OSSC for GameCube Progressive Scan or direct plug into TV

[XSync-1]

I own official GameCube component cables and an older 1080p Samsung plasma screen TV from around 2007. Just plugging the GameCube into the TV with component cables and playing in progressive scan mode looks fine, but I'm wondering if I would benefit from using either a Retrotink 2X Pro or an OSSC, instead of plugging the GameCube component cables into the TV without anything else? I heard that the Retrotink 2X Pro can't take in 480P, does that mean the Retrotink would be useless for me using GameCube component cables with progressive scan?

[maxtherabbit]

I heard that the Retrotink 2X Pro can't take in 480P, does that mean the Retrotink would be useless for me using GameCube component cables with progressive scan?

Yes


The OSSC may offer a benefit, depending on the quality of your TV's analog frontend

[neorichieb1971]

Do you notice an improvement with 480p on the Gamecube?

Years ago I did, but in the past 5 years when I switch it the TV recognizes 480p but nothing really happens. I'm wondering if the GC unit itself is somehow faulty or the cables lost something?

My current newest TV doesn't have component inputs on it.

[bobrocks95]

960p from the OSSC looks much better on my LG OLED than straight 480p. To the point where I plug in my HDMI GameCube into a component DAC (though the OSSC Pro will eliminate this thankfully).

[XSync-1]

I heard that the Retrotink 2X Pro can't take in 480P, does that mean the Retrotink would be useless for me using GameCube component cables with progressive scan?

Yes


The OSSC may offer a benefit, depending on the quality of your TV's analog frontend

Even from an old TV like mine? It's from 2007, so I thought that it would be able to output 480P just fine without anything else, and I know the newer televisions can't handle the lower resolution as well.

[XSync-1]

Do you notice an improvement with 480p on the Gamecube?

Years ago I did, but in the past 5 years when I switch it the TV recognizes 480p but nothing really happens. I'm wondering if the GC unit itself is somehow faulty or the cables lost something?

My current newest TV doesn't have component inputs on it.

When using official GC component cables and running in progressive scan, there is a huge improvement in picture quality. I don't own an OSSC, so I plug it right into my old Samsung 1080p Plasma TV and it looks good. But, using an OSSC might make it look even better.

[XSync-1]

960p from the OSSC looks much better on my LG OLED than straight 480p. To the point where I plug in my HDMI GameCube into a component DAC (though the OSSC Pro will eliminate this thankfully).

The OSSC Pro will eliminate what? Can you elaborate on this?

[Fudoh]

the need of a DAC for a HDMI source.

480p signals doubled to 960p can look pretty blocky. The OSSC has a smoothing feature to the horizontal axis look a bit less blocky, but it will remain blocky on the vertical axis. You have to know what you're aiming at. It's not a look that everybody appreciates.

[6t8k]

480p signals doubled to 960p can look pretty blocky. The OSSC has a smoothing feature to the horizontal axis look a bit less blocky, but it will remain blocky on the vertical axis. You have to know what you're aiming at. It's not a look that everybody appreciates.

@XSync-1: in this case the typical display would be upscaling the 960p signal, somewhat softening it on both axes (e: if it can process it, of course). A picture tells a thousand words, here's a comparison. Scrolling down a bit to the table, you'd be looking at the "GCVideo ➤ DAC ➤ OSSC Line2x" column. Of course that might still be too blocky depending on your tastes and viewing distance - it's what line multiplication does.

[XSync-1]

The official Retrotink ebay account retrotink_llc told me in a message today that the Retrotink 2X Pro can take in 480p progressive scan from the GameCube through official component cables, but what does it output in? Is the OSSC better at handling 480p progressive scan via GameCube component cables than the Retrotink 2X Pro?

[matt]

I run my Gamecube with official component cables and an OSSC. It looks significantly better on my TV in 2x mode (960p) than in 480p passthrough. This is because the TV's built in scaler filters the image too much in 480p and the colors are softened by the interpolation. In 960p, everything is crisp and vibrant.

Your results may vary depending on your TV.

