Playing Gamecube while viewing through PC monitor?

[MatthewF01]

OK, so I really want to buy a Gamecube...

There are some nice looking games out for it, and Im not much of an Xbox fan...



so anyway, we have a few tvs in the house, but none with S-video connections. I imagine that playing the Cube through S-video looks a lot better than the regular type plug (what do you call that anyway)?



So on my PC I have A GF4Ti4200 from Leadtek with ViVo. Using a cord that came with my video card, I could either plug in that yellow-type plug or an S-Video plug. But as for the audio (red and white plugs), is there an adapter to go from those into a 1/8" stereo jack for line-in on my Audigy?

And if I do that, will Dolby Pro Logic [II] not work?


To view whats coming in through the input Id have to use that Winfast PVR from leadtek for viewing the ViVo connection. Is there any software more suited to this type of use?




I guess my question in general is, is this a pretty good idea or what? My pc probably has the best audio in the house (5.1) and S-video, and a nice 21" monitor...

how would this work out? Good, or bad?

 

[chizow]

Originally posted by: MatthewF01


so anyway, we have a few tvs in the house, but none with S-video connections. I imagine that playing the Cube through S-video looks a lot better than the regular type plug (what do you call that anyway)?

Yes, it will definitely look better using S-video. The regular yellow cable is a composite RCA cable.

But as for the audio (red and white plugs), is there an adapter to go from those into a 1/8" stereo jack for line-in on my Audigy?

You could probably find a Y-splitter with 2-female RCA to 1 male 1/8'' miniplug. Your audigy should be able to upmix the stereo signal to some form of Pro Logic surround, but I'm not sure if the Audigy supports Pro Logic 2 (I know the Audigy 2 does).

To view whats coming in through the input Id have to use that Winfast PVR from leadtek for viewing the ViVo connection. Is there any software more suited to this type of use?

You can see if Dscaler supports the decoder on your GF4; I think its a BT878 so it might work. Games will look much better with Dscaler.
Run a search for Dscaler at SourceForge.

I guess my question in general is, is this a pretty good idea or what? My pc probably has the best audio in the house (5.1) and S-video, and a nice 21" monitor...

I run my XBox through my TV Tuner sometimes, and it looks great. I'm not 100% sure on the sound though, as I run the optical toslink directly into my receiver for DD 5.1. Give it a shot, should work out well.

 

[BoomAM]

The GameCube doesnt support S-Video output as far as i know, i read it in a GameCube Launch Magazine.
The Pro Logic 2 on the GameCube is backwards compatible with Pro Logic 1. But the quality wont be as good. You will need a Pro Logic Decoder/Decoding software to get the surround.

If you do get a GameCube, you wont regret it. You MUST get the games listed below.

Super Mario Sunshine.
Short if your good at platform games. Good game imo, despite what people say.

Star Wars Rogue Leader.
Another good game, amazing detail. When you see the quality of the Star Destroyers, you will be gob smacked.

Star Fox Adventures.
The Last ever Nintendo game from Rareware(or Rare as they are more commonly known). Excellent Zelda Style game.

Metroid Prime.
This game rules. Amazing graphics and sound, excellent gameplay/story. nuff said

Zelda: The Wind Waker.
Its Zelda, you cant not buy it. Its against the law i think. lol.
Look past the kiddy style cel shading and you will find a very impressive game. The animation is out of this world.

 

[BoomAM]

Forgot.
The best image quality short of the progressive scan output(the digital AV port on it), it by using RGB Scart, which has far better quality than S-Video.

 

[MatthewF01]

OK

1) If I just turn up the volume for the Line-In in the Creative Mixer, will it automatically do Pro Logic? Or do I need something running or to configure something?

2) When I ran Dscaler 3.10 it said "No Suitable Hardware" so I guess my decoder isnt supported... 🙁


Any other possible solutions? I was getting pretty excited when I saw some examples of what Dscaler can do...


So you think its a pretty good idea to do this?




BoomAM, the games you reccommended are indeed really good, and Zelda is absolutely gorgeous. I also would like The Sims (my sister loved it for PC, and the GCN version has some multiplayer 🙂) as well as Splinter Cell, just released yesterday, which is absolutely awesome on GCN (plus GBA connectivity!)

Also Boom, yes, it is possible for GCN to support S-Video. Just not with the included plug. On ebay for like $5 they sell pretty much the same cable, just that the video plug is S-video instead of 'composite RCA'.

 

[BoomAM]

I stand corrected. It must not be officially supported then.
Have a look for some software that`ll decode ProLogic/ProLogic2

 

[Thraxen]

[EDIT] Nevermind...someone already responded.

