Dreamcast VGA

A third-party Dreamcast VGA box

The Dreamcast video game console is able to output VGA to a computer display or HDTV using a first- or third-party peripheral usually referred to as "VGA box", "VGA cable" or "VGA adapter".

Functionality

If pin 6 and pin 7 on the Dreamcast's A/V out are connected to the ground pin, the Dreamcast switches to VGA mode, displaying 640x480p60 (Progressive Scan, EDTV standard) at 31 kHz in RGBHV which allows it to connect to a computer monitor or EDTV/HDTV with VGA in.

The official VGA adapter itself consists of merely a plastic case providing space for the VGA port and a 3.5mm TRS connector for audio on one side, and AV out (composite, S-Video, and audio via RCA) on the other. Most third-party versions are identical to Sega's model (except for cosmetic differences), with the exception of the VGA cable by Blaze, which lacked the additional A/V out.

Compatibility

Compatible games

Most VGA boxes also have S-Video and composite video output.

Most Dreamcast games are compatible with the VGA box. Incompatible games will give an error message upon boot. All Dreamcast games can use a VGA box's S-Video and composite ports, just by toggling a switch, meaning one does not have to swap cables to play VGA-incompatible games. Even S-Video, far from VGA quality, is a very noticeable improvement over composite video.

There are a handful of European and North-American games that did not include the necessary flag within the boot sector on the disc ('IP.BIN') thus preventing the Dreamcast from booting in VGA mode.

Unplugging the VGA box while booting a game, or boot discs like DC-X can be used as a workaround.

Lightgun compatibility

The Dreamcast Lightgun will work when using a CRT VGA monitor. It will not function with LCD, LED, and plasma screens, or projectors, regardless of the connection used.

DVI compatibility

The VGA box can be connected to a HDTV or PC monitor's DVI port with a simple mechanical adapter. The DVI port has to be DVI-A or DVI-I compatible. DVI-D will not work.

HDMI conversion

It is possible to convert the VGA output of the Dreamcast to HDMI via a VGA to HDMI converter, allowing the Dreamcast to connect with HDTVs lacking a VGA port. However, the picture quality will remain at only VGA quality.

Availability

As the accessory was produced in great quantity, it can still be easily found. An official VGA box can go for around $50US on eBay, while third-party boxes are often sold for less than $20US on eBay and other websites.

VGA mods

It is possible to modify a Dreamcast to add the same VGA functionality to the console itself, eschewing an external box.

Competitors

Competing consoles like the PlayStation 2, Xbox and Nintendo GameCube used Y'PbPr component video cables for progressive scan output on compatible games.

As none of these consoles were capable of producing a native RGBHV (VGA) signal, the various first and third-party VGA accessories available for these consoles directly used internal Y'CbCr component signals to make VGA compatible output, or used an external color and scan converters to create one from Y'PbPr output. To make matters worse, cheap devices which generated VGA signals from interlaced composite or s-video were common in the aftermarket, while progressive-scan ones were not

The complexity of such accessories made them expensive, while the lateness and poor developer support of progressive scan on these platforms made them unreliable, both factors together made VGA a rare and difficult proposition on all three consoles as compared with the Dreamcast.

External links

• Info about the device
• Guide to building a VGA port
• Sega Hardware product page (Japanese)
• CRT vs LCD, Video Inputs, Lightguns on HD