[maxtherabbit]

I run my Gamecube with official component cables and an OSSC. It looks significantly better on my TV in 2x mode (960p) than in 480p passthrough. This is because the TV's built in scaler filters the image too much in 480p and the colors are softened by the interpolation. In 960p, everything is crisp and vibrant.

Your results may vary depending on your TV.

this

[strygo]

If you add in an Extron DSC 301 HD, you can run this 960p image windowed. This is especially useful if your display doesn't handle 960p (my Vizio doesn't, for example).

[XSync-1]

I run my Gamecube with official component cables and an OSSC. It looks significantly better on my TV in 2x mode (960p) than in 480p passthrough. This is because the TV's built in scaler filters the image too much in 480p and the colors are softened by the interpolation. In 960p, everything is crisp and vibrant.

Your results may vary depending on your TV.

Okay, so the OSSC is superior to the retrotink for this use.

[NewSchoolBoxer]

Hey I have a 2010 LCD Samsung and am seeking a Plasma for 480p.

If you don't own an upscaler, don't spend $100-200 just to make GameCube look a little better and that's not even guaranteed. GC 480p already looks very good. Sometimes used Extron devices are sold for cheap so can consider that route. My LCD has a VGA input so I debate waging a resolution battle for RGB.

Do you notice an improvement with 480p on the Gamecube?

Years ago I did, but in the past 5 years when I switch it the TV recognizes 480p but nothing really happens. I'm wondering if the GC unit itself is somehow faulty or the cables lost something?

Do you know the exact model number of that TV so we can look up the manual? Could be faulty GC or cables or GC 480p is off-spec enough that a TV doesn't have to accept it. Should try swapping out 1 thing at a time: different GC, different cable, different TV that you know accepts 480p, different GC power supply if you suspect that, different console like Xbox 360 or PS3 that can output 480p over Component. Easier said that done, I realize.

OSSC having superior upscaling to RetroTINK is expected since the latter upscales very simply and has less features and you pay less as a result. Different price points on purpose. Staying in "no lag" space, there are superior smoothen/sharpen algorithms that OSSC foregoes, such as using a frame buffer. No perfect solution to play in real time but I prefer no filters to feel more authentic.

XSync-1, I see your linked post about vd_isl and "less than 40 scanlines of latency is maintained". Do you mean if outputting 480 scanlines over 480p, latency is (40/480) frames = 8.33% of a frame? Just not the way I've seen lag quoted before. I've read good things about the Portta DAC too. What I'd like to see is the SNR from typical ADC and DAC products and compare to ADC on TVs. Guess I got to do myself.

[6t8k]

XSync-1, I see your linked post about vd_isl and "less than 40 scanlines of latency is maintained". Do you mean if outputting 480 scanlines over 480p, latency is (40/480) frames = 8.33% of a frame? Just not the way I've seen lag quoted before.

Specifying (maximum) latency in this manner makes it independent from the video signal. The DExx-vd_isl FPGA configuration buffers up to 40 lines, so for 480p59.94 input that would be about ((1001/60)/525)*40 ≈ 1.27ms, or 40/525 ≈ 7.62% of a frame, 525 being the total number of lines per frame. For 720p60 it would be about ((1000/60)/750)*40 ≈ 889μs, ~5.34% of a frame.

[matt]

I run my Gamecube with official component cables and an OSSC. It looks significantly better on my TV in 2x mode (960p) than in 480p passthrough. This is because the TV's built in scaler filters the image too much in 480p and the colors are softened by the interpolation. In 960p, everything is crisp and vibrant.

Your results may vary depending on your TV.

Okay, so the OSSC is superior to the retrotink for this use.

Yes, the Retrotink is basically just a component to HDMI converter for 480p. Its main purpose is to line-double 15khz signals, so using it for 480p only is kind of pointless.

For me, the OSSC is by far the best way to play my Gamecube on an HDTV. But I use it for a variety of consoles and I feel like I've gotten my money's worth. If you're just using it for 480p Gamecube stuff it'll be up to you whether or not it's worth it.