Who's making quality JP21 cables these days (and ships in/to US)

[Sorny]

I used to buy from Retro Access but since changing owners it seems as though they no longer offer them though I haven't been able to get a solid answer from them on the subject. Any alternatives out there?

[PC Engine Fan X!]

For Sorny,

The UK/GB based "Retro Gaming Cables" site makes such high-quality cables but in the more preferred Euro Scart standard for retro gaming consoles.

The only other alternative is use the Euro Scart cables with an Japanese JP-21pin adapter to Euro Scart cable instead. Here's such an adapter listed here: https://www.ebay.com/itm/393066444177?_ ... R8zAg5SoZw

and here's a Euro Scart to Japanese 21-pin RGB adapter listed here: https://www.ebay.com/itm/393010827944?_ ... R8zAg5SoZw

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For a long time, I used to just deal with Japanese 21-pin RGB cables with my retro gaming consoles but have found out that it's much easier to just use the more widely available Euro Scart cables for my retro gaming consoles nowadays -- of course, your mileage may vary.
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Back in the day, Microsoft did release/sell an official "Xbox 360 Advance Scart" cable in the UK/GB (complete with Microsoft hologram sticker on the backside of the Scart cable itself to denote that it's a 1st-party branded A/V cable) for use with an USA or Japanese region NTSC based Xbox 360 Slim console setup -- it works like a charm indeed. Unfortunately, it's "out of production" (OOP) and is quite pricey in "used condition" on the secondary video gamer's collector's market these days.

Sure, I have my trusty old-school Micomsoft-based XRGB-2 Upscan Convertor device that only accepts Japanese 21-pin RGB input but with the above handy Euro Scart to JP 21-pin RGB adapter, it's one less thing to have worry about in the end.

PC Engine Fan X! ^_~

[jd213]

I believe the new Retro Access previously said they were working on getting more cables added to their store, so maybe they'll start making them again or take requests. I still have quite a few JP21 cables from the time I lived in Japan, so I just ended up making a SCART adapter for myself, although a pro could likely do a much better job.

[PC Engine Fan X!]

Yes, Retro Access Cables does make some very high-quality cables indeed -- you do get what you pay for in the end. And yes, Retro Access Cables' Euro Scart to Japanese 21-pin RGB adapter is some serious kit "built from the ground up."

Plus it's more easier to find a pro-grade Euro Scart Multi-Switcher box than it is to find a Japanese 21-pin RGB Multi-Switcher box setup nowadays. Here's a pro-grade Euro scart multi-switcher box with auto-switching functionality listed here: https://retrolemon.co.uk/audiovideo-dev ... ydra2.html

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Here's an AxunWorks JP 21-pin RGB/Euro Scart multi-switcher box (they're custom-made to order): https://www.axunworks.com/product-p931.html This is the only pro-grade multi-switcher that has the ability to handle both Japanese 21-pin RGB & Euro Scart cable protocols from the "get-go" at the touch of a button, manually. How cool is that?
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PC Engine Fan X! ^_~

[SuperDeadite]

Don't know if they will do international shipping, but I always buy from 穴場開発事業団. He has an Amazon.jp store.

[ldeveraux]

Am I allowed to ask what happened with RA in the past year? I gave up on their drama a long time ago...

[SGGG2]

I could go into details, but long story short she couldn't handle the stress and was mismanaging things left and right.

[Sorny]

For a long time, I used to just deal with Japanese 21-pin RGB cables with my retro gaming consoles but have found out that it's much easier to just use the more widely available Euro Scart cables for my retro gaming consoles nowadays -- of course, your mileage may vary.

Unfortunately for me I've already started a JP21 cable collection. I had a Japanese TV for a while that had JP21 input. I recently got a PVM with a JP21 to BNC converter and I think that's the way to go so the majority of my cables don't become junk. In for a penny in for a pound.

I believe the new Retro Access previously said they were working on getting more cables added to their store, so maybe they'll start making them again or take requests. I still have quite a few JP21 cables from the time I lived in Japan, so I just ended up making a SCART adapter for myself, although a pro could likely do a much better job.

I suppose I'll cross my fingers and wait...

[fernan1234]

Unfortunately for me I've already started a JP21 cable collection. I had a Japanese TV for a while that had JP21 input. I recently got a PVM with a JP21 to BNC converter and I think that's the way to go so the majority of my cables don't become junk. In for a penny in for a pound.

Don't fall for a sunk cost fallacy. You can probably get most of your money back if you sell your JP21 cables. But it would be pointless to do all of this to just switch to SCART, just going from one crappy connector to another crappy connector with a different pinout. Instead switch to a superior VGA/D-Sub setup.

