RGB from Gamecube DIY

[duo_r]

Does anyone know where the RGB is obtained from internally the Gamecube? If Nintendo could install the digital port, that means every gamecube is capable of having the digital AV out (and of course we know RGB is native). So ideas on doing a DIY install and maybe even build the circuit to convert to RGB?

[Link83]

Somebody please correct me if im wrong, but as far as I understand it the Gamecubes digital port is actually a 'mirror image' of the data sent from the graphics chip to the internal video DAC, that why another external DAC is needed inside the component cable to make the digital port a usable video connection.

This makes the digital port a very nice idea in theory, as Nintendo could build any cable they wanted as they have a direct connection to all the digital video data and audio data lines. They could have even made a HDMI cable if they had wanted to, using a suitable external DAC in the cable.

In practice this makes the cables very expensive to produce, as you also need a small PCB with a DAC in every cable - but on the flipside it also means discourages third-parties from making cables, so you can have total control of the market (Something Nintendo didnt even use to their advantage as their Component cable was only available online from their web site in the US, and not sold at all in Europe. They then had the cheek to say "less than 1% of Gamecube owners use the digital port" and removed it from later produced consoles! Just my little rant...)

(and of course we know RGB is native)

Im not sure what you mean? afaik the Gamecubes video data is sent as YCrCb data, not RGB at all. The following Nintendo patent sheet give you the all the information on the Gamecubes video data lines your ever likely to need:-
http://www.google.com/patents?id=Rk0NAAAAEBAJ&printsec=abstract&zoom=4&dq=6,609,977

You should be able to tap all the video data lines off the board for sure, but then you are going to have a very hard job making your own replacement video DAC!
I wish you luck 

[l_oliveira]

There's a reason for that ...
On developing countries it's VERY common to take these Nintendo consoles and stuck into arcade cabinets, with either a circuit to cut the start after the game started or a timer.
Not having RGB outputs is actually meant to discourage that use.

Other companies have a different approach, like what Namco did to Soul Calibur and Tekken series.
On story mode one can't play versus (no challenger can join in) and on arcade mode the game is endless...  That makes difficult to use the home version on arcades.