Been pondering this a lot lately... We have a retro computer club at the university with ~20 enthusiastic members and ~30 "standard" members :)
We organize a public retro computer event 2 times per year. Tomorrow we'll have our Retro V -event. We've been facing the same problem with every single public event:
We've got over 50 different computers/consoles, but it's a huge problem to get enough tellys for the event (crt/lcd). It's mpossible for our club to store such number of tellys, which usually menas we can only have something like 25 computers/consoles on display. We've got tens and tens of standard lcd monitors at our disposal, but the signal is not compatible (as we all know) >:(
Some of our members (not me!) are very good with electronics and I was thinking that if it would be possible to make ~10-15 (pretty cheap) rgb-to-vga- adapters to be used in our retro events. The television problem gets worse all the time, so we'd need to come up with a reasonable solutions here. Most of our devices output rgb-scart, but there are a number of composite-only devices also.
What would you do in a situation like this?
I'd rather go for SCART switches and A/V to SCART adapters.
That way you can have, say, 3 or 4 machines per TV, and switch between them any moment you like.
Of course, you can always have some interferences if you have serveral machines on on the same switch, but just disconnecting a cable will do it.
Good luck with your event! (Don't forget to post some pictures ;) )
A DIY RGB to VGA converter is very difficult to make cheaply. Upscaling the frequency from 15 to 31+ is the problem. To do this you need to store, sample and re-transmit the picture at double the rate the computer outputs. That said, China has come to our aid in the last few years and there are a few relatively cheap devices around. This one here: NEW Arcade game converter board RGB/CGA/EGA/YUV to VGA HD video converter HD9800 (http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/NEW-Arcade-game-converter-board-RGB-CGA-EGA-YUV-to-VGA-HD-video-converter-HD9800-/170855156687?pt=UK_VideoGames_VideoGameAccessories_VideoGameAccessories_JN&hash=item27c7c2cbcf)
Is relatively cheap and works well with anything that outputs RGB. Several users here (including myself) can confirm that.
I also own one of these: "http://www.pollin.de/shop/dt/OTA4ODcyOTk-/Computer_und_Zubehoer/Hardware/Monitore/Video_zu_VGA_Konverter_Box_PREMIUMBLUE_V2V.html" (http://www.pollin.de/shop/dt/OTA4ODcyOTk-/Computer_und_Zubehoer/Hardware/Monitore/Video_zu_VGA_Konverter_Box_PREMIUMBLUE_V2V.html");
This can be used to connect computers that don't have RGB, only Composite or S-Video, such as the Atari XL/XE, most Commodores and the early ZX Spectrums.
Bryce.
I've been planning to buy one of these (http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Arcade-game-RGB-CGA-EGA-YUV-to-VGA-HD-video-converter-board-1-VGA-output-/250893072432?pt=UK_Sound_Vision_Other&hash=item3a6a647830) RGB/RGBs/YUV to VGA converters for a while. Supposedly they work with CPCs, and look like they would also work with most anything else (given adapter cables). Pretty much the same thing as Bryce posted. I'll let you know how it goes.
I also have one of these (http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/AV-RCA-Composite-S-video-Input-to-VGA-Output-Monitor-Converter-Adapter-CCTV-DVD-/171008132520?pt=UK_Computing_Sound_Vision_Video_Cables_Adapters&hash=item27d0e105a8) composite to VGA converters, which works well enough for most things, but for some reason doesn't like megadrives (apparently works for genesis. I modded my megadrive to give an NTSC output and then it works fine, but that is not an easy mod).
A lot of retro hardware has RF out. Normally to get composite out it's a simple matter of finding the signal before it goes to the modulator and soldering some wires and a plug on. Many can also get RGB out in a similar way.
I think between them those two devices cover 99% of all retro video conversion issues (save for the megadrive :( ).
Thank you guys for the suggestions :) We actually got donated with 5 more crt tellys (33" Philips 100Hz bells'n whistles) models)... The only problem is the weight... aprr 70kg per unit :O The RetroV event was a success (in a little town we got appr. 300 participants) :) I'll post pictures soon.
*edit* Pictures added :) The other is a general overview (literally!) at the beginning, when there were not too many participatns yet. The other is me playing Blitz witn VIC-20 :D Notice the GX4000 on the table ;)
Ok, I could have posted the pics in a new post, but what the h*ck :)
Hehe, nice pictures!
Congratulations! It looks super nice 8)
Does indeed, shame more isn't happening in Greece...