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GameCube digital av component cables to HDMI?

HYDE

Banned
GAF I have the ultra expensive original GameCube component cables. (Luckily bought them in Game Stop on clearance 20 years ago).

I want to hook it up to my OLED tv… will a component to hdmi converter work well or look like trash?

Not interested in HDMI modding my system or buying a digital to hdmi adapter.

Or is it a better idea to buy a wii to hdmi cable and play GameCube discs through my Wii? (Wish Wii U played original GameCube discs)
 
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HYDE

Banned
Component is by definition not digital but analogue so you're asking for the impossible. :messenger_winking_tongue:

Best picture you can get out of an unmodded Gamecube(NTSC) is with a the EON GCHD MK-II
I meant a component to HDMI adapter.

Also is the Retro Bit Prism just as good but half the cost?
 
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theclaw135

Banned
Component is by definition not digital but analogue so you're asking for the impossible. :messenger_winking_tongue:

Best picture you can get out of an unmodded Gamecube(NTSC) is with a the EON GCHD MK-II





Nintendo's hardware engineers didn't lie. Observe the back of the console. The port is labeled "DIGITAL AV OUT", in capital letters.
Except a digital cable was never released. That expensive component cable has an embedded proprietary transcoder.
 
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Ulysses 31

Member
Nintendo's hardware engineers didn't lie. Observe the back of the console. The port is labeled "DIGITAL AV OUT", in capital letters.
Except a digital cable was never released. That expensive component cable has an embedded proprietary transcoder.
True but it still got converted to analog in the end, the only way to fully bypass that conversion is with the HDMI mod(to my understanding at least).

Edit: the first video I linked talks about this going from digital to analogue back to digital again with component cables while that GCHD MK-II adapter bypasses that step like the HDMI mod.

Seems confusing to me that wikis generally describe component video as analog if it can also be digital.
 
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theclaw135

Banned
True but it still got converted to analog in the end, the only way to fully bypass that conversion is with the HDMI mod(to my understanding at least).

Edit: the first video I linked talks about this going from digital to analogue back to digital again with component cables while that GCHD MK-II adapter bypasses that step like the HDMI mod.

Seems confusing to me that wikis generally describe component video as analog if it can also be digital.

Well, on the original DOL-001, almost any conversion you could possibly want may be done externally. Provided you can find a connector to fit the digital port.

Digital component video is very rare, it never saw wide usage in the consumer realm. (look up Serial Digital Interface on professional equipment)
 

Impotaku

Member
It's great indeed but for 300$ I'd hope he as more than just the GameCube to hook up to it. :messenger_winking_tongue:
The beauty of the tink 5x is you can get an amazing looking pic even from stuff like composite cables plus once you have one you can make any old console look amazing on a modern set but yeah the cost of entry is pretty steep. Considering how expensive the dedicated hdmi boxes can be I’d just save a bit more. Although I’m biased now as after using my 5x on everything I don’t think I could live without it.
 
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Ulysses 31

Member
The beauty of the tink 5x is you can get an amazing looking pic even from stuff like composite cables plus once you have one you can make any old console look amazing on a modern set but yeah the cost of entry is pretty steep. Considering how expensive the dedicated hdmi boxes can be I’d just save a bit more. Although I’m biased now as after using my 5x on everything I don’t think I could live without it.
Oh I know, the 5x with Retrovision HD Component cables makes my old SNES look good and sharp again. Though I do prefer to use scanlines to get a more softer CRT look rather than the ultra sharp pixel look.
 
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Naked Lunch

Member
I use the Carby > to a HDMI to YPbPr converter > to the RetroTINK 5X.
So much more crisp than just base Carby or base EON.
Added bonus of the Gamecube's Gameboy Player.

Then I use the RT5X for all my other retro consoles too. 100% worth the investment - simply unreal how good it looks out of real hardware.

 

ReBurn

Gold Member
I went through a mini GameCube renaissance a while and I bought a console with an HDMI mod already installed. It still only output at 480p but it was good. I don't recall the image being that much better than component but it's probably due to the thing I had not doing any kind of image processing. I tossed it in a box when the disc drive died telling myself I'd do an SD card mod one day, but it's been an while and I haven't so that'll probably never get done.