[ldeveraux]

I could go into details, but long story short she couldn't handle the stress and was mismanaging things left and right.

I gathered that much, she doesn't run the company any more? I go to their site and it's 2 guys in the About section.

[SGGG2]

Correct. She sold the company.

[ldeveraux]

Correct. She sold the company.

Maybe they can actually deliver quality cables now

[Sorny]

Correct. She sold the company.

Maybe they can actually deliver quality cables now

What's the issue with their cables? RA was always a top recommendation among the retro youtuber crowd.

[jd213]

Out of the 10 or so cables I ordered over the years, I personally had 2 partially defective cables, both of them fairly recent (a year or two before the change in ownership). Was able to fix both issues myself, but it was pretty disappointing.

[ldeveraux]

Correct. She sold the company.

Maybe they can actually deliver quality cables now

What's the issue with their cables? RA was always a top recommendation among the retro youtuber crowd.

They arrived broken, the bend radius was terrible, the functional cables break just by looking at them. I was able to resolder the joints, but I bought them brand new. Granted this was 8 years ago, but between poor quality, lame excuses, and extreme lead times, I just switched to RGC. RGC were better cables in all of those categories and the build quality was more professional.

[azmun]

Don't fall for a sunk cost fallacy. You can probably get most of your money back if you sell your JP21 cables. But it would be pointless to do all of this to just switch to SCART, just going from one crappy connector to another crappy connector with a different pinout. Instead switch to a superior VGA/D-Sub setup.

Except most SD CRT sets don't have this input. Hence, SCART is still the best and most practical option.

[Sorny]

Maybe they can actually deliver quality cables now

What's the issue with their cables? RA was always a top recommendation among the retro youtuber crowd.

They arrived broken, the bend radius was terrible, the functional cables break just by looking at them. I was able to resolder the joints, but I bought them brand new. Granted this was 8 years ago, but between poor quality, lame excuses, and extreme lead times, I just switched to RGC. RGC were better cables in all of those categories and the build quality was more professional.

I suppose I ordered my first cable when she had assistance with the business because it came with no problems. My last order, one of the last she did before selling the business, was a little shoddy but it worked okay so I wasn't gonna complain, knowing that she was basically having a breakdown.

[ldeveraux]

I suppose I ordered my first cable when she had assistance with the business because it came with no problems. My last order, one of the last she did before selling the business, was a little shoddy but it worked okay so I wasn't gonna complain, knowing that she was basically having a breakdown.

She had the same breakdown multiple times over a decade . But that's another kettle of fish...

[PC Engine Fan X!]

I recall ordering two Scart cables (a PSX/PSOne & Sega Saturn versions) from Retro Access -- I did receive one but not the other one together as originally ordered. Had to send a message to her to inquire about the the seccond one and she said that she had made it but forgot to include it -- so she had to re-enter the information in regards to the 2nd Scart cable into the "Point Of Sale" (POS) website/terminal that she used to conduct her online transactions and it'd finally be processed/archived for business purposes, then she could finally send out the 2nd Scart cable out to me. This was back in 2024, of course. It was business as usual back in those days with Retro Access of lore.

PC Engine Fan X! ^_~

[BazookaBen]

Except most SD CRT sets don't have this input. Hence, SCART is still the best and most practical option.

in North America, TV's don't have SCART either. So VGA or BNC might be the best option.

And I think Insurrection Industries wants to start offering BNC and maybe VGA soon, in addition to the SCART they currently offer.

[azmun]

in North America, TV's don't have SCART either. So VGA or BNC might be the best option.

And I think Insurrection Industries wants to start offering BNC and maybe VGA soon, in addition to the SCART they currently offer.

It's nice to have alternatives. For my North American sets, I'm very satisfied with s-video and component connection. It's interesting OP is partial to JP21. I've purchased and owned few Japanese sets and never came across this input. Instead, I encounter D-terminal and it works quite well. No need to reinvent the wheel and besides, I like to keep things simple. Not sure I'd argue BNC is superior to RCA. They have their pros and cons.

[fernan1234]

Except most SD CRT sets don't have this input. Hence, SCART is still the best and most practical option.

That may be the case in Europe, but even in that case, you just need a single D-Sub to SCART cable, so you only need to deal with a single bulky and unreliable connector (and perhaps a single securing bracket) rather than one for each system in your setup. High quality pro-level VGA switch boxes are readily available worldwide.

And with a BNC input CRT it's even better as you only need an easily available D-Sub to BNC cable at the end of the chain.