Gamerade - RGB SCART Nintendo 64 - Best Possible Video Quality - Adam Koralik
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- Опубликовано: 16 июн 2014
- www.figureitoutproductions.com
Raymond's Site: www.videogameperfection.com/co...
E-Mail Raymond -- raymondlydiard@hotmail.com -- E-Mail Raymond.
In this video I will show you how to get the best image quality out of your Nintendo 64.
If you use a device like the Hauppauge HD PVR 2, it will also allow you to easily capture game footage with crystal clear quality.
There are three scart types that should be addressed in the description so that some players aren't disappointed.
1. A scart adaptor - this is not scart - It is simply AV cables in an RCA to scart connection adaptor.
2. A regular scart lead. This is the same as above but with an actual (7 pin) scart connection. Quality wise, it's still just an AV cable.
3. RGB Scart - this is the true high quality scart. Usually 21 pin.
RGB SCART will work best with the following consoles:
Atari Jaguar
Atari Jaguar CD
Nintendo Super Nintendo (Super Famicom) [original model only]
Sega Master System
Sega Genesis (Mega Drive)
Sega CD (Mega CD)
Sega 32X
Sega Saturn
Sony Playstation (1)
SNK Neo Geo AES
SNK Neo Geo CD
This will not work with anything older such as the Atari 2600, Atari 5200, Atari 7800, Nintendo Entertainment System, Colecovision, Famicom etcetera.
Some notable exceptions that do not work because of the limits of the console itself:
Nintendo 64 (obviously what we're here to talk about)
Super Nintendo Jr
3DO (any model, Panasonic, Goldstar etcetera)
NEC Turbografx 16
PC Engine
Sega Pico
This method is also not worth applying to consoles from the Dreamcast onward as they have more advanced methods of video display. Using this on these consoles will result in a loss of image quality. These consoles include:
Sega Dreamcast
Nintendo GameCube
Nintendo Wii (not including the Wii Mini)
Nintendo Wii U
Microsoft XBox
Microsoft XBox 360
Microsoft XBox One
Sony Playstation 2
Sony Playstation 3
Sony Playstation 4 
Развлечения
been going back and picking up a lot of old consoles/games from my childhood and i can't stress enough how helpful your videos have been for me lately, thank you so much for doing all of the annoying research so that i don't have to, and then presenting it in such an understandable way.
Travis Black Happy to! Thanks for watching.
I was completely blown away by how much better scart looked. Your vids have been a really great guide for me when upscaling older systems. Thanks very much
Thanks for watching!
I love that T-shirt! Also love your vids. I never watch the same one twice because you have so many informative videos to watch.
Thanks!
Hey Adam, your video really helped me out in my research, and now I have a pimped out N64! I ended up getting one of those monster cables, and I also managed to find a used Atlona AT-HD580. I put the S-video through the Atlona upscaler, and now Star Wars Rogue Squadron looks great in 1080p on my 50" lcd. Thanks Adam!
+rhspercussionistguy Happy to help!
Thanks a ton bro, gotten back into gaming in a big way thanks to your channel. Keep up the awesome work.
Happy to help, thanks for watching!
Hi Adam,
I just started watching your videos and I've been enjoying what I've seen so far. :)
That being said, there were a few things in regards to this video that I wanted to address...
