Suggestions for optimizing old/last gen consoles on monitor

[Franz the Stampede]

Hello!

I've subscribed to this forum a few months ago but, stupidly, I popped in this section only recently.
I noticed that some of the topics here are really helpful (the one about the XRGB-3 is really impressive and useful) so I thought I could ask your opinions. ^_^

I'm currently using the following consoles

- Sega Saturn (PAL version with Eu/Us/Jap switch, 60Hz for Us and Jap)
- Dreamcast (NTSC/J but internally modified to be region free)
- Xbox (PAL)

on a rather peculiar 28" CRT monitor manufacturedin the 90s.

Its main specifications are:

- Scan System: 15-36 kHz

- Resolution: 640×480

- 5 Inputs corresponding to 5 video channels:
SCART (which can be RGB)
S-Video
VGA
TTL
Analog video (kinda weird but looks like the analog connections of this
http://gearmedia.ign.com/gear/image/art ... 849241.jpg


Now, I'm using scart RGB on all of the consoles and the results are quite good. Anyways, I plan to switch to a VGA box for Dreamcast very soon, which should give me progressive scan (correct me if I'm wrong on this one).

For the Xbox, I'd like to buy the High Definition Av Pack (which is a component cable with RCA style jacks) and I was wondering:

1 - will my monitor support resolutions other/better than 480p?
2 - with the relevant adapters, will I be able to use the component cable in the analog video input?
3 - otherwise, will it be ok to use some component-to-VGA adapter?


Finally, about the Saturn, is there room for improvement? I'm not a high resolution fanatic, but I do like progressive scan (this statement doesn't necesarily make sense). Which VGA box/upscan converter could help, considering that I'd like to use the scart RGB as output directly the signal?

Any answer will be much appreciated!

thanks!

ƒranz

[D]

The Saturn already outputs progressive via SCART.
The Dreamcast only outputs progressive through the VGA box because it is a higher resolution.
Just get the VGA box for the DC.
Saturn RGB SCART
X-BOX ? VGA or component

[Franz the Stampede]

The Saturn already outputs progressive via SCART.

really?

Haven't used my SS in a while but I just tried, the internal browser seems to be progressive. I played Thunder Force V and it's progressive (except the front end and options menu).
Then I tested VF2 (NTSC-US) and it's interlaced, I guess it's because the game is 60fps?

Anyways, thanks for your help!

[Franz the Stampede]

uhm, I've been told that it's kinda phisically impossible to have a progressive signal through a mere RGB cable...

can you confirm me this?

[D]

The Saturn already outputs progressive via SCART.

really?

Haven't used my SS in a while but I just tried, the internal browser seems to be progressive. I played Thunder Force V and it's progressive (except the front end and options menu).
Then I tested VF2 (NTSC-US) and it's interlaced, I guess it's because the game is 60fps?

Anyways, thanks for your help!

My statement was wrong. SS outputs progressive in regular lo-res games. there are exceptions, them being VF2, Last Bronx and Dead or alive. To my knowledge these games are high res and can only be run in indeed interlaced modes.

It is not that it is impossible for RGB cables to display 480p signals. It is just that 480p and above signals are not supported by the SCART standard. This standard only supports 15Khz signals. 480P is 31Khz!
So no tv expects anything other than 15Khz to come through the SCART socket. My tv can handle progressive signals, but when I feed my tv 480P through scart I get the message "out of sync".
Physically everything is possible, it is just wires.
But to come back to your orignal question I guess you could look into some converters, but they would only apply to those three hi-res games.

[Franz the Stampede]

thanks again for your help D!



I'll think about it then...

[Strider77]

The Saturn already outputs progressive via SCART

if you mean 480p.... no it can't.