Super Nintendo -> RGB -> Component/HDMI

[TonyTheTiger]

I know there have been topics on this before but since the search feature doesn't work and the site seems to be going bonkers at the moment...here's another one.

So here are the details. I have an unmodified Super Nintendo that I had been playing in S-Video on a great CRT. That's no longer an option for me. The CRT is gone and I'm now very tight with space. What I do have is a nice monitor that only has component and HDMI inputs. The goal now is to get the two to be friends, preferably without breaking the bank. I don't have the room for another monitor, certainly not a CRT. I don't know very much about getting an RGB signal out of the SNES in the first place. And the only RGB converter I've ever heard anybody talk about is the XRGB, which has one too many 0s for my taste. So any help at all would be appreciated.

[chrisbid]

http://www.consolegoods.co.uk/

here is where you buy rgb scart cables

http://www.ebay.com/itm/SEGA-SCART-to-RGB-YPbPr-YUV-Component-Video-Converter-/220698773448?pt=US_Audio_Cables_Adapters&hash=item3362ac07c8

scart -> component adapter



i will say that with an hdtv you will get varying results. some hd sets cannot handle the rgb resolutions of older consoles. your best bet is to pick up a high quality small crt screen for your classic systems.

[theclaw]

It's been recently discovered some SNES chipsets have component signals inside.

http://mikejmoffitt.com/wp/?p=74

Of course you might still need a scaler as the above poster said.

[TonyTheTiger]

http://www.consolegoods.co.uk/

here is where you buy rgb scart cables

http://www.ebay.com/itm/SEGA-SCART-to-RGB-YPbPr-YUV-Component-Video-Converter-/220698773448?pt=US_Audio_Cables_Adapters&hash=item3362ac07c8

scart -> component adapter



i will say that with an hdtv you will get varying results. some hd sets cannot handle the rgb resolutions of older consoles. your best bet is to pick up a high quality small crt screen for your classic systems.

Thanks for the links.

Another CRT completely defeats the purpose. First, I can't really fit it anywhere. And second, it'd be stupidly tiny. It's not so much the quality as much as just getting the thing to work on what I currently have available. A beef in quality would be an incidental benefit. But if it turns out the screen I have doesn't work right then i might just end up being SOL anyway.


It's been recently discovered some SNES chipsets have component signals inside.

That's unbelievable. Very, very interesting.

[Drixxel]

It's been recently discovered some SNES chipsets have component signals inside.

http://mikejmoffitt.com/wp/?p=74

Of course you might still need a scaler as the above poster said.

Man, that is an extremely cool discovery. I've been teasing myself with the idea of upgrading to RGB output from a handful of my classic consoles, finding a SNES with this magic chipset would offer an interesting way to go about mondo picture quality.

[TonyTheTiger]

I'm not bad with a soldering iron. I'd be game to give it a shot if there were a clear instruction manual. Although if it's true that the signal still might not work (or look like complete shit on my display) then I'm not sure it'd be worth the effort.

[isufje]

...Although if it's true that the signal still might not work then I'm not sure it'd be worth the effort.

Now what kind of attitude is that :) I haven't done this in a long time (i own an RGB monitor), but if I were so inclined, I would do this >
http://img62.imageshack.us/img62/2482/a111.png

Daunting, I know, but technically it should work. (cross your fingers on the sync-on-green though...)

_parts list_

5v to 3v IC - http://search.digikey.com/us/en/products/MCP1700T-3302E%2FTT/MCP1700T3302ETTCT-ND/652677
rgb 2 Y IC - http://search.digikey.com/us/en/products/LT6551CMS%23PBF/LT6551CMS%23PBF-ND/891777
resist 75 - http://search.digikey.com/us/en/products/ERG-1SJ750/P75W-1BK-ND/35864
resist 1070 - http://search.digikey.com/us/en/products/RNF14FTD1K07/RNF14FTD1K07CT-ND/1975020
resist 549 - http://search.digikey.com/us/en/products/SFR16S0005490FR500/PPC549XCT-ND/594846
resist 2940 - http://search.digikey.com/us/en/products/MRS25000C2941FRP00/PPC2.94KZCT-ND/594999
resist 105 - http://search.digikey.com/us/en/products/SFR2500001050FR500/PPC105YCT-ND/596846
resist 261 - http://search.digikey.com/us/en/products/CMF55261R00FHEB/CMF261HFCT-ND/1554951
resist 133 - http://search.digikey.com/us/en/products/CMF55133R00FHEB/CMF133HFCT-ND/1554923
resist 174 - http://search.digikey.com/us/en/products/CMF55174R00FHEB/CMF174HFCT-ND/1554934

[TonyTheTiger]

Now what kind of attitude is that :)

Kind of a waste of time if the end result will be unusable for my situation. Really it's now an issue of whether or not my monitor can handle the resolution at all. Is there a convenient way for me to check if it handles the 240p over component? For the record, the screen in question is the PlayStation 3D Display.

[isufje]

An easy way to check is just play a PSOne Game on your PS2 (or PS3) thru component cables. If you see a picture, it accepts 240p. The PS2 does not perform scan conversion on PS1 games.

