Gamecube keyboard and CRT q's

[MajinSSJVegetto]

Hey all.

I use to use this site for info back when I played PSO version 1 on my dreamcast.

I just picked up PSO for my gamecube this weekend (I can only play on weekends) and I'm lovin it. Such a great game.

I ordered the broadband adapter already, which should be here soon, so I can get online pretty soon.

The two things I need to figure out are:
1) How to get a keyboard working on the GC.
2) How to get my gamecube to run on my computer monitor.

I have my old DreamCast keyboard lying around, and I was thinking that I might be able to cut the connector off, and use a spare GC connector and wire my DC keyboard for use with the GC.
Anyone know where I can get pinouts and/or info on doing this?

I'm pretty sure I can make a monitor adapter for the GameCube, but I can't find any good articles or web pages on it.

Any help would be greatly appreciated. I really need to make the graphics shine by using a monitor, and I am not going to be able to stand chatting w/o a keyboard!

Any help would be greatly appreciated.


edit:

Don't they make converters that let you use other system controllers on the gamecube?
If they make one that lets you use DC controllers with the GC, could you plug a DC keyboard into that?
This would be a great solution, as DC keyboards are still available some places, for very very low prices.

Also, I saw that GC controlelr with a keyboard built in. Well... its stupid if you ask me. I can't use my wavebird if I did that!


<font size=-1>[ This Message was edited by: MajinSSJVegetto on 2002-11-03 22:52 ]</font>

[rbf2000]

Well, as far as your keyboard question goes, we actually have a whole thread dedicated to it here (http://www.pso-world.com/viewtopic.php?topic=33054&forum=1&10).

And you would need one of these (http://www.goldenshop.com.hk/AI-trad/gc/vgacable.htm) to play your gamecube on your monitor. Now that vga cable only supports games that output progressive scan, but it's definately worth it.

[Sim2002]

Just wondering where did you order your broadband adapter from? I am having a really hard time finding one. Any help would be awesome.

[MajinSSJVegetto]

Not sure where I got my BBA from. My brother ordered it.

I did figure out how to make a quality VGA adapater.

Here is a giant thread about making it.
http://atarilabs.com/cgi-bin/UltraBoard/UltraBoard.cgi?action=Read&BID=11&TID=942&P=1&SID=
Along with a easily found pinout of VGA plug, and a way to get the official nintendo Component cable, and its pretty easy to make a good vga adapter.

[MeatWagon]

To answer you question on the vga issue thats easy just go to Comp-USA and pick up the viewsonic vb50hrtv http://www.viewsonic.com/products/video_box_vb50hrtv.htm. Its a real good product that allows you to hookup any consolevcrdvd to a vga monitor.The quality is really good. There are product on the market from Redant and Innovation but they just flat out stink in picture quality..The good thing about this product is that you don't have to go through alot of trouble hooking up to your VGA monitor and it even displays the games at 1024 x 768.The vga cable that everyone talks about is a modified D terminal cable ,it a little bit of a hassle to get the Gamecube working on a vga monitor. Here are the instructions.you have to be hooked up to a regular tv(anolog av ) and the VGA cable(digital av) hooked to your VGA monitor. Start your Gamecube with no game cd (look at your tv). Under Video setting switch to progressive scan then pop in a game that supports progessive scan, hit reset, and it should appear on your monitor. (maybe your tv is close to your vga monitor)The vga cable might be slighty better in picture quality but wait.....I just call viewsonic about this new product they have http://www.viewsonic.com/companyinfo/pressrelease_detail_145.htm .According to the tech, Nextvision 6 will accept progressiveinterlace component inputs ntscsvideorf and convert to vga.They said it won't hit the market until 2003 .Hope this helped you out a little.

Meatwagon

[Ghen]

Can you enable progressive scan through the analog port? I'm using a VGA adapater that hooks up to the GC's analog video port, and to bo frank, it looks like sh1t.

[Ghen]

On 2002-11-15 09:49, Ghen wrote:


Can you enable progressive scan through the analog port? I'm using a VGA adapater that hooks up to the GC's analog video port, and to be frank, it looks like sh1t.

[rbf2000]

On 2002-11-15 09:49, Ghen wrote:


Can you enable progressive scan through the analog port? I'm using a VGA adapater that hooks up to the GC's analog video port, and to bo frank, it looks like sh1t.
That's not true vga. It just converts the analog s-video signal into something that can be seen (crappily) on a monitor.

