Building a CRT wall

[PascalP]

So I’ve been playing a bit with the idea to build a CRT wall at some point.
I can’t imagine how epic it would be to play 4 player Mario Kart on a 2x2 wall.

I have plenty of monitors (PVM/BVM), but I wouldn’t know how to start.
Are there (affordable) devices on the market with 1 RGB input and 4 divided RGB outputs?
Would this be feasible or am I looking at A/V controllers which are unaffordable?

Any thoughts or experiences?

[citrus3000psi]

Check out the Datapath x4

[Sumez]

One thing is for sure, expect lag.
At least more than you would normally get from a direct RGB input to a single CRT monitor.

[PascalP]

Something like the Datapath x4 looks exactly like what I would need IF it had 240P input/outputs

[citrus3000psi]

Something like the Datapath x4 looks exactly like what I would need IF it had 240P input/outputs

I didn't know if you had an extra vid processor to convert to 480p dvi, then output 480p via vga. Assuming your PVM's support 480p.

[Hoagtech]

I would just use double dash on the GameCube. You can have up to 8 tv screens going at once in full resolution.

It just requires 8 GameCubes and good luck finding that many component cables

[Dochartaigh]

What's wrong with daisy chaining PVM/BVM's?

http://imgur.com/a/Asfkh

[orange808]

While more complicated, you could chain multiple units that support edge blending. You would control/sync the chain with a computer.

Depending on availability of used processors, that's theoretically cheaper than a Datapath. Of course, finding four good used units of any model of processor is tricky.

Something to keep in mind if you find a lot for sale.

[korpse413]

Funny this thread came up, I've had a similar idea for a dream setup; not really a CRT Wall, but more along the lines of multi-player function.

My plan was to take a splitscreen multi-player game, and say if it's a 4 player game like goldeneye or mario kart, broadcast the game onto however many players there are and crop the image for that viewerspecial intended player. So instead of a wall it's more of a LAN setting for console split screen games.

There's also the possibility that some of the fun those games provided was being able to sneak a peak at your opponents location..

The setup would also be able to incorporate system link games like multiple ogxbox , ps1, ps2, etc.

This is also the excuse I am using to buy more CRTs in the future.

[PascalP]

After reading your comments and checking the equipment which is available, I think the idea of a CRT wall is not very feasible...
1. The cost would be extremely high
2. Possible lag through video scalers
3. Dividing a 240p source to 4 screens would result in 4 crap screens

Better would be to either go the route for 1 big screen, like a projector or a big ass TV via e.g. an OSSC.
I will also investigate a bit more in the linking of GameCubes, even 2 systems with a crosswire cable sound like a good plan compared to split screen mode from 1 console

[Shoryukev]

This is slightly unrelated but the premise of a multiple gamecube setup makes me want to try and get multiple CRTs and gameboy player add-ons to play Four Sword Adventures with some friends. One big 32" CRT in the middle and two 13"-19" CRTs on either side. You could use a wii for the main middle console to cheaply access YPbPr and then use s-video with the smaller displays and it would probably look good enough.

[PascalP]

This is slightly unrelated but the premise of a multiple gamecube setup makes me want to try and get multiple CRTs and gameboy player add-ons to play Four Sword Adventures with some friends. One big 32" CRT in the middle and two 13"-19" CRTs on either side. You could use a wii for the main middle console to cheaply access YPbPr and then use s-video with the smaller displays and it would probably look good enough.

I like this idea!
luckily I'm in the PAL region, so I could use cheap RGB scart solution

[Fusion916]

Bad idea

[Xer Xian]

A CRT wall sounds awesome on paper, but as it was pointed out already, splitting a 240p signal in four and blowing it up full screen may not be all that pleasing. Even a 2xsplit may be underwhelming since 2P split-screen modes generally alter the original aspect-ratio while also cropping or resizing the image.

So yeah, I guess this could be the reason why the broadband adapter for the GC is still sough after.. other retro-consoles can be linked up as well, but not many games support this feature. It's mainly Destruction Derby and the Wipeouts on PS1, VOOT on DC (the official link cable is quite rare though) and GT3 on PS2. The original Xbox is an exception, there are quite a few games available: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_X ... Link_games

I would kill for multiplayer Crash Team Racing on separate screens, but nope, we've only got the inferior Crash Tag Team Racing on the Xbox supporting the feature

[orange808]

You know, when you start *actually* processing the video to get what you want, the old "no filters" and "filters bad" thing goes out the window!

I mean, c'mon... ... Who the heck would just integer scale 240p signal and directly output the video? Nobody would do that. It will look like you made Mario Kart with Legos.

Anyhow, here's the top corner of the screen OSSC line tripled, DVDO smoothed out, and reconverted to 240p on a Corio2 processor that supports edge blending and video wall.

It can be done. I don't have four of these processors, but here's one screen.

Spoiler

[Ikaruga11]

I would just use double dash on the GameCube. You can have up to 8 tv screens going at once in full resolution.

It just requires 8 GameCubes and good luck finding that many component cables

I would love to do this, but I simply don't have the space nor the money for 8 displays, 8 GameCubes, 8 component cables, 8 copies of Double Dash, etc. For me, I'm satisfied with 2 player LAN, since I'm still getting LAN capabilities and it's extremely easy to connect just two GameCubes.

For two GameCubes, you simply connect the crossover Ethernet cable to each Broadband Adapter port. For more than two GameCubes, you will need to use a hub or switch.

https://www.nintendo.com/consumer/syste ... quired.jsp

[PascalP]

So yeah, I guess this could be the reason why the broadband adapter for the GC is still sough after.. other retro-consoles can be linked up as well, but not many games support this feature. It's mainly Destruction Derby and the Wipeouts on PS1, VOOT on DC (the official link cable is quite rare though) and GT3 on PS2. The original Xbox is an exception, there are quite a few games available: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_X ... Link_games

Yeah the GC broadband adapters is the way I will go from here, they're are not hard to find, just a bit expensive if you buy 8, so I'll start with 2
I have the link cable for the Dreamcast and used it for some games of F355, but it is nowhere near the fun Mario Kart would be IMO

[Ikaruga11]

Mario Kart: Double Dash!! LAN allows up to 16 players to play at once. More than any other Mario Kart game (MK8 and MKWii have 12 players [online only]), and most Nintendo multiplayer games.

[evil_ash_xero]

Are you wanting to make CRT great again?

[PascalP]

Are you wanting to make CRT great again?

CRT's have never been not great

[mvsfan]

Make crts great again?

how about just making them again. that would be a start.