SNES on a modern TV?

Author
Discussion

Hoink

Original Poster:

1,424 posts

157 months

Thursday 16th February 2017
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Hi all,

I'm considering binning my Xbox and jumping back in time to my youth. The console of choice is a snes but I'm a little concerned about playability on a modern screen.

Does anyone here have a setup which works?

I've read various things and the most popular option seems to be via an RCA cable. Does this work okay? I would rather buy a cable from a decent supplier instead of eBay so any links/suggestions would be appreciated.

Thanks

XslaneyX

1,334 posts

141 months

Thursday 16th February 2017
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I plugged in a PS1 recently through my TV using the red/yellow/white cable combo and had no issues. All it did was reduce in screen size so i can't see any other issues becoming apparent.

Ransoman

884 posts

89 months

Thursday 16th February 2017
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Assuming you have an RGB scart port on your tv (I believe UK TV's are required to have Scart) then get an RGB scart cable. This is the best any 90's console can output.

I have a Mega drive2/Mega CD2 combo attached to my 2015 48" sony tv via RGB scart cable and as long as I remember to change the aspect ratio of the tv to 4:3 the picture quality is stunning, far better than my PS3 playing the mega drive collection.

Picture quality goes like this for console outputs:

RF (analogue radio frequency)
RCA (composite)
Svideo
RGB Scart
Component (from PS2 onwards)
HDMI

you can convert the console to HDMI using a very expensive device called the framemeister.

And if you really want to geek out:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1k2HVB9S8CA

Hoink

Original Poster:

1,424 posts

157 months

Thursday 16th February 2017
quotequote all
Thank you both. Very helpful.

I will watch that link tonight after work.

Ved

3,825 posts

174 months

Thursday 16th February 2017
quotequote all
You might be better off looking at a Raspberry Pi + PS3 controller. That'll mean you can output via HDMI and since you have already bought the games you should be legally ok with using ROMs on something like RetroPie. Full geek points for still having your SNES though. I'd love another one but i'd find a top of the range CRT to use as they're very cheap on eBay.

Hoink

Original Poster:

1,424 posts

157 months

Thursday 16th February 2017
quotequote all
I would love to hook it up to an old crt but my lass isn't too keen as we haven't got the space. It took enough convincing her a snes was a good idea so I don't want to push it biggrin

I'm going to try the rgb route as the cables on retrogamingcables look decent. Fingers crossed!

Boring_Chris

2,348 posts

121 months

Friday 17th February 2017
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Had my old N64 up and running on a 50" plasma a little while ago. Was like playing under water!

S10GTA

12,645 posts

166 months

Friday 17th February 2017
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I hooked my N64 up the other day and it looked unbelievably poor. The SNES and NES don't seem anywhere near as bad on a modern TV as an N64. My light-gun for Duck Hunt doesn't work with modern TV's tho frown

PH XKR

1,761 posts

101 months

Friday 17th February 2017
quotequote all
Ved said:
You might be better off looking at a Raspberry Pi + PS3 controller. That'll mean you can output via HDMI and since you have already bought the games you should be legally ok with using ROMs on something like RetroPie. Full geek points for still having your SNES though. I'd love another one but i'd find a top of the range CRT to use as they're very cheap on eBay.
this

Zoon

6,654 posts

120 months

Friday 17th February 2017
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The NES Mini looks really good on a modern TV.
The Pi is the best route for SNES games however.
I've tried my original SNES with a new cable into Y-W-R inputs on TV and it's not as good.

Ransoman

884 posts

89 months

Friday 17th February 2017
quotequote all
Hoink said:
I would love to hook it up to an old crt but my lass isn't too keen as we haven't got the space. It took enough convincing her a snes was a good idea so I don't want to push it biggrin

I'm going to try the rgb route as the cables on retrogamingcables look decent. Fingers crossed!
Unless you want to use a lightgun or you have a thing for scanlines then you don't need a CRT.

Boring_Chris said:
Had my old N64 up and running on a 50" plasma a little while ago. Was like playing under water!
most likley using RF or Composite RCA. The N64 was never famous for having a good picture anyway. My Megadrive via RGB looks perfect, the PS3 ports of the same games (being rendered by the emulator at 1080p over HDMI) looks worse.

Ved said:
You might be better off looking at a Raspberry Pi + PS3 controller. That'll mean you can output via HDMI and since you have already bought the games you should be legally ok with using ROMs on something like RetroPie. Full geek points for still having your SNES though. I'd love another one but i'd find a top of the range CRT to use as they're very cheap on eBay.
You could but as it is all being emulated you do get more input lag than you would have had with the real hardware. Also emulation isn't perfect.

On the legality side, technically if you made the Roms yourself they are legal as long as you still own the game. All Roms on the internet are illegal but my moral code says aslong as i own the original then its fine.

Hoink

Original Poster:

1,424 posts

157 months

Friday 17th February 2017
quotequote all
I'm hoping that the snes plus rgb will be okay. From the reading I've done I'm fairly confident...

I'm quite excited but nervous at the same time!

Mr Snrub

24,942 posts

226 months

Friday 17th February 2017
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you'll be fine, i've run mine like that for years. Purists might scoff but the stretched picture is a small price to pay to avoid an unweildy and headache inducing crt

Koan

419 posts

137 months

Saturday 18th February 2017
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+1 to the Retropie idea. If you don't have a Pi, then an Android tablet/phone with a Chromecast works just as well.

The crystal clear image is worth the faff.

NickXX

1,546 posts

217 months

Saturday 18th February 2017
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I used my SNES a couple of years ago on a modern LCD TV with no problems. I used a 'Multi-AV' lead (which inputs to SCART) that came with a Game Cube (you can also buy them on eBay for a fiver).

Street fighter 2 turbo is still as good as the day it came out biggrin

Hoink

Original Poster:

1,424 posts

157 months

Saturday 18th February 2017
quotequote all
I used to be into emulators back in the late 90s but...

I miss my real snes.

I miss plug and play, no faffing.

I miss the simplicity of the games in that you can just pick them up for 30 minutes (perfect as I just don't have the time to play modern games anymore).

I like the idea of having an original snes collection.

And, depending on how it looks on my TV, you can't beat the real thing.

Let's hope my trip down memory lane isn't disappointing biggrin

Hoink

Original Poster:

1,424 posts

157 months

Saturday 18th February 2017
quotequote all
NickXX said:
I used my SNES a couple of years ago on a modern LCD TV with no problems. I used a 'Multi-AV' lead (which inputs to SCART) that came with a Game Cube (you can also buy them on eBay for a fiver).

Street fighter 2 turbo is still as good as the day it came out biggrin
This is on my list of games to buy!

I can see this costing me a small fortune. biggrin

soad

32,829 posts

175 months

Saturday 18th February 2017
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You want a Nintendo Classic Mini! Even if they do command a premium...

Mr Snrub

24,942 posts

226 months

Saturday 18th February 2017
quotequote all
Hoink said:
NickXX said:
I used my SNES a couple of years ago on a modern LCD TV with no problems. I used a 'Multi-AV' lead (which inputs to SCART) that came with a Game Cube (you can also buy them on eBay for a fiver).

Street fighter 2 turbo is still as good as the day it came out biggrin
This is on my list of games to buy!

I can see this costing me a small fortune. biggrin
Yep, the games are not cheap and are only going up in price. Buying just the carts will make it a lot cheaper though

Hoink

Original Poster:

1,424 posts

157 months

Saturday 18th February 2017
quotequote all
soad said:
You want a Nintendo Classic Mini! Even if they do command a premium...
It's funny you should say that but this is on my list....I should have picked one up before they sold out.