Third-Party Recommendations (Saturn USB Pad + DC VGA Box)

[BulletMagnet]

Quick question for anyone in the know - as the topic suggests, I'm considering picking up a Saturn USB controller (preferably one that'll also work with the PS3, supposedly some do) and a VGA box for the Dreamcast. As the topic also suggests I'm not really in the market for high-end stuff, and am just looking for a decent-quality third-party items - before I plunk down for one, though, I'm wondering if anyone knows of any particular brands to look for (or avoid).

Any experience you might be able to offer is appreciated.

[SGGG2]

The clear VGA box with the orange sticker you see on Racketboy, ebay, etc. gives a fantastic picture. IIRC, There's nothing special about enabling VGA on Dreamcast.

[mrsmiley381]

The clear VGA box with the orange sticker you see on Racketboy, ebay, etc. gives a fantastic picture. IIRC, There's nothing special about enabling VGA on Dreamcast.

That's 100% correct. The Dreamcast does native VGA and that sexy little box did wonders for stuff like Record of Lodoss War and Zero Gunner 2. Bangai-O worked just fine with its S-Video output too, if I'm not mistaken.

Here's a review of a Saturn controller for PC/PS3:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=v4MI5vwjuac

Word on the street is that it's all good.

[BulletMagnet]

Thanks for the info. While I'm at it, another question - to use the VGA box I'll need a male-male VGA cable, so I looked around a store today for one during my lunch break. I noticed that two types of cables were there, and while they looked pretty much identical one was two to three times more expensive than the other: a closer look at the packaging revealed that the cheaper one was for displays 640X480 and under, while the latter was for 800X600 and up (I forget the exact numbers, it was something like that). If memory serves, the DC can only display up to the lesser resolution, though the monitor I'd be hooking it up to can go a ways beyond that - is there any reason for me to spring for the more expensive cable, or will the cheaper one suffice for this purpose?

[SGGG2]

Generally speaking, a cable is a cable and as long as you aren't buying bottom of the barrel you should be okay. Never heard of a resolution specific VGA cable before...

Official Sega USB pads are out of production and command high prices. Just get one of the knock offs and slap the PCB in a real saturn shell.

[BulletMagnet]

Never heard of a resolution specific VGA cable before...

Neither did I, until I saw the ones in the store today...I was wondering what the deal was with the price difference, and had to look closely before I spotted the specifications on the package.

[lewisit]

Just get one of the knock offs and slap the PCB in a real saturn shell.

QFT

[PC Engine Fan X!]

The cheap Naki 3rd-party produced DC VGA adapter (with a slick crystal clear shell to view the PCB innards) works just fine compared to the official 1st-party Sega DC VGA Box (which commands some serious chunk of change nowdays). Yep, the DC can only output in 640 x 480 res maximum with any DC VGA adapter.

For example, if you use an DC VGA adapter with an Scart to Jamma adapter on a candy cab setup, and try out the DC Gigawings 2 GD-Rom, it looks quite breathtaking on just a low-res arcade monitor setup (even though it's running in 480i mode). Of course, it'd be better on a tri-sync arcade monitor setup running in 480p in high-res mode.

PC Engine Fan X! ^_~