First, while I agree that RGB does bring out the best possible video quality in any old game console, I have to say that the improvement in quality is definitely the least noticeable in the 32/64-bit era. The reason being is that the systems from this era mostly displayed low-count 3D polygons along with low-res textures. This was a significant change from the hand drawn 2D characters and environments from the 8 and 16-bit systems, which can see a significant improvement in quality when outputting via RGB (well, you still need to preserve the original scanline structure, but I'll get into that further below). At any rate, here is an excellent RUclips video detailing the process of obtaining RGB video from a various range of consoles. Please note that the N64 isn't mentioned until literally the last minute or two, and their findings reflect what I've already stated:
ruclips.net/video/43dzrCAfU3A/видео.html
Second, I have to disagree with your comment that all S-Video cables outside of your recommended expensive Monster version "suck". When I bought my used N64 about a month ago, I asked for an S-Video cable, and they gave me one that was made by a company I'd never heard of... Simple Jet Technology (simplejet.com). It only costed me $5 more than a standard composite cable, and it works well. It's actually one of those combo cables with both composite and s-video included. Yes, I know these combo cables get slammed all the time, but I can attest that mine works fine. When I hook this cable up using the composite connection, I see the usual dot crawl and shimmering that is to be expected over a composite connection. However, when I use the s-video connection, all of those problems disappear. The s-video is even free of the "checkerboard" effect that you sometimes see with defective s-video connections. So there you have it; an inexpensive solution that works just fine. I'm not saying that all cables this cheap work just as well; maybe I just got lucky. :)
Lastly, (and this is mainly a recommendation for 8 and 16-bit consoles), if you're hooking up your RGB-modded consoles to your HDTV, the best way to view them is to use a scan line emulator, which is a feature found on some upscalers, such as the XRGB-mini Framemeister. The reason being is that these games were originally programmed to run on a 480i TV in a special 240p mode that only utilized every 2nd scanline. This gives the sprites and backgrounds a very sharp, block-free look. When trying to output these games on a 480p TV or higher, the upscaling process will simply line-double the picture, eliminating the blank scan lines and creating a very blocky look that the original game programmers never wanted you to see. Check out these links for more details on the importance of scanlines on old consoles:
www.neogaf.com/forum/showthread.php?t=921436
scanlines.hazard-city.de/
Now obviously the negative effects of line-doubling 240p video on the 32/64-bit consoles won't be anywhere near as bad because we're mainly dealing with polygons and textures (the exceptions being 2D games for these systems, or heads-up displays for scores and the like). So running a scan line emulator with these systems is more of a matter of personal taste.
Hope this helps to provide a further insight on all this stuff, and I look forward to watching more of your videos!
Cheers,
RedVisor
Wow! That quality is MUCH better than I would have anticipated. Thanks for sharing!!
Thanks for watching.
***** Don't do that, it won't make it look good. It will look exactly like composite, because it is composite.
Thanks for making an N64 video! I watched your previous video about RGB output, and even helped my brother get a SCART setup for his Super Nintendo. I'd asked you about that awhile back - we got it resolved when we realized that he'd accidentally bought the wrong HDMI converter. We got the one you recommended and everything was great from there. We may try the N64 mod/conversion at some point as well, now that we know it's possible. The difference in image quality is pretty startling!
I'm glad it worked for you, thanks for watching!
just bought my modded n64 and rgb scart cable. thanx for the insight this was the best and most explanatory video I could find
+tom bezek Happy to help!
+AdamKoralik hey so I got my converted n64 with scart an hdmi converter and the picture still looks like a blurry pixilated mess, any suggestions?
Nice video Adam. ive been interested in SCART converting since your last video. I can't believe how much of my younger gaming was spent on composite.
Mine too.
You don't need to apologize. This takes a ton of time to do. Record, edit 3 times, render and upload. Thanks for taking the time to show us what this looks like.
Thanks for watching.
88 dislikes??? Adam koralik is one of the best RUclipsrs on!
Great video Adam been waiting for this video for a while lol
Thanks for watching Luke.
Nevermind dude, you already answered my question! Great videos! Liked and favorited.
Why one disables annotations: All the videos that spam them all over the screen. its usually lets players telling you to go check out the previous and next video.
I use RGB Scart for my Gamecube and it looks amazing!
That looks amazing, I actually want this now!
Highly recommended.
I get composite and component mixed up in my head all the time and the sketch artist analogy is a legit good way to remember it lol
My RGB modded N64 just seems to give pretty grainy picture. Do I need an RGB SCART cable on-Luma to remedy this issue?
My friend you are a gift to the universe lmao, nice work man u mad informative
Adam I know it's time consuming ,but please try to make more vids they are awesome and give a lot of info.
Awesome vid, Adam.
Thanks!
Thanks to your videos I am now in the process of purchasing the appropriate scart cables for my Saturn, PS1 and SNES and a Scart to HDMI converter box. Is there a Scart video switch box you use or recommend to connect several consoles too?? Haven't seen you mention how you connect several systems with Scart to one monitor if you do at all.
I will say, S-Video on my Sony Trinitron CRT looks pretty darn good (feels pretty nostalgic too)
+bmacAK47 CRT is the way to go!
What kind of S video cable do you use?
A few thoughts:
You actually can get SCART cables for a Dreamcast and PS2 (and PAL Gamecube and Wii), but VGA and component are usually better for those consoles because SCART can't do 480p or higher.
