VGA output

VGA Output

The Dreamcast can output a 480p progressive-scan signal over standard VGA, and for most games this is the sharpest, cleanest picture the console can produce. Because the image is progressive rather than interlaced, fine detail and text look crisp with none of the flicker seen on a CRT television. AV

What you need

VGA output requires a VGA box or VGA cable that plugs into the console's AV port and breaks out a standard VGA connector plus audio. A passive VGA box simply routes the signal, while a powered box can add features like a pass-through and a switch for incompatible titles.

• A VGA box or direct VGA cable for the Dreamcast.
• A display that accepts a 480p (31 kHz) VGA signal, such as a PC monitor or a compatible scaler.
• Separate audio outputs, since VGA carries no sound; most boxes provide stereo RCA or a headphone jack.

The compatibility caveat

A small number of games were written to run only in interlaced mode and will display a warning or a black screen when booted in VGA. Powered VGA boxes often include a switch that forces 31 kHz or drops to 15 kHz so these titles can run, and some software patches enable VGA on otherwise unsupported games.