Anybody play their classic gaming systems on a RGB Monitor?

[Anthony1]

I'm sure most of you guys are familar with RGB Monitors. Alot of Video Game Systems output a RGB signal, which is about the best signal you could possibly view your games in.

Of course you need two things to be able to enjoy RGB gaming.

1. A RGB Monitor
2. A specialized cable to connect your game system to the RGB Monitor to actually benefit from the RGB Display.

These are game systems that I know for a fact worked in RGB on my RGB Monitor:

1. Sega Genesis
2. Super Nintendo
3. Sega CD
4. Sega 32X
5. Atari Jaguar
6. Sega Saturn

There are also other sysyems that either never outputed a RGB signal or had to be internally modified to do so.

1. NES - Doesn't output RGB
2. Turbo Grafx 16 - Must be internally modified
3. 3DO System - Doesn't output RGB
4. Nintendo 64 - Must be internally modified
5. Playstation - Must be internally modified
6. Dreamcast - No need with VGA Box
6. GameCube - No need with 480P output in some games
7. PS2 - not sure
8. XBOX - No need with 480P output


Anyways, RGB is the way to go if you possibly can. You won't get a clearer, crisper, more colorful picture than RGB.

So, are any of you guys playing your games in RGB?

What systems?

On what RGB Monitors?

Did you make the RGB cables yourselves or had somebody else do it?

[digitalpress]

I have two Commodore monitors that I use from time to time for this, usually for shows or game gatherings at the house. Often used for Super NES and Genesis/Sega CD gaming, though we've had Amiga CD32, Commodore, TurboGrafx-16 and NES hooked up to it as well. Great picture!

[sniperCCJVQ]

I use my NES on the 1702 Commodore monitor.

Crystal clear graphic !

[Eternal Champion]

I use my NES on the 1702 Commodore monitor.

Crystal clear graphic !

The NES only outputs composite video, so how can it be clearer than on a regular TV? Is is possible to mod a NES for RGB? I thought the video signal is composite at the source, so it's not possible...

RGB is my future dream project. Of course, I need a workable old analog RGB monitor, and a custom cable for my SNES and Genesis 1. Redmond Cable makes them, but I don't know the costs:

http://www.connectworld.net/rcc/pages/game.html

I have the s-video cable for SNES, so that's something to fall back on. I wish Genesis outted s-video--the internal RF modulator on mine is dying. I'm so tired of crappy blurry RF video--the text in Genesis Flashback is illegible.

The other option is an arcade monitor, but one would need a lot of skill...

[BenT]

I just joined the RGB club recently, and made a little thread about it here (http://www.the-nextlevel.com/board/showthread.php?s=&threadid=19296). Loving it! I would, however, probably prefer to play on a true analog monitor, rather than upscanning the signal to VGA. That's for the future.

A few little corrections.

PSX outputs RGB natively. You just need the proper cable. Same for PS2 (make sure it's set to "RGB" in its bios setup).

NES can be modified to output RGB. There is a Famicom mod that requires a rare Sharp monitor part, and a newer mod where you replace the NES's gfx chip with that of a PlayChoice 10 PCB.

[Kidcritta]

Is there a way i can hook my current pc up to my old commodore monitor????

I want to do this for emulation because i don't know how to set up my pc to my tv!!!!

Any help?????

[BenT]

Your video card would need some kind of TV-out support, assuming that monitor could take composite input. And if it had that, you might as well just use a TV since the screen would likely be bigger than your monitor. :)

PC vidcards commonly have s-video out as well, which allows for better picture quality than composite.

[calthaer]

An RGB monitor is the only way to go...I play my NES on it and it's a lot sharper than on an average blurry TV.

EDIT / response : I run most video through a computer (TV-in), most sound through a receiverand a decent set of speakers - don't know if it's really all that complicated of a set-up...just saves having to switch cables.

[Eternal Champion]

calthaer wrote:

An RGB monitor is the only way to go...I play my NES on it and it's a lot sharper than on an average blurry TV.

How is your NES hooked up to it? Have you modded it for RGB? Sounds like a complicated mod...

The blurriness of an average TV isn't necessarily intrinsic; connecting a SNES via RF of course will look like shite compared to via s-video. Is there really a difference between playing a NES on a TV via composite, vs. on an RGB monitor via composite (such as an Amiga monitor, which has RGB, V, and s-vid inputs)?