Nintendo brand S-video cables aren't bad. Here's a shot of 1st-party SNES/N64/GCN sytle s-video cables on a modded NES: www.sixfortyfive.com/temp/nessvideo.png . There's some distortion on the top 1/8 of the screen or so and some very faint diagonal noise if you zoom in and squint, but that might even be partially attributable to the mod and capture device instead of the cable.
You're right in that it's usually a better idea to get a dedicated upscaler/converter for analog video sources when using them on (most) modern TVs, but you really ought to invest in a better scaler. I cringe every time I see you wave around that little black box. Run a donation drive for an XRGB if you have to, lol.
There are plenty of good reasons to use a CRT. They're the only displays guaranteed to be lag-free as well as the only displays that can display native 480i content with no deinterlacing artifacts. Some retro gamers specifically seek out professional class CRT monitors (Sony PVMs, NEC XMs, etc.) just for their gaming setups, and higher-end consumer sets like Trinitrons are generally good. It's very difficult to find an HDTV/scaler combo that can perform at 1 frame of lag or less; you really have to do your research. And while most classic games run in 240p and can be upscaled at virtually no quality loss with the proper equipment, 480i games are more difficult to handle and deinterlacing algorithms can vary in quality a lot between different TVs and different scalers. Native 480i games are most common in the PS2 generation. They're a little more rare on earlier consoles but they do exist (N64 Killer Instinct and RAM pack hi-res games, Saturn Virtua Fighter 2, and Genesis Sonic 2 versus mode, to name some examples).
It's very much possible to mod an N64 so that every video output works (RGB, S-video, composite video). Either Raymond didn't explain it to you clearly or he's not as good of a modder as you say he is.
The comparison clips aren't as good as they could be, but it's not even really your fault. RUclips is just bad for this kind of thing: can't do 60fps, low bitrates and bad compression at the system's native resolution, forcing you to upscale and lose some accuracy just to get better quality. This is a frustration that I share.
The Hauppauge PVR is not "top of the line" by any definition, not even in its class of ~$100 capture devices. USB 2.0 capture cards always use hardware-based video encoding because USB2 doesn't have enough bandwidth to handle uncompressed HD video. That means that there's some quality loss before the footage even reaches your PC for editing. USB3 and PCIe cards are generally better, but even then, color sampling varies a lot between different devices and it's very rare to find something that can capture raw uncompressed 24-bit RGB that isn't professional studio equipment for hundreds of dollars or more.
It's fairly easy to get rid of those interlace line artifacts in post-processing in certain video editing software, especially for sources that are actually 240p (which Starfox might be). In VirtualDub, you can do this by picking the deinterlace filter with "duplicate fields, double frame rate, top (or bottom) field first" options. That won't be the best option for true 480i sources, but 240p sources can be deinterlaced with no quality loss because there's no guesswork involved in resolving the two fields. This might not work as well if there are already compression artifacts in the video, though.
I don't blame you for not being initially impressed with an RGB mod for the N64, simply because I don't think it's possible to clean up graphics on the N64 as well as it is for a lot of other systems. There's not much you can do to compensate for lots of smudge anti-aliasing and low-resolution textures, after all.
....You are my friend now.
AdamKoralik lol you're too kind. Just killing time at work so I thought I'd post. This is a topic that I'm pretty passionate about myself.
Are you familiar with Artemio's 240p video test suite? It's a great homebrew program that can help you determine how well your setup performs, as well as what you might need to troubleshoot or upgrade if you're pursuing the best video quality. If your TV is crushing blacks or whites, or if your scaler is handling 240p and/or 480i sources poorly, at least one of the tests will make it evident. Try it out on your SCART console setups while also running the same tests on the Genesis ROM in a PC emulator to see what the test results are supposed to look like. If you notice anything that looks off on your actual consoles, then that's a good clue as to what, if anything, you need to fix on your particular setup.
junkerhq.net/xrgb/index.php/240p_test_suite
@@AdamKoralik oh and lets not forget that the N64 has anti alasing, a video teqnue used to get of jaggies in games like Star Fox 64. It softens the look of games alot, mabey too much and it's one of the cheif culprits at why you were disapointed with the N64 RGB image.
you... figured it out
Awesome overview. I've wanted to upgrade the resolution of almost all my older systems to scart but the only thing that's been stopping me is the cost of the scaler. I know it's worth it (this video is a great example of it) so hopefully I get around to it at some point.
Thanks for watching!
Good video this is what I use for all my retro games consoles . Scart is the most widely used form of connecting electronics to a tv in Europe .
Thanks for watching.
