Scart Switch Recommendations?

[Restart_Point]

Is there a highly-regarded reasonably priced Scart Switch box that isn't rare as hen's teeth or discontinued? Currently I only have two consoles that I need it for so even a two-port switch would be fine. One is a Mega Drive with a RetroGamingCables "Packapunch" CSYNC cable, and the other a Super Famicom with a cheap RGB Scart cable that carries a perfectly good picture. I'm not concerned with auto switching or remote controls etc, just a simple manual one is fine, but the golden question is are there any with zero RGB image degradation that I can buy easily and are not stupid expensive?

[SavagePencil]

I had good luck when I was first starting out with a Hama 100S (or one that looked nigh-identical, from a company called "Goobay"). Take a look at reviews here:

http://retrorgb.com/scartswitches.html

...and here:

https://www.videogameperfection.com/cat ... equipment/

[Restart_Point]

Cool, that Hama one seems to be easily available but here in the UK seems to come under the name Technika. So that doesn't have any image issues that you noticed? The review said it was perfect in that regard

[ASDR]

I can highly recommend the Bandridge SVB 7725. 5:1 & manual. You can get them new for ~20EUR, there's absolutely no quality loss, noise etc. even when you chain multiple of them and since they're passive / manual & fully connected they're compatible even with unusual signals like YPbPr or Sync-on-green. I even recommend them over vastly more expensive highend gear like a gscart simply because they can handle absolutely everything you throw at them with no visible quality loss.

[Restart_Point]

I can highly recommend the Bandridge SVB 7725. 5:1 & manual.

Great, that one is easily available and a good price. Has some great features too. Thanks for the comments! Looks like that's one of my best options then.

[Thomago]

I'm using the Bandridge SVB7725 (5-port non-automatic).

I was about to set up a PS2 480p over RGsB profile on my OSSC, only to realize that the Bandridge switch seems to degrade EDTV/HD resolutions:

1) Routing RGsB 480p over the switch results in a very soft picture and slight double contours
2) Setting the PS2 to YUV output and the OSSC to YUV over AV1 results in a sharper, albeit still relatively soft picture
3) Directly connecting the PS2 and the OSSC results in a sharp picture

(I presume that the Scart cable between the switch and the OSSC isn't at fault, as it is very high quality.)

I'm otherwise content with the Bandridge switch, so I would like to know: Did anyone else notice this? Is there maybe a way to make the switch perform better?

[NoAffinity]

https://otaku-games.com/index.php?_rout ... witch.html

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[Thomago]

So, that one works better with 480p?
In the meantime I'm considering setting up another PS2 via Component - I still have one official cable lying around and one free Component input ...

[NoAffinity]

So, that one works better with 480p?
In the meantime I'm considering setting up another PS2 via Component - I still have one official cable lying around and one free Component input ...

I dont see why it wouldnt. It's just a dumb switch. But if you want to share your profile settings, I can replicate the test conditions and provide some screenshots.

In the meantime, check out retrorgb's review of this switch. I dont remember if they tested anything other than 240p, but that might get you a quicker answer.

Question - your ps2 scart cable does not have 220uf caps right?

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[RGB0b]

I'm sure many people here will disagree with me, but in all my extensive testing, I've found these to be the best choices, in order of cost:

- Just plugging each console direct. It's a pain, but "free".

- The Otaku switch. It's manual and not very pretty, but it just works. No mods needed, no "some are better than others" like the bandridge...it just works. At around $50, I think it's a good choice to buy, then keep as a spare/second, should you ever upgrade.

- The gscartsw is the best out there and the latest batch will have open pre-orders soon. The amount of testing, features and tweaks that have gone into that (most of which most people are unaware of) is unmatched.

[Frank_fjs]

Otaku switch is great and probably the best value for money.

I'm partial to the Hydra switches myself. Beautiful design and build quality, heaps of features, great performance.

[strygo]

+1 on the Hydra. I have the W-Hydra and it is a sight to behold.

[NoAffinity]

Heres a thought. With rgsb scart output from ps2 to ossc, try turning off the ossc's low pass filter. Any improvement?

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[Thomago]

I dont see why it wouldnt. It's just a dumb switch.

Same goes for my Bandridge

But if you want to share your profile settings, I can replicate the test conditions and provide some screenshots.

Nothing special here apart from Line2x mode. The difference in horizontal sharpness between 480i and 480p is immediately obvious.

In the meantime, check out retrorgb's review of this switch. I dont remember if they tested anything other than 240p, but that might get you a quicker answer.

Where do I find the review? There isn't anything linked here (http://retrorgb.com/scartswitches.html)

Question - your ps2 scart cable does not have 220uf caps right?

Nope. Also, as I said: With a direct connection, the picture quality is perfectly fine.

Heres a thought. With rgsb scart output from ps2 to ossc, try turning off the ossc's low pass filter. Any improvement?

Nope.

Here are screenshots visualizing the matter: https://imgur.com/a/UyvSOB2

[NoAffinity]

https://youtu.be/QiivayiBroc

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[Thomago]

Nah, no info there at all. I would have been rather surprised anyway, as no Scart switch review I have seen so far went to the length of testing what happens if 480p (and up) signals are transferred. Would be a good addition to the testing regimens imho!

[NoAffinity]

I'll pull the 220uf caps off my ps1 scart cable and give it a test. It probably wont be til Friday, when my vacation from work starts. Any particular titles youd like to see 480p from? Ive got outrun coast 2 coast, which offers easy 480i/480p switching, and looks very good in 480p via the ossc (via component on my setup), imho.

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[Thomago]

Thank you! Just did an additional test with a PS1 cable (no capacitor): Same problem.
In the meantime I installed another PS2 with a component connection; 480p looks stellar there. Nevertheless I'm still interested in your findings.

[NoAffinity]

Here's the youtube upload. YT compression is pretty significantly degrading the quality. As of right now, 1080p is the max available playback res, but 1440p should become availabel eventually. When it does, that's the way to view it. YT does less harm to 1440p content.

https://youtu.be/O1Mpbsr9ZOQ

And, if you want the original file that was uploaded, you can download it here:

https://drive.google.com/open?id=1tHb-w ... 6Z_FsKs3Oy

And if neither if those adequately convey it, PS2 RGsB 480P looks fantastic via the Otaku Games switch and OSSC combo. Slightly better than component, which is more a reflection of my setup than anything else. I get a slight bit of noise from my component sources...could be the cables although they all seem to be quality, could be the C2G component matrix in my chain.

Either way, the moral of the story is: the Otaku Games switch handles 480p every bit as good as 240p and any other oddball resolutions that go through it from the consoles I have hooked up through it (PS1, Saturn, SNES, Genesis, N64, PCE CG2).

[Thomago]

Thanks for the video and especially for going to the length of uploading the massive original file!

It's hard to judge with the additional upscaling, but from what I can gather, there isn't any of the Bandridge's sharpness degradation. The Otaku Games switch seems to be performing great indeed!

[ben.shinobi]

I update this topic to ask some advises.

I have project to use OSSC (with HD capture card) to capture Irem M72 pcb gameplay.
I see here viewtopic.php?f=6&t=64397 that it seems possible to capture this difficult video Irem video signal (384x256, 55Hz)

I know some scart amplified switcher as Otaku-Games store but I really don't which one is required to split correctly the RGB scart signal from my supergun. I use this one https://www.r2tronik.com/soft/progamer_fr.pdf which is great !! I need a scart switcher with 2 output without signal loss.

If someone can help me ?
Thanks !!