Gamecube Digital Connector

[zedrein]

Considering the Nintendo Gamecube's digital out was able to output video in Y Cb Cr, then wouldn't that make it technically superior visually to the Wii which only outputs Y Pb Pr? I know sometimes things in theory don't actually translate well into practice, but perhaps this would be a good example of that happening?

(Since I don't want to make a second thread) Why didn't Japan get RGB on their Nintendo Wii's? I can perfectly understand why in N. America we didn't get that video mode (where RGB capable displays via SCART or 21 pin connector are virtually non-existent) but in Japan they have tv sets widely available with the 21 pin RGB connector on them! Wouldn't any sane Japanese person prefer RGB over S-video?!

[Link83]

Yes, in theory  but unfortunately its YCrCb data, not 'normal' YCrCb, and there are 8 video data lines each sending different frames/parts of the YCrCb data (Apologies if you already knew this)

I would also imagine that given the similarities between the Gamecube and the Wii that the GPU in the Wii uses the exact same YCrCb data format internally aswell - possibly even the same 8 video data lines aswell - its just not available as a connector ouput.

Unfortunately there really isnt anything you can do with the Gamecubes 'Digital AV Out' Connector without using a DAC of some kind - it isnt in anyway what you could call a 'standard format'. True the data is sent as packets of <Y><Cr><Cb> but thats about it. You could also say that it outputs 'digital audio' aswell, but without a DAC it isnt in any usable format that anything would understand 

Now hopefully at some point in the future somebody will come up with a replacement DAC based on the quite detailed information provided in Nintendo's patent, see this thread for more info:-
http://nfggames.com/forum2/index.php?topic=3561.0
In theory with the right knowledge and equipment you could even build a HDMI cable (Or any cable you wanted for that matter)

Not that theres much point mind, especially with the Wii offering backward compatability and 480p ouput - by the time a replacement DAC is available for the Gamecube at an affordable price the Wii will probably be dirt cheap - you could then buy a Wii just to use as a Gamecube! (Only loss would be the Gameboy Player)

However, if it is discovered/confirmed that the Gamecube and Wii uses the same 8 video data lines and the same YCrCb format im sure somebody in 10-20 years time might have a go at designing a new DAC and adding a digital connector of some kind to the Wii (eg. HDMI etc, or whatever has replaced it at that time) - you would still be limited to 480p though.

Hope that helps 

[duo_r]

My gig is the gameboy player. I would dump the gamecube if I didnt have that. I really want RGB out on the gameboy player to convert to component via a box I have. Is there RGB signal inside the GBA player?

Back on topic - I would imagine that most TV's in Japan have capability to display component video these days, reducing the need for RGB > Scart? Or is Svideo their best option???

[Link83]

I could be wrong here but I always thought that Japanese RGB-21 connectors were abit of a 'niche' market in Japan that never really took off?

In Europe Scart connectors are very popular. They are the most common form of video connectors and are pretty much standard on everything. Even my mum and dad know what a Scart cable is!

[zedrein]

I suppose that makes much more sense now. I had thought that RGB televisions were very common in Japan, but I can see that perhaps they weren't.

Thanks for all of your help!

[NFG]

RGB in Japan WAS very popular, back in the SNES days, and earlier.  All consoles of the time had RGB cables, many computer monitors had RGB sockets, as did the TVs.  By the time the first Playstation was released the RGB-capable display was an endangered beast.  By the time I got to Japan in 2000, RGB TVs were very uncommon.

[Link83]

Do you know why its popularity declined? Was Component or D-Terminal responsible?

I thought it wasnt popular as I knew modern Japanese TV's dont have RGB sockets, and assumed that if it had ever been a popular format then modern Japanese TV's would still retain at least one RGB socket 

[zedrein]

I am with Link83, I wonder why RGB fell out of favor and s-video still remains a standard over there instead?