If I had to do it again I would probably do the GCHD Mk-II. Much simpler and you can probably sell the thing for more than you paid when you get bored with it.
 
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deriks

4-Time GIF/Meme God
I bought it back in the day and wasn't that expensive... it doesn't work nowadays, but I used a lot, and mostly on the Wii
 

Naked Lunch

Member
Really!? What are the YPbPr converter and RetroTINK 5X needed for if you have a Carby? Carby gives HDMI out. Those two devices are for converting analog no?

apple_of_enlightenment apple_of_enlightenment You go Gamecube Carby HDMI device > HDMI cable to the YPbPr converter > YPbPr cable from the converter to the RetroTink 5X.
I use the HD Retrovision male to male component cable to go from the 'HDMI to YPbPr converter' to the RetroTINK5X. Confusing right?
Basically the point is to get the Carby HDMI output to converter to Component - so you can connect your Gamecube to the RetroTINK 5X.

Mike Chi himself used that setup in a couple tests back when showing off some Gamecube Gameboy player setups.
Trust me - it works and looks a thousand times better than the base Carby HDMI .
Theres also no noticeable input lag at all.

Heres the HDMI to YPbPr converter that I use (be mindful that the one I got has the stereo audio switched - so I plug the audio red in the white and vice versa, heh):

Heres another one people use - Portta brand - but I had some lower quality audio compared to the one I listed above:

HD Retrovision cable for the 'HDMI to YPbPr converter' to the RetroTINK 5X:
 
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Max_Po

Banned
The cheapest solution is 80 US, SELL your cable and this this.

CARBY is a digital audio/video adapter for your Nintendo GameCube. It will take the digital signal from your GameCube digital port and convert it to a pure digital and audio stream compatible with most modern HD televisions.

 
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apple_of_enlightenment apple_of_enlightenment You go Gamecube Carby HDMI device > HDMI cable to the YPbPr converter > YPbPr cable from the converter to the RetroTink 5X.
I use the HD Retrovision male to male component cable to go from the 'HDMI to YPbPr converter' to the RetroTINK5X. Confusing right?
Mike Chi himself used that setup in a couple tests back when showing off some Gamecube Gameboy player setups.
Trust me - it works and looks a thousand times better than the base Carby HDMI .
Theres also no noticeable input lag at all.

I guess that the RetroTINK5X is doing something special to make the images look smoother then, and it needs YPbPr input. Heck of an elaborate setup you have but it sounds like you know what you're doing. I thought Carby was the gold standard, but oh well I'll have a look into it.

Long live the new flesh!
 

Naked Lunch

Member
I guess that the RetroTINK5X is doing something special to make the images look smoother then, and it needs YPbPr input. Heck of an elaborate setup you have but it sounds like you know what you're doing. I thought Carby was the gold standard, but oh well I'll have a look into it.

Long live the new flesh!
The RetroTINK 5X takes the output to 1080p - using what I listed above. The problem is, the RetroTINK 5X doesnt have an HDMI input - only component, composite or s-video. Thats why you need that HDMI to YPbPr converter.

The Carby by itself only takes the output to 480p (from its HDMI cable directly to your TV).
 
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So why not do component out from the GC (which is 480p) into the RetroTINK? Is it that the third party YPbPr converter better than the native GC for converting digital to analog?

And I assume modern TVs can handle 1080p better than 480p?
 

TLZ

Banned
I meant a component to HDMI adapter.

Also is the Retro Bit Prism just as good but half the cost?
Imo, since you have the original components, just use that. I bought one of these digital HDMI devices that also does line doubling for 480i, but I wouldn't have bought anything if I had an original component cable.

The one I have is the prism actually.
 
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Naked Lunch

Member
So why not do component out from the GC (which is 480p) into the RetroTINK? Is it that the third party YPbPr converter better than the native GC for converting digital to analog?

And I assume modern TVs can handle 1080p better than 480p?
Simply, there arent many options for a Gamecube component cable.
The official Nintendo-made Gamecube component cable goes for hundreds of dollars its so rare.
Carby made a GC component cable for a limited time years ago - but there were problems with the signal or something.

