SNES best video quality connection?

[poopnes]

OK I've confused myself completely.

What I'm looking for is the absolute best video quality I can get from my US SNES. Right now I'm using S-Video which is nice, but the color bleeding is just terrible. I have two different cables and neither one is better than the other. I don't really think its the cables anyway.

I have my Gamecube hooked up my TV using the component cables and the picture is fantastic, but I hardly use it so it really does me no good. But what if I could use that component input with my SNES?

Now I know the SNES doesn't output component video, but it can do RGB.

I found this cable:
SCART to Component

Could I use that to use a SCART/RGB cable to get the maximum quality picture? How would I get sound (I take it's in that cable)? Am I just dreaming that it might be that simple (probably)...

Honestly I don't want to spend alot of money. I thought $50 max. Maybe a better set (maybe Monster?) of GC S-Video cables would be the right thing to invest in?

I know I'm just being picky, but I'd like to know what my options are instead of just settling.

[mario2butts]

That cable won't do it. Some SCART cables have pins for component; that cable just takes those pins and puts the signal through the RCA jacks.

Since rgb and component are different types of signals, you need a converter, like this:

http://www.hometheatre.net.au/cyu2100.htm

Of course, this wont carry the sound, so you'll need to find a SCART 1in 2out splitter, which can be found on ebay. The SNES SCART cable

http://www.lik-sang.com/info.php?cat...2940d3428934e7

goes in, a SCART cable comes out which would plug into this converter here

http://www.lik-sang.com/info.php?cat...ducts_id=1467&

The red and white jacks go out to your TV or stereo or whatever for sound. The other output on your splitter goes to the converter, which carries the component signal to the TV. Phew. So if you don't want to do all that then a good S-Video cable is the way to go.

I'm using S-Video right now, but eventually I want to get SCART cables for all my consoles that support it and re-wire a SCART cable to JRGB to use with one of micomsoft's XRGB boxes. It looks like the upcoming XRGB-3 supports a digital DVI output; hooking it up to a DLP projector like Infocus' 4805 would be pretty sweet... I need to start saving up!

Good luck with everything.

[Raedon]

Cables for old SNES

S-Video - best for most TV's
RGB cable - works if you got an RGB monitor

SNES Jr:

Composite only

[Trebuken]

With a $50 budget I'd go with the new S-Video cables. I would not aim for RGB unless you plan to have multiple RGB systems hooked up.

Agreeing that you need an original SNES, not the newer model for RGB.

No doubt someone will chime in with 'buy a modchip for the Xbox' and run a SNES emulator at 720P...

I think you would probably want an RGB monitor also. Simply transcoding something to component does not always have the same effect.

Plenty of RGB threads...

Later,
Trebuken

[poopnes]

With a $50 budget I'd go with the new S-Video cables. I would not aim for RGB unless you plan to have multiple RGB systems hooked up.

Agreeing that you need an original SNES, not the newer model for RGB.

No doubt someone will chime in with 'buy a modchip for the Xbox' and run a SNES emulator at 720P...

I think you would probably want an RGB monitor also. Simply transcoding something to component does not always have the same effect.

Plenty of RGB threads...

Later,
Trebuken

Guess I should have mentioned it, but I have just a SDTV that has component input. I just have my GC running at 480i, but it still looks fantastic.

Well at least I know its possible. The only thing I haven't heard is if its worth it. I know converting the RGB signal will degrade it somewhat, but will I experience the jump I see right now from S-Video to Component? If I will, then I think it would be worth it.

No Xbox modding for me. I like to keep it old-school.

One more question, will this same setup work with my 64? Or even the GC? Having just the same cord for all 3 would be nice. I think my initial $50 budget might be a little low, might go higher... Any thoughts appreciated.

[mario2butts]

The N64 does not support RGB without internal modification. Mod instructions here:

http://www.gamesx.com/rgbadd/rgbn64.htm

As for the GC, only PAL GCs output RGB through the analog output. It would be easier just to use the GC component cables and use a switcher to switch between those and the component connection coming from the converter, if thats the route you choose to go.

As far as whether its worth it or not, I can't say I know from first hand experience, but considering how much Anthony1 (maybe you should talk to him...?), and others on this forum and elsewhere sing the praises of rgb, I imagine its the way to go. As I said before, right now I'm trying to save up for an XRGB unit (converts RGB to VGA, or possibly DVI) to use with a PC monitor or projector (I'm eyeing the Infocus 4805 in particular). Currently I have pretty much the same setup you've described.

Anthony1 reccomended (in a thread that I started, actually) the Sony PVM-2530, a 25" rgb monitor you can find on ebay for 100-400$. It has a custom rgb connection so you'd have to build your own cable or adapter from SCART to make it work. You might even see an improvement with the Sony's S-Video connection, actually.

