Getting the best quality output from a GameCube can be complicated, depending on your display. This page touches upon all of those options, but most utilize the GameCube’s digital-out port. A note: Toward the end of the GameCube’s life, Nintendo stopped producing consoles with the digital-out port, presumably to save money, so if you plan on using a “GCVideo” solution, make sure your console has this:
HDMI Displays
If you’re looking to play GameCube games on your HDTV, you can buy a solution based on an open-source homebrew project called “GCVideo”. Some of these can be installed internally, but there are a few good plug-and-play options available that support all resolutions. Also, GCVideo 480i output has an option to “bob deinterlace” to 480p. The result of that type of deinterlacing is a tiny bit flickery, but ads zero lag. This is extremely important, as the Time Sleuth has proved that most TV’s are significantly laggier when used with 480i signals, even in game mode!!
Insurrection’s HDMI-Outputing Carby: https://retrorgb.link/sagcarby
RetroBit’s Prism: https://retrorgb.link/prismhdmi
Eon’s Dual-output MK-II *HDMI + RGB/Component via Wii Multi-Out: https://retrorgb.link/saggchdmkii
*As a note, buying a Prism or Carby and a cheap HDMI to Component converter will get you the same quality output as the much more expensive MK-II. You can even use dual output if you add an HDMI splitter.
If your GameCube doesn’t have a Digital AV Out port, you can install an internal HDMI mod that can also scale the image to higher resolutions. Buying and installing this is more expensive than just buying a second GameCube and a Carby, but if you’d prefer an internal mod, or don’t want to get a different GC, check out the RetroGEM: http://retrorgb.link/retrogem
Component Video Cables
The current cheapest solution for Component Video / YPbPr output, are cables from Retro-Bit that are based off the GCVideo project. They’re not perfect, but reasonably priced. Nintendo made official component video cables that perform great however they’re very expensive. Nintendo of Japan sold the exact same cables, but with a D-Terminal connector on the other end that you can sometimes find cheaper. Then you could either mod the cable, or just get a cheap D-Terminal to RCA adapter.
Retro-Bit GCVideo-Based: https://amzn.to/3OZ5YUk
Original Nintendo Component Cables*: https://ebay.us/ozei7O
Original Nintendo D-Terminal Cables*: https://ebay.us/2AWKOJ
D-Terminal to Component Video Adapters*: https://ebay.us/dbfLSa
*As an eBay Partner, I may be compensated if you make a purchase.
RGB SCART
If you’re looking for RGB SCART output from your GameCube, there’s a few options. First, the aforementioned Eon MK-II can output RGB via an RGB cable. You could also use any of the HDMI solutions and combine them with any HDMI to VGA converter and an HD15-2-SCART.
PAL GameCube’s also output RGB natively using a standard PAL SNES RGB SCART cable, however the output is limited to 240p and 480i – 480p isn’t supported at all.
S-Video
NTSC GameCubes can output S-Video, just by using a SNES S-Video cable, such as the ones linked on the SNES page. PAL GameCube’s don’t output S-Video at all.
The RAD2x cables plug into any SNES-style multi-out and output 480p HDMI. The GCVideo solutions are better, as they support all the resolutions the GameCube has to offer and are a true digital-to-digital solution. There are a few scenarios in which you might want to use them with your GameCube and I actually did a whole section of a video on them here: https://youtu.be/O4HBvpRIwa4
1) If your GameCube doesn’t have a digital output port, the RAD2x is pretty much your only solution. It’ll be fine with PAL GC’s, but NTSC GC’s will default to composite-to-HDMI conversion.
2) If you have a PAL GameCube, the RAD2x cables will convert it’s RGB signal to HDMI. If the library of games you play are 480i (or the Game Boy Interface software), the RAD2x might be an excellent solution. In fact, the RAD2x’s smoothing feature seems to help the look of 480i games, so this might be a bonus for some people.
3) You’re buying the RAD2x to use with SNES or N64. If that’s the case and you don’t already own a GCVideo solution, just try it on your GameCube and see what you think. Even if you have an NTSC GC that will only be a composite to HDMI conversion, it might hold you off until you get a GCVideo solution.
Native RGB-out vs GCVideo / Official Component RGB-out
I was curious if there would be a difference between analog solutions that use the digital-out port (GCVIdeo or official component) and RGB out from a PAL GameCube. I think the digital-out solutions produced a slightly sharper picture than the analog PAL RGB output. Here’s a quick 480i comparison taken on an RGB monitor…high quality captures will eventually replace these (click on all pictures for full-sized versions):
Please click here to go back to the main GameCube Page. If you’d like info on mods for other systems, head to the Getting RGB From Each System page or check out the main page for more retro-awesomeness.
