Dreamcast - video cable options?

[Nico87]

Need a cheap solution. I've heard RGB is good, but I don't even know if there is an RGB port on the DC, I haven't done much research. How would a DC with a VGA cable look on a 32" HD-ready tv? It's either that or just use the standard cables on a 24" CRT, which is probably what I will end up doing.

Are there any other alternatives for use with the 24" CRT?

Thanks!

[Vectorman0]

Sega released S-Video cables in Japan, and the official VGA-Box outputs S-video as well (for those games that aren't compatible with VGA output). I recommend going with one of those options, as the third party s-video cables I have tried have all been terrible.

[Gavica]

with vga should look great, but the good ones are really expensive, at least $30+

[Nico87]

What would those be, Gavica?

http://www.amazon.com/Sega-Dreamcast-VGA-Box-S-Video-RCA/dp/B000SL4IIG looks interesting, though 3rd party. Official ones costs like $100 on eBay.

[Oldskool]

Yeah I've thought of picking up one of those generic VGA boxes, not sure the quality though. A friend of mine just got a 3rd party s-video cable and he said it looks delicious.

I've been using composite for years since I got the thing the first day it came out, eventually I'll get s-video for it.

[lagartija_nick]

http://www.racketboy.com/store/featured/dreamcast-vga-cable-box.html

I cannot tell if this is truly the offical Dreamcast VGA cable but it is only $19.99

I have the VGA Cable in the clear plastic housing, I must say the Picture is fantastic on my 23 inch Samsung monitor/hdtv.

Its slightly more expensive but the clear plastic box also has s-video and composite inputs. Witch may come in handy as I hear some Dreamcast games are not VGA compatible.

[Kitsune Sniper]

ALL the Dreamcast S-Video cables I've used ARE PURE CRAP. Lots of interference and dotted, blurry video. I use a generic VGA Box to output to S-Video now, and it works perfectly.

Maybe the Japanese Sega ones are awesome, but I went through several different branded Dreamcast S-Video cables before going for a VGA box.

[kedawa]

I have a good DC s-video cable. It's light gray in colour and provides a nice clear signal.

[kedawa]

http://www.racketboy.com/store/featured/dreamcast-vga-cable-box.html

I cannot tell if this is truly the offical Dreamcast VGA cable but it is only $19.99

I have the VGA Cable in the clear plastic housing, I must say the Picture is fantastic on my 23 inch Samsung monitor/hdtv.

Its slightly more expensive but the clear plastic box also has s-video and composite inputs. Witch may come in handy as I hear some Dreamcast games are not VGA compatible.

I have that one, but it's really cheaply made. The DC end cable is held in with a zip tie and I'm afraid it's going to rip right out one of these days.
The image is fine, though.
I used to have a better VGA cable, similar to that one, that has the VGA connector on the little box instead of having the short section of cable.

I also had the Treamcast VGA box, with the svideo and rca outputs, too.
It has a handy switch for using non-VGA compatible boot discs.

[dreamcaster]

I've just been using an s-video cable, which displays a decent 50Hz signal on my LCD. The 60Hz is a bit blurry though. Might consider getting a VGA box.

[wingzrow]

I went through maybe 3 S-Video cords on dreamcast before finding one that worked well. The end result was well worth it though. It's like having an arcade machine right at home.

[Oldskool]

I went through maybe 3 S-Video cords on dreamcast before finding one that worked well. The end result was well worth it though. It's like having an arcade machine right at home.

Well essentially it is. A Naomi.

[dnehthend]

I had a 3rd party vga box back in high school... I let someone borrow it, you know how that goes

anyway, it worked great, I spent many hours locked in our small computer room playing unreal tournament (online) with our computer monitor

[Nico87]

So, if I buy that clear-box-Amazon-thing, do I need anything else? Do I need a VGA cable in addition to this box? And would that box work on a 24" CRT, which lacks a VGA port?

[dnehthend]

does it only have rgb?

[Nico87]

My 24" CRT only have a SCART/RGB input, yeah, nothing else. Guess I'll just use the standard composite cables that comes with the DC and plug those in the PS2 RGB cable which have AV inputs on it, and then use the VGA box for my 32".

Guess I'll just buy the VGA cable from Racketboy. Won't need the VGA box for that, will I? If I end up using the clear VGA box I linked from Amazon earlier, will I still need a VGA cable?

[Vectorman0]

Sega released a scart cable in Europe for the DC, you should get that. They were pretty easy to come by last I knew.

[Nico87]

Right, I bougt the VGA box from racketboy, some RCA to RCA cables from Nintendorepairshop, a VGA cable from a local store. I'll use this on my 32" LCD HD-Ready TV, and I bought the official Dreamcast RGB cable for use on my 24" CRT.

I think that's as good as it gets.