Component cables for old systems

Reserved for classic gaming discussions.
Alucard1191
Posts: 476
Joined: November 16th, 2016, 12:55 pm

Component cables for old systems

Postby Alucard1191 » May 17th, 2019, 12:14 am

After looking for a long time, I've found a CRT TV with component (RGB) capability. Now I don't have any connections for my old systems yet, but it's definitely something I'm looking at.

And wow, they are expensive. A sega saturn one, (and not official) is 45 on ebay. Gamecube are 100 or more! I couldn't even find them for SNES or Dreamcast. Anyone out there have a non-ebay source for them, and do those cables exist for the SNES, Gamecube, and N64?

User avatar
Rev
Posts: 1487
Joined: April 7th, 2015, 7:31 pm

Re: Component cables for old systems

Postby Rev » May 17th, 2019, 8:35 am

I've heard the HD retrovision Component cables are really good:

https://www.hdretrovision.com/

As for Gamecube, don't buy them. They are overpriced because only Nintendo released them in limited quantities. You are better buying a Wii component cables and playing your Gamecube games on that console.

User avatar
VideoGameCritic
Site Admin
Posts: 18102
Joined: April 1st, 2015, 7:23 pm

Re: Component cables for old systems

Postby VideoGameCritic » May 17th, 2019, 9:24 pm

To tell you the truth, I didn't know classic systems like the Saturn even supported RGB? I think I began using component cables with the PS2/GameCube/Xbox generation. Before that it was S-Video or composite.

Alucard1191
Posts: 476
Joined: November 16th, 2016, 12:55 pm

Re: Component cables for old systems

Postby Alucard1191 » May 18th, 2019, 12:36 am

Thanks on the HDretrovision link! That is exactly what I'm looking for! They have every system I need except Dreamcast, and they say they are developing it, so maybe by the time I set the money aside they'll have it done. I'm totally stoked to upgrade my Dreamcast and SNES from old school RF switches, (coaxial) to RGB. Very, very excited. :)

User avatar
Rev
Posts: 1487
Joined: April 7th, 2015, 7:31 pm

Re: Component cables for old systems

Postby Rev » May 18th, 2019, 10:20 am

VideoGameCritic wrote:To tell you the truth, I didn't know classic systems like the Saturn even supported RGB? I think I began using component cables with the PS2/GameCube/Xbox generation. Before that it was S-Video or composite.


Tons of consoles actually support RGB and even support SCART cables. Even if the console is old and was made in the U.S., may of them support RGB. Ones I know that support RGB:

NES- original model, you would have to mod the NES2
Sega Master System
Genesis
SNES
Saturn
PS1
PS2
N64- requires a mod for first gen consoles
Dreamcast- requires an adapter to turn VGA to SCART

User avatar
Atariboy
Posts: 956
Joined: April 7th, 2015, 11:07 pm

Re: Component cables for old systems

Postby Atariboy » May 19th, 2019, 5:13 pm

NES doesn't natively support RGB. You need an expensive modification to it to get RGB out of it. At this point, I'd just recommend looking into the Retro USB AVS system.

Worth noting also that the SNES redesign from 1997 or so also doesn't support RGB natively, but can be easily modded to do so. Same with the Sega Master System II redesign.

Nintendo 64 at this point probably makes more sense to do the Ultra HDMI mod. Both are expensive modifications, but Ultra HDMI offers the best picture quality (and doesn't require the $50 HD Retrovision SNES RGB to component cables or an expensive upscaler to be able to display video from regular RGB/SCART cables on your tv).

GameCube component cables haven't been $100 in years. I think you're looking at more like $300 these days. But there are excellent HDMI adapters these days for $100 and under that plug into the component video port (A port that isn't in late production GameCube's, btw).

They work beautifully thanks to the GameCube basically being a HDMI system before HDMI existed in the consumer world. Nintendo shifted the digital to analog conversion to a chip in the component cables themselves so as to not have the expense of it being installed in every last GameCube (Which is why there are no 3rd party component cables).

The HDMI adapters just route this digital signal to your HDTV's HDMI input (It's slightly more complicated than that). One of these adapters even includes a port for cheap Wii component cables, but the digital to analog circuitry makes it $150 rather than $75 or so for the HDMI only options.