Nice comparison. Especially the title screen when it changes format. That was very noticeable.
I use RGB for my older consoles but instead of the SCART connection mine is 9 pin that goes to an old Amiga 1084s monitor. Small but really clear image quality.
At some point I will invest in SCART cables and a converter to use a much larger screen.
Thanks for the vid Adam.
Thanks for watching!
AdamKoralik Great video. Just curious, is that upscaler unit able to take the audio over SCART and then convert it to audio over HDMI? I noticed you have the a/v breakouts on your SCART cable, and the one you listed to buy in one of your replies has the audio RCAs as separate (though can also be purchased with the audio over SCART). Would be nice to just have it over HDMI instead of fiddling with extra audio cables and inputs...
Hi Adam, thanks for sharing this video with us. :) I'm from Europe and was very pissed that the unmodded N64 only allowed composite video (or S-video, which is more or less quite uncommon in Europe).
But now, those times are over! The user "Zerberus" released a circuit board some time ago. With the help of that circuit board, you can modify any other N64 to output RGB.
Now it is possible to mod all N64s - not only French or US ones! Here you can see the difference between a stock model (composite video), a RGB-modded French unit and a RGB-modded European (PAL) unit: N64 RGB Mod comparison FRA vs EUR & composite.
You can see a video of the mod here: Retro Snippets #136: N64 PAL RGB Mod mit Zerberus Platine (Sadly, for now it's only available in German, so beware! ;) )
I'd also like to mention, that it is possible to mod the TG16 or PC Engine to output RGB (which is a blast - I own a RGB-modded PCE myself!). The same is possible for the (AV) Famicom, but here you'll also need to solder in an additional circuit board to get RGB out of the console.
That's awesome! Thanks for watching by the way.
This was a very informative video. I personally don't play N64 enough to justify this kind of mod, but I might look for those purple Monster cables. Love the channel.
Thanks for watching!
Very interesting video, i have the Monster S-video cable and its great, but this RGB Scart thing is just amazing. I would like to see this comparison with other games, specially games that make use of the Expansion Pak (Star Wars Rogue Squadron would be a good choice).
oh and its very noticeable the change in colour depth when using RGB on the n64 here that is worth it since the n64 has always suffered from looking washed out, great mod.
Hi Adam, great video.
From what I can see there is now a modchip you can solder on to your N64 to make it RGB enabled for any region. My question is this. I live in Australia and have a CRT TV with a SCART input. If I modify my PAL console to output RGB then will I be able to connect my N64 to my TV directly via SCART? I know most other videos I've seen use either an upscaler or a mix of adapters in order to get them playing on American TVs, but since mine has SCART I should be able to plug it straight into the TV right?
Sorry if this seems like a stupid question haha. I'm still learning about all of this.
You should be able to do that just fine
It's been a while since I messed with s-video cables for the N64 and other models you mentioned, but I believe the quality problems have to do with the way everything is grounded. Pretty sure what I ended up doing was snipping the composite video wiring at the console end of the cable to make a good improvement. This would have been 3rd party cables with both composite and s-video- no idea if you can do anything to improve the Nintendo brand cables.
Hey Adam,
Have you thought of getting one of your 3DO's RGB modded? I'd love to see a comparison video of the stock 3DO (composite/s-video) vs a Scart-modded one.
No Reason for CRT? latency, maybe, hard pressed to find a non-CRT without AT LEAST 5ms of extra lag.
Speaking of which, anyone know the extra lag on converting analog to digital, I would imagine it wouldn't be much, but still curious.
Awesome shirt dude!
Can it work on modern TV's with them being flat screens?
My Wii U and GameCube can play just fine on my recording device, but the N64 doesn't want to work at all...
are the Monster s video cables better than Psyclone s video cable? trying to find reviews on the psyclone can't find anything but I see it has a composite as well so I ended up picking up monster instead will eventually do RGB.... but curious Psyclone component for original xbox is awesome wonder if you have them or try them can't find reviews on them for the 64
I'm from Canada and I found a pair of the purple Monster Cable cords for 4.99 CDN in a thrift store but didn't know they were considered to be as good a they are or a expensive. Definitely glad to have them, thanks for sharing the backstory, I had no idea about that even after I did some research on them. I guess it's a fairlly uncommon find up here.
There are currently ones that look just like it for sale from Sweden but since you say they didn't sell them over there, I'd be afraid they are knock-offs.
