Has anyone ever used this CGA/RGB to VGA adapter?

[DavidMil]

Has anyone ever used this CGA /RGB to VGA adapter? I'm thinking of trying it out on an Atari Computer.

Here are some pics and specs...

 

Thanks for any info,

David

 

 

[Brentarian]

It doesn't support composite or svideo, but I've tested it with Sophia RGB and it works. It's a good deal for $20ish. I believe FJC has one also for VBXE.

[Rybags]

GBS8200 ?

 

I've got one that I bought last year on eBay... about $25 or so landed. I've used it a bit with my 800XL VBXE going to a ~ 12 year old 1440x900 LCD monitor.

 

The video quality isn't exactly stellar but I was using the bare board just sitting on a plastic case so it might work better if enclosed with a little shielding. I read somewhere of someone who replaced all the capacitors with higher quality ones but it seemed for little if any benefit (I'd not risk it personally).

 

What did impress me is that the 50 to 60 frames conversion seems pretty good, I didn't test a lot of games so can't vouch 100% that there's no annoying temporal artifacts.

 

For the money, I'd recommend it. Didn't come with a power supply but as it happens, I have on hand sufficient plug adaptors to be able to use a USB wall-wart to the barrel plug.

 

As an alternative there's 16 KHz RGB to S-Video adaptors, I bought one a few years back though the video quality there wasn't the greatest. I'd recommend that type if wanting to use a TV, plus you can do video recording/capture much easier with that type.

 

ed - also didn't test for video lag, but I don't think it's too bad. I suspect it likely uses a frame buffer and would double up the occasional frame when doing Atari's 49.97~ to 60 Hz, so you're probably better off than most modern LCD TVs anyway.

Another thing of course - make your own arrangements for audio though given the monitor port will be free it's easy to make up a DIN plug to take care of that.

Edited December 8, 2017 by Rybags

[TheTIGuy]

But what about composite to VGA?

CGA cards had comp. out too!

And is the CGA in 9 pin or 15 pin?

GAHHH

[Rybags]

Composite is rubbish and best forgotten.

 

The input is a DE9 plug but the thing has seperate headers making it easy to do your own thing.

The initial purpose of these adaptors was to allow arcade cabs to replace CRTs with LCDs.

[Level42]

Bought one to test arcade boards on a VGA screen.

 

Wel.....it produced a picture but I would never use it as a definitive set-up for anything. And yes, you will first need a Sophia, but than you're better of getting the DVI version if you want to use an LCD....

 

All those conversions don't make signals look any better.

[Rybags]

I bought it as the 1084 just takes up too much space.

 

Should also be noted - the YUV inputs are component signals which aren't produced by the Atari or any current upgrade. Although slightly inferior to RGB would be more desirable since most TVs accept it.

[flashjazzcat]

As an alternative there's 16 KHz RGB to S-Video adaptors, I bought one a few years back though the video quality there wasn't the greatest.

Do you still have a link to the device you bought? This would be useful for capturing VBXE video in my YouTube streams.

[Rybags]

Looks like the site is gone, you just get some sort of Chinese language placeholder.

I got the link from a post of mine about 5 years ago http://www.amigamaniac.com/RGB_to_PAL_NTSC_adapter.html

 

I've not used this device in a while, one disadvantage was that it supposedly didn't support the peak to peak level produced by VBXE so to be safe I put limiting resistors after the plug I made.

 

Didn't do a lot of video cap with it but from memory it seemed OK.

These days it's just easier to capture emulator output.

[flashjazzcat]

Thanks. It's a shame the link's dead since it would have been extremely useful. I'll have another scout around for one.

[Brentarian]

Thanks. It's a shame the link's dead since it would have been extremely useful. I'll have another scout around for one.

If you find another source please let us know. This site is accessible via archive.org: https://web.archive.org/web/20140127181628/http://www.amigamaniac.com/RGB_to_PAL_NTSC_adapter.html

Edited December 8, 2017 by Brentarian

[Roydea6]

https://www.amazon.com/Arcade-Converter-Output-Monitor-GBS-6200/dp/B076J665WR

[Level42]

I bought it as the 1084 just takes up too much space.

 

Should also be noted - the YUV inputs are component signals which aren't produced by the Atari or any current upgrade. Although slightly inferior to RGB would be more desirable since most TVs IN MY PART OF THE WORLD accept it.

 

 

Fixed that for you. America is not the world

 

Therefore, RGB is not only better than anything else (for analogue) but almost all TV's here in Europe understand it thanks to a wonderful thing called SCART. So maybe in your part of the world component maybe more desirable, it certainly isn't more desirable over here as much less TV's have inputs for it.

 

And again, if you want to hook up LCD, what could be better than DVI through Sophia ?

Edited December 8, 2017 by Level42

[+kheller2]

I actually have one of these as well and was planning on using it to hook up a mega ST to a standard monitor. Didn't get to that yet.

[+Stephen]

 

 

Fixed that for you. America is not the world

 

Therefore, RGB is not only better than anything else (for analogue) but almost all TV's here in Europe understand it thanks to a wonderful thing called SCART. So maybe in your part of the world component maybe more desirable, it certainly isn't more desirable over here as much less TV's have inputs for it.

 

And again, if you want to hook up LCD, what could be better than DVI through Sophia ?

LMAO - reminds me of this

[+CharlieChaplin]

 

 

Fixed that for you. America is not the world

 

Therefore, RGB is not only better than anything else (for analogue) but almost all TV's here in Europe understand it thanks to a wonderful thing called SCART. So maybe in your part of the world component maybe more desirable, it certainly isn't more desirable over here as much less TV's have inputs for it.

 

And again, if you want to hook up LCD, what could be better than DVI through Sophia ?

 

But errmmm,

 

Rybags is NOT from America, he is from Australia !

 

And now we can hear Rybags singing "This is not America, shalalalala..."

[Level42]

FAKE NEWS !

 

I tell ya.....

 

[Level42]

(Level42 hides in shame.....)

[Simius]

Should also be noted - the YUV inputs are component signals which aren't produced by the Atari or any current upgrade.

 

Except the Sophia.

[Level42]

I actually have one of these as well and was planning on using it to hook up a mega ST to a standard monitor. Didn't get to that yet.

 

 

Uhhh..... ???

 

ST's have RGB out....hook up to a standard monitor....done. Or am I missing something (again ) ?

[Mathy]

Hello guys

 

Rybags is NOT from America, he is from Australia !

 

And now we can hear Rybags singing "This is not America, shalalalala..."

 

Naaahh, he's probably still confused from being on the other side of the map all of a sudden.

 

Sincerely

 

Mathy

[Rybags]

Supposedly some newer versions of SCART support component type video so worth doing a RTFM for your device.

[+kheller2]

 

 

Uhhh..... ???

 

ST's have RGB out....hook up to a standard monitor....done. Or am I missing something (again ) ?

 

 

You mean like a standard SVGA PC monitor that doesn't handle said ST RGB signals?

Hmm Don't think DVI-A can do it either.. and you need said converter.

[Level42]

You mean like a standard SVGA PC monitor that doesn't handle said ST RGB signals?

Hmm Don't think DVI-A can do it either.. and you need said converter.

No ST RGB is 15 kHz, like TV frequency. PC (VGA) monitors are about double that frequency and normally don't like 15kHz. There are some multi-sync monitors (NEC) that will accept both but they are rare.

 

With "standard" monitor I interpreted something like a Philips CM8833 monitor, or one if it's clones like the Commodore 1084.

[TheTIGuy]

That... I dunno if its wrong but it seems off...