Trying to locate a VGA to HDMI converter for Dreamcast.

[Rock Man]

My ultimate entertainment set-up is 1 item away from achieving it's full glory!

I want to be able to play Dreamcast at as good or better quality than what my other systems are currently outputting. I bought some Scart Switches to accompany the Coosis Scart to HDMI converter. My friend had bought a few Dreamcast RGB Scart cables from companies that stock high quality leads. The converter rejected them.

Scart for the DC would have been a minor venture anyway. We all know the DC's most impressive output is VGA. Too bad my TV is lacking the VGA port. My only hope is to convert VGA to HDMI.

Let's say I don't have a computer or monitor, instead I own a 32-inch Hi-Def VIZIO that goes up to 1080p. Before I grab a VGA cable from Ebay what's good VGA --> HDMI converter I can use that would allow my television to recognize the Dreamcasts VGA signal and change it to HDMI?

[PC Engine Fan X!]

If your HDTV monitor has a DVI input, you could buy an VGA to DVI adapter and your DC would work just fine going that particular route.

PC Engine Fan X! ^_~

[antron]

If your HDTV monitor has a DVI input, you could buy an VGA to DVI adapter and your DC would work just fine going that particular route.

PC Engine Fan X! ^_~

even if a TV has DVI there is a good chance that it does not support analog.

[PC Engine Fan X!]

Yeah, there are some HDTVs with DVI analog input, even Sharp made two Aquos 32" & 37" HDTV models with DVI analog input...just would need to use a proper VGA to DVI analog adapter and you're in business. Some of the low-end Sony HDTVs have VGA input built-in nowdays.

PC Engine Fan X! ^_~

[Rock Man]

If your HDTV monitor has a DVI input, you could buy an VGA to DVI adapter and your DC would work just fine going that particular route.

PC Engine Fan X! ^_~

Suggestion appreciated but my TV isn't equipped with DVI input(s). Has DVI become more common these days? o_O Before I thought it was the God-Tier of inputs that can only be used with a few TVs/Monitors making it extremely rare. But I wonder if more and more TV's have them, before I know it DVI will become the new HDMI, until something better comes along. Next thing I know HDMI will be on the same Tier as S-Video and Composite will be considered the new RF! D=

But I am getting ahead of myself here, I will keep the DVI suggestion in mind for when I get the compatible TV (I can't afford another television, right now.) For now anyone who can suggest a reliable VGA to HDMI adapter for Dreamcast would be helpful.

[Fudoh]

VGA to HDMI won't work with adapters, but requires active conversion. Those converters are available for around $45 on ebay.com. With the DC's VGA output you won't run into any high bandwith issues. Quality of the HDMI output will be the same as the input. Absolutely no worries there.

[StarCreator]

HDMI seems to be on the fast track to replace DVI-D entirely, even in PC video. It seems DVI ports on TVs (and I should note, there are at least three distinct varieties of DVI connectors with different signal capabilities) were really something that was introduced to give HDTVs the ability to receive a digital signal before HDMI was standardized, and I doubt it's still a marketable feature. Converting DVI-D (digital-only) to HDMI is extremely trivial, though.

As Fudoh says above, you'll need something in the middle to convert the signal from analog to digital to be able to pass the video as HDMI. I'd be concerned that this process adds at least a little lag though, in addition to the lag introduced on the display end.

[Rock Man]

Aw crap, lag. -_-*

I should have suspected there would some sort of negative result to this. What do you mean when you say there would need to be something in the middle to convert analog to digital?

Are you simply implying the conversation between the Dreamcast --> VGA to HDMI Converter --> HDTV, or are you saying I'll need to buy two accessories for the job and it will go something like this: Dreamcast --> VGA to HDMI Converter --> *insert item for analog/digital conversion* --> HDTV?

I need to make sure I completely understand this before I start spending money here. It's remarkable how challenging this is to figure out.

*Continues to play Mass Effect 2 while carefully monitoring this thread for the answers I seek*

[antron]

just the one converter is needed.

[Fudoh]

The VGA to HDMI adapters I tried were lagfree. As long as there's nothing like a framerate conversion going, most of those converters operate line based, which means only a few lines are buffered before the signal is fed to the output. We're talking just nanoseconds of delay in this case - in other words, absolutely nothing to worry about.

Have a look at this: http://cgi.ebay.com/350174703673

[Rock Man]

Let's say I'm doing an infinite combo with War Machine on Marvel vs. Capcom 1, you're saying converters like this aren't likely to inhibit some of my command inputs?

Because if not then I'm in! I've put this on my watch list, so far. Thankfully it is as simple as I thought and all I need is a VGA to HDMI converter to get the results I want.

After thinking about it even if there is milli-second lag so long as it's miniscule/unnoticeable I'll be fine.

[Fudoh]

you're saying converters like this aren't likely to inhibit some of my command inputs?

no, *they* won't, but your display will. So let's say you're switching from a DC on a CRT to a combo of the linked converter plus a flatscreen display, then *this* will screw with your timing. People tend to blame all kinds of stuff like external converters for this, but forget that their TVs/displays are actually to blame.

btw: what LCD/plasma TV or display are we talking about ?

[Rock Man]

32-inch VIZIO brand plasma.

So basically what you're saying is if there was any lag it would be the TVs fault and not the converter that you linked, got ya.

Assuming there is any lag then I probably am used to it by now. Since I know this won't produce any additional lag I will invest in this converter with absolute confidence.

Thanks guys.