GT / EXPRESS video output... LCD upgrade possibilites?

[cheezio]

I was wondering if anyone knew what information was sent along that orange  flexicable inside a GT/Turboexpress - the one that runs from the main board to the LCD screen (not the one from the tv tuner).

It surely wouldn't be so simple to be Red Green Blue signals?

I am just wondering theoretically, whether an Express/GT could be modded to either:

1. RGB output to a telly.
or
2. Be hooked up to a more modern LCD screen (one that has a high enough resolution to display all the pixels)

Imagine a DSLite quality screen in your GT/Express!

[MotherGunner]

DLite had modded a TE to use a PS One Monitor.  However it would be interested to have a TE with the top part of a DS Lite.

[cheezio]

a quick search let me find that DS top screens are available from ebay etc, for about £20 including postage.

the DS screen is - 256x192 pixels

but for Pc engines Wikipedia states -
# X (Horizontal) Resolution: variable, maximum of 512 (programmable in increments of 8 pixels)
# Y (Vertical) Resolution: variable, maximum of 242 (programmable in increments of 1 scanline)
"The vast majority of TurboGrafx-16 games use 256×224, though some games, such as Sherlock Holmes Consulting Detective did use 512×224. Chris Covell's 'High-Resolution Slideshow' uses 512×240."

sooooo.... the DS screen would still be too low to fit all the pixels in - which is a bummer

[Odonadon]

a quick search let me find that DS top screens are available from ebay etc, for about £20 including postage.

the DS screen is - 256x192 pixels

but for Pc engines Wikipedia states -
# X (Horizontal) Resolution: variable, maximum of 512 (programmable in increments of 8 pixels)
# Y (Vertical) Resolution: variable, maximum of 242 (programmable in increments of 1 scanline)
"The vast majority of TurboGrafx-16 games use 256×224, though some games, such as Sherlock Holmes Consulting Detective did use 512×224. Chris Covell's 'High-Resolution Slideshow' uses 512×240."

sooooo.... the DS screen would still be too low to fit all the pixels in - which is a bummer

Not necessarily, would you really be able to notice a difference in res between 256x192 and 512x224 at gaming distances?  Sure the screens are different shapes, but even if the resolution is halfed you should be fine.  I can't tell you how many arcade roms I've played on my Treo, for example, with native resolutions much higher than my Treo's 320x320.  Thanks to software, shrinking happens

However, this doesn't help you at all since I have no idea what you can do to get the game image on the DS LCD  It won't be like replacing it with a factory screen.

OD

[cheezio]

yeah - is hard to find any info on the pinouts of lcd screens

[MotherGunner]

Yeah if DLite was here he could tell us about how he hooked up that PS One Screen.

[grahf]

Well, ive been working on this very thing (sort of as a side, side project). Hooking up a (sony brand) psone screen is easy, since they nativly support RGB input. Thats a really awesome screen since it has so many inputs.   What i want to do is install a new internal screen, something that will fit inside the case. Probably around 3" or so. The problem is that small RGB compatable LCDs are near impossible to find.  

99% of the screens you find will take a composite input fairly easy. What im doing is tracing the composite output on a TG16/PCE, and recreating it on a small board to install in the GT/Express. Im pretty sure i traced the entire composite circuit correctly. There are a few components on other pins of the hu6260 which are present in the TG16 but not the express. I still have to add those. Here is a post of my shitty schematic for anyone who cares:
http://nfggames.com/forum/index.php?showtopic=2150

[cheezio]

looking at the DS lite lcds on ebay, there are lots of wires poking out, i wonder where in the world (web for that matter) you could find the pinouts? need one to test on ideally, but a bit expensive.

image a GT with a phat PSP installed  (ignoring aspect ratios for a moment)

[grahf]

I havnt looked into it at all, but I can make an educated guess that using a DS screen is near impossible. Most LCDs need a digital input, and need to be hooked to a suitable control IC to work.  You cant just feed a signal rght into the screen.

[MotherGunner]

Can the IC be built?

[Duo_R]

like the beginning of Altered Beast this forums needs to "rise from your grave." This is exactly what I intend to do with my TE (replace with a 3-3.5" screen). Grahf did u ever have luck? I now that Benheck uses screens from a certain portable TV using RGB connection. I am ready to do the upgrade. I will probably hook up to a PS1 screen first, then move forward with screen upgrade. I have had it with squinting to read password entries.

[Lord Thag]

like the beginning of Altered Beast this forums needs to "rise from your grave." This is exactly what I intend to do with my TE (replace with a 3-3.5" screen). Grahf did u ever have luck? I now that Benheck uses screens from a certain portable TV using RGB connection. I am ready to do the upgrade. I will probably hook up to a PS1 screen first, then move forward with screen upgrade. I have had it with squinting to read password entries.

Doncha mean 'Wise fwom your gwave'? 

I'd love an upgraded TE. It would be awesome if someone found a way to do this!