Panasonic Q

[8-Bit Archeology]

Hello knights of the DP Roundtable.

Today I was pondering about the Panasonic-Q Gamecube / DVD player.

Simply put, in your opinion.

Do I want one?

Or if you have experience with it yourself, what are the pros and cons of this console?

I have been getting into the GameCube a lot more recently and wanted to hear more from you guys and gals about this Panasonic.

[Tanooki]

Personally unless you go the full monte with it and have that thing modded to remove the region locking for Japan off it, I'd leave it be. It looks cool, it run GC and DVD movies, but, if you're stuck with just Japanese media and you don't know the language it seems wasteful other than saying you have it.

[8-Bit Archeology]

I thought it played US and Japan code. But not UK.

[Tanooki]

It does, I forgot, just looked. I got the whole damn thing wrong. GO ahead and buy it.

GamecubeQ Features

Plays US & Japanese Gamecube discs
Region 1-6 NTSC DVD playback
Stainless steel chassis
Reflective glass faceplate
Backlit LCD display
Mechanical front-loading disc tray
Optical out supporting Dolby Digital 5.1 and DTS encoded signal for movies
Two RCA jacks allowing multiple room music playback
Dialogue Enhancer DSP
Surround DSP modes
Bass Plus DSP for subwoofers with separate sub jack
Cinema display modes
Four front-mounted controller ports
DVD Remote control
Panasonic branded Gamecube controller

The only minor hangup -- GB Player won't work on it, you have to get a Q version which I'm sure is very rare and stupidly priced accordingly. All other GC accessories work without an issue.

http://web.archive.org/web/20050508101443/http://www.fullyindependent.com/log/reviews/gamecubeq/

[8-Bit Archeology]

Does it have component out for GameCube? I couldn't find anything on that.

I'm wondering is it cheaper to buy one of these or that expensive digital out for my GameCube.

[PizzaKat]

Those component can run up to $200. ridiculous

[8-Bit Archeology]

Right but it seems the PQ has its own type of av cable. I just can't find anything more than that on my phone.

[ProjectCamaro]

I keep going back and looking at them. I say buy it, I know I'll end up getting one someday myself.

[Greg2600]

Outputs composite and S-Video directly. Also outputs optical audio. Does NOT output component video with rca cables, you have to use the same cable the other cubes used. Also, it's Japanese region specific. You have to mod it to play other region discs.

[Jorpho]

Seems to me that without the component out, you'd be just as well off with an ordinary Gamecube. DVD players are ubiquitous these days, and there seem to be numerous ways to get around region-locking if you're desperate for that.

I guess if you want to use burned discs but don't have enough mini DVD-Rs on hand, then that might count for something, but it's a lot easier to get mini DVD-Rs than it would be to get a Panasonic Q, I reckon.

[bb_hood]

Considering the rarity/price tag, it seems more like a collectable system rather than something you would buy to play around with.
Buy a mint one in the box and keep it on the shelf. Play gamecube games on a gamecube or wii. Play dvds somewhere else.

[theclaw]

Unique as it looks the system wasn't treated very well.

Irritating to repair, strange A/V options, expensive Game Boy Player, subjected to an unusually noticeable amount of modding by shady gray market importers...

As I understand only composite and s-video do everything.
Component is for games only. It won't play DVDs in 480p.
While optical audio doesn't work for games.

[importaku]

The disk tray is not very good, it has a small recessed section to hold the disk but when ejecting it can slip out of this recessed bit and slide against the tray meaning your games get scratched. My friends Q used to do it all the time like the tray was coming out too fast and suddenly stopping so it would bump the disk out, could have just been his particular Q though.

If you are buying a unmodded one then it won't be playing anything except japanese gamecube games. The us/japan thing was only if it was modded no stock Q had all region built in. Can't say the prices they go for nowdays are worth it, the style hasn't aged well nowdays it looks kind of tacky to me but thats totally a subjective thing.

[theclaw]

Nintendo didn't want to waste money on separate BIOS chips and things. The US/JP devkit feature was left disconnected in retail Gamecubes.

[8-Bit Archeology]

So by not being connected does that mean US and Japan or just japan? Everyone has said something different. I was under the impression thay it could play ntsc for both countries, but not europe or any PAL.

Now I am confused.

Stock BTW. If it does require a mod, is it difficult for someone like me to do or no?
(I have done case and screen mods. And cap repairs)

[theclaw]

So by not being connected does that mean US and Japan or just japan? Everyone has said something different. I was under the impression thay it could play ntsc for both countries, but not europe or any PAL.

Now I am confused.

Stock BTW. If it does require a mod, is it difficult for someone like me to do or no?
(I have done case and screen mods. And cap repairs)

Stock panasonic q will be region locked to japan.
The mod works because US game support wasn't internally removed. (BTW this mod is distinct from modchips. Gamecube modchips act closer to Action Replay, they enable imports without changing the system's region)

I wouldn't recommend it. Gamecube solder points are already tiny, a Q is even more complex inside.

[kai123]

I always wanted one of these. I thought it was so cool looking. I wish all the Gamecube systems looked like this one.

[Tanooki]

So I was right originally, then corrected to being wrong which a lousy archived website backed up. Unnecessarily confusing!

[theclaw]

So I was right originally, then corrected to being wrong which a lousy archived website backed up. Unnecessarily confusing!

It's Nintendo we're talking about. They'd never agree to remove region lock in that way.

[8-Bit Archeology]

Thank all of you for your help. I am going to pass on this one. Looks like its too much money for something that doesnt play US games.

Maybe one day when I have less projects i may take this one on. My next is a sega nomad lcd mod.

Again, thank you all for your help. My internet exists only on my phone, so finding out certain things just gets frustrating.