Scanline Generators

[Lord of Pirates]

I'm at a loss at which SLG I should get, if anyone has the time, please help me out.

Correct me if I'm wrong on any of this:
MiniSLG - Low cost, easy setup, no adjustable settings
SLG 3000 - High cost, adjustable settings
Toodles SLG - Middling cost, adjustable settings (The only info I could find was here and it seemed rather biased)
RetroVGA 2 - Middling cost, adjustable, (couldn't much info)

I think the fellow that makes Hanzo also makes scanliners but I wasn't sure and I couldn't find a price in his thread at Assembler?

I'm leaning toward the MiniSLG due to cost and location, but knowing more about my options can't hurt.

Thanks in advance to anyone that helps.

[HydrogLox]

I think the fellow that makes Hanzo also makes scanliners but I wasn't sure and I couldn't find a price in his thread at Assembler?

Dreamcast VGA box & Scanline generator

21. What about the Scanliner?
Again, same design. VGA(HD15) MALE pigtail cable to VGA FEMALE. Includes On/Off, Even/Odd Select, Width Select switchs. It costs $35+shipping (as above). Photos soon...

11. How much does it cost?
Hanzo costs $49 plus shipping. Shipping is $6, each additional item is $2 more,
e.q. 3 boxes cost (49x3)+(6+2+2)= $157

French review.

[Lord of Pirates]

Thank you, I don't know how I missed that.

[Crafty+Mech]

What kind of hardware are you looking to use an SLG with? If it is a Dreamcast setup, the VGA/SLG box looks like a great solution.

If you need adjustable settings, I believe the SLG-3000 is being sold now through a US vendor. The Toodles SLG is no longer being made, but the RetroVGA should still be available.

Otherwise I'd be happy to build you a mini SLG!

[Lord of Pirates]

What kind of hardware are you looking to use an SLG with? If it is a Dreamcast setup, the VGA/SLG box looks like a great solution.

If you need adjustable settings, I believe the SLG-3000 is being sold now through a US vendor. The Toodles SLG is no longer being made, but the RetroVGA should still be available.

Otherwise I'd be happy to build you a mini SLG!

I will be getting Hanzo, but I'll need an SLG for other systems. I'm going to be using the standalone SLG with a Saturn, Gamecube, PS2, 360, and other random consoles.

Thanks for letting me know about T.SLG .

[beharius]

For the Hanzo review:

http://www.bwnfb.blogspot.ca/

[lostinblue]

The guys that did Hanzo will do a standalone one:

What about the Scanliner?

Again, same design. VGA(HD15) MALE pigtail cable to VGA FEMALE. Includes On/Off, Even/Odd Select, Width Select switchs. It costs $35+shipping (as above). Photos soon...

That puts them at:

Arcadeforge SLG3000 - 48.95€+6€ shipping (to europe)= 54.95€
Bruno Freitas Retro VGA - R$65+R$37=R$102 or ~36.66€
Beharious Scanliner - So, $35+$6=$41 = ~31.6€

The variant of the DC one seems the most affordable right now.

I will be getting Hanzo, but I'll need an SLG for other systems. I'm going to be using the standalone SLG with a Saturn, Gamecube, PS2, 360, and other random consoles.

Dudes that did Hanzo are doing a standalone scanliner (although I understand it's based on the same PCB).

There's orders already.

[Fudoh]

It really comes down to the features you need. Scanline width is neccessary, if you want to drive XGA or 960p output from a PC running low-res games, but then again who does that anyway ? It's also hard to get a perfect scanline alignment with those higher resolutions.

If you're in the US and you're ok with the fixed scanline density, then I'd always recommend to go with a MiniSLG. Cheap, extremely easy to use, highly compatible. If you want ajustable density (which is a killer argument in my book), then you go with the SLG3000.

[lostinblue]

If you're in the US and you're ok with the fixed scanline density, then I'd always recommend to go with a MiniSLG. Cheap, extremely easy to use, highly compatible. If you want ajustable density (which is a killer argument in my book), then you go with the SLG3000.

I believe the other two being spoken about match it (scanline density options), no?

RetroVGA 2 Swich list:

ON/OFF: Turns the scanlines effect ON/OFF

EVEN/ODD: Tells the board to draw only ODD or EVEN scanlines

WIDTH: Tells the board to draw double (thicker) or single scanlines

VSYNC: Inverts VSYNC signal. Need to change it when you're using a VGA resolution different than 640x480@60Hz or 1024x768@60Hz, otherwise scanlines won't work.

Source: http://www.brunofreitas.com/?q=node/36

(it's basically a T-SLG variant, I believe)


As for the other:

You can turn off Scanlines easily with a switch, you can select even or odd scanlines, you can change the width of the scanlines, thin or thick for a resolution like 1024x768.

Source: http://www.assemblergames.com/forums/sh ... -generator

It has 3 switches, so I believe it's missing the Invert Vsync thing. (I don't know if SLG 3000 has that)

[Crafty+Mech]

If you're in the US and you're ok with the fixed scanline density, then I'd always recommend to go with a MiniSLG. Cheap, extremely easy to use, highly compatible.

Good news on International shipping, I discovered that Stamps.com will allow me to print International USPS labels and customs forms online. The service isn't free, but I was averaging around a dozen international orders a month, so it would be worth it.

[Fudoh]

probably a term-misunderstanding (scanline width <> density). Width (single or double) is what the SLG3000 and MiniSLG do not offer, but the others do. Density (variable resistors on the RGB lines) is what ONLY the SLG3000 offers and what allows to you chose the type of CRT look yourself (e.g. Nanao with very light scanlines or BVM with quite heavy ones).

