Calrad Composite/S-Video to HDMI Converter

[RARusk]

Altex down here in San Antonio sells this converter (model 40-720phd) for $130.00. However, I've not been able to find a whole lot of information on it in regards to technical information, especially anything regarding lag issues. Has anybody here played with this thing? I'd like to know more about it before deciding whether or not to spend the money to acquire it.

[godslabrat]

Would be good to see how it compares to the Framemeister

[+5-11under]

... or a $10-30 converter from eBay.

[keepdreamin]

Yeah.... I'm pretty sure they don't make that.

 

Product in question

 

http://www.calrad.com/all-categories/hdmi/hdmi-converters/40-720phd

 

Compared to a 50 dollar unit on amazon, same housing and everything. Just minus the logo on the top. That's quite the mark up. It's just a generic chinese scaler sold by numerous vendors.

 

https://www.amazon.com/Composite-S-Video-Converter-Upscaler-Consoles/dp/B0105VYGQM/ref=pd_day0_23_4?ie=UTF8&pd_rd_i=B0105VYGQM&pd_rd_r=YKGPS0VDKH88RK7JZ2J7&pd_rd_w=mqdbj&pd_rd_wg=SxkhP&psc=1&refRID=YKGPS0VDKH88RK7JZ2J7

 

Pretty safe guess this isn't going to be anything special.

 

If you've got 100+ bucks to burn on a converter, just put that aside. And in a month or two when you've got another 100 bucks to burn put it aside. Soon enough you'll have enough coin to buy a framemeister. I don't understand spending that kind of money for subpar results. It's like buying a series of crummy power tools at Harbor Freight when you should have just bought the brushless Milwaukee to begin with.

Edited September 23, 2016 by keepdreamin

[Austin]

I'd be curious to know how it works. It's actually surprising how much better the Framemeister can make even composite and s-video look and I'd especially like to see a comparison between the two devices in that regard. Really though, the Framemeister is not something you spend nearly $400 after shipping on to do composite--you buy it for RGB, with the other connection options being a nice bonus.

[Reaperman]

Anybody else really surprised to hear CALRAD is still around?

 

I'm pretty sure I grew up with a set of wooden speakers carrying their brand, and I want to say a soldering station too. Fairly tough stuff--but then, all stuff back then was considerably tougher, so I don't know where their quality level fit in the scheme of things.

Edited September 24, 2016 by Reaperman

[keepdreamin]

Classic game room just posted a "review" of the framemeister. He actually has been using this cheap converter for ages and waves it around towards the end of the video. Says it was 30 bucks, that's quite some gall to sell for $120.

 

Edited September 24, 2016 by keepdreamin

[RARusk]

Obviously I would love to have a Framemeister but I really don't want to spend that kind of money right now. But it sounds to me that the Calrad device is way more expensive that it should be and that I should stay away from it. However, I would still like to have some more detailed technical information for research.

[keepdreamin]

Obviously I would love to have a Framemeister but I really don't want to spend that kind of money right now.

 

Then save. Put a little mason jar with "Framemeister" written on it on your kitchen counter. Everytime you've got 30 bucks burning a hole in your pocket contemplating purchasing a random chinese made scaler, toss it in there.

[godslabrat]

I'm not a fan of buying hardware twice. If you need to scrimp and save to get the good stuff, do so, and do without in the meantime. There are a lot of weaknesses in my setup that I'd like to correct, but when I add up the cost of all the band-aid solutions I could use, it gets me pretty close to what it'd Cost to do it all the right way. So trying to substitute lesser equipment is a false economy: I'll spend more in the long run by settling for cheap stuff.