I'm done. 32x32 Crosspoint + 15 consoles + Upscalers setup

[Dochartaigh]

Couple weeks ago I added an Extron SMX (hdmi+) matrix switcher into my analog console (CRT) setup so I could loop in all my upscalers (OSSC, XRGB-mini, DSC 301 HD, Corio2's) together for upscaling to a 4K TV. Last Saturday I modded my last system (Sega Saturn Phoebe) so I'm completely disc-less (+everdrive-type devices for cartridge systems) now too...

...so I thought I'd show my complete and final rack setup 2-years in the making. The entire second half of the video is heavy on showing exactly how I did the cable management required to (sanely) run a setup like this. I've posted earlier versions you might have seen – several of those projects were incorporated into this, but this is its (hopefully) final incarnation:



YouTube description:

This is showing how a single full-height server rack can house 15x systems + 2x matrix switchers + 3x upscalers + multiple converters / transcoders / up/down scalers for use on professional RGB CRT's, AND handle upscaling to a modern 4K flatscreen. PLUS how to manage all those wires!

Forgot to mention two converters mounted on the back (right side) of the rack: Shinybow SB-2840 (to convert RGBS to YPbPr for use on consumer TV's), and the Audio Authority 9A65 (used for Wii and OG Xbox Component to RGBS for pro CRT monitors). Also forgot to mention the 3rd power strip (back, top - needed more plugs for all those converters!).


...yeah, I know the video is WAY too long...lots to go over.



Some older projects/videos/albums showing how I got to this point, and the setup complete with CRT's and flatscreen:

I'm done. 32x32 Crosspoint + 15 consoles + Upscalers setup (this post)
Extron Crosspoint Switcher TOUCHSCREEN Remote Control
Extron DSC 301 HD (RGB>HDMI+scaling)-Best settings for 480p?
TUTORIAL for TVOne Corio2 240p Downscalers
Extron Crosspoint 32x32 Server Rack + 10x CRTs
CRT Gameroom Tour

[Fudoh]

only very few things are better than some nice cable porn in the morning.

[Gunstar]

Great setup! I hope you never have to move all that

(whoa, I need to look up the wireless arduino 360 pad to og Xbox mod)

[hugo19941994]

(whoa, I need to look up the wireless arduino 360 pad to og Xbox mod)

I guess he's talking about the ogx360. I bought one fairly recently and it's been great.

[fernan1234]

Nice spaceship! Must feel so good flipping the switch and turning on all the stuff on the rack.

Do you keep the monitors powered on most of the time?

[Dochartaigh]

Great setup! I hope you never have to move all that

It's on wheels! Sadly though, I didn't know there was a couple different height "full-size" server racks, so with wheels on this one won't clear regular height door jambs! I have no place else to put it until I'm done renovating the rest of the house (in like 5-10 years lol), so it's fine where it is for now. I will have to remove the consoles and the stuff on top so I can tilt it when it finally gets moved through - which is going to be a really big pain...

(whoa, I need to look up the wireless arduino 360 pad to og Xbox mod)

I guess he's talking about the ogx360. I bought one fairly recently and it's been great.

It's been great for me too. Got it off Etsy here although it's currently sold out.

Nice spaceship! Must feel so good flipping the switch and turning on all the stuff on the rack.

Do you keep the monitors powered on most of the time?

Nah, CRT's are off unless I'm using them. CRT tubes will simply never be made again so I'm taking it easy on them - hoping at least a few from my large collection will last until my future kids go away to college at least

[emphatic]

Man, someone gave this a thumbs down on Youtube, where is the world coming to?

[bigbadboaz]

Man, someone gave this a thumbs down on Youtube, where is the world coming to?

People are idiots, absolute idiots. Really means nothing -

[Dochartaigh]

Can't appease everybody! They probably thing it's WAY overkill...which it definitely is!

[cyborc]

Amazing setup! What are the specs of your groovymame computer? I'd love to see some video or screenshots of how groovymame looks on that 32'' PVM...

[Dochartaigh]

Amazing setup! What are the specs of your groovymame computer? I'd love to see some video or screenshots of how groovymame looks on that 32'' PVM...

Don't have any pics I don't think (and the 3230 is in the other room now anyway).

I built the computer for nothing other than GroovyMAME (might try HyperSpin but that is so friggin complicated to setup...and no free pre-setup images I could find) so I didn't get a fancy/expensive video card for newer games or anything (would rather play those on XBO to be honest), but this was pretty good specs when I built it (8th gen Intel came out after this).

ASRock H270M-ITX/ac LGA 1151 Intel H270 Mini ITX Motherboard
i7 7700 (didn't need K version as I'll never overclock in that little Mini-ITX case)
8gb Crucial DDR4
Sandisk 240gb SSD for OS + 2TB Barracuda 7200rpm for the ROMs (using MAME 0.200 right now)
Asus AMD Radeon HD 6450 Silence 1GB DDR3 for analog video output
SFX 300w power (this doesn't need much)

Only have the the power supplies fan and the i7's stock fan in it too, which worried me a little bit not having a case fan, but during normal use I don't think I've seen it go over 50º C (it's at 37 now), so it doesn't seem to get hot and will hopefully last.

[andy251203]

I'm more jealous about that widescreen Panasonic CRT you have. Post some more pics of that sexy beast!

[Dochartaigh]

I'm more jealous about that widescreen Panasonic CRT you have. Post some more pics of that sexy beast!

More pics here:

https://www.reddit.com/r/crtgaming/comm ... ormat_pro/

[Dochartaigh]

Just wanted to update this post in case anybody else wants to buy an Extron SMX matrix switcher - I gave up on them, they simply don't work nice with the OSSC (and I have two different SMX's and two different HDMI cards so most likely the hardware itself is sound).

I switched to a Vorke 4x1 HDMI switch + two 1x2 ViewHD splitters to get everything (OSSC, XRGB-mini, DSC 301 HD, Xbox 360) running. Still limited and I can't do everything I want (didn't even have enough inputs to run my 4K PC off it - that's running to input #2 on the flatscreen), but it works for now at least. I'm pretty sure I've never had a dropout with those two devices so far.

[nmalinoski]

I switched to a Vorke 4x1 HDMI switch + two 1x2 ViewHD splitters to get everything (OSSC, XRGB-mini, DSC 301 HD, Xbox 360) running. Still limited and I can't do everything I want (didn't even have enough inputs to run my 4K PC off it - that's running to input #2 on the flatscreen), but it works for now at least. I'm pretty sure I've never had a dropout with those two devices so far.

It's not ideal, but I would daisy-chain two of the Vorke HD41Pros together, with the assumption that if one plays nice with the OSSC, they would play nice with each other.

[Dochartaigh]

It's not ideal, but I would daisy-chain two of the Vorke HD41Pros together, with the assumption that if one plays nice with the OSSC, they would play nice with each other.

I'm OK with having to use the remote on the 4K TV to switch the input from the OSSC/FM/DSC301HD/360 to the PC Computer. Easier than buying another Vorke just for one extra input.



What I would REALLY like is an affordable 8x8 MATRIX switcher which works with the OSSC, but since that doesn't seem to be available I had to use a 4x1 switcher along with two splitters so I could do this:

Splitter #1 is so I can get native HDMI signal out of my Xbox 360 to my flatscreen + have the 2nd HDMI go to a Portta HDMI to VGA converter for use on analog CRT's.

Second splitter is for running the OSSC both directly to the flatscreen, then combining OSSC + Extron DSC 301 HD (which then goes to the flatscreen).

If I had a matrix switcher like the SMX (but which actually worked), I could have done all of this with a single device and a LOT less wires.