What was you first experience with RGB gaming?

[matth]

Go back to 1993 or 1994, walking into to Toy's  R us and seeing the SNES on display  looking unbelievably sharp and vibrant.  I went home wondering why my SNES did not look like that, had no idea that what I was seeing was a RGB display.

Then in 1997 or so, I was reading Die Hard Gamefan magazine and saw and add for RGB monitors.   I started doing some research and was soon on my way to ordering my first 20" RGB monitor from MAS and have never looked back.  

I remember the first time I showed my friends the PSX and Saturn in RGB, they were blown away.

[NFG]

I remember those TRU SNES displays.  Watching Mario World on it was a magic experience.  IIRC they used very tiny projection displays, I remember the plastic screen being grooved...  At least, that's what I thought at the time - thinking back on it, it seems silly.

But the first RGB experience for me was the reason I started GameSX: Trying to connect a MegaDrive to an Atari ST monitor.  We could not have picked a less friendly monitor; everything from the connector to the relatively intolerant specs made it an impossible job.  The closest we got was a non-stable image, but from this I learned about sync separators, refresh rates, pinouts and many other things.  I also learned that there weren't any places on the net to find this stuff, so I started posting what I could scrape together and find out on my own.

[Endymion]

In an arcade, 1979. Or is that cheating?

[matth]

In an arcade, 1979. Or is that cheating?

That is cheating!!   I meant on a home console.

I remember those TRU SNES displays.  Watching Mario World on it was a magic experience.  IIRC they used very tiny projection displays, I remember the plastic screen being grooved...  At least, that's what I thought at the time - thinking back on it, it seems silly.

But the first RGB experience for me was the reason I started GameSX: Trying to connect a MegaDrive to an Atari ST monitor.  We could not have picked a less friendly monitor; everything from the connector to the relatively intolerant specs made it an impossible job.  The closest we got was a non-stable image, but from this I learned about sync separators, refresh rates, pinouts and many other things.  I also learned that there weren't any places on the net to find this stuff, so I started posting what I could scrape together and find out on my own.

I am not sure about all SNES kiosk displays but the one by me was most definatly some sort of RGB monitor.  I actually aquired one the monitors that was used in the kiosk but did not know anything about the monitor or RGB and didn't have the Dsub 9 pin cable to connect my SNES to it, so I trashed it (still upset about that).  The monitor was made by Zenith.

Also, a big thank you Lawrence for this site.  I have learned much about this hobby I enjoy, and a big part of that has been learned from this site and its members.  I don't understand everything I read here but I am much more informed since coming here.

[acem77]

Cheat story.
RGB screen shots for nes and genesis in manuals, magazines/guides, box art.

Short story,
1997-98 Massystems.com started my RGB journey.


Long story
Around 1996 I started to notice the nasty artifacts in composite video on the genesis, neo-geo, nes and turbo duo
when I connected all my other systems to my new 32"RCA proscan(the 1st tv I bought my self) with s-video.
I was happy with the s-video. But the composite video drove me nuts..


1997-1998 I wanted to buy a custom neo-geo bios and I found the number for www.massystems.com and called.
I can't remember the guys name we started to talk about the neo-geo bios and converting mvs(metal slug) games to aes.
At some point we stated to chat about my video issues.
He then gave me a RGB crash course and how I could get around composite video on some systems.
I ended up buying a rgb to s-video board connected to a 4 position db9 selector box, a few rgb cables, custom neo-bios and then he converted metal slug mvs to be selectable within my aes samurai shodown 2. I also have a super nova.

It seems like Massystems has closed its doors for good ..

In 2003 I discovered this site as I was looking for new ways to improve my set up and hoping to convert rgb to component for the 36" sony wega xbr I bought in late 1998.

I ended up buying device I read about here that did not work, I then got the neobitz board in 2004.
Late 2004 I bought my 1st HD tv and then a xrgb2 plus.

That's what I have using since then.

Thanks to this site I got all the other systems I could wish for running in RGB.

[zedrein]

Go back to 1993 or 1994, walking into to Toy's  R us and seeing the SNES on display  looking unbelievably sharp and vibrant.  I went home wondering why my SNES did not look like that, had no idea that what I was seeing was a RGB display.

Then in 1997 or so, I was reading Die Hard Gamefan magazine and saw and add for RGB monitors.   I started doing some research and was soon on my way to ordering my first 20" RGB monitor from MAS and have never looked back.  

I remember the first time I showed my friends the PSX and Saturn in RGB, they were blown away.

Wait, old video game mags used to advertise RGB displays? That's awesome, anyone have a link?

[Endymion]

The only one I remember was an ad for the old MAS System guys, sold superguns and custom made joysticks from arcade parts as well. They charged an arm and a leg, even back then it was better to just look for a monitor from a studio. There are no links I know of partly because the advertisements were very uninspiring, typically nothing but text and perhaps a black and white photo if any.

[Hamburglar]

I remember the same Toys R Us display, the picture was amazing, they had Donkey Kong Country playing on it- I remember sticking my head behind the monitor to see how it was hooked-up, if I remember correctly it had some sort of 9 or 15 pin D-sub connector. No other inputs, I also remember the groves on the screen.

After that I started messing around with a commodore RGB monitor, I was able to get SCART cables from Tommo JR  in Southern California, I remember I just kept trying wires, ground first, then sync then one color next color...colors all messed up-  now try different combination until it finally worked.

Later on I saw one of those SNES display units in a flea market, the screen was trashed though, so I passed on it, I remember on the inside it had a SCART or 21 pin Japanese RGB cable going to a female 21 pin connector to a cable that went to the monitor.