What to run through RGB....

So I was on eBay the last few days trying to win a DVDO VP30 I was out bid at literally the last second. So I've conceded that I have no choice BUT to crap out $400 I wanted to spend on games and get a Framemiester.

I'd be a waste to have one and not run something through RGB. Saturn, SFC or Megasis. Which looks best or is that all subjective? It won't be all 3 simply because if I'm buying cables what's left for games?

I'm leaning towards the Megasis simply because it saves me the trouble of finding an S-VIDEO modded Megasis.

But I hear how amazing RGB Saturn is so....

 

I'd say Genesis, it has pretty bad video output when not using RGB. At least the early units have really bad composite. If you get a Framemeister you should eventually get RGB cables for everything you use. But I'd prioritize by what you think you'll be playing the most of, or by which will benefit the most. I think Genesis will benefit the most but only you can know which you'll be playing the most.

 

Have u thought about getting an OSSC? Not sure how they compare to the Framemeister but it cost £150 for a ready made unit or a DIY kit cost around £80-90 if u get a good price on components. The new version has digital audio out. It takes Scart/ VGA or component input but no S-video.

 

Yeah it's the whole Finding an RGB JP21 switch problem. I won't be playing anything on anything less than S-VIDEO. Maybe VGA for Dreamcast. But I feel like It'd be a waste not to use the RGB port. I'll be running AT LEAST a SFC, Saturn, Dreamcast,N64 and Megasis through it. My PS3, a Japanese PS1, and the GBA SNES Retrobit thing are possible. PS2/XBOX/GameCube are going direct to my TV's Component ports for now.

I'm getting an AVS so that's going right to a free HDMI port since it already doing the Framiester's job for it. Unless the Framiester does better Scanlines.

 

I've moved my entire setup to using a Quadview HDX for scaling to DVI as it allows full manual control over image timing, AND allows up to 4 simultaneous windowed (no border if you don't want) sources onscreen at once. Latency doesn't seem too far off from the Framemeister, but I can do things like display a fifth signal as a background image behind the windows, etc. I mix the audio using an 8-channel Behringer mixer (with panning bias such that in single-screen mode, the game has balanced input, but when in split-screen, the left screen is panned mostly left, and the right mostly to the right) then use an HDMI audio injector to add the new stereo mix to the DVI output from the Quadview.

There's a lot of solutions out there really I think, and there's a lot of 10-year old DVI scalers that are now being pulled from boardroom/crestron setups that work great, it just depends on how "crazy" you want to be.

 

I saw a Shitzillion different scalers it drove me to near madness. I put in eBay offers on at least 3 XRGB3s. going the DVI route but that adds the expense of a sound bar for Audio.

Yeah I could just get a Kanexpro or lenking converteter, but that's cheap chinese crap that doesn't keep 4:3. I at least need something that keeps 4:3 since my TV has an ass backwards way to change aspect ratio.

 

I have a framemeister and absolutely love it. Out of all the consoles I run through it, I think the most drastic difference going from composite to RGB was the sega genesis. Obviously it makes a big difference for all of them, but the sega genesis was HUGE difference. Probably the least impressive I felt, N64. I love all my consoles like they are my children though. Obviously opinions are subjective however and others might have different input. I run 8 consoles total through the framemeister.

 

My first gen Mega Drive got the greatest improvement by switching to RGB, hands down.

But imho what you should really do is take your $400 and put that towards a decent CRT instead of a framemeister. You'll probably end with a lot of dough left over, too. And won't have to deal with those annoying resolution switching delays.
Or, since it sounds like money might be tight (cables or games...?) - if you won't be able to make full use of a high end scaler anyways, maybe sth like a GBS-8220 would be a good middle-of-the-road option to tide you over?

 

Oh don't think I haven't considered a PVM the problem with that is room, I don't have any. There are a few buy it now PVMs on eBay now I'd have already grabbed if I had room.

Another option I'm heavily considering is Importing a Pioneer PDA-V100HD from Europe, but then I have to figure out how to ya know PLUG IT IN, since it's a European unit. But it does scale PAL AND NTSC Signals.

As for being strapped for cash, I am a little, I'm not taking any classes in the fall so I have some free money for this little project. But if I'm spending the extra money on Cables and RGB switchers what's left for games? I'm under the impression if I get a Frameister any S-Video imperfections I can hide with the scanline settings.

Besides that, I have Everdrives to pick up for at least 4 systems. Depending on when RetroUSB gets the next wave of AVS systems the first is an N8 Famicom version.

 

Framemeister and done if you're short on space. Very happy with mine.

 

Heads up, VP50 got posted on ebay today.

 

$240 off the bat too. VP30 is the one to get as it takes 240p as 240p

 

Damn wasn't aware of that. Thanks for the info

 

Get the VP20 there is one as a buy it now. It doesn't have RGB but it does the job.

 

I have a vp50 pro already. But I like to look for scalers. There are some nice Lumagen scalers on ebay right now.

 

I saw the Lamugen, a bit out of my price range, if I had money to burn OR already had the hardware I wanted to hook up to it I'd be all over those.

Good old Hazard city was a good guide to help me attempt to find something. Which I would have if the thing I wanted wasn't a European only thing.
OH and apparently even the VP20 and 30 needed some kind of upgrade card to recognize 240p signals. It's all there.

 

RGB cables aren't that expensive. It varies a lot though, as well as the quality of the cables. If you want higher quality they'll probably cost more. If you don't want to spend a lot on cables, you could just get cheap ones for now; even cheap RGB cables will probably be better than S-Video.

You mentioned Genesis, SFC, and Saturn. Of those 3, I'd say the Genesis has the best RGB quality. The SFC looks awful, unfortunately; it has the worst RGB output of any system I've tried, though the 1-CHIP SFC's RGB output is supposed to be similar to the redesigned model. The Saturn looks pretty good, but I think the Genesis looks better. If you have a model 1 Genesis and you want to get an RGB cable, make sure it has composite sync, otherwise you may have jailbars.

Interesting note about the Saturn: the Saturn has pretty good RGB output, and I have a Sega ST-V, and it has better RGB output than the Saturn. I'm not sure why that is, but I've noticed arcade systems in general tend to have really good RGB output. Speaking of arcade systems, lately I've been thinking about getting a CPS2, but it'll probably be a while.

 

How about PS1 I'm using my PS3 for US games but I'm considering a Japanese PS1 for shooters and Japan only Compilations.

How about Switchers are they as hard to come by as My life in gaming implied or are there some easy to find Switchers for JP21 nobody talks about?

 

The PS1 may be the only console that actually loses by using better cables, because of the heavily-relied-upon dithering becoming visible. YMMV depending on which game you're playing.

 

Well I decided on Genesis anyway but WHICH Megasis...not sure. (see: Region lock thread)