[Nature Boy]

Maybe I'll have to start looking for some RBG cabling...

A coworker of mine gave me his C64 setup years ago - complete with RBG monitor. I've got that plus my Atari 130XE hooked up to it, but that's it. Didn't know other consoles had RBG cabling.

BTW: What do people use for switchboxes (if at all?) I'd love to use a switch box if I could. Right now I'm using Y cables so that both machines can be used (but not at the same time obviously).

[Eternal Champion]

Nature Boy--

Don't forget that all RGB cabling for the consoles listed above that actually output RGB would have to be custom-made to match the console's pinout (SNES has a totally unique jack, for example) and whatever monitor you use. Some use common pinouts, such as SCART, others are totally funky. I've seen several webpages that go into detail how to do it, but it assumes certain skills. As I said above, Redmond Cable can do custom cables for several consoles to several monitors, not for cheap, I don't think.

As for switch box, you'd have to find an RGB switchbox, but you'd need to customize the cable going from console to it, then from it to monitor. I've thought about that too, if I do RGB in the future, so that's a good question.


"Genetalia/And Pectoral Muscles/Aren't quite what I'd like them to be
"I got my kitty/his name is Alowishus/I stroke and stroke and stroke and stroke..."
--PRIMUS, "Nature Boy"

[BenT]

I have heard of one commercial, Japanese-RGB-connector-accepting switchbox in my life, and it was a Taiwanese product built to accept 4 Japanese-style RGB inputs. It got very bad word of mouth, though, so I never pursued getting it. So, I manually swap the cables into the XRGB-2's RGB input. It's not very hard since it's on my desk right in front of me. The unused cable connectors sit next to it.

If you were handy you could build an RGB switchbox. I've heard of people doing it (like, fourth-hand anecdotes) but don't know anyone who has personally.

[Nature Boy]

Nature Boy--

Don't forget that all RGB cabling for the consoles listed above that actually output RGB would have to be custom-made to match the console's pinout (SNES has a totally unique jack, for example) and whatever monitor you use. Some use common pinouts, such as SCART, others are totally funky. I've seen several webpages that go into detail how to do it, but it assumes certain skills. As I said above, Redmond Cable can do custom cables for several consoles to several monitors, not for cheap, I don't think.


Thanks - I did think of that (after I posted of course). I'll have to Google and see what I can find. I'm not an electrician by any means but I'm confident enough to handle something like this I think.

[stargate]

well, I would certainly say that RGB does have it's BAD side. For me I would be going from a 27" screen with S-video to what, a 15" screen with RGB. I would prefer a much bigger picture, than a slightly better, but way smaller picture.

[BenT]

If you sit close by (as I do with my 19" computer monitor) then it's all relative.

You can, however, get a 27" or so analog RGB monitor pretty easily. That's what they use in arcade games, after all. I'm considering one as a future purchase. It would require new RGB cables to be made, unfortunately, since you generally can't find an RGB monitor with the Japanese-style RGB inputs commonly used with video games.

(If in Europe, though, you could easily find a TV with RGB SCART-in. It looks just like the Japanese RGB connector standard, but is wired differently. So, this is one case where Europeans have it better than Americans.)

[Captain Wrong]

No one's mentioned it yet, so I'll step up...http://www.gamesx.com

You gotta check this site if you're looking to play consoles on RGB monitors. Pinout and the whole 9.

[Eternal Champion]

(If in Europe, though, you could easily find a TV with RGB SCART-in. It looks just like the Japanese RGB connector standard, but is wired differently. So, this is one case where Europeans have it better than Americans.)

Yep, PAL is definitely better than our crappy NTSC, plus RGB isn't some strange rare thing there. 'Course, for those of us with NTSC consoles, not an option. Sure, I'll be living in Europe for 2 years, but I'd need a PAL convertor, cables, etc. etc.

www.gamesx.com is a good site, but emails seem to disappear into the black hole of cyberspace. I kind of wish I hadn't found it, because RGB seems rather daunting. I hate knowing that I could get my games to look like arcade-quality, crisp and clear, but doing so is an uphill battle. Ignorance is bliss.

[Anthony1]

Just to let people know, I used to get all my cables through Redmond Cable, but they aren't interested in doing video game RGB cables anymore.

If you go to gamesx.com and get on the message boards, you can find somebody that will build you a cable for the right price.