GBA Video out

Mikey42 · Post by **Mikey42** » Mon Sep 15, 2008 8:00 am

Hello everyone, this is my first post here, after finding the site on google.

I am currently interested in a GBA Video out capture card, that is, to get the video signal sent to the GBA's LCD into my computer. I have found a solution at: http://bripro.com/low/hardware/vidcap/index.php, with a picture of the actual device here:

so far I have not found any schematics on the site, and wondering if anyone here has any knowledge in the area.

I did a quick search of the forums before, but could not seem to turn up any results.

Thanks in advance for any help!

P.S sorry about the huge picture

nitro2k01 · Post by **nitro2k01** » Mon Sep 15, 2008 10:28 am

If you just want to connect your GBA to a TV or bigger screen, go for the GBA 2 TV device. It's composite by default, but unless I'm mistaken, it can be modded to output RGB.

palmertech · Post by **palmertech** » Mon Sep 15, 2008 4:54 pm

Only the GBA Transverter can be RGB modded. Honestly, your best beet is to just get a gamecube and a gameboy player and a video capture card. Or, use an emulator.

bacteria · Post by **bacteria** » Mon Sep 15, 2008 8:53 pm

There are two boards for GBA TV out:

GBA Transverter - one I use, have one of them, used on my Nintendo 64 Advance project, ripped apart for the board and nearing completion of a GBA plug'n'play for my Mini project (will post in next day or two after painting). This can do RGB and composite. As hard to get hold of these days as an honest public-spirited politician.

GBA TV Converter - this can do RGB too; hard to get hold of but you can get them sometimes. Issue is that they clip to the back of the GBA LCD ribbon, which is rather hit and miss and a daft way to do it. The Transverter has a ribbon to connect to the GBA like the LCD screen does, so easy. Try and find one on e-bay.

It was hard to get this information a couple of years ago when I was searching for it.

RGB pinouts:

You also need to put in C-sync and also ground. In pic below, red=C-sync, blue=ground.

Look at this site for more details. It looks like the guy who make this RGB mod is the one responsible for the demise of the GBA Transverter for patent reasons, anyway, screenshots and pinout on his page!

http://www.konlabs.com/articles_data/gb ... /index.htm

GBA TV Converter:

Also worth looking at:

http://www.konlabs.com/articles_data/gb ... /index.htm

Mikey42 · Post by **Mikey42** » Mon Sep 15, 2008 9:08 pm

Thanks for the replies!

@bacteria:

I have been to that site already (great project), and am going to do attempt the joystick mod, seems pretty straightforward.

I have already seen the GBA transverter and the TV converter, but these devices are not what I am looking for. I really need some sort of video capture device as can be found at: http://bripro.com/low/hardware/vidcap/index.php.

I have sent an email to the author, but have not received a reply yet.

At the moment I am trying to find information on the GBA LCD pin outs/protocol to try and replicate the device myself, but this information is somewhat hard to come by. If anyone knows anything about the GBA LCD protocol I would love to hear it!

palmertech · Post by **palmertech** » Mon Sep 15, 2008 9:32 pm

You could ask those chinese people who make GBA video input cards.

What do you need it for? A lot of times there are better ways to do things.

Mikey42 · Post by **Mikey42** » Mon Sep 15, 2008 9:35 pm

You could ask those Chinese people who make GBA video input cards

Could you please elaborate on this? Are these cards like the GBA transverter and TV converter or something different?

palmertech · Post by **palmertech** » Mon Sep 15, 2008 10:01 pm

They let you plug stuff into the gba sp screen. Obviously, those people have figured out the GBA LCD protocall, might be worth asking them.

If you can find them.

And learn Chinese.

bacteria · Post by **bacteria** » Tue Sep 16, 2008 3:46 am

If anyone knows of any sources for the two cards I mentioned before, or any other TV out GBA cards for the GBA original or SP models, perhaps they could post them.

It is far more fun playing on a 5.4" screen than the pokey one one a GBA or SP, and playing them on a larger portable is far better for adult hands.

So, if anyone has links, please post them. I have my Transverter card, only one; I am sure some people here would like to mod a GBA with TV out.