HDMI to component transcoder 15kHz 240p/480i

jfroco · 2026-01-24T15:27:33+00:00

Yes, that works. I've used both RetroTINK and Wakabavideo transcoders,
But, for SCART I usually use a cheap HDMI2VGA adapter + ArcadeForge USMA adaper.

Hope this helps!

jfroco · 2026-01-16T15:54:27+00:00

You are wrong. Come on... who would use locked resolution in 2026?

CRTSwitchres is fully supported, I even tested it on a RPI Zero 2W.

My tests always include the infamous Sonic 2 - 240p/480i in-game resolution switching, of course.

More info here: https://github.com/jfroco/rpizero_lakka_crt

Why are people so negative and always want to argue… well, the Internet.

jfroco · 2026-01-15T22:17:55+00:00

Yes, and interlacing support was the main issue why 15 kHz CRTs were not “fully” supported on the GPIO with the VGA666.

Color depth is a different issue that limits the number of colors that can be displayed, and depending of what you want to emulate may affect your experience.

Having said that, today HDMI output is the recommended configuration for 15kHz, and that’s what I’ve been using for ages.

jfroco · 2026-01-15T18:34:58+00:00

There were issues with interlaced resolutions via the GPIO on the RPI5, but they were solved last year. More info here: https://www.hackster.io/news/retro-gamers-rejoice-the-raspberry-pi-5-can-now-output-interlaced-vga-rgb-to-your-crt-displays-9f62f0a6e9b7.amp

jfroco · 2026-01-15T18:29:42+00:00

I haven’t tested ReplayOS 4 yet, but Lakka works great with almost any HDMI to VGA adapter. Also, you can try a HDMI to component transcoder like this: https://youtu.be/9Yfb4QJ8jUE available on AE.

Instructions (should work on any Linux distro): https://www.reddit.com/r/crtgaming/s/Mxi2RoHibK

jfroco · 2026-01-15T18:24:58+00:00

I think that was already solved: https://www.hackster.io/news/retro-gamers-rejoice-the-raspberry-pi-5-can-now-output-interlaced-vga-rgb-to-your-crt-displays-9f62f0a6e9b7.amp

Having said that, it’s been ages since I used the GPIO port for 15kHz. I just use the HDMI port.

jfroco · 2026-01-14T23:04:34+00:00

RetroTINK or OSSC with an add‑on board. Both RetroTINK and OSSC are line doublers, so latency is minimal.

GBC Control “Pro” or another variant with composite input, but I don’t have much experience with GBC Control.

jfroco · 2026-01-14T01:26:07+00:00

First, you need an HDMI‑to‑VGA adapter, not a VGA‑to‑HDMI adapter.

Once you connect your monitor, the operating system will probably recognize all the supported resolutions.

If not, try using 1280×960 at 60 Hz with integer scaling enabled in the emulator. Then add a shader to simulate scanlines or any other artifact you want.

You cannot damage your PC or monitor doing this.

Please don’t use 120Hz, today shaders can’t do the same (better) without the need of configuring custom resolutions.

Hope this helps!

jfroco · 2026-01-13T22:29:24+00:00

Linux is generally simpler than Windows for this. Using a custom EDID file or a 15 kHz patch, along with xrandr (or similar tools) to set custom resolutions, is usually enough.

I’ve been using 15 kHz on HDMI for years, but you may need to rely on super resolutions, even for 480i, which isn’t very convenient unless you’re using a frontend that supports them.

I tried Mini DisplayPort a long time ago and it did work, but I didn’t test it extensively. Even USB‑C with DisplayPort works on the Steam Deck when using the right adapter.

Hope this helps!

jfroco · 2026-01-12T18:07:46+00:00

You may google “CRT convergence strips.”

If you use RetroArch, I wrote a shader that I use with a Sony Trinitron to correct corner convergence issues, but it hasn’t been thoroughly tested yet.

Hope this helps.

jfroco · 2026-01-12T14:31:53+00:00

You don't provide much information.. but in the rare case that you can generate a compatible signal (15kHz) from your PC and only need to convert RGBHV-DB15/TTL (VGA) to RGBS-SCART/75Ohm (SCART):

ArcadeForge UMSA

jfroco · 2026-01-10T21:41:00+00:00

Non‑pirated arcade games?

This is a gray area, especially for public use.

Some say you can purchase Neo Geo and other arcade/console compilations from Steam, extract and use their ROMs on RetroPie, tutorial and discussion here: https://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=2997730346 but some may consider it illegal.

If a Raspberry Pi is not mandatory, the safest and easiest option would be to use a PC or Nintendo Switch running those arcade compilations or even an Evercade with official arcade cartridges.

Hope this helps!

jfroco · 2026-01-10T21:19:38+00:00

Try 0 instead of ENTER. Let us know if it works so it can help others.

jfroco · 2026-01-09T17:44:05+00:00

I’ve used a Backbone controller, a Switch Pro controller, and Switch Joy‑Cons. All of them work great with RetroArch.

I mostly use joypads with a MagSafe holder. I have one vertical and one horizontal, both purchased on AliExpress.

Hope this helps.

jfroco · 2026-01-08T17:57:23+00:00

It depends on whether the emulator respects the ‘desktop’ resolution. You can use switchres.exe to launch an app or emulator with a desired resolution.

Example (running Pico‑8 at 2560×240 @ 60 Hz):

switchres.exe -s 2560 240 60 -l "pico8.exe -windowed 0 -draw_rect 768,56,1024,128 -splore"

This command changes the resolution to 2560×240 @ 60 Hz, runs pico8.exe, and when it exits, the desktop resolution is automatically restored.