 

[vpr]

I did this for awhile since I have a Radeon 64MB DDR VIVO (before they started naming them the fancy 7000s or what have you)

as for the sound, I had to go to RadioShack and buy one of those adapters, and since my radioshack was out of the small ones I had to buy an adapter for the ycable too. The sound was just regular stereo I believe, I don't have an elaborate 5.1 speaker setup, just some 10 dollar speakers.

To view the games I used the ATI Multimedia Desktop

I also did this with my xbox....

Now both my gamecube and xbox are sitting in a pawn shop because I needed money to pay my car, so I cant do any testing till I get them out 🙁

-Vpr

 

[chizow]

S-Video = is a standard in countries that use NTSC, SCART = is a standard in countries that use PAL. Translates into, US and Japan = S-Video and Europe and other markets = SCART.

There's a more recent version of Dscaler, 4.10 I believe, try that. Check your video card and look for the encoder/decoder chip, it should say it clearly or check a review to find its specs. Otherwise, you'll have to use your standard software and choose S-Video input. DScaler does make video games look MUCH better however.

If you use an RCA Y to 1/8'' stereo mini-plug adapter (good quality preferable, try Acoustic Research or Radio Shack Gold Series for @ $10), the stereo signal should be intact. Pro Logic II is just an improved version of Pro Logic, which simply upmixes stereo signals into surround sound via Pro Logic algorhthms in the DSP. I'm not 100% sure if the original Audigy supports Pro Logic II upmixing, but I'm almost 100% positive my Audigy 2 does. If that's the case, you should be able to get Pro Logic II from the stereo input, just make sure the audio line-in goes directly into your Audigy.

Chiz

 

[MatthewF01]

Im unsure of what my decoder chip is in my Leadtek card (A250 TD MyViVo Gf4 Ti4200), but I ran the newest version of Dscaler yesterday (the alpha release) and it was a bit confusing to configure. I was unsure of where to go to begin viewing my input stream. Ive had a VCR plugged into my PC for a while (i had to edit some film for my mom), so I can use that for testing.

Or should it have displayed the stream automatically? it was just black, with their little test splash screen being displayed...


I couldnt successfully locate any software Pro Logic decoders, but maybe im just not looking in the right places 🙁 i always need help when it comes to finding the right software...



I looked at Creative's sites for the A1 and A2, and neither say anything about whether or not they support Pro Logic I/II decoding.
But if I got a Y-splitter (or i guess its more like 'ajoiner' depending on which direction youre moving in 😉), and went directly to Line-In on my Audigy, then just turned up the Line-In volume on the Creative Mixer software, it would automatically decode into Pro Logic without the use of additional software? Thats prety simple.

I guess its the video thats the bigger PITA.


and by the way vpr, I dont have an elaborate 5.1 setup either. First im using Altec Lansing ACS54's (4.1) I bought for $45 at a local computer store, then I took an old Labtec powered speaker, plugged it into the Digital Out of my Audigy, and boom, 5.1 sound.
and get those consoles out of the pawn shop!
😛


Ok, so heres where we stand:

-Is a software ProLogic I/II decoder needed when using Audigy 1 Line-In + Creative Mixer?
-Will Dscaler support my video card, how do I use it, and is there any alternative if it doesnt work?

 

[Cabana]

Videogames always look better on real TVs to me. I've hooked up PS2 and GC to my computer and even with my nice 19" monitor they look horrible. They get very pixelated and the contrast just isn't as good as a TV. Your mileage may vary.

 

[BoomAM]

I agree. Game Consoles look better on a TV. Cos alot of game, even Xbox ones, run in a relativly los res compared to the average PC. On a TV, you get "free" AA as well.
And Chiz,
please dont start the arguement about Xbox and the res`s like in that other post, cos i really cant be arsed argueing with you anymore, cos its getting us nowhere. We`re both too stubbern.

 

[Peter]

Originally posted by: chizow
S-Video = is a standard in countries that use NTSC, SCART = is a standard in countries that use PAL. Translates into, US and Japan = S-Video and Europe and other markets = SCART.

No, sorry. We do have S-Video plugs here too. SCART is a universal plug where you can feed either RGB, S-Video or composite signal, plus stereo audio, all in a single connector. There is also plenty NTSC gear that has this plug.

 

[BoomAM]

K then guys.
Been reading up. Aparentely, the European GameCubes dont support S-Video, but instead support RGB Scart, which has better image quality anyway.
You can plug almost any video/audio source into a Scart Connector, via a scart block.
I have one here that has both a S-Video connector and a Composite video/left right audio.