[lostinblue]

probably a term-misunderstanding (scanline width <> density). Width (single or double) is what the SLG3000 and MiniSLG do not offer, but the others do. Density (variable resistors on the RGB lines) is what ONLY the SLG3000 offers and what allows to you chose the type of CRT look yourself (e.g. Nanao with very light scanlines or BVM with quite heavy ones).

Oh! Understood.

That changes things; I want to pull PVM style heavy scanlines, for sure (my whole "project" is trying to closely emulate that on my plasma), is SLG3000 my only bet? Also, and out of curiosity, is that regulable on XRGB Frammeister? Because I have no money for one right now, but hope to, one day.

Shame, I have good opinion of ArcadeForge, but I somehow wanted to finance the smaller projects, if anything as a means to spruce up competition a little, but if it's like that I'll have to go with SLG3000 (not complaining, it's just that I thought I looked at this throughfully)

[Fudoh]

Probably both ways - you need a SLG for real heavy ones and the pretty light ones. For me the fixed density (as on the MiniSLG) is a bit on the heavy side already.

If you don't need the "other" functions (polarity, width), just get in touch with crafty-mech. I could imagine that it wouldn't be too hard to do one with higher resistors (and therefore stronger scanlines) on request (?)

[Fudoh]

PS: just clicking through the product pages.....

Bruno's RetroVGA 2 seems to have variable resistors on the RGB lines as well, although you have to set them individually. If you increase one without the other two, you'll get a colored tint on the output.

[Lord of Pirates]

It really comes down to the features you need. Scanline width is neccessary, if you want to drive XGA or 960p output from a PC running low-res games, but then again who does that anyway ? It's also hard to get a perfect scanline alignment with those higher resolutions.

If you're in the US and you're ok with the fixed scanline density, then I'd always recommend to go with a MiniSLG. Cheap, extremely easy to use, highly compatible. If you want ajustable density (which is a killer argument in my book), then you go with the SLG3000.

I'll be running at 640x480 to 1024x768 for most games. A MiniSLG and an SLG3000 down the line seems like my best bet?

Crafty, was Paradise Arcade was the store you were referring to that stocks the SLG3000?


Thanks for all the help guys.

[Fudoh]

Is there anything relevant (=requiring scanlines) that's running in XGA ?

[PC Engine Fan X!]

I bought a fully assembled T-SLG with the top mounted daughter board in place with the color shield and RGB variable pots. Looks great with the 360 port of Daytona USA on a 16:10 PC LCD monitor setup (and having that slick moire pattern of numbers scroll towards you {that shows the cars that are leading the race by position} that appears when you cross the starting line like that featured in the original Daytona USA arcade game setup).

PC Engine Fan X! ^_~

[Ganelon]

I don't know about the other products but one benefit to the SLG3000 is that you'll get excellent service. If there's something you're unhappy about, then you'll get a prompt replacement.

[lostinblue]

I don't know about the other products but one benefit to the SLG3000 is that you'll get excellent service. If there's something you're unhappy about, then you'll get a prompt replacement.

I've shot them an email before and they seemed like nice chaps.

I'm sure the service is excellent as it usually is with products meant for small communities like this one; word of mouth is everything, and on top of it all, I understand they're part of the community as well. Kinda sad they took the "DIY Scaler Kit" up 6 euros though (from 109 to 115 euros), makes it so that I'll probably buy SLG and Sync Strike from them the GBS2200 elsewhere (ebay, probably); because as is I can spare some cash in doing so. 10/15 euros or so (sounds silly, I know, but it's really tight here right now).

Their costumer service is a huge plus; but it's probably true for every small manufacturer we're listing, they're serious until proof otherwise; and from the moment they aren't people will avoid them.

The mini SLG is just too cute, might bite someday is I find an use for it.

Bruno's RetroVGA 2 seems to have variable resistors on the RGB lines as well, although you have to set them individually. If you increase one without the other two, you'll get a colored tint on the output.

That's very interesting. I'll play it safe by going with a SLG3000 but I think I'll probably purchase a Wii RetroPad Adapter 2+cables from the guy eventually.

I've also decided to buy a second Wii, they're very cheap now and good for retro gaming emulation (plugging and unpluging consoles can be a chore when one just wants to see how something appears like) one to be set at 16:9 (to run wii games) and other for 4:3, for both the PVM and generally running emulators. Probably not this month though.

Ah, this because anamorphic 640x480 with black vertical bars to keep the 4:3 aspect ratio is silly and I imagine destructive to the per pixel quality, even if it's 240p games. I hear emulators can actually output 240p on it though, which should be fun.

Sorry for the offtopic.


Oh, btw; does XRGB Framemeister allow for as much scanline tweaking as SLG3000? (can I pull PVM scanlines on it?) I don't have money for one now, but it's certainly in my plans to have one one day.

[Fudoh]

does XRGB Framemeister allow for as much scanline tweaking as SLG3000?

yes.

[lostinblue]

does XRGB Framemeister allow for as much scanline tweaking as SLG3000?

yes.

Good to know

[Lord of Pirates]

Is there anything relevant (=requiring scanlines) that's running in XGA ?

Not that I can think of.

[Crafty+Mech]

The mini SLG is just too cute, might bite someday is I find an use for it.

Thanks, I was shooting for cute

I saw an opportunity versus the adjustable solutions to develop a no-frills SLG for those who just needed scanlines @ 640x480 & 1024x768. The lack of switches & pots, and the single chip design, allowed me to shrink the product down to a compact adapter, and keep the cost low.

[beharius]

Scanliner from Beharius

http://www.flickr.com/photos/48137857@N06/9032533550/
http://www.flickr.com/photos/48137857@N06/9032534130/