RCA to HDMI for older consoles. What options do you recommend?

Hi guys,

I have a Wii, went to connect it to the tv (TCL L65E5510FDS) only to realise it doesn't have any RCA or component connectors. Closest thing seems to be a 3.5mm 'CMP IN (YPbPr) adapter' connection, which a quick google seems to be for a (female)Components > 3.5mm adapter.

The only other connectors are 1x VGA & a few HDMI. Apparently you can get RCA > HDMI, but, apparently many are terrible?

Just wondering, how do you guys setup your RCA out consoles to larger LCD tvs? ideally and RCA > HDMI would be good as I also have an old 'SEGA Mega Drive II' that I'd like to get up and running again.

I should note, it seems this TV is 4k, I don't know how these consoles look on a 65' 4k screen, especially at 4k res.

Any suggestions on a budget-friendly way? or any way really.

 

Shop | RetroTINK



JSmith

 

Jesus they are expensive - check Retroscaler2x, does the job have been happy with mine on a 4K TV with not many inputs.

 

first answer, right answer

combine with quality component cables.

 

That's the equivalent of the Retrotink 2x though which is $99. The Retroscaler2x looks like its about the same or slightly more expensive?

That Retrotink 4k is expensive, but you're looking at CRT emulation on a 4K screen at that crazy price. It literally emulates the RGB dots on a CRT on a 4K display. Those are not the same products as the $99 jobs.

 

For Wii the electron shepherd version is actually reasonable, unlike the cheap ones that you referenced and should be avoided at all costs.

For the SEGA Mega Drive II, a RAD2X could also be an option.

If you only have those two consoles? the above is probably how I would do it, and neither involve having to use the crappy RCA out.

But otherwise an OSSC (clone if you must) with decent cables (although more expensive) would be a more flexible option in the long run i.e. if you have or get more retro consoles.

 

Pretty damn sure this question has been answered many many times before..

Retro display solutions (monitors, TVs, CRTs, flatscreens, upscaling, calibration) | Page 69 | OCAU Forums

pls use the search function before starting a new thread.

 

Your TV looks to have composite and component inputs, just annoyingly via a 3.5mm jack (to save space).

You need a 3.5 mm 4-conductor TRRS to female RCA adapter.

This should work (the colour code might not correspond): https://www.ebay.com.au/itm/332896432610

The component input should also work, assuming the component audio input is a separate jack.

The TV would have come with these adapters, so hopefully you've got them tucked away in a random box of cables.

 

Is the GBS control worth the $100?

 

This post pretty much ends the thread. BUT for the sake of completeness or for anyone else with a similar problem, you have a VGA port. RCA to VGA adaptors are a static circuit for analog to analog conversion. So they don't introduce lag and they are cheap. They start at $2 on Alibaba.
Or here's a fancier one for $5: https://www.radioparts.com.au/produ...2_v3oqGVQkDjPnzCvuqlJ5pF0nqNFPMkaAuWJEALw_wcB

Note: if your TV just does internal analog (VGA) to digital conversion it might be as laggy as any VGA to HDMI or RCA to HDMI convertor. But it shouldn't be worse, and it it might be much better

 

It's a Wii, component cables are super cheap, like 10 bucks on Ali, will give the best picture possible at 480p on any component capable tv.

 

Sorry for the delay in responding. Much appreciate the feedback

Thanks JSmith, a bit on the pricey side for me (at the moment), but certainly looks like a nice bit of kit.

Thanks for the suggestion Byrd. I had a read up on it, but many of the comments say it doesn't handle PAL very well & the image is only clear for NTSC. Are you running any PAL through it, are you able to confirm?

Thanks Power . That RetroTink was a bit more than I expected something like that would cost, but I guess it's quality stuff. With the cables though, The Wii has the composite RCA cables, but the TV seems to only have the Component (RGB) to 3.5mm jack. They sell Wii to component, but then I'd have to get a component to 3.5mm then another audio to 3.5mm, correct?

Thanks for the suggestions Bester . Only have the two consoles for now, so was hoping to get a single solution that I can interchange instead of getting adpaters for each, but I'll certainly watch some videos on them .