It also looks that apart from the old, "easy" RGB mod that only works with NTSC consoles there now is something called the 'N64 "RGB for All" Kit' which works with nearly all versions (it is more involved and expensive, naturally)
a scaler you say, so glad i have a full HD surround amp to do that for me, but composite vs s-video, s-video all the time, well documented if you want the best picture without having to go down the modification path
So the RGB Scart cable that you can buy for the SNES/N64 will not output RGB without modding the system?
Not only can PAL N64s not do Scart, but the monster S-video cables will also not work properly with PAL units and produce an over bright image.
After buying quite a few crappy S-video cables on ebay. I finally found a good quality one. I slapped 2 resistors inside it to make it PAL suitable and boom. A working PAL S-video cable.
In addition to the consoles you mentioned, I would recommend RGB Scart for 576i games on PS2. In a comparison of the official PS2 RGB Scart cable and the official PS2 component cable, I have noticed that component adds vertical lines to the display, which is especially noticeable on rounder elements, such as the circle button on the bios memory card screen. RGB Scart is much cleaner. This is with a PAL console, so it could be different for NTSC. I have also heard that this goes away for 480p games.
Of course, the best way to play PS2 on a HDTV is with a 20GB or 60GB PS3 (if you can avoid YLOD that is).
Enjoyed that dude appreciate it 👍
Hi adam. first off I love your channel. Thanks for all your videos! second. I just bought a turbografx 16 system and was trying to see what the best video quality I can get without moding? I don't wanna use terrible rf. Is there any website you can direct me to so I can at least get yellow red white cords? I figure I can then upgrade that with a good converter and get a decent image
I'm in the UK so I have a pal N64 and I was wondering, as I can't do the rgb mod does that render rgb scart cables useless?
because I'm really disappointed about the regular scart quality, and I don't have an s video port on my TV so there anything I can do?
So, do I need another GC/SNES SCART cable with RGB mod in N64? I actually don't understand this. Btw, thank you for the video and the info!
How can I connect svideo to my tv with composite, component and hdmi? My tv does accept 240p over component. I looked into some converters/scalers, what do i need to know before buying one (like if it stretches the picture etc)
Also I live in Europe
Great video Adam. I've modded my N64 and yes it makes one hell of a difference. The one system where I was actually really surprised it didn't make much of a difference was the TurboGrafx-16/PC Engine. I don't know what NEC did, but the composite signal from that device is the best I have ever seen from a retro console. When I pass the composite signal through the XRGB-mini the colors are super lush and vibrant: Lords of Thunder Review for the TurboGrafx-CD (Turbo Duo). I was really surprised. My modded PC Engine looks only slightly sharper, it wasn't anywhere near as drastic as the N64, Saturn, or any of the other retro systems.
Thanks.
...Really? I must consider that to be...surprising.
Yeah I was just as shocked. Can you see the difference, yes you can, is it as dramatic as all the other retro systems, no it really isn't. It might be the XRGB-mini doing a superb job with the upscaling, but if you take a glance at the link I sent, you'll see the colors are super sharp and clear and that's through composite. Hell my Analogue Interactive Neo-Geo isn't even that clear. I never suspected that.
Speaking of the TG-16, have you scored any additional games for the system? It's an incredibly underrated system with tons of fantastic, albeit expensive games.
Project COE Nah, I haven't picked any up in a while. They're not particularly common.
Yeah I hear you there. If you do decide you're in the market though, check out PCEngineFX.com/forums. There are some incredible deals. Someone just sold Ys Book I & II for $43!
So what is the best way to hook it up? S-video directly to my hdtv or S-video to an hd upscale then to my hdtv?
@Mystical Quilava Why? Use HDMI.
AdamKoralik at the point I posted that I still had a CRT TV(Since then I have upgraded to a Full HD LED TV)
Adam Koralik is there a component or hdmi mods available for the n64?
Capture RF with a vcr.
I actually do that with my N64 if I want to rock a gaming set up with 2 CRTs. I just use an RF cable for my N64, hook it up to the VCR, then have composite go into one CRT and the then Coax output to the second CRT. I don't really stress over the picture quality with that kind of set up because I have well-shielded S-Video Cables for my Nintendo consoles along with an S-Video to HDMI box for when my bigger JVC CRT dies.
hey Adam :), so i went ahead and bought a rgb modded french model n64. and comparing it to S video its only a slight improvement i have to say. but i lack a upscaler so is it normal to still have the picture look kinda blurry without a upscaler? my snes with rgb cable (same as i use for n64) gives crisp picture on flatscreen and the genesis is even more beautiful without upscaling needed. question is really to get decent picture out of the n64 on flatscreen i reckon ill also need to buy a upscaler?