I see that Prism made one in the past year or so - I cannot vouch for its quality. I did my setup about a year before the Prism cable existed. But yea this should work too.
EDIT: reading some reviews on there - and it seems the Prism cable doesnt play too nicely with the RetroTINK 5X.
 
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Sleepwalker

Member
Funny im in the process of reviving my old gamecube that I found at my mom's attic. It doesnt have any cords and im going to need to retr0bright the plastic but I really wanna get this done.

Are there no cheap hdmi adapters for it? I dont even know if it works so I dont wanna throw 80 usd at it right away lol
 

Naked Lunch

Member
Funny im in the process of reviving my old gamecube that I found at my mom's attic. It doesnt have any cords and im going to need to retr0bright the plastic but I really wanna get this done.

Are there no cheap hdmi adapters for it? I dont even know if it works so I dont wanna throw 80 usd at it right away lol
Just a word of warning - my Gamecube laser died recently and I take immaculate care of my consoles.
Maybe test it with a cheap composite cable?

I was able to get a GC Loader to use as an ODE and replace the cd drive - but im not even sure those GC Loaders are made anymore.
Maybe Nintendo is cracking down on such GC-era devices because the next switch is rumored to dip back into the GC library?
 
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Sleepwalker

Member
Just a word of warning - my Gamecube laser died recently and I take immaculate care of my consoles.
Maybe test it with a cheap composite cable?

I was able to get a GC Loader to use as an ODE and replace the cd drive - but im not even sure those GC Loaders are made anymore.
Maybe Nintendo is cracking down on such GC-era devices because the next switch is rumored to dip back into the GC library?
I dont have any old tvs or monitors that take composite, unless you mean there are composite to hdmi adapters? I dont really care if the quality is not the best.

This is my first retro project so im mostly a noob, eventho I have experience opening up electronics and doing "entry level mods"
 

Naked Lunch

Member
I dont have any old tvs or monitors that take composite, unless you mean there are composite to hdmi adapters? I dont really care if the quality is not the best.

This is my first retro project so im mostly a noob, eventho I have experience opening up electronics and doing "entry level mods"
Yeah I just meant to test it on some old tv sitting around somewhere. Bummer.
Out of the 16 consoles I own from the 80s till now, I restored them all in the past 5 years or so - and the Gamecube (and original Xbox) are the only ones I had trouble with - the laser dying on GC and the capacitors bursting on the XB.
 
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Simply, there arent many options for a Gamecube component cable.
The official Nintendo-made Gamecube component cable goes for hundreds of dollars its so rare.
Carby made a GC component cable for a limited time years ago - but there were problems with the signal or something.
I see. However, converting from digital to analog is always lossy to some degree and I'd assume the original GC does it best (to component cables). Then it has to be absolutely worth using the RetroTINK 5X (I don't know much about it) because analog to digital conversion will be lossy too.

Not saying your method is wrong. It may be the best way of doing it. Especially if RetroTINK 5X's analog CRT simulation algorithms are that good -- since the GC was made to be played on a CRT.

I guess if we're going down this road, Wii gives component out by default which could be plugged into a RetroTINK 5X. I think the HDMI to YPbPr converter might be the weak link in your signal chain.
 

PaintTinJr

Member
I went through a mini GameCube renaissance a while and I bought a console with an HDMI mod already installed. It still only output at 480p but it was good. I don't recall the image being that much better than component but it's probably due to the thing I had not doing any kind of image processing. I tossed it in a box when the disc drive died telling myself I'd do an SD card mod one day, but it's been an while and I haven't so that'll probably never get done.

If I had to do it again I would probably do the GCHD Mk-II. Much simpler and you can probably sell the thing for more than you paid when you get bored with it.
If you get a same revision cube with a working drive it is pretty easy to transfer them over,

Back in the day when my Lik-sang imported Japan Cube's - with US mode switch - drive became flakey for the weekly 4player double dash on the projector@480p after a decade, I was able to steal the one out of my UK unit to put it back in service and was simple enough task.

Although, remembering what I went through to do the hdmi mod on the unit I got a few years back, you might break the mod if swapping out the drive, as the mod wiring is probably covered with gluestick glue to protect it, that might be stuck to the drive housing also.

