HDMI options

HDMI Options

The Dreamcast has no native HDMI output, since the console predates the standard entirely. To get a digital signal onto a modern flat-panel television you must convert one of the console's analog outputs, and the approach you choose has a large impact on lag and image quality. AV

Conversion paths

There are two broad strategies for reaching HDMI, each starting from a different source signal.

• VGA to HDMI takes the console's sharp 480p VGA output and feeds it into a scaler or converter. Because the source is already progressive and high quality, results are excellent. A good external scaler upscales cleanly with low latency.
• Composite or RGB to HDMI uses a converter on the standard-definition signal. This works on any television but generally looks softer and can add more lag than the VGA route.

Choosing hardware

Dedicated retro upscalers accept the Dreamcast's VGA or RGB signal and output a clean HDMI picture with adjustable scanlines and minimal delay. Cheaper all-in-one converter boxes are far less expensive but vary widely in quality and lag.