Ever use XRGB-2plus with Saturn, Genesis or Ps2?

KBZ · Post by **KBZ** » Mon Jan 30, 2006 2:17 am

So I'm looking to bring my sega consoles (that aren't dreamcast) to the next level (ho ho!) with crisp vga display.

I'm wondering if anyone has even seen or played a saturn, genesis, or ps2 through the xrgb2plus, and what they thought of it.

I found this, but this guy doesn't seem to know too much about display. Crazy noob was amazed at svideo running in vga...lol

http://www.sega-saturn.com/saturn/other/xrgb-1.htm

thanks,

king.

neorichieb1971 · Post by **neorichieb1971** » Mon Jan 30, 2006 2:25 am

I want to know the same things as I have all the cables already but no XRGB.

PS2 would be better with the XRGB3 as it supports prog scan.

Genesis I would assume is 100% improvement since composite is your next best choice.

Saturn would also be awesome.

I've heard that the XRGB is no replacement for true RGB, but its pretty close. Then so is Svideo so I don't really know if its worth the outlay and finding the cables (which ive already got).

Neon · Post by **Neon** » Mon Jan 30, 2006 3:03 am

Plain RGB would be cheaper and better. An old Commodore 1084S and the necessary cables will do the trick nicely.

Some DC 2d games will look better in the low-res RGB display as well (Gunbird 2, etc)

KBZ · Post by **KBZ** » Mon Jan 30, 2006 4:11 am

Neon wrote:Plain RGB would be cheaper and better. An old Commodore 1084S and the necessary cables will do the trick nicely.

Some DC 2d games will look better in the low-res RGB display as well (Gunbird 2, etc)

Those monitors are very small and I've never seen one around here.

i save a lot of space by using just a pc monitor in my room instead of a boob tube. And of course, one extra vga monitor for tate mode :p

Neon · Post by **Neon** » Mon Jan 30, 2006 4:32 am

Kingbuzzo wrote:
Neon wrote:Plain RGB would be cheaper and better. An old Commodore 1084S and the necessary cables will do the trick nicely.

Some DC 2d games will look better in the low-res RGB display as well (Gunbird 2, etc)
Those monitors are very small and I've never seen one around here.

i save a lot of space by using just a pc monitor in my room instead of a boob tube. And of course, one extra vga monitor for tate mode :p

OK, but it seems to me to defeat the purpose of even upgrading the display at all if it's gonna be shitty and scaled.

The monitor will cost you $50 shipped max and it's not even that much smaller than a standard PC monitor. There are larger RGB monitors available as well.

Your eyes will thank you.

iatneH · Post by **iatneH** » Mon Jan 30, 2006 4:53 am

Taking the Recap obsession a little too far are we?

Just kidding... I'd also recommend going Commodore, you will not be regret. But actually I wasn't able to find a RGB model so I'm stuck with a 1702 with S-video. But check around flea markets and consignment stores and maybe even snoop around the local schools to see if they have any oldies knocking around.

neorichieb1971 · Post by **neorichieb1971** » Mon Jan 30, 2006 5:31 am

When I was in the UK I had the phillips 14" monitor for my Amiga and yes the RGB is like pure sex. But these days I want the big experience. I couldnt sit down at a 14" screen.

I would never buy another PVM etc, they are too old and battered and don't TATE for crap. Aracde tubes display great but have no casing.. So I think the XRGB is a great choice.

Almost everything is scaled these days, I can easily deal with 9/10 quality. I don't need the absolute bestest greatest display in the whole wide world to be happy.

When I bought a 55" Sony LCD HDTV there were many shortcomings with it.. but I lived with it.. Cable looked 100% worse than on my 27" SDTV..

llaoyllakcuf · Post by **llaoyllakcuf** » Mon Jan 30, 2006 5:42 am

I have used an XRGB-1 with a Sega CDX, and I didn't like it really.

the colors are bright and image is pretty sharp, but most 2D stuff looks chunky and weird in high res. (almost like an emulator)

I believe there's a setting for fake scanlines in the XRGB-2/2+, and that might improve things, but I've never seen it myself.

elvis · Post by **elvis** » Mon Jan 30, 2006 8:44 am

neorichieb1971 wrote:I would never buy another PVM etc, they are too old and battered and don't TATE for crap. Aracde tubes display great but have no casing.. So I think the XRGB is a great choice.

Building a case for an arcade monitor takes near-zero effort. 6 pieces of wood (ie: a cube) and a silent cooling fan, and you're done.

You're looking at 1/5 the cost of an XRGB, and the visual quality will look superb.

I'll stop using arcade monitors when there aren't any left on the planet in working condition. And considering they are getting CHEAPER and MORE READILY AVAILABLE, it looks like they've got a while left yet.

PC Engine Fan X! · Post by **PC Engine Fan X!** » Mon Jan 30, 2006 6:22 pm

I have the second generation produced XRGB-2 that has the "fake" scanlines feature for use with console and arcade Jamma PCBs. The XRGB-2 is the one if you want to play the Seibu Kaihatsu PCBs like the Raiden II or SP1 cartridges of Raiden Fighters, etc on a SP1 mobo.

The XRGB-2+ isn't the one to get for arcade Jamma PCBs but an XRGB-2 version.

I have both Japanese RGB 21-pin cables for the PSX/PSone/PS2, the Dreamcast, Atari Jaguar, & custom-made RGB cable for both my Superguns when using the XRGB-2 (but using an official or 3rd party DC VGA Box is much better for those DC GD-Rom games that do take advantage of the VGA Box output).

