY-001, or a frontlit but very good screen on the original phat DS.

Good emulators, the GBI, the GBA Consolizer, and the GBA core on MiSTer all offer color correction filters or shaders for GBA games.
I think the GBA's vibrant colors look great on a backlit screen, and honestly believe that the color palettes of most games wouldn't be much different if the original GameBoy Advance had a backlight screen. Nintendo games in general are pretty colorful. The SNES ports were obviously designed with the OG GBA in mind with their brightened palettes, but later games like Minish Cap had brightness settings and came out around the time the AGS-101 came out.
fernan1234
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Re: Questions that do not deserve a thread

Post by fernan1234 »

GeneraLight wrote: I think the GBA's vibrant colors look great on a backlit screen, and honestly believe that the color palettes of most games wouldn't be much different if the original GameBoy Advance had a backlight screen. Nintendo games in general are pretty colorful. The SNES ports were obviously designed with the OG GBA in mind with their brightened palettes, but later games like Minish Cap had brightness settings and came out around the time the AGS-101 came out.
I used to assume the same, but I was wrong. Most games benefit a lot from corrected colors. The difference is not small. Very few were made with the backlit screen in mind, just a handful of late games, and only Western releases, since the AGS-101 was never released in Japan. One or two even have settings to adjust the color. But for the vast remainder, the colors being "vibrant", or"garish" depending on how you look at it, are wrong.

Brightness settings like the one in Minish Cap are just to adjust between the early AGS-001 and frontlit SP released worldwide, but that doesn't correct the colors, which do look more natural on non-frontlit GBA, Micro, and frontlit DS. The issue is not only brightness or gamma, but color space/matrix.

But many people do like the "colorful" look, or are used to it from playing on older emulators, the AGS-101 screen and its clones (or the newer IPS ones), or DS Lite and later, so I guess for many people it'll never be a problem. I like to spread the word whenever the chance arises because I think it makes a big difference.
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Axelay
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Re: Questions that do not deserve a thread

Post by Axelay »

Hello everyone.

If I purchased an Ntsc japanese megadrive.

Will I need to have it modified for rgb to have it look amazing on a CRT tv?

Or will it look good out of the box with a good C sync rgb cable from ebay ?

Any information would be lovely.

Also the information about playing GBA games on an original phat ds blew my mind. That might be the way i get through the gbas incredible backlog . Or replay . I long to play the gba castlevanias and gun star future heroes
Arms installation complete Good luck
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kitty666cats
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Re: Questions that do not deserve a thread

Post by kitty666cats »

Axelay wrote:Hello everyone.

If I purchased an Ntsc japanese megadrive.

Will I need to have it modified for rgb to have it look amazing on a CRT tv?

Or will it look good out of the box with a good C sync rgb cable from ebay ?

Any information would be lovely.

Also the information about playing GBA games on an original phat ds blew my mind. That might be the way i get through the gbas incredible backlog . Or replay . I long to play the gba castlevanias and gun star future heroes
I'm pretty sure you are good-to-go, but I can't remember 100 percent for certain. It's certainly the case for Saturn!
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