User avatar
Rev
Posts: 1487
Joined: April 7th, 2015, 7:31 pm

Re: Component cables for old systems

Postby Rev » May 19th, 2019, 8:21 pm

The original NES doesn't support RGB? Thought it did. TBH- I don't have an original NES, I have a modded NES Toploader.

I would agree with pretty much everything else you said. When I was looking into hooking up all my consoles to my modern tv, I looked into the NGC component cables. I'm really glad I didn't spend the money on those. Like Atariboy said, you can buy good HDMI plug and play options for WAY less than the actual component cables. I have the EON adapter and I think it is a great option. Makes progressive scan games look great.

I have the N64 HDMI mod as well and it is solid. However, the RGB mod does have some benefits. For 1- it is way cheaper, assuming you already own something like the framemeister. For 2, if you are looking for playing your N64 on a tube tv then you would want to go with the RGB mod. While the HDMI mod does have many features that can emulate the feeling and look of playing on a tube tv, it doesn't 100% emulate it. Downside is that the HDMI mod works with any N64 while RGB typically requires the first generation of N64s.

Also, while I did mention RGB on Dreamcast, I would honestly recommend the HDMI mod. I have that as well and it is pretty solid. Although a lot of the same things I mentioned about the N64 applies to this as well.

Alucard1191
Posts: 476
Joined: November 16th, 2016, 12:55 pm

Re: Component cables for old systems

Postby Alucard1191 » May 19th, 2019, 10:25 pm

Do the HDMI set ups support light gun games? I thought those required curved CRT tvs. While the N64 and SNES I don't have anything on, (and I don't have a working NES, though the one I have in storage is the original toaster model) my saturn and dreamcast have light gun games that I enjoy very much. Also, isn't there a lag when going old school to HDMI? That might matter on a game like MVC2 if that is the case.

User avatar
Atariboy
Posts: 956
Joined: April 7th, 2015, 11:07 pm

Re: Component cables for old systems

Postby Atariboy » May 20th, 2019, 12:17 am

They don't require curved CRT's, even though that's a regularly repeated myth at classic gaming forums. I play NES Zapper games on a flat screen Sony Trinitron CRT, for instance.

They do however depend on CRT technology to work, but some efforts are underway to solve some of these issues such as for the NES Zapper. Maybe someday we'll be able to enjoy these games on modern displays on original hardware.

In the meantime, the PS3, Wii, and Wii U offer some excellent light gun style experiences that don't care what type of display you have. This includes classic games like House of the Dead II and Duck Hunt, as well as modern games like Dead Space Extraction.

And on the 240p test suite lag test on my Super NT, I consistently get 5ms of lag. The Super NT has no inherent lag. This 5ms is from the cheap $60 on clearance Insignia HDTV I'm using as a computer monitor (And some console gaming), and a Ralphnet Wii Classic Controller to SNES controller adapter that I'm using with a SNES Classic Edition gamepad (Ralphnet advertises "4ms max").

So less than a 1/3 of a frame, which quite possibly could get down to 1 or 2ms were I to run the test with a genuine SNES controller. When we're getting down to fractions of a single frame in 60 fps classic gaming for input lag, it's as good as being 100% lag free.

That's not to say that input lag doesn't exist or isn't a concern (Check out the 8 bit Mega Man NES games on Mega Man Legacy Collection 1 on the PS4, which clearly shows that input lag is sadly still here with us). But it does say that low lag classic gaming on modern HDTV's is very much possible.

JWK
Posts: 250
Joined: April 30th, 2015, 2:27 pm

Re: Component cables for old systems

Postby JWK » May 21st, 2019, 3:15 am

I own the HD Retrovision component cables for Genesis, Saturn, PS1 and SNES. They are excellent! I also own 2 third party/generic component cables for the Saturn— these are the $45 cables + $15 shipping you saw on eBay— and I can tell you they make a world of difference compared to the generic S-video cables ($12). Not only is the image sharper, but the colors are quite a bit richer.

I also really enjoy FPGA solutions if you’re not planning on using a CRT. RetroUSB’s AVS (NES) and Analogue’s many clone consoles do a fantastic job of simulating real hardware on HD TV’s without lag. I alternate between the FPGA consoles through HDMI and real hardware through component on Sony Trinitron CRTs. Difficult to say which I love more.


Return to “Classic Gaming”