I got my 2nd N64 this week, installed with DUAL modded RGB/Overclocked. I runs like butter and loads games a little faster as well(well, Faster for it already being on cartridge) My mod guy did a great job, still can use av out cables too!!^^ Great colors and bump up in speed really helps the fluidity give it an arcade like play and Feel. Worth the jump!!
P.S. Do your homework before buying and getting scamed as well;]
AdamKoralik If my HD TV has input lag with composite (yeah i know it's shit but my TV is against the wall I can't reach the S Video port) would a scaler eliminate the lag?
Hi quick suggestion. Can you please add a link in the description of the annotations? Because the iPad cannot see those overlay buttons because of the native player.
In summary, if you were unlucky enough to be born in Europe and happen to like your old N64...
...you're screwed.
It's one of the reasons why the Nintendo 64 didn't do so well over there :P
And I fit all the criteria for that :P
Yay, I'm French. Too bad :P
I have a Sony triniton KV-14LT1U, its in the PAL region but has RGB SCART and composite.
How do you get a NTSC GameCube for example to work can a RGB SCART work with a NTSC?
I have a scart setup and adding another hdmi system would be a pain id have to replace all my switcher and rewire all my hdmi is the n64 hdmi board that much better?
The digital HDMI mod?
8:33-8:51
I have never used an Composite to HDMI or S-video to HDMI. Personally, for all my consoles that output through composite or S-video, I plug them into switch boxes and plug the switch boxes into the AV inputs on my Panasonic EX79 DVD recorder. The DVD recorder itself outputs at 1080p through HDMI. Of course, the footage recorded to DVD or the handdrive is still in standard definition, but displayed through the HDMI at 1080p I think it looks great.
Adam, great video! In your opinion, what's the best video quality I can get from a Nintendo GameCube? Is there any better quality than the component cable? Thanks!
Thanks.
Nope, component is the way to go. Sadly the component cables for the GameCube are insanely rare and expensive.
He answered this earlier on (as did I)
For US/JP consoles, Component/D-Terminal cables @ 480P cannot be bettered
For PAL, RGB Scart is the best available
Will a PAL N64 support RGB Scart without any modifications
I live in Canada and I saw monster cables in retail stores back in the day.
do you get any noticable video lag from using the scart mod or scart to hdmi converter i am considering doing this mod myself and i also have came across many terrible
s video cables for the n64 but i had recently found a set of not monster cables from goodwill that look much better than my other cables but i don't have any monster cables to compare with so i cant say how good they are in comparison to monster cables and thanks for the video it is making me want to do this mod
Personally I never have. People, usually ones who have never used a scaler, complaint about lag. But again, I use them all the time and I've never noticed it.
There is a dude in UK who makes awesome s-video cable for the PAL N64. Picture quality is awesome
if you live in the uk would it be better to get the hdmi mod or use a scart rgb?
Good video Adam.
I'm slowly getting into retro gaming and well... I don't really want to get the best picture quality for all consoles I'm going to try to get for now as it's expensive and difficult sometimes here in Europe too for some consoles of course (example: the Scart cables for many consoles can be about 50€).
For some I'll use composite as my TV handles it fairly well and it's fine for me, but I don't want to always have to change the cables as my TV has one composite input, do you have any recommendations for a good switcher with no lag is possible...?
Composite switches? They exist, but I tossed mine years ago.
AdamKoralik I know they exist, there are Tons, some need electricity, some don't and MANY look a like, I never found reviews, only on upscalers and well... you know what, I'll try an upscaler and get more if the one I got is good for me! (My TV has 4 HDMI inputs, I got enough)
This was very informative.
Joshua Chit Tun Thanks for watching!
Thank you for sharing, it motivated me to improve my home theatre, as of now all devices are connected to the Bose Entertainment System, playing golden eye on surround sound is a pretty damn good feeling.
So yes improving the visuals is a must, its like watching classic Disney on 1080p vs. VHS....
Is there site where I can buy an N64 with this mod already installed.
So if I got the monster s-video cables, then put them through and hdmi up scaler, would that help even a tiny bit? Or would it just look like plain s-video? Unfortunately my hdtv doesn't have an s-video receiver so I'd be forced to do that anyway. Thanks for your reply to my other comment, great videos! Subscribed :)
+rhspercussionistguy Depends on the quality of the HDMI scaler. If it's good, it should help, but don't expect to be blown away.
