Mario Kart 64 on an LCD

[oimi]

I was wondering if anyone could help me. I have a Samsung 22" LCD TV/Monitor, which is great for use with the PC and with everything else I have plugged into it (because of the various means of connectivity offered). However, when I compare the image I had on Mario Kart 64 using a CRT to the image I have now on my LCD, the CRT is much better. If it weren't an issue of space, I would have kept the CRT, but that was out of the question.

Does anyone know if there is anything I can do in order to improve the image quality on the LCD TV, whilst playing on Mario Kart 64 (for the Nintendo 64 and NOT the Nintendo Wii: Virtual Console)? I have tried adjusting contrast, brightness, gamma, sharpness, display mode (standard, movie and game).

I would be very grateful if anyone could help me, thank you,

Shaun.

[Agent]

The issue you're having is one of resolution and is one of the 'black marks', so to speak against TFT's.
TFT's work by using a grid of tiny cells that light up and change colour depending on the image. Thousands of these together make up your screen.
These 'cells' are a set size though, and thats known as its native resolution, i.e., how many pixels there are.

A CRT doesn't have a native resolution, so to speak (it does technically have a maximum resolution, but thats another topic). It works by firing light particles out of a particle accelerator onto the screen, producing your image.
The upshot of this is the particles can be refocused depending on what resolution you are running at.
TFT's have to scale the input and stretch it over the cells. CRT's dont have this issue.

Basically, no, there is not a lot you can do about it.
There are a few gizmo's that will take the image, filter it to try and make it look better, then send it to the screen, but their effectiveness is arguable.

The N64 was never designed with TFT's in mind, so it'll show.
I'd assume you would get a better image running it through the Wii and hi-def component output (it would probably filter it to make it look better at the very least), but don't quote me on that.

[directhex]

Originally Posted by Agent

The issue you're having is one of resolution and is one of the 'black marks', so to speak against TFT's.
TFT's work by using a grid of tiny cells that slight up and change colour depending on the image. Thousands of these together make up your screen.
These 'cells' are a set size though, and thats known as its native resolution, i.e., how many pixels there are.

A CRT doesn't have a native resolution, so to speak (it does technically have a maximum resolution, but thats another topic). It works by firing light particles out of a particle accelerator onto the screen, producing your image.
The upshot of this is the particles can be refocused depending on what resolution you are running at.
TFT's have to scale the input and stretch it over the cells. CRT's dont have this issue.

Basically, no, there is not a lot you can do about it.
There are a few gizmo's that will take the image, filter it to try and make it look better, then send it to the screen, but their effectiveness is arguable.

The N64 was never designed with TFT's in mind, so it'll show.
I'd assume you would get a better image running it through the Wii and hi-def component output (it would probably filter it to make it look better at the very least), but don't quote me on that.

there's the old xrgb2+ option, but that's an EXPENSIVE route

[oimi]

Thank you for your responses..

Agent:

1. I purchased the Joytech Component Cable and although I get a better picture from it, it seems to flicker from time to time (so much so, that it makes most games impossible to play). When I say flicker, I mean that the screen goes black and then goes back to the game after about 2-3 seconds. I was told that the official Component Cable wasn't as good, otherwise I would have purchased that one.

2. From my room, I am unable to configure the network settings because the University has blocked all game-related ports. This means that downloading is impossible, so I couldn't get the Wii Virtual Console version.

3. I wouldn't have the right controllers for the game, this is yet another expense.

4. This is not just a problem I have with my Nintendo 64, my PS2 also suffers from this problem.

directhex:

1. What exactly is the xrgb2+, how well does it perform and what kind of connectivity does it offer?

2. How much do they cost and where can I get one from?

[directhex]

first point is: if there's an official version, it's always better. always. better build quality, more reliable, better full stop.

second, the xrgb2+. i don't think they make it (or its successor the xrgb3) anymore, but if you can track one down, it has composite, component, japanese rgb (looks like scart but will explode if you plug in scart), s-video, and d-terminal. there's also some adapter action going on so you can actually use the d-terminal and japanese rgb connectors. output is at 640x480, 800x600 or 1024x768 via vga.

i used to use one for a gamecube, but sold it when i got a monitor with video inputs directly (which is what i'd recommend, something like one of the dells with composite & s-video, if not component too)

[oimi]

directhex:

1. I was going to but the official component cable, until I read reviews comparing it to the Joytech version.

2. I do not need the xrgb2/3+ for connectivity, my LCD offers all of the above. I simply need something which will make games render the way that they did on a CRT.

Thanks buddy!

[directhex]

Originally Posted by oimi

2. I do not need the xrgb2/3+ for connectivity, my LCD offers all of the above. I simply need something which will make games render the way that they did on a CRT.

sorry, won't happen, for the reasons agent stated

in the end, n64 games are 320x240, scaling them up across lots of pixels always causes the image to go poopy

[oimi]

Okay, so the image will never look as good as it did on a CRT, but is the xrgb2/3+ the best solution to this problem? What about for the PS2?

[directhex]

Originally Posted by oimi

Okay, so the image will never look as good as it did on a CRT, but is the xrgb2/3+ the best solution to this problem? What about for the PS2?

same applies. i used to use mine with a gamecube and an xbox

[oimi]

That's good, but it's definitely the best option?

Where do I get one?

[JimNastics]

Aren't there some software scalers out there which could take the signal and make it looks nice on an LCD, via s-video input on a gfx card? Something like DScaler?

[oimi]

I don't know, that sounds rather promising! Please tell me more?

[oimi]

Oh damn, after doing some research I have just discovered that the Game cube/ N64 S-Video Lead supports only NTSC Game Cube/ N 64 consoles only. The PAL console does not have an S Video signal.

So, what is the alternative? Obviously I am not going to go and buy an N64 in NTSC format as that would require me buying everything again.

I would rather use the console than emulate, particularly as I don't have enough controllers for multiplayer for the PC.

[Agent]

Originally Posted by oimi

So, what is the alternative? Obviously I am not going to go and buy an N64 in NTSC format as that would require me buying everything again.

Aside from what Jo suggested, there really isn't one.
As for PC cards to run the image through.....Any card that can do this to a good standard will not be cheap. In fact, I am fairly sure it would be more money than a xrgb2+ type device.
Quite simply, there are plenty of cards that can take a composite signal from your N64 into your PC, but the ADC (Analogue to Digital Converter) these include will often render the image worse than it would be by plugging it into your screen directly.
Buying a card thats got a good (ie. production quality) ADC on board, and can do decent filtering is big money. So much so, you probably won't find them at the majority of computer retailers, its not your usual run of the mill equipment.

Having said all that, your simply missing the underlying issue. No matter how you connect an old console up its going to have to scale the image at some point to the resolution of your screen. Even if you had digital directly from the console it would still happen. The console outputs a lower resolution than you want and you cant change this.
Honestly, there is no easy solution to this. If there was, everyone would be using it.

[oimi]

Not even a BFG 8800GTX OC2 768MB GDDR3 Dual DVI HDTV Out HDCP enabled PCI-E Graphics Card like the one I have in my PC?

I understand that the image will never be AS good as it appeared on a CRT, but I want to improve it to a degree.

[Agent]

All the information I can find on that card says it only has TV out, and no VIVO support (Video In, Video Out), so unless yours has it, its a certain no.