composite to VGA for SNES

matt167

[H]ard|Gawd
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Due to another thread, I have Paperboy 2 coming for the SNES, and then I remembered, the SNES is stuck in the bottom of the entertainment cabinent. It looks horrible on the large display.

I would like to run the SNES on my computer display ( Samsung Syncmaster B2230 ), and it has a VGA input that I do not use. Do those $15-20 composite to VGA converters really work with 240p video?

trying to avoid a trip to a thrift store for a 20" CRT, although these days that is cheaper
 
thrift stores around here stopped accepting CRT displays 5 years ago. Might be hard to find. I always ran my retro stuff through a DVDO scaler, they are dirt cheap on ebay i assume.
 
I have this: https://hyperkin.com/Retron5/ which does it all for me, and plays NES, Famicon, Genesis, and, Gameboy games.

You can also get something like this though I have no experience with it.
 
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thrift stores around here stopped accepting CRT displays 5 years ago. Might be hard to find. I always ran my retro stuff through a DVDO scaler, they are dirt cheap on ebay i assume.

There are 2 thrift stores I can get CRT televisions from, for $10 any day of the week. It's by far the easiest and cheapest option, but I don't really want a bulky CRT to put on a table

looks like a DVDO scaler is $45 and up
 
The cheap converters off ali-express definitely will work, the quality is just usually pretty crap.
 
The cheap converters off ali-express definitely will work, the quality is just usually pretty crap.

some reviews show and explain that 240p may not work due to an LCD minimum resolution not going that low. Where the image becomes greyscale and skewed.. But some show them to work fine. seems as a 50/50 shot
 
https://www.analogue.co/super-nt/

Not what you were looking for, but if you want to play SNES games on modern displays, this is the proper way to do it.

If you're open to a modern solution like this, FPGA (and the above device by proxy) is the way to go. It's going to be 100% accurate, lowest latency, and will have the closest feel to original hardware. (Indistinguishable really.)

Also, if you're not opposed to such things, there is a jailbreak for the Super NT that allows you to load in ROMs on the SD slot.


You could also build a MiSTer, but that won't play original carts. You have to load ROMs onto it. So if you're not ok with that, it's probably not the way to go. However, it's FPGA, plays MANY systems, and is probably the best way to play classic games period.


If you REALLY want to use original SNES hardware, which is totally valid, then a mod is going to be your best bet as opposed to post-console conversion. I'm not sure how if it will work with your specific monitor though. I haven't researched these much recently as I went all-in on the MiSTer.

Here's a site that provides information, reviews, articles, etc. for exactly this sort of thing.

https://www.retrorgb.com/snes.html


Personally, I'd skip the trial and error and go with the Super NT or MiSTer. The Super NT has HDMI out, and the MiSTer has HDMI, RGB and VGA if you have the IO board.

Check out Smoke Monster on YouTube if you want to see some videos of these things in action.
 
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I have both an original SNES, and I also have a " Super Players Entertainment System ". The SPES looks like the later model SNES and is reportedly a NOAC and is 1:1 copy of the SNES. The SPES is likely what I'll use..

I did decide to dig an old 720p 20" LCD TV out of storage. I remember it has a 4:3 mode so it will be a good looking picture, and I have it. I'll hook it up when the new games come in a few days
 
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