AdamKoralik If I plug an rgb scart in an unmodded N64, will it pass thru S-video signal?
I had to use RF until 2002. Because the TV I had in my room was from 1985 and only had Coax, VHF & UHF.
Great video. Question: Do I have to mod my N64 to use scart? or can I just plug a scart cable into the back of it? I know this wont' get me RGB. But will the signal quality be better?
No, that's not how it works.
No. if you plug an RGB SCART cable into an unmodded n64, the image will be severely darkened. like unplayable dark. it needs an internal amplifier to the rgb signal. if you have an ns1 model, most modders will do the job for about 50-60 bucks parts and labor. Any later revision will be a bit more expensive
Thanks for the informative video! I learn a lot while watching your content. I am getting back into game collecting in my 30's and I am picky over what I want. I don't want big, heavy tv's from the past so investing in a modded N64 is a worth it for me. What can I expect to pay for one?
Adam, about how much better do you think the Monster cable is over the official Nintendo s-video cable? Because I'm considering getting one since the official Nintendo cable is far more available, and about half the price of the Monster. I can't imagine the Monster quality being worth 30 more dollars.
The Monster Cable is better. But, hard to honestly say it's $30 better. If you're not up for that, then just go with the Nintendo brand one. It's still an improvement over composite.
AdamKoralik
Yeah, all I got now is the Gamestop brand multi-console composite/s-video cable. It's s-video *is* better than usual composite, but without another cable, I can't compare. And I'm sure the official Nintendo cable is certainly better.
the european n64 can only be modified by additional hardware, however its is very expensive to do that, it costs about the same as an hdmi prepared n64. If youre lucky enough, you can get a n64 from France (at least it says so), the NUS-001(FRA), all other ones are labled NUS-001(EUR). These french systems were originally debug units before the n64 launched in europe, but there werent enough n64s at the launch here in europe, so Nintendo in Europe converted original dev kits they had in stock to consumer n64s, noticable from the NUS-001(FRA). These still have the RGB Video chips. All other models havent got it.
Sorry for slightly off-topic but what is the difference between an adapter, converter, and upscaler?
No reason to use CRT other than light guns? I can name two, no input lag and true blacks. Some would say scanlines for 240p games but that's just being pedantic.
Dear Adam, instead of using hauppauge s-video and composite inputs you should connect all these signals to SCART to HDMI converter since SCART socket can use all of these signals. There shouldn't be any color saturation difference between S-VIDEO and RGB. I did a comparison video between s-video and RGB and the colors are identical. SCART to HDMI upscaler that you use adds color saruration. I know because I have the same upscaler :)
Hey, does anyone know if you can use an rgb scart cable and just receive s video on an unmodded console? I dont know too too much about so perhaps im wrong. Perhaps I would need scart cable that carry s-video signal in that case or what?
I think you need a specific type of SCART cable for that, but that will also depending on what you're using to take SCART into the TV.
I got a monster S-video cable for my SNES at a used game store for like $5, at the time I was just looking for composite but picked the monster cable due to it seeming more durable, guess I picked smartly! Mine looks a little different (it's black and has purple accents, likely from GameCube era I'm guessing?) but looks great on my 36" Trinitron.
I just purchased the same the same SCART to HDMI converter as you. I'm trying to get a Saturn SCART cable, but I see there is a difference between PAL (Euro) and NTSC (Jap) SCART cables. Which one should I buy to work with my US Saturn and this converter? Link to an example cable or where you purchased yours? Thanks!
I recommend this seller, though she doesn't seem to have any in stock at the moment: www.ebay.com/sch/retro_console_accessories/m.html?_nkw=&_armrs=1&_ipg=&_from=
@Adam Koralik Would you still recommend the RGB mod in connection with the Framemeister or would be better go with the newer Ultra HDMI Mod. I am planning to get a second modified n64 and first thought was to get one with the RGB Mod to use in the best possible way with my Framemeister. But then I heard that there is something the Ultra HDMI Mod which is supposed to be better in some ways according to other videos here on YT. What is your opinion on that matter?
I haven't used the HDMI mod, but I have to assume that's better.
Thanks for the answer. I think so too. I have just read and heard good things about the HDMI mod. It is not cheap for sure I have no problem to pay more if the quality is nice.