I've still got my last spare lik-sang bought Cube component lead boxed in the cupboard with no cube for it, a doubly modded cube, the drive can load from -R discs to load Swiss and used sdcards in the memory slots, and the hdmi mod, but I don't really use that either- after I used it to transfer my games to sdcard - despite the picture being very good compared to the component lead, Instead I use a device like Naked Lunch Naked Lunch mentioned with a firmware modded wii using the lego starwas memory save workaround taking an official wii component lead and piping it through a quality component to hdmi converter, mainly for the benefit of being able to use a wiiu pro controller with nintendont software,

Picture quality in order of best to worst is GC component, hdmi mod is a super close second just lacking a smidge of viberance, and lastly the Wii using component to hdmi and then being enhanced by my HT-NT3 sounbar video processor with a little amount lag added. The last option without the soundbar enhancement is good enough for convenience with 95% of the quality of the mod, but not suited for a purest setup for capture or projector gaming IMO because there is some faint white noise added in the conversion that is hardly noticeable but still annoying.
 
Picture quality in order of best to worst is GC component, hdmi mod is a super close second just lacking a smidge of viberance, and lastly the Wii using component to hdmi and then being enhanced by my HT-NT3 sounbar video processor with a little amount lag added. The last option without the soundbar enhancement is good enough for convenience with 95% of the quality of the mod, but not suited for a purest setup for capture or projector gaming IMO because there is some faint white noise added in the conversion that is hardly noticeable but still annoying.
These days the absolute objective best picture quality is Carby. It takes the digital out of the GC and converts to HDMI. So there's not AD or DA conversion going on at all. GC component may be subjectively best but it depends what TV is doing the AD conversion.
 

baphomet

Member
Simply, there arent many options for a Gamecube component cable.
The official Nintendo-made Gamecube component cable goes for hundreds of dollars its so rare.
Carby made a GC component cable for a limited time years ago - but there were problems with the signal or something.

I see that Prism made one in the past year or so - I cannot vouch for its quality. I did my setup about a year before the Prism cable existed. But yea this should work too.
EDIT: reading some reviews on there - and it seems the Prism cable doesnt play too nicely with the RetroTINK 5X.
[/URL]

There's plenty of component cables out there that output identical image that the official ones do They're less than $50.
 
ok so what's the absolute best picture possible?

quality hdmi hardware mod should produce the best raw image... but no scaling/processing like retrotink.
is hdmi >> component >> scaler/processor really the best?
 

Sleepwalker

Member
Yeah I just meant to test it on some old tv sitting around somewhere. Bummer.
Out of the 16 consoles I own from the 80s till now, I restored them all in the past 5 years or so - and the Gamecube (and original Xbox) are the only ones I had trouble with - the laser dying on GC and the capacitors bursting on the XB.
Yeah sadly thats a down side from moving abroad haha. Ill guess Ill see what I can do. Hopefully it still works.
 

PaintTinJr

Member
These days the absolute objective best picture quality is Carby. It takes the digital out of the GC and converts to HDMI. So there's not AD or DA conversion going on at all. GC component may be subjectively best but it depends what TV is doing the AD conversion.
The best signal quality, yes, but best picture is still the component cable IMO as the internal proprietary DAC in the cable was designed to process the GC digital output with full context of the flaws of the data the component cable's DAC would see.

So it isn't just doing a conversion copy, but a semi-intelligent conversion, and although the ADC, and then return DAC at the TV's component socket should introduce noise compared to the GC digital to digital hdmi of the mod, the signal bandwidth is just for 480p60 and the cable's DAC seems to do a lossless error free conversion as clean as the digital hdmi, but with the advantages of the semi intelligent conversion fixing pre digital-output errors too, giving the overall superior image via component,,
 
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Naked Lunch

Member
I guess if we're going down this road, Wii gives component out by default which could be plugged into a RetroTINK 5X. I think the HDMI to YPbPr converter might be the weak link in your signal chain.
The only reason I use the HDMI to YPbPr converter is because I owned the Carby already when I got the RT5X - no sense in not using it. And the Carby is HDMI-out only of course. The GC is the only console in my setup Im running thru that HDMI to YPbPr converter.

