XRGB-mini Framemeister

[marqs]

There is a way to make GC output 31kHz RGB by hacking the component cable: http://gamesx.com/wiki/doku.php?id=av:gamecube_rgb . As far as I know, the component cables are quite expensive nowadays though.

[Joelepain]

There is a way to make GC output 31kHz RGB by hacking the component cable: http://gamesx.com/wiki/doku.php?id=av:gamecube_rgb . As far as I know, the component cables are quite expensive nowadays though.

Oh I forgot this one. The problem is if this page is right and I understand it right, it's the digital connector that output in 4:2:2 format. So the DAC inside the cable should output the same quality, even if it's set in RGB or YCrCb mode. And in RGB mode you end up with a sync on green signal, and you'll need all the "complicated" chain fudoh described for the ps2.
Knowing that RGB <-> YUV conversion is in theory lossless, maybe it's easier and cheaper to buy a RGB <-> YUV transcoder than taking the risk of wasting a GC component cable.

the annoying flickering that can be encountered for example in Resident Evil Zero's Monitor Tuning Menu (above the red line; the other native NGC Resident Evils feature the same menu afaik) is gone.

I just tried the Resident Evil Zero's Monitor Tuning and i didn't see any flickering above the red line. But for me on some color shades, I have some changes of the color shade that looks like temporal dithering or something like that. Maybe that's what you're talking about. But I see it both with component and rgb scart cable, both are official nintendo cables.

[Fudoh]

And in RGB mode you end up with a sync on green signal, and you'll need all the "complicated" chain fudoh described for the ps2.

no, the DAC in the Cube cables can be configured for direct RGBHV output. Just a matter of connecting of the pins to a 3.3V line and tapping the sync signals from the proper pins of the DAC.

[Smashbro29]

And even if all this work, and even if the component output of the GC is only 4:2:2, the differences with RGB would be difficult to see.

That's the point: It should be difficult to see, but thanks to the Framemeister's subpar Component processing it isn't.

So what you're saying is component is only good on the mini when you use the Wii and otherwise you're left to explore other stuff?

Which begs the question: What if you used Gamecube games in a Wii? It'd look better than straight Gamecube?

[pyrotek85]

And even if all this work, and even if the component output of the GC is only 4:2:2, the differences with RGB would be difficult to see.

That's the point: It should be difficult to see, but thanks to the Framemeister's subpar Component processing it isn't.

So what you're saying is component is only good on the mini when you use the Wii and otherwise you're left to explore other stuff?

Which begs the question: What if you used Gamecube games in a Wii? It'd look better than straight Gamecube?

I haven't compared them myself but I thought I had read that the Wii's component was bad too. Worse than Gamecube I couldn't say. Pretty sure it upscales stuff to 480p.

[Smashbro29]

I know that ordinarily the Wii's component is complete garbage but I read the mini is specially calibrated for the Wii.

[pyrotek85]

I know that ordinarily the Wii's component is complete garbage but I read the mini is specially calibrated for the Wii.

I thought it didn't look bad myself, but I know I don't have the eyes to spot the more subtle differences in picture quality.

[Smashbro29]

I know that ordinarily the Wii's component is complete garbage but I read the mini is specially calibrated for the Wii.

I thought it didn't look bad myself, but I know I don't have the eyes to spot the more subtle differences in picture quality.

From here: http://retrogaming.hazard-city.de/


4th Place: The XRGB-Mini (Framemeister) does a nice job on upscaling 480p material, but the scaling engine is just not as good as the ones of the processors above. With a bit of trickery (960 line output on a 1080p signal) you can get great quality on 480p sources. Nintendo's Wii is an exception to the rule: The Wii's signal is really bad and it doesn't look to great on most processors. Micomsoft obviously fine-tuned the Frameister to look fine with the Wii, so if you play a lot of Wii games, the Framemeister should be your choice.

[Thomago]

But for me on some color shades, I have some changes of the color shade that looks like temporal dithering or something like that. Maybe that's what you're talking about. But I see it both with component and rgb scart cable, both are official nintendo cables.

Yes, that's what I'm talking about. However I just see it with the component cable.
It's the same as with the PS2 (the Mini shows the same kind of "flickering" there), but without the heavy color banding. Who knows ... maybe this is caused by the Mini's Wii fine tuningi?

So what you're saying is component is only good on the mini when you use the Wii and otherwise you're left to explore other stuff?

I was talking about what I get from my Gamecube all the time. I don't own a Wii.

[Smashbro29]

I was talking about what I get from my Gamecube all the time. I don't own a Wii.

