Thinking of buying a VGA box...need information

[Kroogah]

Before I decide to drop $30 on a "universal VGA adapter" on Ebay, I'd like to get as much info as possible on these things first. They allow you to plug a system into a computer monitor, right? What systems look the best on a computer monitor? What are good brands? et cetera, et cetera. I figure one of the videophiles here could help me out. ^_^

[Kamino]

dreamcast was the first and one of the most compatible with vga boxes...

[goatdan]

...and you can get Dreamcast adaptors really cheap at Lik-Sang. I'm actually about to purchase a ton from them, so if you'd like to go in with me to get one, I can probably get it to you for under $10.00 shipped :)

[Kamino]

i must ask the point of vga boxes.
to me if i was to bother with that, i would just emulate.
I buy the actual consoles so that i can play on the tv, and get 27 inches instead of 15(notebook; i rarely use my damn desktop which is 17..we're still talking 2x size when you do the math!)

[davidleeroth]

I haven't tried every universal adapter and therefore can't say much about their quality but I will say that the ones I have tried, sucked.
The only one I can recommend for consoles apart Dreamcast is the XRGB by Micomsoft. It's $150-200 but it's worth it. See a review here: http://atarilabs.com/meat/2001/0120_XRGB2.shtml

I prefer playing my older consoles on my telly just to give me that authentic 80's feel but when your mates pay a visit, you can't beat VGA projector+XRGB. It's simply amazing.

[goatdan]

It is completely different then emulation. The screen resolution is a million times better. After picking up a Dreamcast VGA box and trying it out on my 17" Sony SDM-X72, I will only play 'Cast on a regular TV if the game doesn't work with the VGA Box.

[Ze_ro]

I buy the actual consoles so that i can play on the tv, and get 27 inches instead of 15(notebook; i rarely use my damn desktop which is 17..we're still talking 2x size when you do the math!)

The TV may be larger, but a VGA monitor will give you MUCH higher clarity. I remember playing F-Zero GX at a friend's house, and his enormous TV (80"?) was too big to the point where everything just got all blurry. What's the point of such a huge TV if you have to sit twice as far back just to watch it?

--Zero