My planned HD TV setup... (Will it all work?)

[BitFaced]

I'm posting what I'm planning to do for a HD TV setup to ask related questions about it (will certain things work, is there a better alternative to certain things, etc.) and make sure everything will go well.

The setup is designed with a British HD TV, mostly PAL/European consoles and a not-too-nominal budget as a lot of people on these forums in mind.

OK so, we start off with the RGB SCART sources (PAL PS1, PAL NGC, perhaps NTSC N64/Tri-Star 64, RetroGen & a Supergun) going into SCART switches (Hamma + Wilko's) that then go into a RGB SCART to YUV Component transcoder. That goes into a Joytech Xbox 360 Control Center 540C, alongside PAL PS2 & Wii Component (the former utilizing GS Mode Selector), maybe (PAL) Composite plug n plays/S-Video NTSC Commodore 64 DTV and the audio/composite breakout from the last SCART switcher (the latter for Composite from the N64/Tri-Star 64, though I do wonder if I have to take it out when using the Componet/RGB SCART, as both may appear at the same time if both are plugged in, right?). Then while the audio breakout goes directly to the TV's Component audio the Composite, S-Video and Component go to the iScan Pro. After the video is transferred through a VGA to Component cable and set to Component, it's sent to a SLG HD and then finally to the HD TV.

So, here are my questions.

1. Again, if I put the Composite breakout from the SCART switcher and the RGB SCART Component in in the same area at the same time will both video signals be put through simultaneously?
2. Will EVERYTHING work through the SLG HD if it's coming from the iScan Pro (PAL PS1, PAL NGC, PAL PS2 GS Mode Selector, etc.)
3. Will GS Mode Selector and other high resolution modes function through the iScan Pro or will I have to run that separately from the iScan Pro?
4. Is there a cheaper alternative to the RGB SCART to YUV Component Transcoder that's just as good?
5. What maximum resolutions does the iScan Pro accept and output; can it linedouble something like 480i or will that not be and may look a little crap upscaled by the HD TV itself?
6. With pricing in mind is the iScan Pro the best I can do? I've heard the Composite comb filter may not be the absolute best but it probably would be for this budget and the quality of the S-Video and Component could be better. Not to mention the previous question I asked. Should I get this linedoubler or another one that can stay in the right budget? Not to mention it may not matter if I use a SLG...

Thanks in advance if you can answer any of my questions and help me on this.

[matrigs]

iScan pro doesn't take 480p or higher, so no luck here.

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

Also in case you still go with it you might be better off with a normal vga scanline generator instead of component.

[BitFaced]

iScan pro doesn't take 480p or higher, so no luck here.
So I can't use certain video modes from Wii & PS2 through it then, right?
Also in case you still go with it you might be better off with a normal vga scanline generator instead of component.
Not if I'm using PAL 50HZ sources, which I am a lot.

[Fudoh]

Why not slim down the collection a little bit, make some money and get a Framemeister instead ? Overall it's not this much more expensive (you save the iScan, the transcoder and the scanliner), it will be MUCH easier to use, accepts both 15 and 31khz from your consoles - and not to forget it's HDMI up to display, so no need to hassle with analogue connections.

You just add a component switch and a Scart switch and you're done. In a setup as complicated as yours, it's not the best idea to choose the budget entry.

[BitFaced]

Why not slim down the collection a little bit, make some money and get a Framemeister instead ? Overall it's not this much more expensive (you save the iScan, the transcoder and the scanliner), it will be MUCH easier to use, accepts both 15 and 31khz from your consoles - and not to forget it's HDMI up to display, so no need to hassle with analogue connections.

You just add a component switch and a Scart switch and you're done. In a setup as complicated as yours, it's not the best idea to choose the budget entry.

The problem is that I decided to simultaneously set money to other projects and I'm not really sustaining a good amount of money at the moment. I will consider the Framemeister XRGB Mini option though, though I don't know if say, a price cut would be coming anytime soon.

[brentsg]

Why not slim down the collection a little bit, make some money and get a Framemeister instead ? Overall it's not this much more expensive (you save the iScan, the transcoder and the scanliner), it will be MUCH easier to use, accepts both 15 and 31khz from your consoles - and not to forget it's HDMI up to display, so no need to hassle with analogue connections.

You just add a component switch and a Scart switch and you're done. In a setup as complicated as yours, it's not the best idea to choose the budget entry.

The problem is that I decided to simultaneously set money to other projects and I'm not really sustaining a good amount of money at the moment. I will consider the Framemeister XRGB Mini option though, though I don't know if say, a price cut would be coming anytime soon.

I don't really recall any price cuts on Micomsoft gear aside from the open box item, etc.

[BitFaced]

Why not slim down the collection a little bit, make some money and get a Framemeister instead ? Overall it's not this much more expensive (you save the iScan, the transcoder and the scanliner), it will be MUCH easier to use, accepts both 15 and 31khz from your consoles - and not to forget it's HDMI up to display, so no need to hassle with analogue connections.

You just add a component switch and a Scart switch and you're done. In a setup as complicated as yours, it's not the best idea to choose the budget entry.

The problem is that I decided to simultaneously set money to other projects and I'm not really sustaining a good amount of money at the moment. I will consider the Framemeister XRGB Mini option though, though I don't know if say, a price cut would be coming anytime soon.

I don't really recall any price cuts on Micomsoft gear aside from the open box item, etc.

Well that really doesn't help my situation then (but thanks for the information!). I am now kind of questioning getting it but it does seem like a really good option... Sure we can't go with the iScan Pro/RGB to YUV/SLG HD route? At the moment they're going for over £100:
http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/DVDO-iScan-Pr ... 3cb4d17974
When I was hoping they were in the 40 - 80 £/$ range.

[matrigs]

Maybe fudoh has this still availlable?

http://shmups.system11.org/viewtopic.ph ... =iscan+pro

Well you don't have to throw yourself at the very first ebay - listing.

I paid for mine + shippinh 63 euros

[BitFaced]

Maybe fudoh has this still availlable?

http://shmups.system11.org/viewtopic.ph ... =iscan+pro

Well you don't have to throw yourself at the very first ebay - listing.

I paid for mine + shippinh 63 euros

Yeah, I guess I may just have to wait until I can find one at a decent price. Just kind of annoying as it's never fun to do those things, like when I waited for a Tri-Star 64 to come up and in the end I didn't get one, though for an ultimate multi-system that probably wasn't the best way to go anyway... But that's another point of discussion, I just hope the current "few hundred pounds" prices don't permanently hang.
What other ways can I buy it again?
EDIT: Oh, and on another note, the switcher for Composite/S-Video/Component I've chosen is good, right?

[matrigs]

Also in case you still go with it you might be better off with a normal vga scanline generator instead of component.

Not if I'm using PAL 50HZ sources, which I am a lot.

Could you elaborate on that?

EDIT: I assume your tv doesn't take 50hz signals over VGA?

[Fudoh]

it's a safe guess that no TV accepts 50Hz through VGA. Some professional Panasonic Plasma sets did and some monitors do, but TVs hardly.

[matrigs]

Either way - with PAL sources used with either SLG the scanlines will be misaligned, right?

[Fudoh]

no, why should they ? If you run PAL 288p signal through a linedoubler like the iScan you get 576p and it's the sync signal on that which controls the scanline device, so you get properly aligned 288 scanlines on that signal.