Using bigger LCD on GBA?

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wilykat
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Joined:Thu Jul 26, 2012 8:21 pm
Using bigger LCD on GBA?

Post by wilykat » Tue Dec 03, 2013 3:39 am

Can it be done somehow?I like playing some GBA games and some of them aren't ported to DSi/3DS yet so I can't take advantage of the XL bigger screen for some games.

I have seen some information about TV out for original GBA but no schematic and finding a brand new TV out addon seems rather hard these day. For some reason Google thinks I am looking for TV Tuner (which is for using GBA's screen as monitor) and it won't work with what I wanted to try. So if anyone knows, I'd like a schematic or something so I could hack the GBA I have and hook it to a 4" LCD panel

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MegatronUK
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Joined:Sat Apr 04, 2009 12:08 pm

Re: Using bigger LCD on GBA?

Post by MegatronUK » Tue Dec 03, 2013 1:19 pm

I've just started a project along the same lines.

I'm taking an original GBA (non-SP), an Innovation GBA TV Out, and building it into a miniature bartop-style arcade cabinet with a PSOne screen, uprated speakers, arcade joystick and buttons. It will use a EZ Flash IV, so it can be preloaded with games and I don't have to swap carts all the time. I'm hoping to build in all the options I would need - additional RGB scart output for a monitor/tv, GBA/GC link cable etc.

Fortunately, there's a seller on ebay now with multiple GBA TV Out adapters:

http://www.ebay.com/itm/Plug-your-GBA-G ... 27d6108bb4" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Note, these are not the best model - the one to go for is the rare GBA Transverter. However, you can still get pretty good output from the GBA TV Out if you mod it for RGB (which, using it with a PSOne screen, I will be). To get a bigger display, you'll need one of these:

GBA Transverter
Innovation GBA TV Out / Tv de Advance

Hope that helps!

wilykat
Posts:21
Joined:Thu Jul 26, 2012 8:21 pm

Re: Using bigger LCD on GBA?

Post by wilykat » Tue Dec 03, 2013 6:24 pm

Why go with PSOne display? They costs quite a bit on eBay compared to generic LCD TV. PSOne's LCD is over 10 years old, some of the LCD modules today are much sharper and clearer if you can get the RGB connected like PSOne RGB can be. Plus you'd need to hack it for LED to reduce battery consumption. Seems like a fair amount of work.

I'd look into that eBay seller, and see if I can dig up a nice 5 or 6" LCD with documented analog RGB connection.

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MegatronUK
Posts:177
Joined:Sat Apr 04, 2009 12:08 pm

Re: Using bigger LCD on GBA?

Post by MegatronUK » Wed Dec 04, 2013 2:59 pm

The problem is simply finding one with rgb support that isn't widescreen. There are hundreds with composite or svideo support and 31KHz vga, but very few these days with 15KHz rgb support.

You could always go GBA TV Out (with rgb mod) -> GBS-8220 Scaler -> 31KHz VGA panel, but I have found absolutely zero examples of anyone doing that, so I don't want to throw money away on a scaler and vga panel if the output is going to suck - remember that the GBA outputs an 'almost' 480i image, rather than 240p, so I simply don't know how well that will look on an high resolution display.

I also don't need to consider power consumption for my intended use - my GBA project is a miniature arcade cab, not a portable. I've used the PSOne screen in the past (my Minimig laptop back in 2009) and was very pleased with the output. That said, if I could find an alternative 5-6" 4:3 aspect ratio display at a reasonable price with good quality rgb display (therefore not Joytech, Innotec, Thrustmaster, or PS2/GC screen), I'd go for it.

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