The screen captures are amazing!
The price for parts is reasonable!
Installation services are available!
RGB output isn't the "RGB" that most North Americans think of, it's not the "Component" RGB connectors on the back of the TV. The RGB connections available on game consoles is part of the SCART standard used in Europe during the 80's and 90's. Since it was often included for European consoles, it's often easy to "enable" the feature on North American consoles.
RGB can be displayed directly on an SCART TV.
Negatives:
- Europe doesn't use SCART anymore
- SCART is common on Tube type TV's which are expensive to ship
- SCART TV's are setup for European Electric outlets (220v, 50 Hz vs 110v, 60 Hz)
RGB can be displayed directly on a "Studio Monitor".
Negatives:
- Not common
- Originally very expensive
- Tube type TV's, heavy, bulky, etc.
- BNC connectors
What do most North America gamers do with RGB?
The 3 part plan (SCART TV, Studio Monitor)
- Console Modification
- Cable between Console and TV
- TV that can display the signal
The only other 3 part plan REALLY depends on your TV, NOT the quality or brand but on a per model basis. See here.
The products to do this are:
- THS7374 Mod board ($20-65)
- HD Retrovision SNES YPbPr Component Cable ($53)
- Compatible TV with "240p over component" ($$$-$$$$)
If you are considering an RGB Mod for N64 create a full plan of how you will use it. Without a plan it will be easy to end up with mismatched cables, daisy chained signal converters and the same blurry mess on your screen.
Most Commonly RGB gets converted to another format through a box.
Here is the more common 5 part solution
- Console Modification
- Cable between Console and Conversion box
- Conversion box
- Cable between Conversion box and TV
- TV that can display the converted signal
Lets plug in some real products into our 5 part plan.
- THS7374 Mod board ($20-65)
- N64 AV Cable to SCART ($10-40)
- SCART to HDMI Upscaler ($10-200)
- Standard HDMI - HDMI Cable ($5-10)
- TV with HDMI Inputs ($$$-$$$$)
The upscaler is the biggest variable in cost and performance. Read reviews and purchase carefully. It seems like there is always a new/similar model coming out so reviews become outdated. Newer models aren't always better sometimes they are different in a way that doesn't do what you want anymore.
- RGB Mod board from Voultar (Installation Service is also available) - Ordered
- N64 AV out cable to SCART from Retro-Access (Check inventory @ 7AM EST) - Ordered
- SCART to HDMI Upscaler (Not going to post a link until I've used it)
- Standard HDMI cable
- Large Screen LCD TV (already own a 1k and 4k model)
I'll probably be testing a couple of options and I'll report back once my testing is complete.
Why haven't I ordered it yet?
The hardest thing about the RGB Modification seems to be waiting for sellers to have stock. That applies to cable vendors and even RGB mod sellers. The market isn't huge and most sellers don't want to have even 100's in stock, it's expensive to sit on a years worth of inventory that won't be paid for until June and wont show a profit until July.