Of course, directly hooking up to a Commodore Amiga 1080 14" RGB monitor is the best for my given situation when playing the arcade Jamma PCBs. It really shows off the "raw look" when playing the Taito G-Cards on a Taito G-Net motherboard setup.

PC Engine Fan X! ^_~

KBZ · Post by **KBZ** » Tue Jan 31, 2006 5:33 am

isn't there a difficult process involved in hooking up a console to an arcade monitor?

elvis · Post by **elvis** » Wed Feb 01, 2006 12:10 am

Kingbuzzo wrote:isn't there a difficult process involved in hooking up a console to an arcade monitor?

An RGB cable (ie SCART) outputs all the information you need. Some will connect direct to an arcade monitor. Some you'll need to make a small converter, documented at PC2JAMMA.

And if that's too much, you can buy console-arcade converters pre wired from Ultimarc. Plug and play simplicity.

http://www.mameworld.net/pc2jamma/
http://ultimarc.com/console.html

KBZ · Post by **KBZ** » Wed Feb 01, 2006 2:17 pm

elvis wrote:
Kingbuzzo wrote:isn't there a difficult process involved in hooking up a console to an arcade monitor?
An RGB cable (ie SCART) outputs all the information you need. Some will connect direct to an arcade monitor. Some you'll need to make a small converter, documented at PC2JAMMA.

And if that's too much, you can buy console-arcade converters pre wired from Ultimarc. Plug and play simplicity.

http://www.mameworld.net/pc2jamma/
http://ultimarc.com/console.html

An arcade monitor might be a good idea. But I'd sure miss playing Dreamcast in vga =/

Are there any good places to buy arcade monitors?

elvis · Post by **elvis** » Wed Feb 01, 2006 11:39 pm

Kingbuzzo wrote:An arcade monitor might be a good idea. But I'd sure miss playing Dreamcast in vga =/

Are there any good places to buy arcade monitors?

Get yourself a newer Wells Gardner or Nanao monitor, and they'll do multi-res (ie: 15KHz CGA, 24KHz EGA and 31KHz VGA). No compromises there. You can play JAMMA games, console games, Dreamcast at VGA or even connect a PC and play any any res you want!

Playing Dreamcast on a 29" VGA monitor is just pure heaven.

I can't help you with Canadian or US locations to buy I'm afraid. Wrong hemisphere for me.

KBZ · Post by **KBZ** » Fri Feb 03, 2006 3:22 am

those monitors are much more expensive compared to simply using an xrgb. I really with I could simply try out the xrgb2, or see it in action to give me an idea of the display.

Scanlines in mame do wonders for the display, so I'd definately like to see how the xrgb2 does this.

elvis · Post by **elvis** » Fri Feb 03, 2006 5:15 am

Kingbuzzo wrote:those monitors are much more expensive compared to simply using an xrgb.

$100 PC monitor + $200 XRGB is roughly what you'd find a larger and clearer low res monitor for anyway.

I dunno... I see a lot of people salivating over these XRGB type units, but they just don't excite me when I can get better looking and larger monitors for the same outlay.

Each to their own, I guess.

KBZ · Post by **KBZ** » Fri Feb 03, 2006 6:03 am

the differencen with myself and others, is that I already have the vga monitor.

elvis · Post by **elvis** » Fri Feb 03, 2006 6:34 am

Kingbuzzo wrote:the differencen with myself and others, is that I already have the vga monitor.

I've got a 21" CRT PC monitor hooked up to my dreamcast at the moment, and find it too small for fighters. Shooters isn't too bad, but I'd still prefer bigger.

I'll say it again: I love my 29" candies.

neorichieb1971 · Post by **neorichieb1971** » Tue Sep 05, 2006 7:07 am

Whoa, found this thread looking for XRGB info.

Anyways. Was wondering if that PSX > AV > Arcade monitor plug thingy just plugs into a standard arcade monitor or it requires soldering/CRT knowledge?

PC Engine Fan X! · Post by **PC Engine Fan X!** » Tue Sep 05, 2006 8:28 pm

For neorichieb1971,

You'd custom-modded a PS2 A/V cable and extract the R, G, B, Composite Sync & Ground lines & just match them up to the same lines labelled on the arcade monitor's input plug. Voila, you now successfully hooked up your PS2 to an arcade monitor! ^_~

Of course, a 220uf cap on each of the PS2's R, G, & B output lines will do the trick along with a certain LM chip as well (I forget the number of it though).

This website has more info to extract PSX/PSone/PS2 console RGB for use with arcade monitors -- http://www.gamesx.com/avpinouts/psxav.htm

PC Engine Fan X! ^_~

elvis · Post by **elvis** » Tue Sep 05, 2006 8:45 pm

PC Engine Fan X! wrote:along with a certain LM chip as well (I forget the number of it though)

LM1881N

http://www.futurlec.com/cgi-bin/search/ ... no=LM1881N

neorichieb1971 · Post by **neorichieb1971** » Tue Sep 05, 2006 11:16 pm

I was talking about the ultimarc one they have for sale.. It looks like it goes to a connector of sorts, I was wondering if that is a standard connector to an arcade monitor.

I assume the ultimarc cables already have all the necessary chips and capacitors on them already right?

elvis · Post by **elvis** » Wed Sep 06, 2006 10:20 am

The ultimarc console adapters are a prepackaged unit that has the LM1881N circuit all built into the small DB15 connector head that plugs into your JPac.

The JPac itself has a small 5V video amp that will boost the signal to arcade-monitor resolutions.

shmups.system11.org

Ever use XRGB-2plus with Saturn, Genesis or Ps2?

Ever use XRGB-2plus with Saturn, Genesis or Ps2?

Yes, I've got a XRGB-2 upscan convertor for use with PCBs