TV Out Cable: Time to Mass produce! (2013-06-22)

[PokeParadox]

I'd be very interested to hear peoples opinion on the image quality of composite vs s-video.


I plan to use s-video via a scart adaptor just wondered if the quality is worth the outlay for an adaptor.


More than that is the hassle of trying to get behind the TV on the wall to connect a scart lead.

If you can use Svideo, use Svideo. More stable image, crisper and less colour bleed. I personally use NTSC Svideo for most things... which makes me wonder, can we not output PAL60?

 

[Asmo]

Cable arrived this morning! (regular shipping, signed).

 

[Asmo]

I personally use NTSC Svideo for most things... which makes me wonder, can we not output PAL60?

I've been switching between the two on various displays, there's no appreciable visible difference between the PAL and NTSC output (in resolution, either copes with the Pandora's output adequately). The difference only really became obvious on a CRT projector, NTSC output has a perceptible difference in the raster separation, but on regular displays you'll be happy with NTSC over S-Video I think. A lot will depend on your display's scaler.

IIRC, PAL-60 is simply NTSC with a Pal colour burst, so there would be no resolution advantage over pure NTSC, it came about for running NTSC output on an old TV that would otherwise only display in black & white.

Tried it on a Rear projection CRT TV, either composite or S-Video look really good, pretty much the same as TV out from my NVidia graphics card. Some softening around small text, as you'd expect, but nice stable image either way. On a big LCD flatscreen, you get the characteristic slight 'blooming' of white, but not bad at all. Games that are lower resolution anyway (emulators etc) look very crisp and clean. Composite has very slightly less definition around fine detail, but very little additional noise, colours towards the red end of the spectrum appear more saturated over S-Video, but again it's a very small difference (depends on your display to an extent).

On a CRT projector, awesome. Either composite or S-Video, very hard to differentiate.

The only thing I could nitpick with it is there's noticeable interference noise in areas of solid blues - imperceptible in an image of mixed colours, but if you have a backdrop with much blue, or fire up Pole Position in Mame and look at the sky.

That said, back in the day you'd have put up with much worse, it doesn't detract from the fun

 

[Damon]

Arrived! Thanks Evil Dragon!

I'm more more conviced that this OpenPandora is the best buy i've ever made in my life!

 

[God Ginrai]

I still haven't gotten my voucher from GBAX. I'm going to send them an email about it sometime this weekend.

-God Ginrai

 

[CyberLeo]

You don't have a tape-measure with you at all times? Tut tut... We'll never make an engineer of you if you refuse to carry the right equipment :unsure:

By job description title I AM an engineer.. I have a tape measure buried here somewhere.. you try to find it...

Who needs a tape measure when you know how long your arm is and you always have a length of cable or wire hanging around?

 

[God Ginrai]

You don't have a tape-measure with you at all times? Tut tut... We'll never make an engineer of you if you refuse to carry the right equipment :unsure:

By job description title I AM an engineer.. I have a tape measure buried here somewhere.. you try to find it...

Who needs a tape measure when you know how long your arm is and you always have a length of cable or wire hanging around?

Someone who needs to measure something that is some fraction of arm-lengths?

-God Ginrai

 

[PowerGod]

You don't have a tape-measure with you at all times? Tut tut... We'll never make an engineer of you if you refuse to carry the right equipment :unsure:

By job description title I AM an engineer.. I have a tape measure buried here somewhere.. you try to find it...

Who needs a tape measure when you know how long your arm is and you always have a length of cable or wire hanging around?

Someone who needs to measure something that is some fraction of arm-lengths?

-God Ginrai

That's why we have fingers

 

[levi]

Or three inches, as they're known over here

 

[worzyl]

I personally use NTSC Svideo for most things... which makes me wonder, can we not output PAL60?

I've been switching between the two on various displays, there's no appreciable visible difference between the PAL and NTSC output (in resolution, either copes with the Pandora's output adequately). The difference only really became obvious on a CRT projector, NTSC output has a perceptible difference in the raster separation, but on regular displays you'll be happy with NTSC over S-Video I think. A lot will depend on your display's scaler.


IIRC, PAL-60 is simply NTSC with a Pal colour burst, so there would be no resolution advantage over pure NTSC, it came about for running NTSC output on an old TV that would otherwise only display in black & white.


