[goldenpp72]

So i've asked around elsewhere and often times i'm told to look on this site, so after not getting a really conclusive answer, I decided to register and see if the knowledge of people here can assist me. So here is my problem.


I'm going on a hunt to collect old video game devices, ranging from atari 2600, master system, nes, snes, etc, all the way to the gamecube, xbox 1 and ps2 eras. In this, I would like to find the most perfect style of tv possible for my goals. Something in the 30s inch range (but not passed 40 I don't think).


Anyways, I plan to hook the systems up to the best possible connections I can, i'm told I can convert scart into component for older consoles (which is confusing in its own right), but the main issue is what type of tv to get. I'm told this kind of tv or that kind of tv or this resolution won't work with say, light guns from the NES era for titles like duck hunt, so i'm told to avoid a 480p able crt set because of this, but some people say it works just fine..


Basically I want a tv that can support connections of the component nature at least, and play all old console games correctly, light guns, and use of progressive scan if possible for consoles like ps2, xbox and gamecube. But then i'm told that to convert scart to component the component on the tv has to support rgb, or something, it's just all very confusing. If it were a possible bonus, eventually i'd be throwing the 360/ps3/wii in to this batch of old consoles too and it would be nice to not have to have 2 tvs in one room.


Sorry this is such a long string of questions, i'm just trying to find the perfect tv to suit my needs, I want good picture quality for old and newer consoles, but the ability to play any games I want, lightgun included. I'm also told that you can get tvs that natively support rgb (?) scart, but that seems improbable.. Thanks a lot if anyone helps!

 

[trivial]

Light guns complicate the discussion. There are guns for the PS2 that can work with any TV, but not necessarily with every game. Furthermore, you want to use light guns with more systems than just the PS2.


I'd have to recommend you give up on 480p with the capable consoles: Dreamcast, PS2, Gamecube, XBox. It's nice but unnecessary with an SDTV, which can display 480i with no lag at all. HDTVs tend to lag less with 480p than with 480i, but they won't please you much for use with consoles that are more than ten years old.


You can convert RGB to standard component video with a transcoder. The issue is finding out in advance whether the TV you want to use takes low-res YUV of the sort some consoles would output through a given transcoder, whether through SCART or some other connector.

 

[goldenpp72]

so either sacrifice light gun use for nes/master system/dreamcast or lose 480p? Even if the game runs in 480i on the tv?

 

[WJonathan]

OK, I think one issue you need to figure out ahead of time is how you're going to split all these signals. A big component splitter like the pro-series Pelican makes?


I would go ahead and grab component cables for the Xbox, PS2, and Gamecube. Not 3-in-ones, but dedicated sets for each system. PS2 components are easy to find, Xbox and GC are tougher. Dreamcast looked pretty sharp with the S-Video cables that you can still find floating around.


For the very old systems, I would try to track down aftermarket RCA cables, I know they're made for the NES and I think someone makes Master System ones too. I don't know about the old Atari systems, possibly you could rig up a coax cable setup.


Then you'd have this:

Xbox/PS2/Gamecube components going into a good quality component splitter, going into one component port on the TV.


Dreamcast going straight to the S-Video port.


Master/NES/SNES/Genesis/whatever using RCA composite going into a composite splitter, into an RCA TV jack.


Super old systems running through a decent quality coax splitter to your coax input.


That would be my choice, because I don't know much about SCART and I don't like converting signals. My choice for TV would be a Sony flattube HDTV CRT, preferably widescreen. The reasoning there is so you can enjoy the Xbox's wide selection of widescreen and HD games. I have no idea about lightgun compatibility.

 

[goldenpp72]

I plan to use component for maybe 4 of the consoles, svideo for the rest aside the ones that lack anything but RF.


So, any experts in here care to suggest the best tv that can use lightguns? And is there no such thing as a 480p tv that can also use a lightgun?

 

[trivial]

I've just read that you can add the old XBox to the short list of consoles with a gun available for use with HDTV's. But I'm going to try to explain what a classic lightgun does in simple terms:


It watches for things that happen too quickly for you to see. The software needs to know that what the console is painting on the screen is pretty much exactly synchronized with what the lightgun sees.


This works very well if the TV isn't capturing everything to process it frame-by-frame, and display a short time later. But the guts of an HDTV do just that when you feed them 480i. You may confirm this yourself if you have good rhythm and a guitar game; the lag calibration will be different for interlaced and progressive modes.


You want an SDTV (or a 15KHz arcade monitor) for a classic lightgun. HDTV-compatible lightguns for the Playstation and XBox consoles work entirely differently, with more brainpower inside. Think Wii remote.

 

[eddy_winds]



Quote:
There are guns for the PS2 that can work with any TV

Didn't work on my old


CRT RPTV


65H83

 

[goldenpp72]



Quote:
Originally Posted by trivial /forum/post/16886163


I've just read that you can add the old XBox to the short list of consoles with a gun available for use with HDTV's. But I'm going to try to explain what a classic lightgun does in simple terms:


It watches for things that happen too quickly for you to see. The software needs to know that what the console is painting on the screen is pretty much exactly synchronized with what the lightgun sees.


This works very well if the TV isn't capturing everything to process it frame-by-frame, and display a short time later. But the guts of an HDTV do just that when you feed them 480i. You may confirm this yourself if you have good rhythm and a guitar game; the lag calibration will be different for interlaced and progressive modes.


You want an SDTV (or a 15KHz arcade monitor) for a classic lightgun. HDTV-compatible lightguns for the Playstation and XBox consoles work entirely differently, with more brainpower inside. Think Wii remote.

This makes a bit more sense.. I wonder if I could get an arcade cabinet that works with nes games

 

[goldenpp72]

Ok, so i've decided that i'd like to get a tv that works with lightguns and I guess doesn't support progressive, but now I have one more confusion, looking at sites like craigslist, I notice a lot of crts that are flatscreen and not tube, is flatscreen a no no?

 

[Osirus23]

I've heard that flatscreen CRTs will cause things like the NES Zapper and SNES Super Scope to be completely inaccurate, but have never tried them myself.


Also, I wouldn't bother getting component cables for the Gamecube. They are somewhat of a rarity and sell for upwards of $70 now, and only early model Gamecubes can use them. Later models omitted the digital out port due to lack of use.


I use a Monster S-Video cable that I got used off of Amazon marketplace for like $7 and the picture quality is outstanding.

 

[Th3_uN1Qu3]

I know for a fact that the NES light gun does work on flatscreen CRTs, but have no idea about the others.

 

[hoffo]

As I understand it the NES lightgun works on standard def CRTs but will not work properly with HD CRTs due to upscaling and the slight bit more lag that creates is problematic. Never tried it but then I don't have an NES lightgun to test with...