What you need is a vga adapter that uses the digital out. You can get them from here (http://www.goldenshop.com.hk/AI-trad/gc/index.html). They cost $50, and they only work with games that support progressive scan, but it's worth it.

[Ghen]

So in other words, to get my GC hooked up to my monitor , it's going to cost me right about 64 dollars for the VGA cable, and another 100 dollars to be able to switch between my comp and my GC (if we use the Viewsonic soloution, which is pretty reasonably priced for a digital switchbox)? Heh, thats more than the cost of a brand new GC... silly if you ask me.



<font size=-1>[ This Message was edited by: Ghen on 2002-11-15 12:18 ]</font>

[Ghen]

Meatwagon, does that Viewsonic video processor accept A/V (red/white/yellow), and if it does, do you know what the video quality is like?

[MeatWagon]

Ghen, Yes It does support the red,white,yellow cables(composite video)..It also supports Svideo as well as rf(cable tv). Like I said before , I tried the Redant Vga box and the Innovations Universal Vga box and they were so fuzzy and blurry.The Viewsonic vb50hrtv has good picture quality even with composite video(I use Svideo myself)and yes this is a upscan converter,But its the best one I saw so far.I use the VB50hrtv with everything I have,the Xbox,PS2,GC,DVD player and I am really happy with the picture quality. Viewsonic is also going to release a better product soon call the Nextvision 6 , it will have all the features of the vb50hrtv plus it will have progressive scaninterlace scan component inputs to vga.This is the product to get for awesome picture quality.But to use the Nextvision 6 component inputs with the Gamecube you would need to buy the component vidoe cables from Nintendo online store..The Nextvision 6 will be out in 2003
Hope this helps
Meatwagon

[Ruby-chan]

Oooohhh nice cable. n.n


Anyway, a VGA box that takes composite or S-video is bad mojo, and is basically a waste of your time. http://www.ncsx.com has one that takes composite video inputs and that should do pretty good VGA quality graphics (Since, VGA is esentially high res component video anyway.) but that $50 looks much, much better since it supports progressive scan.

[MeatWagon]

Your right "bad mojo" in most cases , but don't knock the product until you have seen it.Yea I know its a upscan converter, but it is the best upscan converter out there period.If you don't believe me check out this review.
http://www.iemag.com/review_preview/accessories/vb50hrtv/index.asp
MeatWagon

[Ghen]

Well, I broke down and bought the ViewSonic VB50HRTV. Here were my initial impressions.

Picture quality was above the Innovation VGA adapter, but definetly below full VGA quality. I tried both the composite cable and the s-video I bought at Electronics Boutique. Sound quality was average. 2 hours into my game playing session, the unit had issues with the power supply.

Ratings (on a 4 star scale)

Video: 2 and a half
Sound: 3
Quality: 0

compared to the Innovation VGA Box

Video: 1
Sound: 3
Quality: 0

I'll be taking the ViewSonic back to Best Buy tonight. Is there anyone here who has purchased the VGA cable from http://www.goldenshop.com.hk? If you have, I'd love to hear your opinions (I'm a little wary of ordering it from them). It seems that the Cube has taken a step backward from the DC. I bought a cheap Naki VGA adapter ($15) for my DC, and had awesome VGA quality graphics. I don't see why Nintendo and it's third party developers have made it so costly and time consuming to get that same quality. Back to the drawing board I guess.

[MajinSSJVegetto]

It didn't really take a step back, its just no one is making cheap VGA adapters yet.

Right now you have to buy a part form Nintendo and modify it.

If the right company properly made them, they wouldn't cost more than $25 - $35, and then after a few months probably drop down to $15-20.
Of course, as of now, every one uses a Nintendo Component Cable that is modified.

A note on converters.
They convert poor image quality poorly, to a better screen.
You get a slightly better picture because its a better screen, but the quality is still nothing. Even if you buy a qualitly converter, the base signal is pathetic.

[Ghen]

All of that I understand, but the fact remains that a year after the DC was released, I could get a cheap VGA adapter without all the hassle I'm going through now. Close to a year after the GC's release? I still have to go through this mickey mouse shit ;p. There is a little more to my statement as well. Even though the DC is the oldest of the current generation of systems, it did at least come with browser software and a 56k modem as well. Not to mention a keyboard peripheral that isn't outrageously expensive. Regardless, I'll put up with the crap to play PSO... now the question is, am I going to be lazy and order a modified cable, or order one from Nintendo and mod it myself.