I did have a look at the OSSC, damn that's pricey, even the AEx clone & $100ish. I've never heard of this unit before so I'll have to watch some video reviews on them. Thanks for the suggestions

Thank you BuuBox . Unfortunately it looks like the tv only has the RGB to 3.5mm connectors for the individual red/green/blue, not the RCA (yellow/red/white) I have on the Wii, otherwise that adapter would be alright. I think I might have to get the user manual from TCL (if they'll respond to email) & see if it mentions the adapter that came with that tv. The tv was a hand-me-down (no complaints from me though, not a bad tv), so unfortunately I don't have the adapters .

Thanks Tompee . Unfortunately the Wii only has the Yellow/Red/white connectors, not the Red/Green/Blue. I'd have to get the Wii to component cable then an adapter from RGB to 3.5mm, & another adapter for audio to 3.5mm
Regarding the VGA adapter, that's a good idea. The one you linked though is for RGB, but I see they have RCA to vga, but, for some reason, all three yellow/red/white adapt into the vga port. VGA is video only, no? Not sure why the audio connectors would go into the vga :/. I'll have to look into that more.

Thanks Vanne . That looks like one option to go, but then I'd have to get the component to 3.5mm adapter, same with audio, but it's certainly something to consider.


Question: Those AV receivers, the things with a million connectors on the back of them, has anyone used one with an old console? Do they convert the analogue > digital signals well? ie. if I connect RCA (yellow/red/white) as the inputs, then output via hdmi to tv, is that an option?

Thanks again for all the information. I'll have to watch some videos and see what's available. Hopefully TCL get back to me with a link to the user manual, then hopefully it'll tell me more about that 3.5mm connector. Thanks guys.

 

You'd think so but not always. With that TCL TV the OP is using it might not be so great since the panels native resolution is different it's going to use the TVs scaler to do the scaling on the image.

Id go wii component cable, into a retrotink, then HDMI to the TV. A few steps there but it's going to be a better picture than straight component.

 

Sure,but as a scan dubbler, the tv will probably do some rubbish to the HDMI in signal anyways, and your talking about a 10 bucks solution vs a 150 buck solution. The best option, cash being zero issues is a wiidual. Budget friendly would be component.



As long as you stay away from this rubbish, no doubt anything else will be fine.

 

No worries... yeah, they are pricey.

Here is a 2nd hand one on eBay, which has make an offer if that helps at all;

https://www.ebay.com/itm/127002870448



JSmith

 

I agree. I think though not many people realise the component input on modern TVs is often rubbish compared to the HDMI. I'm not sure why this is, but on a couple of my TVs component looks terrible vs the same 480p input via hdmi. It's like modern TVs have cheaped out on whatever chipset is used to convert component to digital. One of my Hisense TVs (bad brand i know) adds visible colour banding and what looks like compression artifacts, combined with a bad fuzzy effect when using component.

 

If only it was a warm fuzzy feeling...

 

I’ve been using one of the sub $20 wii2hdmi adaptors for years with no issues and image quality that at least matches what component would be - I say get one if you just want a cheap solution. At least it will use your TVs best inputs.

Re AV receivers:
I have also done this using Wii component into a high End Yamaha (an Rxa-2030) which converted it to hdmi. The specific features is called analog to digital video conversion/upscaling. HOWEVER basically all models that are not high end these days do not convert their analog video to hdmi - this feature is dying out. The majority of AVRs that have component and composite inputs do not convert their analog video to hdmi output. You must check the specs to be sure.

Example: the denon avrx3500 did have this conversion feature and one or two generations later they deleted the feature!

 

I'd suggest finding a second hand surround AV receiver. It should give you a bunch of old analog inputs, and it'll also upscale to 1080P. Add some speakers for surround sound when you feel like it....

I literally ran a company for nearly 25 years where this was one of the core requirements for many years.

I don't know what the latest generation of receivers are doing, but if you look back about 5 years, any AV receiver of that generation should do the trick, and I have found Yamaha, Denon and Marantz to be generally bullet proof. I still have a Marantz SR5006 going strong. I would sell 4-5 year old AVR's for $50-$100 back when I was upgrading clients (many were sold here).

Just check the specs before committing.

Z...

 

Not disagree with you,, but you might be confusing composite (yellow RCA) with component? (Blue red green)?

Those wii2hdmi pos I wouldn't piss on if it was on fire..the difference between that and component is day and night.