I heard that this had worked on our beloved Pandora however it used up some resources that can slow things down on the Pandora when used on a VGA monitor. I was wondering could this be used to emulate simple systems like the NES? Or does this really use up too many resources to be useful?
USB to VGA
- Thread starter TylerAW
- Start date
Caine
Hardcore Member
Cosurgi has found a working usb-to-vga adapter in the past. He did claim playback was quite choppy.
The problem with vga over usb is twofold. On one side, the Pandora processor is burdened with an additional load to push the video over the vga port (on-the-fly video compression becomes a bit hard because of this), on the other hand the usb bandwidth is quite limited for raw uncompressed video.
On the bright side, the NES didn't have a high resolution nor a high colour depth. Emulating a NES also doesn't consume all of the Pandoras power, so it might actually be possible.
I suspect Cosurgi will be more than willing to test this as soon as he gets his Pandora. Perhaps there are some other members with both a Pandora and a usb-to-vga adapter.
The problem with vga over usb is twofold. On one side, the Pandora processor is burdened with an additional load to push the video over the vga port (on-the-fly video compression becomes a bit hard because of this), on the other hand the usb bandwidth is quite limited for raw uncompressed video.
On the bright side, the NES didn't have a high resolution nor a high colour depth. Emulating a NES also doesn't consume all of the Pandoras power, so it might actually be possible.
I suspect Cosurgi will be more than willing to test this as soon as he gets his Pandora. Perhaps there are some other members with both a Pandora and a usb-to-vga adapter.
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Letalis Sonus
Advanced Member
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- Mar 5, 2009
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- 1,529
It's connected via LVDS. You'd need: some industrial LVDS-to-DVI adaptor board, a probably custom-made cable and switching circuit that can switch the whole cable, some way to wire that monster cable out of your Pandora to the adaptor board (without sacrificing mobility, I guess?), and, of course, enough room inside your Pandora to get everything needed into the box -> mission doomed to fail
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slaeshjag
¯\_(ツ)_/¯
When I looked at it, it didn't seem like a complex thing to make a VGA output from the LCD signals, the main issue I saw was the LCD cable itself, which looks like a nightmare to work with
EDIT: With the signals available, I found a chip that seems to be able to do the job, and is was available in multiples of one and was priced around $6~$8 + shipping. It was a LQFP though, so not that easy to hand solder.
EDIT: With the signals available, I found a chip that seems to be able to do the job, and is was available in multiples of one and was priced around $6~$8 + shipping. It was a LQFP though, so not that easy to hand solder.
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Would it be more difficult or easier perhaps to get the signal to spit out something Digital like HDMI?
slaeshjag
¯\_(ツ)_/¯
There was a similar chip that spits out DVI, but it required more than twice the power. Haven't looked at HDMI as I don't own anything capable of receiving that kind of signal.
rabidpoobear
Active Member
slaeshjag you know HDMI and DVI are the same video signal, HDMI just has audio and a different form factor right?
slaeshjag
¯\_(ツ)_/¯
Didn't know, but now I do.
dreamer
Active Member
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- May 29, 2007
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- 569
In getting vga-output for your pandora, wouldn't it be easier to use the tv-out cable and a device like this?
http://www.dealextreme.com/details.dx/sku.28534
http://www.dealextreme.com/details.dx/sku.28534
rabidpoobear
Active Member
good luck w/ something like that from DX.... just hide the box when you make your insurance claim after it burns your house down!!
I had a card reader from them catch fire one time. Filled my house with plasticky black smoke.
They're cheap for cheap stuff but I wouldn't get a lot of things from them.
I had a card reader from them catch fire one time. Filled my house with plasticky black smoke.
They're cheap for cheap stuff but I wouldn't get a lot of things from them.
Yep, you can use passive adapters to convert between the two (passive = no power or electronics, just pin routing) so if you have any DVI devices you also have HDMI devices. I use DVI-HDMI to run my computer to my 32" tv as a third monitor.
WizardStan
Mega GP Mania
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S-video->VGA will not give you better quality. All it's intended to do is give you the ability to watch TV on your monitor. It blends and smooths and interpolates and all that to give you the higher resolution, the end result of which is definitely not the sharper image I think you are hoping for.
No it is not that, my HDTV is horrible when it comes to inputs like Composite and s-Video however if it is VGA or HDMI input than it works perfectly.
Exophase
Nothing good will ever come of Exophase.
NES needs 256 * 240 * 8bpp * 60Hz = 3.51mb/s. Should be fine in USB2 (over 10x that bandwidth), but you'll have a problem putting out 8bpp with most NES emulators. Probably will have to make due with 16bpp. You'll still have some overhead over emulators that can write directly to the framebuffer.
Are you sure it's the TV degrading the signal and not your perception of a signal that's markedly inferior on its own? Not exactly an apples to apples comparison.
Are you sure it's the TV degrading the signal and not your perception of a signal that's markedly inferior on its own? Not exactly an apples to apples comparison.
banjeed
Member
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- Jul 31, 2008
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- 212
Please correct me if I'm assuming too much, but I'm going to believe you've used products in the past that allow you to connect standard-def devices to your tv before through the VGA or HDMI ports. For instance, there are a ton of products that let you connect a Wii through HDMI/Component ports. If that's what you're implying, then you might want to check these links out.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=p3qPV_cSWCU
http://www.amazon.com/Video-VGA-Converter-Switcher-V2VPro/dp/B000XXZQWQ/ref=cm_cr_pr_product_top
I've personally used products that allow me to view my standard def PS2/Wii through my HDMI ports which allows my TV to use options that aren't available using composite connections. For instance, I can use different scaling modes and I'll fully agree that the colors are incredibly better using these connections. Is that what you're referring to? Like Exophase is saying, if you're comparing say "plugging a laptop into a TV's VGA and playing an NES emulator" to "plugging an NES in directly to the video in", the comparison is sorta bunk.
My problem is my TV has a really bad scaler and bad it seems bad inputs when it comes to analog signals, regular cable and anything that uses composite or S-Video looks horrid on it I have tried the SNES, Sega Genesis, and any other console and it just looks bad, Dreamcast VGA looks amazing. I have not tried the Pandora on my TV yet so I would not know since I don't have one I'm just worried that it will look horrible on mine.
Exophase
Nothing good will ever come of Exophase.
If your TV's scaler sucks then it won't be good at handling 256x240 for NES, nor would it be good if the Pandora is scaling it because that'll likely inhibit you from getting full framerate.
The Pandora outputs a 800x480 signal when under S-Video right?