[TonyTheTiger]

I have a PS3 hooked up right now through HDMI and switching it to component would be a non-issue. I'll give it a shot. Thanks.

[TonyTheTiger]

Ok, so I got the SCART cable and the SCART -> Component transcoder and the thing works fine. There's just one little detail that I'm wondering about. The image looks slightly washed out. For instance, take Kirby's Super Star:

http://www.gamefabrique.com/storage/screenshots/snes/kirby-super-star-02.png

I can't take a screenshot but, on my TV, the sky is a much lighter shade of blue, the light pink background in the status bar looks to be straight up white and the orange-ish tree/door frame thing looks more yellow. The tree thing ends up looking better if I push the hue more to red but the image still doesn't look quite like I remember. It's not a huge deal but I'm wondering if that's a common issue or if it's just a side effect of me not being used to seeing the SNES on an LCD after spending forever playing it on a CRT.

[Rob2600]

The image looks slightly washed out. ...on my TV, the sky is a much lighter shade of blue, the light pink background in the status bar looks to be straight up white and the orange-ish tree/door frame thing looks more yellow.

Do the colors improve if you turn down the brightness and/or contrast settings on your TV? It sounds like the brightness is set too high.

[TonyTheTiger]

Not really. The image gets collectively darker as a whole but the actual colors don't become any more apparent.

[shoeshot]

It sounds like you purchased a SCART cable that is specifically wired for the PAL SNES, an NTSC SNES needs a differently wired SCART cable.
This is the one you want: http://www.ebay.com/itm/Super-Nintendo-stereo-RGB-SCART-lead-FULLY-SHIELDED-GROUNDED-cable-cord-US-SNES-/200712343102?pt=Video_Games_Accessories&hash=item2ebb634e3e

[TonyTheTiger]

That's what I ordered.

http://www.robwebb1.plus.com/snes/snes_hard.htm

"SNES/SFC/GC RGB and AV Scart cable with AV block £7.90

The following consoles offer RGB, for superior image quality, when used with this cable:

* NTSC USA SNES Super Nintendo"

Even opened it up to make sure it had the capacitors. Of course I have no idea if it's just defective since I don't have another cable to compare it to. Just to be clear, the picture doesn't look completely screwed up, not even close. If I were using a PAL cable wouldn't it look outright terrible?

[shoeshot]

hmmm..... you might need to open up your scart to component converter box to adjust the rgb pots.

[TonyTheTiger]

Yeah, I figured it would have something to do with that. The thing isn't exactly top of the line. I just wanted to make sure I wasn't completely crazy before I started fiddling with things. I'm not even sure the effect is enough of a problem to even justify going through the trouble. For the record, I got the converter listed by chrisbid above.

[shoeshot]

It's a really simple adjustment, you only have to turn a few pots once you've opened the unit. no soldering at all. There used to be a video on youtube about it but I can't seem to find it now.

[TonyTheTiger]

Thanks. I'll probably fiddle with it if it's not too much trouble just to see. Either way, I'm not disappointed.

[Chris100185]

Sorry for replying to an old thread, but I have a question about the SCART cable and converter, figured ask here rather than create a new thread. I'm interested in upgrading to SCART for my SNES, but the SCART cable coming from the SNES doesnn't appear to have an offshoot for the audio and the converter box appears to only have video outs (at least I don't see them in the picture). How would I go about getting the sound?

[Ace]

I see two possible options for you:

1) Get two RCA jacks and solder them to the audio points on the SCART plug in the converter
2) Take apart your SCART cable and add standard audio cables to the SCART cable

I'd personally go with option number 1. Although, in actuality, I use a custom RGB to Component converter I built myself based around the BA6592F video encoder, which also doesn't pass audio, but the RGB input is a DB9 connector rather than a SCART connector, so what I have are custom RGB cables with a DB9 connector for video and an RCA cable for audio.

[j_factor]

Sorry for replying to an old thread, but I have a question about the SCART cable and converter, figured ask here rather than create a new thread. I'm interested in upgrading to SCART for my SNES, but the SCART cable coming from the SNES doesnn't appear to have an offshoot for the audio and the converter box appears to only have video outs (at least I don't see them in the picture). How would I go about getting the sound?

What Ace said is correct, but you can also opt for a SCART to HDMI adapter, which will carry over the sound.

[Drixxel]

Alternately, you could add a breakout box into the mix, they're pretty cheap and easy enough to find on eBay and electronics e-shops and the like. It would end up looking something like this:

http://i806.photobucket.com/albums/yy341/shirorisu/DSC04135.jpg

Just run RCA cables from it to wherever your audio needs to go.

[Chris100185]

Alternately, you could add a breakout box into the mix, they're pretty cheap and easy enough to find on eBay and electronics e-shops and the like. It would end up looking something like this:

http://i806.photobucket.com/albums/yy341/shirorisu/DSC04135.jpg

Just run RCA cables from it to wherever your audio needs to go.

This seems like the best option for me. Thanks.