Using CRT PC Monitor for Game Consoles

[slai50]

I obtained a mitsubishi diamond pro 2020U CRT PC monitor and am wondering if its possible to hook up my RGB modded consoles to it? here is a pic of the back of the monitor. http://i1176.photobucket.com/albums/x33 ... dpro_1.jpg
What kind of cable or adapters would I need to connect my RGB game consoles to it? Would a BNC to scart or VGA to scart cables work?

[Ed Oscuro]

I didn't find a manual so this could be wrong:
http://www.manualmonitor.com/Mitsubishi ... _Pro_2020U
...but it looks like it's 31KHz and up only, sorry. Also note that there's clearly separate BNC inputs for H and V sync, which is a classic sign of PC VGA inputs. I don't think these monitors tend to accept combined sync on one or the other plug.

So it'll need an old Micomsoft upscan converter.

Good monitor though, I'd hang onto it if I had one.

[BazookaBen]

You can hook up PS2/Gamecube/Xbox when they're running in 480p. You'll need a transcoder for Gamecube and Xbox to covert YPbPr to RGBHV. For PS2, all you need is to set your console to RGB, and it will give you an RGsB signal that your monitor can use. It will only work with progressive scan games, though you can put GS Mode Selector on your memory card and set that to run on startup. That should allow you to play all PS2 game, either at 480p or 640x960i. The latter mode is for games that crash/look ugly in 480p mode.

And of course you can run more modern consoles. Xbox 360 has an optional VGA cable, but for PS3/4 and Xbox One you'll need an HD Fury adapter.

Also note that there's clearly separate BNC inputs for H and V sync, which is a classic sign of PC VGA inputs. I don't think these monitors tend to accept combined sync on one or the other plug.

If you look at the picture he posted you can see "comp" above the H-sync connector. So it definitely accepts composite sync. And I'm pretty sure most Mitsubishi's accept sync on green too.

[Ed Oscuro]

Saw that and it didn't click because of the placement You're right.

Unfortunately it doesn't change the story for most RGB consoles, which are going to be 480i and not 480p. But still, that's a solid reason to keep the monitor around

[slai50]

So if I were to get a xrgb-2, i would be able to hook up my RGB retro consoles( PC engine, SNES, Genesis, PS1) to the monitor? Which do you guys think would look better, xrgb-2/diamond pro monitor(31khz) combo or just hooking the consoles up to a sony BVM-20F1U(15khz)?

[tacoguy64]

I will be using a combination of my framemeister and a pc crt, and test out how good it works. I went with pc crt monitors for now because it is really difficult to find affordable pvm/bvm equivilents. Anyways I will post more on this result later.

[BazookaBen]

So if I were to get a xrgb-2, i would be able to hook up my RGB retro consoles( PC engine, SNES, Genesis, PS1) to the monitor? Which do you guys think would look better, xrgb-2/diamond pro monitor(31khz) combo or just hooking the consoles up to a sony BVM-20F1U(15khz)?

Definitely the BVM. And you won't have lag on the BVM (since you won't need the XRGB).

Your PC CRT will shine with 480p/60fps stuff from the Dreamcast/PS2 era, as well as everything after. I play Wipeout HD in 1080p on it all the time and it looks fantastic.

Also, PC games. PC gets most games that come out on Xbox and Playstation nowadays, and they look better if you have a decent video card, so that's really the machine to own.

[Ed Oscuro]

XRGB-2 has no appreciable lag, so that's not a factor.

I agree that RGB displayed natively on a RGB monitor will look better, though. In fact component on a good quality consumer TV should also look better.

XRGB display isn't bad, but it's just not quite the same as the real deal.

[slai50]

So if I were to get a xrgb-2, i would be able to hook up my RGB retro consoles( PC engine, SNES, Genesis, PS1) to the monitor? Which do you guys think would look better, xrgb-2/diamond pro monitor(31khz) combo or just hooking the consoles up to a sony BVM-20F1U(15khz)?

Definitely the BVM. And you won't have lag on the BVM (since you won't need the XRGB).

Your PC CRT will shine with 480p/60fps stuff from the Dreamcast/PS2 era, as well as everything after. I play Wipeout HD in 1080p on it all the time and it looks fantastic.

Also, PC games. PC gets most games that come out on Xbox and Playstation nowadays, and they look better if you have a decent video card, so that's really the machine to own.

Haha, originally I purchased the diamond pro to play old PC games. Even bought a retro computer that is capable of running DOS and windows 98 games. I already have all my consoles hooked up to 2 BVM-20f1Us but was just curious to how console games would look on the diamond pro. Glad to hear that console games still look better on the BVM-20F1U.

[BazookaBen]

Glad to hear that console games still look better on the BVM-20F1U.

Old console games look better on the BVM. Consoles made in 1999 and later will definitely look better on the Mitsubishi.