Doing some research on a new scaler(cga to hdmi)

[krillin678]

Hello all,

I was just wondering if anyone has got there hands on this?

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.a ... 4WA1HR8733

It is a cga to hdmi converter for arcade cabinets (I think) and I would like to hear about the performance or acceptable resolutions. Actually a review is what I would like. If this does what I think it will do I will be very excited.

Thanks

[Xyga]

It's the same as the Gonbes GBS-8220 apparently, only maybe a new revision.
Doubt it's any better.

[mvsfan]

the gbs8200/8220 arent bad though. it works better than my Extron DVS-304. once in a while the DVS-304 will skip a frame and its annoying.

The Gonbes CGA to HDMI board might just be what Im looking for. especially if it support scanlines.

And, if its basically the same as the GBS-8200 mabeye someone can write some custom firmware for it.

[Xyga]

Stock Gonbes no matter the variant have always been near the very bottom end, and none ever came with scanlines support (only via external 'generator')

This http://shmups.system11.org/viewtopic.php?f=6&t=52172 could probably work for that board variant with some work though yes, maybe.

But definitely without that custom firmware it's completely forgettable, below the early DVDO iScans and Vigatec that are considered the very entry level of decent retrogaming scalers and can be found for peanuts.

If that Extron is worse than a stock Gonbes then it's garbage you should resell asap.
And unless you're ready to dirty your hands with the custom firmware thing, forget completely about Gonbes scalers no matter the shape and name of it.

[rama]

This thread started in 2015 and by now the item seems gone. Is it still available?

With custom firmware, the GBS is well above anything you can buy for under $100, the main limitation being only VGA out.
So if this board from 2015 had HDMI, it's interesting to me

[Xyga]

Figured so but even though the link's dead it seems the board is still around as 'Blee CGA to HDMI' though about twice the price of the old 8200.

Still would be interesting because yeah with your work that system does wonders for the price.

[mvsfan]

Its still around and for sale on ebay. just look up cga to hdmi converter.

[rama]

Ah okay, it's "just" the regular board that has an HDMI transcoder on it.
I have one of those and they work with gbs-control, but the HDMI transcoder messes up the colors.
This could probably be corrected, if I had access (docs, protocols, etc).

A much better solution would be to actually use the digital out from the scaler chip, and ditch the analog part.
So far I haven't seen such a board though.

[Xyga]

Ah okay, it's "just" the regular board that has an HDMI transcoder on it

Of course, you won't find a product based on that board design featuring any significant firmware or hardware difference.
It's an old white label product sold under many different names and packaging, but they're really all basically the same.