chevymad Posted June 7, 2019 Share Posted June 7, 2019 Just recieved a svideo/composite to hdmi convertor from Amazon today. It also does PAL to NTSC, but I haven't tried that. Using this so that I can connect my 800xl to my Samsung 4k computer monitor. Plugged in, set the box to 720p and my monitor to 4:3 mode, and I have an excellent picture. Played some Centipede and Tetris, didn't notice any lag. At least nothing I can blame for dying lol. I'd take a pic of the screen, but I've allready disconnected everything for the moment. No idea on longevity, but so far it's doing what I need, and it's only $23. https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B004UNYX9M/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_title_o00_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1 7 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chevymad Posted June 9, 2019 Author Share Posted June 9, 2019 Couple of pics 9 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
monzamess Posted June 9, 2019 Share Posted June 9, 2019 Looks great! Is that from the stock 800XL composite signal, or does your 800XL have a video mod? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gunstar Posted June 9, 2019 Share Posted June 9, 2019 There are pictures of two different looking models in that Amazon listing, Which one did you receive? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
+DrVenkman Posted June 9, 2019 Share Posted June 9, 2019 There are pictures of two different looking models in that Amazon listing, Which one did you receive? That’s a good question. Based on the photos, I bought one last night. It’ll be here Monday. I’ll post pics of the version I get. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gunstar Posted June 9, 2019 Share Posted June 9, 2019 That’s a good question. Based on the photos, I bought one last night. It’ll be here Monday. I’ll post pics of the version I get. I would prefer the version with the ports on the end, that's the style I'm used too and the other one reminds me too much of cheap Chinese crap I've had before that both didn't work right with PAL/NTSC even though they were supposed too, and also burned out in like 6 months and a second from a different Chinese company that worked fine, but again, burned out in like 6 months. That was when I started buying the Ambery products, but they are expensive compared to this, especially if it does work well with PAL too. The longevity is just something that's wait and see. My Ambery boxes are 11-12 years old and still work perfectly. I think this is cheap enough for me to take a chance too, since it's confirmed working well, at least on NTSC. I can use it for my 800 and leave my Ambery model with my 1200XL (it's VGA too, not HDMI). If I find out it works well with PAL too, then I'll just have to see if the VGA or HDMI is better suited for the video signal coming out of either computer, since the Ambery does PAL perfectly. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
+DrVenkman Posted June 9, 2019 Share Posted June 9, 2019 Speaking of cheap stuff, I also have a GBS8220 RGB-to-VGA converter I picked up a month or so ago. Now I need to decide if I want to go whole hog and put a VBXE into my 1088XLD or just a SOPHIA ... 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gunstar Posted June 9, 2019 Share Posted June 9, 2019 (edited) Yeah, I've been on the fence a long time about the VBXE myself, just hoping a little more support comes to it, even if it's just some good development tools like a graphic art program and character font program, sprite & P/M design program. Unless I'm missing something*. But the RGB out is just a bonus to me since my upgraded S-video+converter does give a perfectly clear S-video image, and can even do 3D combing and upscaling so it can look much smoother if I choose. But I also have an RGB-to-VGA Ambery converter I use with my Atari Jaguar that I could use with the A8 too, with RGB with a switch box I have. So even though I'm satisfied with my S-video, RGB is always better, especially upscaled and converted to VGA or HDMI too. *I am referring to development tools that run on the Atari, not tools that run on a PC to develop for it! Of course my entire interest in learning programming and development is more ways to use my Atari, not just develop for it on a PC like most developers seem to do these days. I want to do it the hard way, the old-school way to make better use of my Atari as well as the education of programming. I've no interest in doing any programming on anything but a real Atari. That may change over time. -sorry for thread hijack, now back to our regularly scheduled thread... Edited June 9, 2019 by Gunstar Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SS Posted June 9, 2019 Share Posted June 9, 2019 This outputs to HDMI? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gunstar Posted June 9, 2019 Share Posted June 9, 2019 Yes SS. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SS Posted June 9, 2019 Share Posted June 9, 2019 Cool. I am going to buy one right now and give it a try for myself. I've still got a couple of days left on my free Prime trial so I might as well put it to some good use. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Forrest Posted June 9, 2019 Share Posted June 9, 2019 (edited) I'm curious on how well it works with the NTSC 800XL. I bought a Porta video/s-video to VGA converter two months ago on Amazon, and it only outputs a greyscale image with vertical bars when hooked to my 800XL with and without the Chroma mod. Edited June 9, 2019 by Forrest Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gunstar Posted June 9, 2019 Share Posted June 9, 2019 I'm curious on how well it works with the NTSC 800XL. I bought a Porta video/s-video to VGA converter two months ago on Amazon, and it only outputs a greyscale image with vertical bars when hooked to my 800XL with and without the Chroma mod. An NTSC 800XL is what chevymad is using with it. So that's already confirmed. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chevymad Posted June 9, 2019 Author Share Posted June 9, 2019 I recieved the rounded corner model. First pic. My 800xl has a UAV so this is using Svideo to HDMI. And yes, my 800xl is NTSC. I've thought about converting one of my atari's to PAL but always got hung up on the monitor. Those of you who try PAL with this, I'd like to know how it goes. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ACML Posted June 9, 2019 Share Posted June 9, 2019 I have the one in the first photo. Mine was marketed as Etek City, but it looks identical (see attached thread). I really like it. What was unique about this one verses the other cheap units is that it has an HDMI input as well as S-video and composite.This gives the added function of using it as a switch between and existing HDMI signal and your Atari if you are short on HDMI inputs on the TV. http://atariage.com/forums/topic/236810-inexpensive-s-video-or-composite-to-hdmi-video-up-converter/?hl=%2Betek+%2Bcity&do=findComment&comment=3210033 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ijor Posted June 9, 2019 Share Posted June 9, 2019 I have the one in the first photo. Mine was marketed as Etek City, but it looks identical (see attached thread). Is it really identical? The one pictured here doesn't seem to have an HDMI input ??? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ACML Posted June 9, 2019 Share Posted June 9, 2019 (edited) Is it really identical? The one pictured here doesn't seem to have an HDMI input ??? You are correct. The input side is different, but the enclosure is similar. Can't see other side, but the additional HDMI pass-thru may have been omitted on this design. Found mine now marketed as a Monoprice unit https://www.ebay.com/itm/Monoprice-Composite-S-Video-HDMI-to-HDMI-Converter-9994-75292AL/352621534173?hash=item5219e19bdd:g:qI4AAOSwtwVckP5M:sc:FedExHomeDelivery!35758!US!-1 https://www.ebay.com/itm/Lenkeng-Composite-S-Video-Stereo-Audio-to-HDMI-1080P-Converter/264341514815?hash=item3d8bfb6a3f:g:Ag8AAOSwhZhc7inJ https://www.monoprice.com/product?p_id=9994&gclid=CIzahfiH3eICFReewAodWREMzA https://www.amazon.com/Monoprice-109994-Composite-S-Video-Converter/dp/B00CQLIQD4 https://www.walmart.com/ip/Monoprice-9994-Composite-S-Video-and-HDMI-to-HDMI-Converter-and-Switch-with-HDMI-PAL-NTSC-Support/39457809 Video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wFukuT46HII Edited June 9, 2019 by ACML Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chevymad Posted June 9, 2019 Author Share Posted June 9, 2019 Mine has the HDMI input. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
+DrVenkman Posted June 11, 2019 Share Posted June 11, 2019 So I received my little unit from Amazon today - it is the one with the ports on the long sides. It has inputs for left and right audio, composite, S-video and HDMI, and an HDMI output. It has a little button to set 720p or 1080p output, and a 5VDC power jack. I don't have the energy to test it tonight - maybe tomorrow. I worked 12 hours today, plus an hour or so commute each way. I'm wiped out. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SS Posted June 11, 2019 Share Posted June 11, 2019 I received mine today as well. I played around with it as much as my two year old would let me (she likes to stand directly in front of the TV screen). It works better than I might have expected for a $23 device; I doubt that I would have taken a chance on it if not for chevymad's recommendation. It darkened up my display a little in comparison to when I use a composite connection but still looked quite acceptable. More importantly, it seems to introduce very little lag to my gameplay; seemingly about as much as a bluetooth gamepad adds to PC emulators. I found this to be quite acceptable. I was able to navigate Pitfall, Donkey Kong, Gorf, Deluxe Invaders, and Venture successfully. All in all a good purchase. 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RockfordDash Posted June 11, 2019 Share Posted June 11, 2019 I was looking for a cheap converter, so I bought it too: I tried it with my stock Atari 130 XE: And then with another one, which is modded with Super Video 2: Finally, stock 65XE: Interestingly 65XE looks pretty close to modded 130XE. In short, this is not pretty. I don't know if I can blame the converter, Ataris seem to output very strong color signal distorting solid backgrounds. However, my old Dell with S-Video input provides better results (but it includes sharpening and refuses to handle one of my 130s): 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
_The Doctor__ Posted June 11, 2019 Share Posted June 11, 2019 try different cords, the machines are picky about the wires and shielding both on the pcb as well as the cords themselves. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gunstar Posted June 11, 2019 Share Posted June 11, 2019 Even the best converters out there can only do so much in improving the source signal, the better and cleaner the video is coming out of the Atari, the better the output will be on the converter. I'm still waiting for more testing from other here... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
+DrVenkman Posted June 11, 2019 Share Posted June 11, 2019 Even the best converters out there can only do so much in improving the source signal, the better and cleaner the video is coming out of the Atari, the better the output will be on the converter. I'm still waiting for more testing from other here... I’ll try my UAV-equipped 1200XL and 1088XEL tonight if I home with energy to spare. And probably composite from my UAV-equipped 7800 since it’s in the same room already. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gunstar Posted June 11, 2019 Share Posted June 11, 2019 (edited) I was looking for a cheap converter, so I bought it too: svideo2hdmi.jpg I tried it with my stock Atari 130 XE: svid-conv-130xe.jpg And then with another one, which is modded with Super Video 2: svid-conv-130xe-SUPERVID.jpg Finally, stock 65XE: svid-conv-65xe.jpg Interestingly 65XE looks pretty close to modded 130XE. In short, this is not pretty. I don't know if I can blame the converter, Ataris seem to output very strong color signal distorting solid backgrounds. However, my old Dell with S-Video input provides better results (but it includes sharpening and refuses to handle one of my 130s): dell-monitor-converter.jpg Is your monitor used in these pictures CRT, LCD or other? EDIT: Never mind, I forgot for a moment this is an HDMI converter and not VGA...I don't believe CRT monitors exist with HDMI or even DVI? (do they anyone?) It has to be a digital monitor for digital input, right? Edited June 11, 2019 by Gunstar Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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