Or you could use a CRT PC monitor and an upscan converter like the XRGB. XRGB 2's and 2+'s are becoming rare, but the XRGB-3 is supposed to be coming out soon. Unfortunately its rumored to be $400. Converting from SCART to JRGB would be required. Pinouts for both can be found here:

http://www.gamesx.com/wiki/doku.php?id=av:av_pinouts

Good luck on your quest for visual gaming perfection! If you're as anal as I am you're gonna need it...

[Anthony1]

Ok, here's the thing. The SNES is my all time favorite system. My No. 1 stunner. Pound for pound, no other system in History can touch it. A large part of it's glory is the fact that it can put so many colors onscreen simultaneously, and can choose from a larger range of colors. This of course means that the SNES is a RGB superstar.


Any true, die hard SNES affecianado has to check it out in RGB. The path to RGB doesn't have to be that expensive. There are people out there that will make you a custom RGB cable for your SNES for anywhere from $10 to $30. A decent small, RGB monitor like a Commodore 1084, shouldn't set you back that much at all. And once you experience what true RGB is like, then you will need it for all the other systems that you have.

The first game that you should play in RGB on the SNES, when you do get your setup, is Super Ghouls and Ghosts. You will be quite amazed.

[Raedon]

the difference of output from an SNES witha $10 S-Video
cable is soooooooooo close to all that RGB conversion crap
(and is original from N.)

Don't waste your time going above S-Video your money is
better spent on a $10 s-Video Nintendo made cable and a
used 27" Sony Trinitron TV. the difference is so small that
even if you could tell you would be way to close to the TV.

S-Video gets rid of the main problems with old video, dot
crawl and color washing. RGB to component for a system
with a limited 256 on screen color pallette?


Show me how much it's better.. and I don't mean regular
image better like DVD. On a standard HDTV with a 4:3 and
both hookups in NTSC mode You will not be able to put the
money down on all that converting next to a $10 Nintendo
s-video cable.

[Anthony1]

the difference of output from an SNES witha $10 S-Video
cable is soooooooooo close to all that RGB conversion crap
(and is original from N.)

On a standard HDTV with a 4:3 and
both hookups in NTSC mode You will not be able to put the
money down on all that converting next to a $10 Nintendo
s-video cable.

soooooooo close?


Not really. Pretty big improvement over S-Video. Now, the one system that doesn't get much of an improvement over S-Video is the Nintendo 64. The Nintendo 64 needs an internal RGB mod to actually output RGB, but the resulting image is only marginally superior to RGB. But with the SNES, the improvement is pretty damn significant, if you are using a "real" RGB monitor.


The other system that doesn't get a huge improvement over S-Video is the Genesis. Of course, you need to have the Genesis modded for S-Video output, but the improvement is tremendous! It really is pretty freaking close to RGB. Not quite RGB but pretty damn close.


But back to your original point, if I sat you down in front of a Sony PVM-2530 monitor, with a custom SNES RGB cable for it, and Yoshi's Island in the cartridge slot, and forced you to play it for a half hour in RGB, and then removed the RGB plug and forced you to play it on a regular TV in S-Video, you would be mad as hell. You would be like, "Dude, F this, let me play it in RGB again!".

[Niku-Sama]

ok i feel dumb asking this but whats the difference between composite and everything else?

[Anthony1]

ok i feel dumb asking this but whats the difference between composite and everything else?

ok, it works like this. The worst video connection you can have for most video game items is a RF connection. You know, the kind you have to screw in. That is the worst connection. So try to avoid if possible.

The next best connection is composite. If you are a huge NES fan, then you probably know that composite is the best you can do with the NES. There isn't anykind of internal mod or anything that you can do with it. to improve the image quality. Composite is the best the NES will do. It's the yellow plug. Whenever you have a yellow, red and white plug, composite is the yellow one, and the red and white ones are the stereo sound ones.

A pretty big step up from composite is S-Video. Some systems need to be modded for S-Video, like the Genesis and Turbografx, but other systems offer S-Video cables, like the SNES and Jaguar and 3DO and Saturn and Playstation, etc,etc. If a S-Video cable is available for a decent price (Jaguar one is super expensive), then you might as well get a S-Video cable, cause the improvement is pretty nice over composite.

