Connecting a GC to a HDTV via component cable

[Polygon Window]

Hi, I currently own a lovely Sony Bravia 26S2010U HDTV, when playing Oblivion on the 360 via component cable the display is beyond gorgeous, best thing I've ever seen infact...so impressive.

This got me thinking, I'm still a huge Gamecube fan and cannot wait to replay the likes of RE4 and Metroid Prime again but this time on the HDTV. I invested in an Official Gamecube component cable thinking that this was the best possible connection for the best possible picture.

The Gamecube games I've tested so far ( including the graphically renowned RE4 ) look very average and almost PS1-ish compared to when playing them on my old CRT TV via basic composite connection. I'm getting very faint vertical lines giving the image a grainy effect.

Eh? What gives, how can the games look so slick on the CRT via composite but look decidely rubbish on the HDTV via component? Both the 360 and Gamecube are PAL if that makes any difference and for the record, the component cable is the Japanese Official Nintendo one.

Anyone else using a HDTV and Cube via component?

Cheers

[smouty]

Don't forget the max resolution you'll get out of a cube is 480p almost half that of a 360.
You are using 480p compatible games and forcing prog scan?

[sj33]

RE4 does looks very **** on any HDTV, because it's a lower-than-average resolution game anyway.

[Polygon Window]

That explains alot, out of the 3 games I've tried so far, RE4 was very **** whereas Metroid Prime and Zelda: The Wind Waker looked almost normal although they looked best when I changed the screen to a smaller size but this comes with a price...thin black borders either side of the display...filling the whole screen made the images look overly scretched and a bit blocky.

RE4 aside, the other games look a damn sight better than when I was using the composite cable on the HDTV.

Thanks for the replies.

[sj33]

You state your GC is PAL - No PAL GameCube game has Progressive Scan (480p). This means they are all running interlaced, which defeats the point of the Component cable.

Only (most) NTSC games have Progressive Scan.

[Polygon Window]

I got mine from Play Asia, on their site it says that this cable is not suitable for newer Cubes that don't have the Digital AV out, obvisously mine does but all my games are UK releases, does this mean that I need something like a FreeLoader and buy US or JPN games from now on to get the best picture?

[sj33]

Yep. The PAL GameCube itself supports Progressive Scan fine, it's the software. Stick to US/JPN releases from now on.

Worth noting that not all games have a Progressive Scan mode anyway (even in NTSC), but most do. www.hdtvarcade.com have a list.

[Polygon Window]

Jaysus!!! Why is it so bloomin' confusing, best get me a Freeloader then, is that the preferred method of playing imports on a UK cube? Thanks again people.

[sj33]

The only method without a modchip.

Blame Nintendo for being asses and removing Prog. Scan from PAL games. Hopefully they won't do that with the Wii, but I'm going US from the start anyway.

[Polygon Window]

Same here mate, so fed up with PAL consoles, my 360 will be the last I ever buy and for the sake of having to use a stepdown and the fact that if something goes wrong, replacing it isn't so straight forward but I'm willing to take the chance and I'm gonna go US next time.

[andrewfee]

RE4 does looks very **** on any HDTV, because it's a lower-than-average resolution game anyway.

Looked rubbish on a CRT too, in my opinion. Could never see why people were raving about the graphics. (especially owners of Widescreen displays)

[EvilBoris]

Looked rubbish on a CRT too, in my opinion. Could never see why people were raving about the graphics. (especially owners of Widescreen displays)

I'm still convinced that most of the game assets were designed for an interlaced display, I played it ona 480p CRT and all the transparency effects looked wank. You didn't notice it that often, but it was quite annoying.

[Geezer]

I first played Resi 4 on the Cube on a 20" CRT via RGB and it was stunningly beautiful. For my money both the PS2 and GC versions look worse on my HDTV. Even the PS2 version that has a proper widescreen 480p mode looks pretty shoddy.

[EvilBoris]

I only specifically remember seeing it during the intro to the game where it looked a bit vile, but the rest of the time you are too busy playing the game to notice

[sj33]

I first played Resi 4 on the Cube on a 20" CRT via RGB and it was stunningly beautiful. For my money both the PS2 and GC versions look worse on my HDTV. Even the PS2 version that has a proper widescreen 480p mode looks pretty shoddy.

The PS2 version isn't actully 'proper' widescreen. The Widescreen option just zooms and rescales it to fit onto a 16:9 screen. It's a real con.