Review: Gbs 8200 rgb to VGA arcade adaptor.

mjnurney

we live as we dream. Alone.
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I'm sure most of you have read Harrison's thread in this cheap and cheerful Chinese rgb adator on EBay.

If not have a quick read on Harrison's thread and check out eBay.

Now my version is the single output 8200 rgb to VGA, the new version has dual VGA output but uses the same board.

This CGA/EGA/YUV to VGA Arcade Converter PCB allows all types of RGB, EGA, VGA or YUV component signals to be up-converter and display on a 31KHz PC VGA monitor, TFT monitor, LCD display, or HD-TV with VGA connection. No need to set dip switches in order to figure out the specific input frequency as all inputs are detected automatically.


Supports CGA/EGA/VGA/YUV Component Signal Input
Supports VGA Output (640 x 480, 800 x 600, 1024 x 768, 1360 x 768)
CGA/EGA/VGA signal auto scan (15KHz, 24KHz, 31KHz)
YUV Component signal auto scan (480i, 576i, 720i, 1080i, 480p, 576p, 720p, 1080p)
On Screen Display (English and Chinese)
Supports image position control & image zoom control
True digital 24-bit A/D converter for true 16.7-million color conversion.
Supports ALL types of VGA monitors (CRT, LCD, PDP, Projector, etc)

Supports ALL types of VGA monitors (CRT, LCD, PDP, Projector, etc)
*

Input Power 5VDC +/- 0.5v (2A) P7 or P9

Input* signal
CGA/EGA
14.5kHz - 16.5kHz
23.5kHz - 25.5kHz
30.5kHz - 32.5kHz
Auto scan
P3 or P11 or P10
RGBHV
30.5kHz - 32.5kHz
Auto scan
P10 or P11
VGA
30.5kHz - 32.5kHz
Auto scan
P10 or P11
Ypbpr
480p,576p,720p,1080p
Auto scan
P2
Ycbcr
480i,576i,720i,1080i
Auto scan
P2
Output signal
VGA
640*480,800*600
1024*768,1360*768 P4 and P13
User controls Input Switch, Image Zoom, Image Position,
Output Resolution ,R\G\B gain adjust. Menu Key
R\G\B VR
*
PCB Dimensions:
115mm (W) x 105mm (D) x 20mm (H)


In the box:

VGA board
Short wiring loom
Mini power connector.

On the Amiga.

The first thing you need to do is wire the thing up, you have to wire up an rgb 23 pin socket from the Amiga ( for native screens I.e whdload games ) to the VGA adaptor - its not hard and supprisinly few wires are connected.

The Amiga screen output is then magically converted into a VGA output to your LCD tv / monitor or even back in to the Amiga for an rtg card input ( Picasso 2 and others )

So wiring done , power?

Some people have wired this to the rgb socket and used the power from that, others use a small psu. I have tried both.

Results / use ?

Personally I use 1024x768 and English menus of course , I haven't played with any other setting apart from cropping the screen size to suit my Samsung tv.

The results are generally good , the picture is mostly stable but I have some wobble at the bottom of the screen that is constant no matter how I size the picture and I also have some ghosting on the mouse pointer , seemingly in a square area around the pointer - no matter where on screen.

Does any of this matter ?

No not really it means I can pass through and auto switch from VGA Picasso to VGA native Amiga without me doing anything. Joy :)

Overall?

It's cheap , you need to make an rgb lead and buy a psu or power from the rgb. So do I recommend it. Yes I do but if something else came along and offered a similar price but more stable picture, I would buy that.

I have yet to try it on another tv and with another Amiga but I briefly tried it on a 500 and its just as happy to display.

Tested system

A2000
A500
Samsung LCD tv.

Mike.

Pics & vid to follow.

my vid

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QmuTu1j_HYk&list=UUOFrfzLOmI73lCTXDY-c3tw&index=1&feature=plcp
 

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great review but how does it handle 50hz inputs? does it output a 50hz vga signal or it destroys vsync with a 60hz standard vga conversion?
 
I'm sure most of you have read Harrison's thread in this cheap and cheerful Chinese rgb adator on EBay.

If not have a quick read on Harrison's thread and check out eBay.

do you have a link to it?
did you just use analog RGB and composite sync?
thanks.
 
cheers, I searched for various things (apparently not the right things)
I reckon I'll order one of those soon ;)
 
Nice review Mike!

I've been thinking about buying one of these for a while since it seems like it's a Swiss Army Knife when it comes to video needs for people who collect and use retro computing stuff.

This might be a stupid question, but, does the unit handle both NTCS and PAL signals?
 
You mean pal / NTSC input ( Amiga ) or output ?

The output is VGA so as far as I know I doesn't matter..

I have used it in both NTSC and pal on my A2000 with no problems on my Samsung LCD tv, in fact the tv prefers NTSC to pal for some reason on the Amiga.

Mike.
 
How is the power for it,its from the Amiga right,A lot of people say is not a good idea to power it with the Amiga..??
 
You're bound to break something eventually if you take it from a port, too much amps.

Tapping the power connector is probably fine if you do it in the right place.
 
My memory's a little hazy here but it also might be worth mentioning that some revisions of amigas (I think it was the A1200) were missing some of the power outputs on the RGB port...
 
i use both power options and I've had no issues. if you are getting problems try a recommended psu. i used a 1amp psu first and as i recall i had problems...it was a while back I've forgotten what.
 
Hi mate

Can you tell me tell if I still need to make an rgb cable if I use a amiga video to rgb adapter and just connect using a vga cable.

Thank you in advance.
 
no rgb to scart will plug in to a tv without anything else, the vga thingy here is for connecting to monitors (vga)
 
hi limboy777

you need to make a cable here 23pin to the wire that comes with the gbs



which plugs in behind the vga port



then you plug in a 5v 2a psu and a standard vga cable to one of the vga out ports to your tv/monitor

 
Yet another review without screen shots.

All this talk of wavy lines, or colours not quite right (red tinge), or area around the mouse not perfect, I wonder if this unit really is worth all the hassle of custom cables and power supplies, when the Amigamaniac adapter + VGA converter is a plug in and play solution.

I use Amigamaniac's svideo adapter, and a VGA converter (also bought from his site). I think we're going to have to do a screenshot comp to conclude which set up is best.

I suspect this adapter is no better than an RGB -> Svideo -> VGA setup.

Matt.
 
I suspect this adapter is no better than an RGB -> Svideo -> VGA setup.

I love Amigamaniac's svideo adapter.
Have one...

But, logic would dictate (Hmm.. rather Spock sounding there) that a conversion from RGB to s-video, and then back to RGB would have some loss..

Now, whether it's noticeable or or not.... Not sure...
I'd compare, but the s-video to VGA adapter I got (this was before Nathan was selling his) didn't work properly. (It actually looked really sharp, but one of the colors was 1 line lower than it should have been. Didn't do that with composite, just s-video so I didn't notice it when I first got it. Too late to return it by the time I found out..)

One thing that hits me initially is Amigamaniacs adapter has a PAL/NTSC switch.
The GBS doesn't need such switching. Although if everything you do is PAL (no one is going to do everything in NTSC ;-) ), that wouldn't be a problem.

desiv
 
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