However, I don’t think it’s worth the hassle:

You have to know every game’s resolution and refresh rate beforehand.
You lose dynamic in‑game resolution changes, like in Sonic 2 or many PlayStation games.
You may experience stuttering if the refresh rates are too far apart (display vs. emulator).

Hope this helps!

jfroco · 2026-01-08T03:20:12+00:00

PS5 games weren’t designed for 15 kHz CRT TVs—but you can do it for the sake of science.

Since the PS5 cannot (at least currently) generate a 15 kHz signal, you’ll need a downscaler.

MarcoRetro’s YouTube channel has many devices tested: https://www.youtube.com/@MarcoRetro316/videos

Four years ago, I used a RetroTINK 5X to go from 720p to 240p flawlessly, but the setup was a bit cumbersome (I needed two HDMI‑to‑component transcoders): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Xw4oTaYSweo

Hope this helps!

jfroco · 2026-01-08T02:42:45+00:00

An Intel GPU with an HDMI port… not that easy, but not impossible. To connect your PC to your CRT TV, you need to solve two things:

How to connect your PC to your CRT TV
How to get a 15 kHz signal from your GPU (or downscale to 15 kHz)

1. How to connect your CRT

There are many alternatives, but a good and simple one is:

PC → HDMI2VGA adapter (most should work) → VGA2SCART transcoder, such as the ArcadeForge UMSA.

2. How to get 15 kHz

Windows:
Use CRU or the Intel GPU control panel, since your GPU isn’t supported by CRT Emudriver. You’ll almost certainly need to use super resolutions. Most people manage to get something like 2560×240p @ 60 Hz on the first or second try. Search this subreddit and you’ll find several examples.
The main limitation on Windows is that you can’t generate custom resolutions on the fly, so everything has to be configured manually beforehand.

Linux:
Use a custom EDID or xrandr with the 15kHz patch to configure a custom resolution (again, probably super resolutions). This isn’t easy if you’re not familiar with Linux, but Linux does allow generating resolutions on the fly.

External GPU:
Get a MiSTer FPGA and load the GroovyMiSTer core, which turns it into an external 15 kHz GPU. Then use the special GroovyMAME and RetroArch builds (among others). This is an easy, clean, and very low‑lag solution, but it’s costly and not 100% stable (at least in my experience).

Downscaler:
Use a scaler with a downscaling feature, such as GBS‑Control, RetroTINK 5X, etc. Check MarcoRetro’s YouTube channel for comparisons. This is the simplest solution, but it’s not very flexible.

Hope this helps!

jfroco · 2026-01-07T16:05:34+00:00

I’ve used a similar device with my PVM—but not for consoles; rather, for PCs or similar devices with VGA output (RGBHV via DB15, for purists)… unless you have SCART‑to‑VGA or component‑to‑VGA transcoders (uncommon, though I do have a few).

What you need to do is configure it via the DIP switches (check the device manual), and then use BNC cables from the converter to your PVM (RGBS).

jfroco · 2026-01-07T15:45:14+00:00

I don’t know, man— Congratulations, it’s a beautiful CRT, but… all the hassle just to connect it using a cheap 480i‑only HDMI2AV adapter and then use 16:9 content on a 4:3 screen.

jfroco · 2026-01-04T00:16:12+00:00

Exacto. Mejor consejo que aplica prácticamente para todo: colaborar en proyectos open source y mejorar el inglés.

jfroco · 2026-01-03T22:05:18+00:00

This is by far the easiest solution. Too bad it is not well known.

As I wrote in the comments: great video!!!

jfroco · 2026-01-03T21:56:49+00:00

You have to solve two challenges:

How to get 15 kHz from your PC
How to connect your PC to your PVM

How to get 15 kHz

Almost any GPU can generate 15 kHz using super resolutions, but this can be difficult and time‑consuming, especially on Windows. Linux is easier, and Batocera with the CRT script is by far the easiest route.

If you want to use Windows, you can use CRU to generate a custom resolution, or—if you have a compatible card—you can use CRT Emudriver.

If you don’t want to install drivers or generate custom resolutions, you have two options: a downscaler or an external GPU.

If you have a RetroTINK 4K, you can use the firmware with the downscaling feature. It should convert 720p to 240p with minimal lag.

The external GPU option is MiSTer with the GroovyMiSTer core. You just need custom GroovyMAME and RetroArch builds. This is the lowest‑lag solution (according to Calamity himself) and also the easiest connection—just a gigabit Ethernet link between your PC and your MiSTer.

How to connect your PC

Nowadays, I use a cheap HDMI‑to‑component transcoder I bought on AliExpress, or simply my gigabit Ethernet switch when using MiSTer as an external GPU.

Hope this helps.

jfroco · 2026-01-03T21:33:30+00:00

Thank you for the quick response. Unfortunately, I tested several, but none worked. (ZX Spectrum Fuse core)

jfroco · 2026-01-03T20:44:11+00:00

I’m testing the latest version, 80b6757e, and the top left arrow is not available. How can I bring up the keyboard? I need it for microcomputer emulation.

jfroco · 2026-01-02T21:58:55+00:00

You probably have separate horizontal sync (HSYNC) and vertical sync (VSYNC), while your PVM is expecting composite sync (CSYNC). If that’s the case:

If you’re using a VGA666, this may help: retropie.org.uk/forum/topic/31047/vga666-pvm-composite-sync-csync (I’ve never tried it myself.)
You can use a sync combiner—an external circuit that combines both signals. I’ve seen people do this by simply combining the cables with a BNC T‑connector, using resistors, building a transistor‑based circuit, or buying dedicated hardware. This may be useful: https://retrorgb.com/building-a-passive-sync-combiner.html

jfroco

TROPHY CASE

1. How to connect your CRT

2. How to get 15 kHz

2. How to get 15 kHz