So scart to component is not recommended for an rgb modded 64, right? My tv will not at all read my composite fed 64. But will read 240 games on my Playstation 1. Odd... 70" LED Vizio
Don't forget for CRT fans in North America can use a SCART to Component Transcoder, also PAL GameCube never got Component cables and no 480p support so the best we can do is 480i 60Hz via RGB SCART, the vast majority of PlayStation 2 output either 480i 60Hz or 576i 50Hz, so it might be better to use the PlayStation 2 on a CRT either Component or RGB SCART depending on what your CRT, Regarding the NES there is an RGB mod. The Retro Gaming Cables SCART cables for the PlayStation and PlayStation 2 can have a GunCon port which is handy for LightGun games.
I actually did some stuff to clean up Dazzle S-Video recordings for the N64, and it looks damn good. This is just for recording purposes though, doesn't do shit for someone who's wanting better quality on their TV. N64 Dazzle Quality Test
This video reminds me of a question I had for you can you do a video series on the fifth generation game consoles?
I may, maybe later this summer.
Those are harder to do than people think.
Is there a way to output to VGA on anything else besides the Dreamcast and it still look nice? I say that since it is VERY common for everyone.
Not that I'm aware of. The Dreamcast is unique because VGA is what Sega designed the Dreamcast to optimize at.
Best S-Video cable is easily made with 4 coaxial cables. That HDMI converter does not have a better scaling than TV almost certainly. Something like XRGB-mini Framemeister does.
Thanks again for promoting our site Adam! You so need to get hold of a XRGB Framemeister though, It blows that little HDMI converter out of the water. Couple things, N64 outputs 240p not 480i, the problem is your capture card thinks it is 480i and that's where the artifacts come from. It's definitely hard to find a N64 S-Video cable wired properly, the store consolegoods dot co dot uk stocks properly wired N64 S-video cables that I've tested and they work well. Finally, Ray can now RGB mod ALL N64s, but the PAL models and later US ones require an extra component. Contact us for details through the site videogameperfection dot com.
Happy to help.
Hi adam. I'm currently trying to buy a capture card to capture gameplay of all my systems for RUclips. I have the same scart boxes you have and I have my Sega Genesis Sega CD Sega Saturn all hooked up through scart to HDMI. I also have my Dreamcast hooked up VGA to HDMI. is there a capture card you can recommend for me where I can capture all of this? I'm totally new to capture cards and really know nothing about them. I'd be grateful if you could help
Actually there's that one french model that can be modified to output RGB. That's the one I'm going for, no matter the cost, because that way I can get the games locally. In long run I end up paying more for games if I'm going to import every single one of them. I wish N64 could be region modded. I really want to be able to play N64 with good image quality, because it is one my most favourite consoles of all time, but in Europe there's no cheap solution, which is sad.
Yeah and forgot to mention, great video as always! Keep them coming!
Thanks! Good luck tracking down that SECAM N64.
AdamKoralik Actually if I'm right N64 in France it is just PAL just like rest of the Europe, I could be wrong though, but that doesn't matter, because SECAM stuff works here fine.
MadFinnTech I thought it was SECAM, but I could be wrong. I don't presume to be sure one way or another.
Any French people out there that can confirm this for us?
I have a rgb modded N64 and SNES 2. I love the picture on both but I was more blown away at the SNES 2. The colors just popped out.
Agreed.
Hi Adam, what brand multi out to scart (SNES cable) are you using? Any idea where I can get one? Thanks..
Assuming you're talking about an NTSC SNES, then this is the one I'd recommend: www.ebay.com/itm/Super-Nintendo-stereo-RGB-SCART-lead-FULLY-SHIELDED-GROUNDED-cable-cord-US-SNES-/161548189620?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item259d05bfb4
RGB is still probably the better choice for the PS2 since like 90% of the games don't go above 480i.
I'm not very knowledgeable about video cables or anything related to video hook-up, but could you hook up an N64 by buying an S-Video to HDMI converter and connecting it through HDMI? Does that method exist?
It exists. It'd be decent, not amazing.
Hi! I looked into your guy in the UK to do a rbg mod on my n64, but he doesn't do US. Do you know of anyone here in 'Merica who can do it? Thanks!
Adam what about the UltraHDMI mod for n64? I've seen n64s premodded with HDMI ports in them for sale on eBay and they're several hundred dollars but I'd like to hear from you if they're worth it.
it is, it's pretty glorious.