Composite to HDMI

[atarilux]

I sold my ATARI 800XL about 28 years ago, so one is until last week new to the field (again)! Anyway, I purchased a composite video to HDMI convertor but the image quality is quite bad, with lines on the screen etc.  You can read everything the ATARI sends, but it's like there are clearly alternating lines. Is this normal or is something wrong? I read a a bit about these boxes and I was expecting some issues, but not quite on the level of this.

[Mazzspeed]

You really want to use the seperate chroma and luma connections on the monitor port into the Svideo jack on the convertor. The problem is I think the chroma line is disconnected on the 800XL, it's fairly easy to reconnect if you have basic soldering skills and a steady hand.

 

Composite is basically mishmash in > mishmash out.

[CraigsBar]

It might help if you could advise which adaptor you are using and perhaps some photos of the screen with the distortions

[Wrathchild]

(at least a) couple of topics on here already:

https://atariage.com/forums/topic/316944-the-best-video-to-hdmi-converter/

https://atariage.com/forums/topic/305213-retrotink-2x-pro-fantastic/

 

Without any uploaded photos of what you are seeing people could only speculate, but vertical banding isn't uncommon.

[atarilux]

Thanks for your very quick replies. Here is a quick screenshot of it. It looks slightly better here than in reality. The adaptor is from a company called Musou (https://www.amazon.de/gp/product/B01HHNXCTI/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_title_o03_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1). 

 

 

 

 

Edited February 21, 2021 by atarilux

[mimo]

I've tried a few of these adapters over the years and the quality ranges from unusable to horrible fuzzy and  laggy  on the ones I tried.

I'm really happy with sophia2 installed in my 600xl and I hear mostly good things about the retrotnk and oscc but have no experience personally

[atarilux]

thanks for the tip, I will take a look at that. As I said I am basically a newbie to this so have no real idea what that is.

 

[mimo]

Here is the thread 

 It outputs DVI which is easy to convert to hdmi. Picture quality is amazing and no lag 

[gs80065xe]

The crew at the Antic podcast says these work very well.

 

https://www.retrotink.com/product-page/2x-mini

https://ataripodcast.libsyn.com/antic-episode-74-name-wars

 

 

[bfollowell]

1 hour ago, mimo said:

 It outputs DVI which is easy to convert to hdmi. Picture quality is amazing and no lag 

 

I know people use terms like convert pretty loosely, but since HDMI and DVI are both digital signals, there really isn't conversion needed. All you need is an adapter to go from one connector to another. I use one of these with my Sophia equipped 8-bit and it works great.

Edited February 21, 2021 by bfollowell

[mimo]

Sorry for using the wrong word

[+gnusto]

I have what is generally accepted as the best RGB converter on the market (it didn't cost this much when I bought it, they no longer make them and the price is going up considerably). While it's very capable and has all sorts of inputs/controls, I can verify as someone who owns both that a Retrotink is indistinguishable for the purpose of converting an Atari signal to HDMI (after you have appropriate cabling to get the Atari signal into the retrotink of course).

 

Sophia is better all around due to natively putting out a DVI signal; be aware that it requires modification to your Atari internals, and the signal does not work on all HDMI displays though. My Sophia equipped XEL will not sync with two of my three monitors I commonly use, although ironically if I then pipe that signal through the Framemeister it then works with everything, meaning the Framemeister is correcting some timing issues. I'm not at all negative on the Sophia, I think it's great and use it all the time, but if you are looking for the simplest arrangement without modification Retrotink is your best bet.

[atarilux]

Thanks everyone, I will take a look at the Sophia upgrade in due course. I plan to play around with the stock system once my SMax drive arrives. i will also look into the ANTIC podcast.

 

 

[gozar]

23 hours ago, atarilux said:

I sold my ATARI 800XL about 28 years ago, so one is until last week new to the field (again)! Anyway, I purchased a composite video to HDMI convertor but the image quality is quite bad, with lines on the screen etc.  You can read everything the ATARI sends, but it's like there are clearly alternating lines. Is this normal or is something wrong? I read a a bit about these boxes and I was expecting some issues, but not quite on the level of this.

Here's probably the simplest upgrade: 

You'll need an Svideo cable for your Atari though. And you lose composite video.

 

If you feel like doing more, then next up would be the UAV upgrade:

https://thebrewingacademy.com/collections/atari-800-xl-xe-xel-xld/products/tba-ultimate-atari-video-uav-board-for-400-800-xl-xe

 

 

 

 

[CraigsBar]

I have a Sophia RGB providing a crystal clear rgb signal for screens with Scart support. By then plugging this into my OSSC I get the best possible and lag free image on any screen that has hdmi but no Scart.