Dreamcast and Extron RGB 192

[Lamprey]

Hi,

I have a Sega Dreamcast and I wanted to try a converter from the VGA cable to Component for my TV. I have a CRT tv that supports up to 480i.

I picked up an Extron RGB 192 to try out and the picture is doubled and the colors are way off. The TV seems like it is trying to display a progressive picture. If I use the "monitor" port on the Extron and hook that to an LCD monitor I can see that the picture coming out the VGA cable is very crisp and nice.

I guess my actual question is: Does the Extron RGB 192 convert from 480p to 480i? Or did I get a version that doesn't make that conversion? If, I got the wrong one, which versions support a 480p to 480i conversion?

I know that RetroRGB has some info on these units but ,of all the luck, it is down right now. If there is another resource that you think would be good for me to read, feel free to post a link!

EDIT: Forgot to mention that I've tried all the dip switched, specifically the DDSP switch that I thought was supposed to work in this situation.

Thanks!

[Guile]

That Extron RGB 192 is an rgb interface that's helpful for getting RGBS from RGBHV which the Dreamcast is outputting. It will not convert the 480p Dreamcast signal to 480i or 240p 15khz signals.

If you want to do that, a gbs-control can do it if you use your rgb 192 to get RGBS and feed that to the gbs-c and then output 240p. There are also scan converters like the Extron VSC 500 that will output 480i from a 480p or higher signal.

[Fatass]

The Dreamcast will output 480p rgbhv via a VGA box/cable. The only instance where it can do 480i via VGA is with the switches on a toro box, I believe? Correct me if I'm wrong. All Dreamcasts, however, can output 480i when using scart/svideo/composite.

Assuming you are talking about an extron 192 RGB unit, those are usually for sync-related issues, like converting rgbhv to rgbs or rgsb. It doesn't convert 480p to 480i. And from my experience with similar extron units, they sync in ttl voltage which might damage consumer TVs (pvms seem to be ok with it but again, that's what I've heard).

Maybe try to get a cheap RGB scart cable for the Dreamcast (which does 480i) and pair that with a good scart to component converter +cables?

[maxtherabbit]

Yeah the problem is the dreamcast is outputting 31kHz as others have mentioned. If you have a switchable VGA output solution you can set it for 15kHz instead, but those are the exception not the rule.

Using the 192v to combine 15kHz RGBHV from the dreamcast into RGBS does work, and work well.

[Lamprey]

That makes sense. I guess I didn't read everything as thoroughly as I thought I did.

I'm currently, using an s-video cable and that works fine. However, I'm trying to convert everything I can over to component.

I wonder if HD Retrovision or Retro Gaming Cables will ever have the Dreamcast Component cables again? I think that would be my preferred solution as it is simple and I don't have to mess with other external converters.

As mentioned, there are several options like RGBs Scart cable and a Scart to Component converter or the Extron VSC 500. I found a, Extron VSC 500, but not sure if the deal is going to go through.

At any rate, some things to think about.

Appreciate the replies! That really helps me understand thing better.

[azmun]

I'm currently, using an s-video cable and that works fine. However, I'm trying to convert everything I can over to component.

I wonder if HD Retrovision or Retro Gaming Cables will ever have the Dreamcast Component cables again? I think that would be my preferred solution as it is simple and I don't have to mess with other external converters.

As mentioned, there are several options like RGBs Scart cable and a Scart to Component converter or the Extron VSC 500. I found a, Extron VSC 500, but not sure if the deal is going to go through.

I'm in a similar boat. I recently acquired an HDMI to component converter (Startech) and incorrectly assumed the device would be "plug and play." Unfortunately, the mystery behind extracting 240p (or 480i) from HDMI isn't as straightforward and remains elusive. I'm taking the route of getting a DC RGBS cable and a SCART/RGBS to component converter. Not the simplest solution but hopefully, not another failed experiment.

As I've mentioned in the past, there's been much headway to make old-skool source material compatible with new displays (1080p and up). However, headwinds persist and we're left with very few (if any) options to run these games (via new platforms like PCs, MiSTer, Rasberry Pi, etc.) on our beloved and aging SDTVs.

[strayan]

As I've mentioned in the past, there's been much headway to make old-skool source material compatible with new displays (1080p and up). However, headwinds persist and we're left with very few (if any) options to run these games (via new platforms like PCs, MiSTer, Rasberry Pi, etc.) on our beloved and aging SDTVs.

There are plenty of ways to get 15khz output from PC, mister and RPi.

[azmun]

Right. Like getting proprietary I/O boards, graphic cards, CRTEmuDriver, complex settings, etc. I'm talking simple, convenient, unified and satisfying solution that give us the basics: composite, s-video and component/rgb.

[kitty666cats]

It *is* simple. You just need to concentrate and read whichever tutorial(s) for the avenue you're going to settle on, and be patient. Radeon HD5450's are like $15. Or emulate via a soft-modded Wii.

But on the subject of Dreamcast, if you're using a NTSC CRT TV that only accepts 15kHz (480i and 240p) and want the best possible image, just use a SCART to component transcoder. Or RGB mod the TV. And RE: forcing 240p on games that don't normally support it... there isn't really a *massive* amount of DC games that are gonna look better in 240p, save for some fighters and shmups. It's a mostly 3D console.