Interesting, I thought the Gamecube was actually better than the Wii through component and I had planned to grab some Gamecube component cables for the Game Boy player anyways...

I know the Wii is fine but now the Gamecube has a problem? Hmm..

[Fudoh]

The Cube's 480p component is signal is very soft und kinda blurry. Different from the Wii signal, but not neccessarily better.

[Smashbro29]

The Cube's 480p component is signal is very soft und kinda blurry. Different from the Wii signal, but not neccessarily better.

All I had to go on was people looking at their TVs, glad we got this cleared up.

I'm a little afraid to ask but... what's the setup for Gamecube on the mini?

[Thomago]

The Cube's 480p component is signal is very soft und kinda blurry. Different from the Wii signal, but not neccessarily better.

I think that's due to the Gamecube's aggresive flimmer filter. Why? Well - while the picture itself is blurry, its borders are perfectly sharp.

[Fudoh]

while the picture itself is blurry, its borders are perfectly sharp.

might be caused by the downsampled colors. If you have bright colors on top of each other (e.g. red letters in front of a blue background - see Wind Waker title screen), the colors are hardly seperated from each other, but bleed into each other.

[Thomago]

I'm pretty sure that unsaturated / black & white elements are affected as well.

[RGB32E]

The Cube's 480p component is signal is very soft und kinda blurry. Different from the Wii signal, but not neccessarily better.

GCN 480p isn't THAT bad. I don't see the color bleed you mention on WW. Perhaps like the SNES you need to pick up the right HW revision.

I have a JP GCN that has extruded vents and am curious to see how that compares. I don't recall if I have any JP games... I definitely do not have JP WW!

[NWrain]

Sorry to go back to the power supply question. Would a US PS2 Slim power supply work for the Framemeister?

[kel]

I doubt it, but a PSP1000 power supply works well though.

[RGB32E]

Sorry to go back to the power supply question. Would a US PS2 Slim power supply work for the Framemeister?

IIRC the PS2 slim PS is 8.5VDC, not 5VDC.

[pyrotek85]

My PS2 Slim (US) has an internal power supply, just an AC line cord plugs into the system. Are there versions with a power brick?

[ZellSF]

Yes. The earlier versions.

PSP 1000/2000 (not 3000) power supply might work, but it's still 0.3A short of the specifications. It probably won't, but it might cause problems. Why not buy a power supply that meets the specifications?

[Smashbro29]

Question: Why not use the power supply that comes with it?

[RGB32E]

My PS2 Slim (US) has an internal power supply, just an AC line cord plugs into the system. Are there versions with a power brick?

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/PlayStatio ... se_designs

Looks like there were a total of 7 PS2 slim revisions with the final version (SCPH-9000x) having a built in power supply.

[ZellSF]

Question: Why not use the power supply that comes with it?

He's probably not in a 110v area.

And supplying a very different input voltage to the power supply would be very very bad.

[NWrain]

I live in the US. I get 120V from the wall. If I plug a 100V gadget into a 120V outlet, it will work for a while, but I'm not sure what will happen to a XRGB Mini in the long term.

I have a power supply from a US SCPH-7000 PS2 Slim. The adapter fits and works on a Japanese PC Engine so I thought it may work with a Framemeister.

[kamiboy]

I plug all my Japanese hardware directly into the wall. Never caused me any trouble. I think power adapters and PSU's are a bit flexible with what voltage you feed them.

If you have a multimeter you can always measure the output voltage from any power adapter to check if it is where it should be when fed 120V.

[Smashbro29]

I plug all my Japanese hardware directly into the wall. Never caused me any trouble. I think power adapters and PSU's are a bit flexible with what voltage you feed them.

If you have a multimeter you can always measure the output voltage from any power adapter to check if it is where it should be when fed 120V.

According to my google-fu we'd need to see the back of it to see what kind of voltages it would accept.

[Zappyraccoon]

Why would you use a power supply from a different device? Couldn't you just buy one of these voltage transformers? http://www.smelectronics.com/japantrans.htm

[NWrain]

Sorry to go back to the power supply question. Would a US PS2 Slim power supply work for the Framemeister?

IIRC the PS2 slim PS is 8.5VDC, not 5VDC.

Is that bad? I was under the impression that the electronics drew the power they needed.

I have access to a PSP power supply which is 5V, so I will try that instead.

[Fudoh]

but the current (voltage) isn't the power (amperage). If your current doesn't match the unit, you'll fry your machine.

A PSP PSU is probably too weak.