Tried it on a Rear projection CRT TV, either composite or S-Video look really good, pretty much the same as TV out from my NVidia graphics card. Some softening around small text, as you'd expect, but nice stable image either way. On a big LCD flatscreen, you get the characteristic slight 'blooming' of white, but not bad at all. Games that are lower resolution anyway (emulators etc) look very crisp and clean. Composite has very slightly less definition around fine detail, but very little additional noise, colours towards the red end of the spectrum appear more saturated over S-Video, but again it's a very small difference (depends on your display to an extent).


On a CRT projector, awesome. Either composite or S-Video, very hard to differentiate.


The only thing I could nitpick with it is there's noticeable interference noise in areas of solid blues - imperceptible in an image of mixed colours, but if you have a backdrop with much blue, or fire up Pole Position in Mame and look at the sky.


That said, back in the day you'd have put up with much worse, it doesn't detract from the fun

Thanks for the info.

I just paid for the 1GHZ upgrade today (WHOOOPPPEEEEE!) which hopefully should be arriving next week if all goes well.

But what's the deal for those of us that had preordered these cables years ago?

I already paid for this under Craig in 2009. How long would we need to wait?

 

[Binky]

But what's the deal for those of us that had preordered these cables years ago?

I think they're available at a discount from ED...

 

[worzyl]

But what's the deal for those of us that had preordered these cables years ago?

I think they're available at a discount from ED...

Sorry - I should have mentioned that I already had paid for it when I ordered the Pandora in 2009.

So us guys who have already paid for it aeons ago - what's the deal on this?

 

[Binky]

I should have mentioned that I already had paid for it when I ordered the Pandora in 2009.

Who did you pay?

Openpandora Ltd?

Openpandora Gmbh?

 

[worzyl]

I should have mentioned that I already had paid for it when I ordered the Pandora in 2009.

Who did you pay?

Openpandora Ltd?

Openpandora Gmbh?

I paid Craig. I'm guessing that's Openpandora Ltd* (Jaquelyn had taken my order)

*Edit: Yup. Openpandora Ltd. Here's the original order:

UK GBP PRICE


Pandora £266.20 (includes VAT)


Accessories


TV OUT £13.72


CASE £13.72


BATTERY £19.88


ADAPTOR £6.30


Special Delivery shipping £7.20 (UK)


Payment details below.


Kind regards


Jacquelyn


Cheque/Money Order -


To be made payable to: OPENPANDORA LIMITED


Postal address:


26 MEADOW ROAD


NEWCASTLE UPON TYNE


TYNE & WEAR


NE157LP


UK

 

[Binky]

... in which case my original reply still stands:

I think they're available at a discount from ED...

There seems little chance of Craig ever sending you one - my recollection is that if you (1) ordered a cable from Craig and (2) spend more than some given amount in ED's shop, you get a free TV-out cable.

I may be completely wrong here though - use the Dragonbox contact-us form for real facts

 

[Asmo]

I believe it's the case that if you are still owed one from Craig (as I was - day 1 preorderer from 2008 that I am) Ed is offering a voucher to use against goods totalling over 50 euro, not a free cable.

I just leapt in and bought one from Ed, even though my original order included a cable I never received, it was originally priced £10 and the Pandora itself was significantly cheaper (I did receive THAT) so all in all I can't begrudge ED the full price for this now.

 

[Super Roach]

I only just realised they were shipping and forgot to order!

Agreed ED, We need a news post.

*scurries off to look for a purchase button on the shop*

 

[Binky]

Ed is offering a voucher to use against goods totalling over 50 euro, not a free cable.

What's the value of the voucher?

 

[worzyl]

So basically I need a voucher these?

TV OUT £13.72
CASE £13.72

Seeing as I've already paid for them I dont mind paying the difference, but I definitely will mind having to repay the full amount.

 

[moxie]

Like so many of these questions and problems: The person that has your money and should supply the goods is Craig. As he apparently won't, the base line of it all is that you're screwed over by him. There is no real obligation for anyone, anywhere, to do something about this, apart from Craig. However, ED is taking money out of what ought to be his profits (for a very loose definition of "profit" here - "What ought to be what he could use to repay his staggering debts" is more like it) to help out those who unfortunately have gotten screwed over by Craig. 

So, by all means do mind paying for the cable again, but direct that minding Craig-wards, not Ed-wards.