Figuring out what I need before I get a new TV (Cables and such)

So before I get a PS4 I figure I need a new TV, this 1080i CRT with overscan like a muthafucka isn't going to cut it. But I'm going to need a few things. First off I need an up converter. Not going with a Framemister because of D terminal cables,cost and the fact shipping from Japan takes forever. I'm going with either a DVDO Iscan HD or DVDO VP30 (since it has a scanliner) whenever one pops up on ebay. Unless there are better upconverters, I talked to the wonderful person behind this website http://retrogaming.hazard-city.de/ and he was a big help

So the next step is getting a TV that doesn't stretch every 4:3 image to 16:9 and 2. Figuring out what cables to get for everything. Since I'm in NTSC land and not in Japan. SO *Deep breath* Some of these might seem like basic questions but I'm all kinds of confused right now.

1. Saturn, I'm currently running this through S-Video it's an early US unit, so black with Oval buttons.

2. Dreamcast, Probably should get a VGA Box.

3. N64, Totally lost here there are output mods, and tons of different cables, not sure which I need, N64 games look nice when they're smooth and not uber blurry.

4. PS2/Gamecube These are going in through component anyway but some games when played on the HD set down stairs like the Mega Man X collection on Gamecube or some New Geo collections/ Gradius III and IV on PS2 only show a black screen when going in direct. An Upconverter Should fix this right?

PS3 I'm set, 360 I THINK I'm set I have the only Component out only 360 that still works, so Not sure how that's going in. If there are better upconverters than DVDO's or XRGBs let me know. Tobias wasn't entirely clear on that one when I asked a few months back.

 

I thought the XRGB mini outputs via HDMI. For the Saturn, RGB is the best for now. The Dreamcast can do true digital HDMI but a mod has yet to be developed. The N64 RGB mod using Tim Worthington's N64RGB board works on all N64s and there is an HDMI mod for the N64 in development. I'd recommend getting his board and using a SCART or JP-21 cable with it.

If you go with the XRGB mini, make sure you get RGB JP-21 cables and not RGB SCART cables. SCART cables will work but require an adapter or rewiring of the included JP-21 adapter. If you want to go cheaper than the XRGB series, I use a SCART to HDMI converter I got on Amazon.com for $60.

If you want high quality JP-21 or SCART cables, I found a seller on eBay who makes really good cable. Some of their cables are better than the official Nintendo/Sega/Sony/SNK cables. They sell out quickly but are totally worth the $20. I have one for the 32X and one for the NTSC SNES.

The reason for the black screen on those certain PS2/GameCube games is because they actually output 240p over component. Some HDTVs have trouble with 240p over component. For the PS2, make sure the new TV supports 240p over component. I can tell you how to check if you want.

As for the GameCube, check out the GCVideo thread over in the modding section. Those boards are better than the official component cable, especially the true digital DVI/HDMI version. They are MUCH cheaper too.

 

No need for d-terminal cables. A mere adapter will cover that. Just an example, might be cheaper by looking around.

http://solarisjapan.com/collections/micomsoft/products/d-terminal-to-component-adapter-cable-female

 

I must have gotten lucky, my store brand TV from 5 years ago has a crap load of inputs, and keeps 4:3 when that's the output (especially for the DC, obviously)

 

The 240p display issue is something that could be fixed through an upconverter I assume? one of the DVDO converters will upscale a 240p signal.

There are still TVs with Component in? Most of the TVs I've been looking at have been HDMI only and they really skimp on the ports no more than 2 on most of them.

 

I'm sure many converters do but the cheap ones might not upscale 240p. There are many TV's with component inputs still being produced. They usually have composite video on the green jack and those usually support 240p over component. They did drop S-Video and they are starting to drop VGA as well. I see these TVs everywhere. You must be looking at PC monitors. Those usually don't have Component.

 

The DVDO upconverters support 240p well some do some don't I think the iScan HD supports everything you toss at it. They're about a $100 cheaper than an XRGB anything.

 

What inputs do they have? Component is obvious but do they have RGBS (SCART or JP-21), VGA, Composite or S-Video? If so, I might consider one.

 

the is the VP30 no SCART Input. Far as I know there aren't many SCART adapters around.

 

It has everything I need!!! How much is it? I want this now! It looks like it can do RGBS and VGA through the R, G, B, H, and V, and Sync (for C-Sync I presume) BNC connectors.

 

about $2-300 on ebay and they're popping up all the time. Newer models go for more but they from what I was told don't always support 240p

 

That is cheaper than the XRGB mini and would mean I would just need SCART and VGA to BNC adapters.

 

Yeah that's why I've been looking at these instead of XRGBs they can go up 1000 for newer models but once a new model comes out older ones go way down. The one I showed apparently also does scan lines.

 

That's good to hear. You gotta love scanlines sometimes.

 

Scanlines are part of what makes the XRGB so appealing. The Cost, shipping from Japan and language barrier however..........is not.

 

Those other 2 are valid points, but you can change the language to English.

 

Probably the obvious question I didn't ask is, What TVs should I be looking at? Samsungs have like NO HDMI ports (usually just 2), Same with LG, Vizios are the ones that gave me the Black Screen with some PS2/Cube games. I'm thinking of a 40-46 inch TV. Anything bigger I don't have room for without reconfiguring the entire room.

I think I was told this as well, and there's a remote overlay.

 

Lack of HDMI ports; yes, I've had this issue as well - but I solved it with an HDMI switchbox and HDMI pigtail splitters. They work great ... no problems.
Maybe this option would be worth considering.

 

The DVDO upscalers double as a switcher still the model I'm getting only has 4 ports. Last count I'd need at least 5 or 6 so a TV with at least 3 HDMI ports is ideal.

 

I've never seen a TV with HDMI only - unless you're looking at either monitors or professional displays (aka digital signage). They always have at least 1 set of component that doubles as a set of composite on the green terminal (as already stated). Sometimes however this is done with a dongle - they'll have some crazy weird plug that turns into a component pig tails.