Definately look into the RetroTINK 5X if you can, if only to see what the thing is capable of - its the best upscaler on the market currently. Ive been using it for 2 years now and its the best gaming purchase I ever made. All of my retro consoles revived from the dead and the games look as crisp as modern HD consoles. Just to note: there is a Tink 4K in the works and it WILL have an HDMI input.
 

Naked Lunch

Member
If you get a same revision cube with a working drive it is pretty easy to transfer them over,

Back in the day when my Lik-sang imported Japan Cube's - with US mode switch - drive became flakey for the weekly 4player double dash on the projector@480p after a decade, I was able to steal the one out of my UK unit to put it back in service and was simple enough task.

Although, remembering what I went through to do the hdmi mod on the unit I got a few years back, you might break the mod if swapping out the drive, as the mod wiring is probably covered with gluestick glue to protect it, that might be stuck to the drive housing also.

I've still got my last spare lik-sang bought Cube component lead boxed in the cupboard with no cube for it, a doubly modded cube, the drive can load from -R discs to load Swiss and used sdcards in the memory slots, and the hdmi mod, but I don't really use that either- after I used it to transfer my games to sdcard - despite the picture being very good compared to the component lead, Instead I use a device like Naked Lunch Naked Lunch mentioned with a firmware modded wii using the lego starwas memory save workaround taking an official wii component lead and piping it through a quality component to hdmi converter, mainly for the benefit of being able to use a wiiu pro controller with nintendont software,

Picture quality in order of best to worst is GC component, hdmi mod is a super close second just lacking a smidge of viberance, and lastly the Wii using component to hdmi and then being enhanced by my HT-NT3 sounbar video processor with a little amount lag added. The last option without the soundbar enhancement is good enough for convenience with 95% of the quality of the mod, but not suited for a purest setup for capture or projector gaming IMO because there is some faint white noise added in the conversion that is hardly noticeable but still annoying.
Props to you my man for that intricate setup. Sounds pretty insane - but awesome all the same.
It sure is fun tinkering with this stuff, yeah?
And getting a quality HD output of a console you bought 20-30 years ago is pretty rad.
 

HYDE

Banned
Imo, since you have the original components, just use that. I bought one of these digital HDMI devices that also does line doubling for 480i, but I wouldn't have bought anything if I had an original component cable.

The one I have is the prism actually.
My tv doesn’t have component connections.
 

HYDE

Banned
If you get a same revision cube with a working drive it is pretty easy to transfer them over,

Back in the day when my Lik-sang imported Japan Cube's - with US mode switch - drive became flakey for the weekly 4player double dash on the projector@480p after a decade, I was able to steal the one out of my UK unit to put it back in service and was simple enough task.

Although, remembering what I went through to do the hdmi mod on the unit I got a few years back, you might break the mod if swapping out the drive, as the mod wiring is probably covered with gluestick glue to protect it, that might be stuck to the drive housing also.

I've still got my last spare lik-sang bought Cube component lead boxed in the cupboard with no cube for it, a doubly modded cube, the drive can load from -R discs to load Swiss and used sdcards in the memory slots, and the hdmi mod, but I don't really use that either- after I used it to transfer my games to sdcard - despite the picture being very good compared to the component lead, Instead I use a device like Naked Lunch Naked Lunch mentioned with a firmware modded wii using the lego starwas memory save workaround taking an official wii component lead and piping it through a quality component to hdmi converter, mainly for the benefit of being able to use a wiiu pro controller with nintendont software,

Picture quality in order of best to worst is GC component, hdmi mod is a super close second just lacking a smidge of viberance, and lastly the Wii using component to hdmi and then being enhanced by my HT-NT3 sounbar video processor with a little amount lag added. The last option without the soundbar enhancement is good enough for convenience with 95% of the quality of the mod, but not suited for a purest setup for capture or projector gaming IMO because there is some faint white noise added in the conversion that is hardly noticeable but still annoying.
How do I connect my component cables to my OLED?
 

PaintTinJr

Member
How do I connect my component cables to my OLED?
Buy one of the boxes that Naked Lunch Naked Lunch (eg the Portta or better, listed in his post much higher up) and then do GC component -> Portta, and then connect the hdmi cable between the portta and TV.

