HD15-2-SCART alternative and 240p downscale (GBS-C and RT5X)

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Superior Sephiroth
Posts: 5
Joined: Tue Jun 28, 2022 9:18 am

HD15-2-SCART alternative and 240p downscale (GBS-C and RT5X)

Post by Superior Sephiroth »

I would like to buy something like HD15-2-SCART but buying it from castlemania is too expensive. Price for the adapter itself is ok but they also charge shipping (almost the same price as adapter itself) and taxes and I would also pay additional taxes again in my country and the fact that this is pre-order so you never know when you will get it and I have mixed experience with castlemania. Tried buying component Wii cables and it took too long and in the end I get refund and now I have original Nintendo component cables for Wii. I live in European Union. Maybe there are some alternatives to HD15-2-SCART to buy in my region of world. I seen some alternatives on ebay and other places but I don't know which are good. Also those alternatives have inputs for additional power but HD15-2-SCART does not and does alternatives seem overall less simple. I would like something simple that I could use with my stuff (Sony 14 inch BVM, Sony LMD-9020 and 28-29 inch Sony Trinitron TV and I have SCART to BNC breakout cable). Maybe you could recommend something like that here in Europe? I am also very interested in 240p downscaling and GBS-Control. I wonder how it compares with RetroTink 5X Pro 240p downscaling. Which is better overall and which is better at 480i->240p and 480p->240p. I know GBS-C control can't downscale 720p and RetroTink 5X Pro can. Can GBS-Control downscale video image from all inputs VGA (RGBHV, RGBS), SCART (RGBS) and component? Can it accept and downscale SCART RGsB sync-on-green when PS2 outputs 480p over SCART? Is it true that 480p->240p is a lot better than 480i->240p and because of that it is better to use 480p component over 480i SCART? The exceptions could be RGBHV VGA 480p Dreamcast and PS2 sync-on-green RGsB SCART if those are supported of course. If the resolution is the same I prefer SCART RGB over component. I think RGB is slightly better and natural. The component only beats RGB SCART with higher resolution. GBS-Control outputs 240p as RGBHV and component? But I read somewhere that component is less recommended and experimental and it is better to stick to RGBHV, is that true?
beharius
Posts: 274
Joined: Sat Apr 13, 2013 5:32 pm

Re: HD15-2-SCART alternative and 240p downscale (GBS-C and R

Post by beharius »

You can use the Kenzei, available from zedlabs.com in UK.
Superior Sephiroth
Posts: 5
Joined: Tue Jun 28, 2022 9:18 am

Re: HD15-2-SCART alternative and 240p downscale (GBS-C and R

Post by Superior Sephiroth »

And what output resolutions GBS-Control has?
beharius wrote:You can use the Kenzei, available from zedlabs.com in UK.
Link?
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NewSchoolBoxer
Posts: 369
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Location: Atlanta, GA

Re: HD15-2-SCART alternative and 240p downscale (GBS-C and R

Post by NewSchoolBoxer »

May as well add in eviltim's VGA to SCART adapter for AU$49 that works on 240p/480i + PAL equivalent. I like the pic of the circuity. I thought was just a pin rearrangement + sync resistor + cheap LM1881 sync stripping chip with 3V Zener diode to regulate higher voltage sync.

Your post was hard to read but it's okay. Someone correct me if wrong but Wii hardware is native YCbCr so I doubt RGB output looks better than component, unless RGB has real 4:4:4 chroma versus the fake 4:4:4 doubled from 4:2:2 like in GameCube. Can use cheap 3x RCA to BNC adapters and call it a day. Not sure how or if your Trinitron takes component.
Is it true that 480p->240p is a lot better than 480i->240p and because of that it is better to use 480p component over 480i SCART?
Downscaling not my thing, I'm being theoretical here since not answered. 480p->240p is better, yes, since you preserve the 50/60 Hz framerate while 480i->240p is forced to toss out the even frames and get a 25/30 Hz image. At least that's the simple way of doing things. I get downscaling to play 8 and 16-bit games off Wii but not native progressive scan games because you're throwing out half the resolution.

Could consider a 15-17" computer CRT monitor that takes 480p RGB over VGA if you have room for another display. Accepting PS2 RGB sync over green is not guaranteed. Monitor should specify sync on green support in the user manual if you can find it. Accepting RGBS and not just RGBHV is extremely common.
I think RGB is slightly better and natural. The component only beats RGB SCART with higher resolution. GBS-Control outputs 240p as RGBHV and component? But I read somewhere that component is less recommended and experimental and it is better to stick to RGBHV, is that true?
I found RGB to look slightly better than Component for PS2. Basic explanation that I saw Fudoh mention is its Component output is somewhat blurry compared to RGB but no one has done wide-ranging tests on all the hardware revisions. If I played in component one day and RGB the next, they'd look the same, I have to switch between the two in the same sitting to notice RGB is sharper.

It's best to stick with a video format that is native. If the console can output RGB but not component, use RGB. Transcoding RGB to component or the reverse is fine but you lose a little bit of video quality and add a little bit of phase distortion. Can debate that being noticeable but nice to avoid if you have options like RGB over SCART CRTs in Europe.

480p over component will look better than 480i over anything for games that have native 480p resolution. You get more detail. Every Wii game outputs 480p to the best of my knowledge, so stay in 480p, unless:
a) you're emulating games that were native 240p/480i (or PAL equivalent) like all non-PC* games before Dreamcast/PS2/GameCube
b) you downscale to play on 240p/480i (or PAL equivalent) CRT televisions
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