Getting a video signal better than S-Video for old school systems, is pretty much only accomplished with RGB. RGB is purity. It's the video image of the game in it's purest form. Nothing is added, nothing is taken away. If you consider classic games to be works of art, then RGB is a great way to pay tribute to those classic works of art. The Sega Master System is the earliest system that I know of (console, not computer) that offers RGB output with the right cable and the right monitor. The NES doesn't offer RGB. The TG-16 can do RGB with an internal mod. And the Genesis, SNES, Neo-Geo and pretty much every system from that point on, but the 3DO and CD-I (S-Video is the best you can get), offer RGB as a possibility.


of course with modern day systems, you also have progressive scan, but that's a whole nuther topic.

[Niku-Sama]

oh your just using fancy words for what i call "the RCA plugs"and i know what s-video and beyond is.

some times big words get to me

[chrisbid]

believe it or not, RF can be halfway decent if you use a direct connection rather than a switch box

[Raedon]

until I hear some real A/V heads say otherwise in the future
something different I haven't heard in the last decade..

256 colors on screen only with S-Video or RGB is just a
worthless arguement for $$$.

And where is the proof I asked for?

[Trebuken]

until I hear some real A/V heads say otherwise in the future
something different I haven't heard in the last decade..

256 colors on screen only with S-Video or RGB is just a
worthless arguement for $$$.

And where is the proof I asked for?

Anthony's right on this one. If your determined not to believe him then it's your loss. I appreciate that you may not be after the best picture and that S-video is good enough...but it's not about 256 colors, it's about the clarity of those colors on the screen.

Anthony, the NES can do RGB. The modification is very advanced though, and uses some parts from a Nintendo Arcade machine's PCB. There's a thread where this was discussed...

Later,
Trebuken

[Eternal Champion]

oh your just using fancy words for what i call "the RCA plugs"and i know what s-video and beyond is.

some times big words get to me

Well, "composite" is pretty self-explanatory; one cable is a composite of all the video signals. We can be really fancy and call s-video "Y/C", which is what it really is.

I've seen pictures of SNES and Genesis in RGB and I would LOVE to have it, I don't care how few colors. If I had enough money I'd pay for it. If you've only played those systems in RF like I have, Jesus, what an improvement. I always wondered why arcade games looked so much crisper. I mean, Christ, Flashback on Genesis via RF is just a blurry mess!

Redmond Cable used to have cables for SNES and Genesis and other systems to various analog RGB monitors; looks like they don't anymore. Does anyone know of another company that does this?

[Anthony1]

Redmond Cable used to have cables for SNES and Genesis and other systems to various analog RGB monitors; looks like they don't anymore. Does anyone know of another company that does this?

It's funny you mention Redmond Cable. That's old school! That's the place that I got my first RGB cables from. They had advertisments in EGM sometimes, back in the early 90's. They were pricey, but reliable. As far as I'm aware, there isn't any company that specializes in it anymore. However there are people that frequent this website, and other websites that will make you a custom RGB cable for the right price. Matthew Ross used to be Mr. RGB, but he's semi retired right now. I know that he no longer does system mods, he might still do RGB cables a little bit here and there, but he's so busy that you often have to wait a very long time to get them.

[delafro]

Maybe I missed something, but I know Nintendo made Super Famicom RGB cables for the Japanese market because I have one. It really does make the colors pop out from the screen, I remember hwo vivid Mario Kart would look, especially with the brighter colors.


I've never even tried using it with my American SNES though, because I don't have a TV here that I can use it with. It connects from the standard SFC multi-out to a very wide TV connector (guessing it's SCART, I don't know all the terminology). Would that possibly be what you're looking for?

[johno590]

I had a s-video cable for my SNES but it would work for a few minutes then go out...

Just bought a higher quality cable off of ebay and it's gold plated! LINK I haven't received it yet, but I hope I will this week.

[Anthony1]

Maybe I missed something, but I know Nintendo made Super Famicom RGB cables for the Japanese market because I have one. It really does make the colors pop out from the screen, I remember hwo vivid Mario Kart would look, especially with the brighter colors.


I've never even tried using it with my American SNES though, because I don't have a TV here that I can use it with. It connects from the standard SFC multi-out to a very wide TV connector (guessing it's SCART, I don't know all the terminology). Would that possibly be what you're looking for?

Yeah, what you have is the Japanese Scart RGB cable. It has a different pinout than the typical European Scart cable. One thing that you can use that cable with is a XRGB2. It would work fine with an American SNES. You plug it into the XRGB2 and then connect the XRGB2 to a computer monitor. It takes the native analog RGB signal of the SNES and converts it to VGA.

Of course, the other option is to just get a Commodore 1084 monitor or something like that, and just send your Japanese RGB cable to somebody to have them put the right connector on the end of it for the RGB monitor you end up getting. They can simply cut off the Scart end of it, and rewire the wires according to the RGB monitor that you are using.