Scalers & image processing

Choose first according to the console's output

Each box is designed for one family of signals. The BitFunx PS2 and PS3 converter plugs into the original AV output and draws power over USB. The PC Engine model accepts RGB and outputs 1080p with a 16:9 or 4:3 switch. The Mini DC takes VGA from a Dreamcast, and another model handles both RGB and YPbPr from a PS1 or a PS2 at 1080p. The RetroScaler2x, for its part, works on a generic AV input, doubling the lines before the HDMI output.

Doubling the lines is not the same as scaling to 1080p

• Line doubler: 240p becomes 480p, and the screen then finishes the enlargement its own way.
• 1080p scaler: the box delivers a fixed resolution directly, which is more stable on a flat screen.
• FPGA: a MiSTer board with 32 or 128 MB of SDRAM recreates the hardware; it does not convert an existing signal.

What it doesn't do

None of these boxes removes latency: conversion always adds a few milliseconds. Nor do they fix a blurry picture caused by a composite cable upstream, or a signal that is missing for want of an RGB mod. And the SDRAM and RTC boards are meant solely for the MiSTer FPGA on a DE10-Nano, not for an original console.

Connecting your console · Retro video cables · HDMI cables · Workshop & modding · Cables & connectors · Spare parts