You'll have to check the TV manual specs to check which hdmi ports will accept 480i/525i signals - depending on your GC region - on your TV, to be sure it will work, or IIRC he said the better component to hdmi converter upscales to 1080p too.

As I said in my other post, the Portta type device I use introduces some faint noise into the picture but does the job to 95%, but at least the 5% noise is cyclical and like a fait ghost signal, rather than erratic, compared to using the wii component lead direct (IIRC) with my old Sony 4K KD-55X9005A component inputs. Using the GC component should result in less noise as the signal quality from that GC cable is miles better than the official component cable for the Wii.
 

Naked Lunch

Member
Buy one of the boxes that Naked Lunch Naked Lunch (eg the Portta or better, listed in his post much higher up) and then do GC component -> Portta, and then connect the hdmi cable between the portta and TV.
Just a slight correction - he would have to get the Portta converter which goes the opposite direction from the ones I linked.
The ones in my above post are HDMI-in and component-out.
However, they do make a component-in and HDMI-out.

 
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HYDE

Banned
Just a slight correction - he would have to get the Portta converter which goes the opposite direction from the ones I linked.
The ones in my above post are HDMI-in and component-out.
However, they do make a component-in and HDMI-out.

[/URL][/URL]
Hopefully I’m not annoying anyone at this point, but if I have the component cables for Wii also will this same set up work wonders? Or is it best to use my Wii U to play my Wii disc games? Thanks
 
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Naked Lunch

Member
Hopefully I’m not annoying anyone at this point, but if I have the component cables for Wii also will this same set up work wonders? Or is it best to use my Wii U to play my Wii disc games? Thanks
It will work to simply have it display on your TV but both solutions will look pretty crappy in my opinion.
The missing piece is you need a high quality upscaler to get a better look - like the Retrotink5x or ossc.

For the wii - it is notorious for having crappy video output that no matter what you do to it outside of a complex internal mod - it will look blurry.
 
The beauty of the tink 5x is you can get an amazing looking pic even from stuff like composite cables plus once you have one you can make any old console look amazing on a modern set but yeah the cost of entry is pretty steep. Considering how expensive the dedicated hdmi boxes can be I’d just save a bit more. Although I’m biased now as after using my 5x on everything I don’t think I could live without it.
This is somewhat true but it depends on the system. 3do through composite looks good after you have messed with scanlines and such. Genesis though, looks shit no matter what.
 

Ulysses 31

Member
It will work to simply have it display on your TV but both solutions will look pretty crappy in my opinion.
The missing piece is you need a high quality upscaler to get a better look - like the Retrotink5x or ossc.

For the wii - it is notorious for having crappy video output that no matter what you do to it outside of a complex internal mod - it will look blurry.
If he's willing to homebrew the Wii, he can improve the quality considerably.

 
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The best signal quality, yes, but best picture is still the component cable IMO as the internal proprietary DAC in the cable was designed to process the GC digital output with full context of the flaws of the data the component cable's DAC would see.

I'm not aware of any flaws in the digital data being supplied to the component cable, but you're right about subjective issues involved. Sounds like the upcoming HDMI in RetroTINK Naked Lunch Naked Lunch will be the way to go.
 

PaintTinJr

Member
I'm not aware of any flaws in the digital data being supplied to the component cable, but you're right about subjective issues involved. Sounds like the upcoming HDMI in RetroTINK Naked Lunch Naked Lunch will be the way to go.
The flaws I'm referring to are the difference between the intended picture quality for games (big screen E3/capture promo video quality) on the reference monitor attached to their devkit - so probably running at higher resolution, different colour standard - and the different perceived output on TV via a retail cube and then built a proprietary DAC for the component cable that would do some marginal colour LUT conversion and anti dithering - to sharpen dithered aliased edges - to get closer to the reference image.

It might be something else causing the marginal differences I am perceiving between component and hdmi mod, but after 10-20years of using the real component lead with games on the cube I definitely still prefer the component image for vibrancy and sharpness, just a smidge.
 

Dane

Member
Retrotink, OSSC Upscaler and Framemeister might help, but prepare your pocket like you didn't for your cable.
 
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