GameCube on a RGB monitor

[werdna_andrew@snail-mail.net]

Lawrence posted an article on Atarilabs.com about Micomsoft's XRGB-2 Plus. In the article he says:

"Bottom line: As far as I'm concerned it's a lateral step. The lack of progressive 480p input really hurts, I can't imagine why they didn't support this but did make it support 1024 resolution. The Component video support will make your GameCube look great but again the lack of 480p means you're better served with other solutions if that's your primary goal."

Playing my GCN on a used, but good, RGB monitor is my goal. Is Micomsoft's XRGB-2 Plus my best bet or what other solutions would better serve me?

werdna_andrew :ph34r:
Video game addict since the mid 80's

[NFG]

Buy or make a VGA cable for your GC.  It'll look tons better than an upscan convertor, and supports both 15 and 31kHz RGB.

[werdna_andrew@snail-mail.net]

The VGA cables I found say they will work with games that are progressive scan compatible. What about games that are not progressive scan compatible? Is an upscan convertor the only way to play both types of games? About half of my games are progressive scan compatible so I don't want to have to get rid of the half my library and restrict future purchases.

thanks,
werdna_andrew  :ph34r:  

[NFG]

If your monitor doesn't do low-res RGB (15kHz horizontal) then you'll need to upscan it with an X-RGB2 or similar.  

Non-progressive games still output RGB, just not 31kHz (VGA) RGB.

[Endymion]

What he said--you will need an XRGB2+ to play your interlaced games. Additionally, if you are American and/or use an NTSC Gamecube, that console cannot output RGB for some reason. This problem hasn't been hacked around in the console hardware yet but some brave souls have learned that if you hack a Gamecube component cable in a way similar to the method that you use to create a VGA cable, you can get NTSC Cubes to output RGB. Read about it with instructions on how to make such a cable here.

[Vertigo]

That's actually a really good, clear, easy-to-follow guide. Great.

[Kenny]

The VGA cables I found say they will work with games that are progressive scan compatible. What about games that are not progressive scan compatible? Is an upscan convertor the only way to play both types of games? About half of my games are progressive scan compatible so I don't want to have to get rid of the half my library and restrict future purchases.

thanks,
werdna_andrew  :ph34r:

Where do you see if its progressive scan compatible?
i've got an vga monitor only (my tv stinks, the composite plug is broke, and i'm not allowed to open it) and i doesnt have money for an 15khz compatible one (everything cost 50 times as much denmark...).

[Computolio]

   Get the VGA hack cable, then get a combo monitor. Finding the combo monitor will be the hard part, but if you look hard it'll be cheaper than an XRGB.

[Darklegion]

A Qoob modchip can force around 90% of games to progressive scan, IIIRC.

[werdna_andrew@snail-mail.net]

The VGA cables I found say they will work with games that are progressive scan compatible. What about games that are not progressive scan compatible? Is an upscan convertor the only way to play both types of games? About half of my games are progressive scan compatible so I don't want to have to get rid of the half my library and restrict future purchases.

thanks,
werdna_andrew  :ph34r:

Where do you see if its progressive scan compatible?
i've got an vga monitor only (my tv stinks, the composite plug is broke, and i'm not allowed to open it) and i doesnt have money for an 15khz compatible one (everything cost 50 times as much denmark...).

On USA GameCube games, the upper left-hand corner of the back of the case has info about the games; number of players, memory used, etc. If a game is progressive scan compatible it will say so under an icon that looks like a TV screen with horizontal lines in it. If it is not progressive scan compatible the game will not say anything. Nintendo's web site says about 90% of its games and about 30% of 3rd party games are progressive scan compatible.

  I could not find a cable for a US computer monitor, only one for a Japanese monitor (US$30). That cable plugs in to my XRGB-2+ (US$200) that then plugs into my US monitor. I can't get progressive scan compatible games to play any better then other games. Not what I had hoped for but it works.

  Maybe a cable hack would work better but I'm not ready to try that right now. Playing games on a monitor is not a cheap thing to do, but it does look better. A new TV would cost about the same as a cable and XRGB-2+ but is looks so much worse! I hope Micomsoft makes a progressive scan compatible upscan converter some day.

werdna_andrew :ph34r:  

[Kenny]

does you remember to hold down b?
i did read somewhere that you need to do that.

[Guest]

did you remember to hold down b when you turn on the gamecube?
i did read somewhere that you have to do that.
sorry about d�uble posting but my pc stinks