A newer composite converter than N4

Disk drives, Monitors, SuperCPU etc.
User avatar
Gyro Gearloose
Member
Member
Posts: 471
Joined: Sun Nov 15, 2015 5:20 am
Contact:

Re: A newer composite converter than N4

Post by Gyro Gearloose »

I went to the Salvation Army today, I have a large store just down my street and they have a few shelves of electronics and a/v equipment.
Turns out there was a 40% off sale today.( Some random guy just in front of me picked up a very good Laserdisc player for 5$!)
I found a small 4:3 HP LCD monitor, the model 1530. I paid 6$ for the thing and it's great, it has clock and phase adjustments and has a good stand.
It even rotates into portrait mode which is very unusual. I have this idea that my LCD should be about the same size and aspect as the old CRTs. I don't think I can handle a 64 on a modern display.
So I think a Kramer scaler and a old LCD is a good combo. (Now to figure out if I can replace the CCFLs in there)


The price one pays for pursuing any profession, or calling, is an intimate knowledge of its ugly side.
User avatar
eslapion
Active Member
Active Member
Posts: 1215
Joined: Mon Jul 20, 2015 10:11 am
Location: Canada
Contact:

Re: A newer composite converter than N4

Post by eslapion »

The Chinese converter I got does a decent job for the price after all. Just don't expect miracles.

Quite sensitive to noise in the C64 signal, especially when using S-Video.

It has more features than the eBay listing says. It does 480p, 720p and 1080p all at 60Hz refresh rate and it will automatically support both PAL and NTSC.
Wealth, like happiness, is never attained directly. It comes as a by-product of providing a useful service. -Harland D. Sanders
User avatar
Gyro Gearloose
Member
Member
Posts: 471
Joined: Sun Nov 15, 2015 5:20 am
Contact:

Re: A newer composite converter than N4

Post by Gyro Gearloose »

I wonder how to split up the blame
1) The 64's non-standard signalling levels and timings
2) The converter
3) The TV

Did you play any games with it? Notice any lag or other weirdness that you don't get with a CRT?
The price one pays for pursuing any profession, or calling, is an intimate knowledge of its ugly side.
User avatar
eslapion
Active Member
Active Member
Posts: 1215
Joined: Mon Jul 20, 2015 10:11 am
Location: Canada
Contact:

Re: A newer composite converter than N4

Post by eslapion »

Gyro Gearloose wrote: Thu Nov 28, 2019 8:02 pm I wonder how to split up the blame
1) The 64's non-standard signalling levels and timings
2) The converter
3) The TV

Did you play any games with it? Notice any lag or other weirdness that you don't get with a CRT?
You can scratch no. 1 off. It's more like ringing in the signal whenever there is a transition between darker and lighter luma levels.

Nothing to do with the TV too as it receives HDMI...

No lag at all. Could play Ms. Pacman quite fine.
Wealth, like happiness, is never attained directly. It comes as a by-product of providing a useful service. -Harland D. Sanders
User avatar
Gyro Gearloose
Member
Member
Posts: 471
Joined: Sun Nov 15, 2015 5:20 am
Contact:

Re: A newer composite converter than N4

Post by Gyro Gearloose »

Sounds like some sort of edge-sharpening that's set too high. That's what I don't like about these cheap scalers, no control. They could simply put in a USB serial port to access features but that doesn't seem to be the case.
But I've tried several scalers and monitors and nothing even looks close to component video on my 1080, even with control of the scaler's features.
The old LCDs aren't as bright as the 1080, and no matter what I do the scaler/LCD combo just never looks ... right.
I think I'll try my Commodore 1950 monitor next. But it is stored away and it didn't work the last time I used it.
It can also display 15KHz RGB but has no component inputs.
The price one pays for pursuing any profession, or calling, is an intimate knowledge of its ugly side.
User avatar
motrucker
Member
Member
Posts: 191
Joined: Tue Jul 21, 2015 6:11 pm
Location: Maryland, U.S.
Contact:

Re: A newer composite converter than N4

Post by motrucker »

Gyro Gearloose wrote: Fri Nov 29, 2019 4:50 pm I think I'll try my Commodore 1950 monitor next. But it is stored away and it didn't work the last time I used it.
It can also display 15KHz RGB but has no component inputs.
Have you seen this page on the 1950? It contains a couple of good tips for potential problems.

https://www.bigbookofamigahardware.com/ ... spx?id=856

Sound is so bad in most monitors, I never missed it on the 1950.
C-64, C-128, and Amiga A2000 user
User avatar
Gyro Gearloose
Member
Member
Posts: 471
Joined: Sun Nov 15, 2015 5:20 am
Contact:

Re: A newer composite converter than N4

Post by Gyro Gearloose »

This is what I really really want:

Image

Control over the scaler input parameters. Although I didn't clean the keypad yet so it's a bit frustrating to navigate the menu.
The price one pays for pursuing any profession, or calling, is an intimate knowledge of its ugly side.
User avatar
Gyro Gearloose
Member
Member
Posts: 471
Joined: Sun Nov 15, 2015 5:20 am
Contact:

Re: A newer composite converter than N4

Post by Gyro Gearloose »

Oh dear, that's the *output* timings. Oh well.
The price one pays for pursuing any profession, or calling, is an intimate knowledge of its ugly side.
User avatar
Gyro Gearloose
Member
Member
Posts: 471
Joined: Sun Nov 15, 2015 5:20 am
Contact:

Re: A newer composite converter than N4

Post by Gyro Gearloose »

Well I never did find a better solution than my old Viewsonic converter, but here's a new one I just found tonight:

https://www.ebay.ca/itm/OSSC-HDMI-Open- ... Sw1fJex3zY

I'm not buying this one, I'm a bit over budget on these kinds of trinkets right now. But if anyone wants to give this a whirl... I doesn't seem to have a composite or s-video input but it claims to be open source.

This is just FYI.
The price one pays for pursuing any profession, or calling, is an intimate knowledge of its ugly side.
User avatar
eslapion
Active Member
Active Member
Posts: 1215
Joined: Mon Jul 20, 2015 10:11 am
Location: Canada
Contact:

Re: A newer composite converter than N4

Post by eslapion »

Gyro Gearloose wrote: Fri Aug 21, 2020 3:28 am Well I never did find a better solution than my old Viewsonic converter, but here's a new one I just found tonight:

https://www.ebay.ca/itm/OSSC-HDMI-Open- ... Sw1fJex3zY

I'm not buying this one, I'm a bit over budget on these kinds of trinkets right now. But if anyone wants to give this a whirl... I doesn't seem to have a composite or s-video input but it claims to be open source.

This is just FYI.
Well... "Composite video and S-Video are not supported, adapter/transcoder is required" :cry:
Wealth, like happiness, is never attained directly. It comes as a by-product of providing a useful service. -Harland D. Sanders
Post Reply Previous topicNext topic

Who is online

Users browsing this forum: No registered users and 8 guests