Recommendation : eBay's retrocomputershack

[crayzyian]

All,


Another piece of kit I purchased recently was the "Amstrad CPC 464 & 6128 High Quality POWERED RGB Scart Cable TV Video Lead" from retrocomputershack who reside on eBay.


Whilst my original CPC colour monitor works fine, they aren't exactly conducive to modern living and I was intrigued to see how my CPC would look on a more modern device, accepting I already had an idea from emulators.  Anyway, I purchased the above for £15 delivered, along with the appropriate 5v power adaptor (£5 delivered) as the lead is powered and you need to still be able to fire up your CPC!  It's worked brilliantly straight out of the packet, although the instructions were so clear anyone could follow them.


The picture quality is amazing AND the sound that is taken from the I/O port when plugged into an amplifier is great too (game dependent of course!).  My set-up allows me to run the CPC through a Samsung sound bar, which is ridiculous compared to my experiences to date - via the mono speaker at the back!


It just makes my CPC more accessible as a whole and now, much to my wife's chagrin, I fear more funds will be spend on the resurrection of this pastime of mine!

[Gryzor]

Indeed the sound is a whole new experience if you route it through an amp. I still remember the first time I did it!

As for the image, though... nothing beats a good old CRT

PS the 464 was my first computer, with a green monitor. When I discovered the graces of SCART and plugged it into our living room TV I was blown away. I still remember the sensation that yellow on blue caused in me...

[VintageAdvantage]

Are we trying to bump up the sales for our Ebay buddies here or what? 


Can you guys stop promoting random Ebay stores for stuff like cables that any tool can solder himself??
What is going on in this forum. 


Is there a moderator around that would flag *AND REMOVE* these commercial interest only posts please.
I have NOT INTEREST in yet another source of commercial spam. 

[norecess464]

Well, I have absolutely no interest in making any kind of adverts for retrocomputershack -- but I also bought the cable mentioned above and I can confirm how good it is.

To me, there is no shame to talk about that, if the service is great. Why complaining, why everything should be wrong (even on eBay) ?

[Gryzor]

Calm down mate. We share information on sellers all the time - good or bad. No problem with that.

Plus, not everyone can or wants to build their own cables, you know.

Is there a moderator around that would flag *AND REMOVE* these commercial interest only posts please.

You did notice me commenting above, right?

[Bryce]

Are we trying to bump up the sales for our Ebay buddies here or what? 


Can you guys stop promoting random Ebay stores for stuff like cables that any tool can solder himself??
What is going on in this forum. 


Is there a moderator around that would flag *AND REMOVE* these commercial interest only posts please.
I have NOT INTEREST in yet another source of commercial spam. 

You have got to be kidding! That's rich coming from a guy who's last post was a link to a product on Amazon (the second time in your entire 38 posts that you peddled your dodgy American junk merchant friend. Trying to boost their sales perhaps?), then posted products from some unknown Comic Auction site and if that wasn't enough even posted this comment: "For widespread global distribution of my product" trying to promote your own product that isn't even retro computer related!

The shop that crazyian linked to is indeed a great guy (no friend of crazyian or myself) who unlike other ebay peddlers, actually cares whether his products work and gives great support and service to this community. And no, not every "tool" can make their own cable, just like not every tool can tell the difference between spam and someone who is genuinely happy with a source of retro gear and wants to let others know.

Check out your own behaviour before judging others.


Bryce.

[VintageAdvantage]

The shop that crazyian linked to is indeed a great guy (no friend of crazyian or myself) who unlike other ebay peddlers, actually cares whether his products work and gives great support and service to this community.

The he should have the balls to promote his stuff here in person and not let others do it for him.
That way he can also collect the backlash and negativity in person that other CPC enthusiasts putting up their products for discussion here are getting from the negativity in this forum. 

[Gryzor]

Dude, calm down. Read again what we wrote. People are free to share opinions and recommend products. End of story.

[crayzyian]

It's stranger on here than I thought...

[Gryzor]

It's stranger on here than I thought...

You mean stranger than 40-year-olds tinkering with old computers?

[Carnivius]

Can you guys stop promoting random Ebay stores for stuff like cables that any tool can solder himself??

I can't. I'm a simpleton when it comes to that and I'd rather just buy one.

[nicf82]

Have you tried it with a SCART to HDMI adapter?

[crayzyian]

Have you tried it with a SCART to HDMI adapter?

Is that a recommendation or a question (I haven't by the way)?!

[nicf82]

Just a question  as i have a TV without a SCART socket

[VintageAdvantage]

And here we go again - another case of ICBBTUTFSFAWAUCM 
Let me know if you want to know what that stands for.

[crayzyian]

Further to this topic.


I know SCART flickering has been covered elsewhere in this forum, but I had a problem only with specific games.  The two that I had an issue with were Wonder Boy and Turrican; I was all set to have a go at the capacitor modification, albeit my soldering skills are more than a little dusty!  Anyway I thought I'd give things another go.


The TV I'm using is a not all that modern but very flexible JVC 22".  It has multiple inputs which is great for vintage gaming.  I'd been running my CPC464 through it via the SCART lead I started this article with using 16:9 picture size - I mean why not right.  I appreciate occasionally game sprites can look a bit deformed, but many of them were deformed when programmed!  Having previously set the incoming signal to RGB, which the TV settings allowed, with no luck I thought - let's try image size.  Weirdly this worked - moving to 14:9 has fixed both games out - no soldering required!


Could be this discovery, for want of a better word, helps others...

[VintageAdvantage]

Never had any scart flickering. I think the only thing that discovers is that your TV is crap.

[crayzyian]

Never had any scart flickering. I think the only thing that discovers is that your TV is crap.

Others have.

ICBBTUTFSFAWAUCM