 

[MatthewF01]

Well as much as Id like to play it on a television, I just think that the audio is a lot better on my PC than it is anywhere else, plus if I can get away with decoding Pro Logic I/II then im set!

Plus I dont have a television in my bedroom, and my PC is on its way up there in the coming weeks (via d-Link 54G 😉), so it seems like a decent alternative


Anyone else know anything about Audigy 1 decoding Pro Logic [and will it do it 'on-the-fly' without additional software running?]

 

[BoomAM]

Originally posted by: MatthewF01
Anyone else know anything about Audigy 1 decoding Pro Logic [and will it do it 'on-the-fly' without additional software running?]

Would`nt mind knowing that myself.

 

[chizow]

d.p.

 

[chizow]

Originally posted by: chizow

Originally posted by: Peter

Originally posted by: chizow
S-Video = is a standard in countries that use NTSC, SCART = is a standard in countries that use PAL. Translates into, US and Japan = S-Video and Europe and other markets = SCART.

No, sorry. We do have S-Video plugs here too. SCART is a universal plug where you can feed either RGB, S-Video or composite signal, plus stereo audio, all in a single connector. There is also plenty NTSC gear that has this plug.

Not on consoles. They use proprietary connections from the consoles, so you're stuck with what they provide...unless you make your own break-out boxes.

Thanks for the reminder about using post-specific generalizations when the anal-retentive post police are runnng around.

BoomAM, why would I bother arguing about XBox resolutions when he wants a GameCube? Its not even an issue if he's using S-video-in anyways, as the resolution is the same 480i NTSC signal as output from the XBox.

MatthewF01, there is a newer version of the DScaler Alpha, 4.0.3 I think. It was released in Feb 2003 and its not on Dscaler's site; its on Sourceforge only. I believe the one you are using is dated 2002. If the latest Alpha doesn't work, your decoder chip probably isn't supported.

Anyone else know anything about Audigy 1 decoding Pro Logic [and will it do it 'on-the-fly' without additional software running?

I checked my A2 last night. As long as you have all the decoding boxes checked in Creative AudioHQ, it'll decode on-the-fly. I'm not sure if it'll be exactly the same positional sound as if played through a dedicated DPL II receiver, but it should be close enough. This is assuming of course the Y-"adjoiner" 😉 is passing through a stereo signal and not munging the signal.

Chiz

 

[MatthewF01]

A bit of good news- Dscaler V. 4.1.6 supports my decoder chip!

Good times to be had by all....



My question now is, whats with all those de-interlace settings and what have you?
If I were to be playing a game, what should I set things to??



Should be getting a GCN very soon!
Now ill be more than ready..

 

[abaez]

When I was running dscaler with my avertv stereo I had the setting on greedy 2 frame. But it looked absolutely horrible when I played it full screen (composite in). For the sound I use the two audio jacks and get a y adapter and just plug it in to my sound card (I don't mind not having pro logic)

I decided to buy a cable that allows me to run progressive scan on my monitor: http://www.lan-kwei.com/gamecubeE/ You can buy it there it's a little down the page. Yes, they are in singapore, yes I was a bit scared to buy from them, but I did and got the cable and it's really high quality and works great. Progressive scan on my monitor with my logitechs sound just as good as if I had a nice sony wega and a home theatre system but I only spent $55. I have a monitor that has two vga inputs (NEC Multisync FP2141sb) and there is a button to switch inputs right on the front so convenient.

If you play gc alot it's worth it to buy this cable, the regular cable you have to buy for progressive scan on tv's is $45? So it's like the same thing. The only drawback is it ONLY plays games with progressive scan, it cannot do normal resolution. But I am extremely happy with it and zelda in progressive scan is awesome.

 

[chizow]

Originally posted by: MatthewF01
A bit of good news- Dscaler V. 4.1.6 supports my decoder chip!

Good times to be had by all....

😎 Yah I didn't think you had the latest version, as the one with the splash screen you described didn't work with my TV Tuner either.

My question now is, whats with all those de-interlace settings and what have you?
If I were to be playing a game, what should I set things to??

I don't mess with custom settings, as I really don't have the time to be messing with all the different options. I only use DScaler for my XBox atm, as PowerVCRII looks better for TV viewing. I use TomsMoComp 1 or 2, as they seem to be much sharper than the other pre-set deinterlacing algorithm settings.

I considered getting an XBox VGA adapter for my PC, but Dscaler looks great as it is. 480p (true, not line-doublers) would have been nice, but I can set-up my XBox on my HDTV set-up if I want the full experience. I couldn't justify spending $80 more for a VGA adapter. If possible, I would go with S-Video; its not as good as component video, but its far better than composite. Might have been the reason why the GCN looked so poor using DScaler.

Chiz