Does anyone know of a connector that allows you to plug a VGA cable in to a D-Terminal (D4) ? I want to play my Dreamcast on the TV you see in HD rather than the S-Video image I put up with now. I have an official VGA box for it which looks fantastic on my TFT monitor but it's too small at 17 inches. I really need to get it working on the big screen. Also are there any good quality D-Terminal splitters to allow two inputs to the same socket? I've done a Google search but didn't really find what I'm looking for. Yakumo
Saw your subtle post in DCS Being as VGA is RGB and D Terminal is YPbPr, you're gonna have some issues, ie needing a transcoder as Barc0de described. If your TV has any RGB inputs it'd be a lot better, but still not progressive scan. Look around (maybe online as well) for a VGA to component transcoder.
keep in mind that transcoder quality rises with price usually. They can get quite pricey for semi-professional equipment, ranging from 100- 300 USD for such a box.
bugger. So it's looking like I'll have to spend big bucks if I want my DC running in anything better than S-Video on my TV Still I could use the transcoder with other stuff I guess. Yakumo
Transcoders in the strictest sense aren't expensive. Here are plans to build one one for less than $10 of parts: http://elm-chan.org/works/yuv2rgb/rgb2yuv.png It's actually even simpler than that since you don't need to strip composite sync. That circuit won't work for Dreamcast though since VGA output has discrete sync signals at 5V and you need composite sync at 0.3V. That only adds a $0.20 XOR chip and two resistors though. What really needs to be mades for DC is a box that transcodes RGB to component in both 480i and 480p (VGA) mode so you can use both modes without switching cables, just the switch.
Here you go http://www.keohi.com/keohihdtv/interfaces/diytranscoder.html The problem with these circuits is that they are a bit of a bodge (as the guy even said) and interference around the circuit is going to be high. I wouldn't want to build it as I'd probably lose patience with it and it really requires a board to be made, although it could be made with stripboard if you have the patience and use decent wire. It should however do the 240p and 480p of a RGB SCART lead and 480p of VGA (will go an cry on 480i though). It requires a H and V sync so SCART would require a LM1881 with strip the syncs or you could use the cheap war of an XOR gate as stated above. Otherwise buy a transcoder, even Maplins sell one that does SCART to Component for about 80 quid.
I think I'll buy one from the states due to the exchange rate. It would probably be a lot cheaper than buying one here in Japan even with shipping from the US to Japan. Does anyone know of some good online stores that sell these things? Yakumo
