If you're of a certain age you'll understand the struggles we went through to get the absolute best picture quality out of our consoles back in the day. The GameCube was no different; in fact, we remember paying well over the odds for a modified Component-to-RGB Scart cable in order to get our NTSC GameCube running on a European TV, as the NTSC didn't offer native RGB connection. Those were the days. Or perhaps they weren't, to be honest. Thank goodness for the global standard of HDMI, eh?
The best official solution was, until recently, the Official Nintendo GameCube Component Cable that would have set you back around £60/$70 at launch. Whilst component provided the best quality image (480p baby), it wasn't the common cable of choice as it was only compatible with higher-end TVs, the result being that the cable wasn't made in huge numbers and is now particularly hard to come across for a sensible price – you're talking upwards of £200/$200 these days.
Fast forward to 2019, and there are a couple of nifty HDMI adaptors that give you a pure digital signal from the GameCube over HDMI. The cool thing about these adaptors is that they take advantage of the fact that the Official Component cable contained a processor that did all the grunt work converting the signal into a component image. These cables have then been reverse-engineered into a circuit board dubbed 'GC-Video' which allows for the HDMI signal to exist. Cool, right?
The latest product to hit the market in this arena is the Carby Component Cable from Insurrection Industries. This is, in fact, a reproduction Component cable that makes use of a custom version of the 'GC-Video' system to create a component image, and therefore shouldn't be considered a like-for-like replacement for the official cable – but, given the fact that it comes with the same connections, it's clearly aiming for the same sector of the market.
We've been really impressed with the HDMI adaptors and therefore wanted to give this new cable a spin and compare it to the other options available.
Official Nintendo GameCube Component Cable
The original, the benchmark. The official cable is wonderful and even comes with this box that you can put on your shelf, knowing that you have the best official cable on the market. If you want to run your system on an old-school TV and get the best possible picture, then this is the one to beat. The catch? It costs a bomb on the secondary market, hence the arrival of the more sensibly-priced Carby Component Cable.
Price: ~£200/$250+
Carby Component Cable (Insurrection Industries)
The new entry, the young pretender. Whilst this isn't the exact same processor as the official cable, it's got some cool features of its own, including a "custom, high-quality, metal-shielded digital video connector providing a secure and reliable connection to your GameCube", along with a "custom 1.9 meter (~6 foot), premium-quality, double shielded, 75Ω coaxial cable that is terminated with 75Ω BNC connectors for the highest quality and most secure connection to professional video equipment" and "includes 75Ω BNC-to-RCA converters for total compatibility with consumer component video devices". All sounds pretty swish to us, and, while it's still quite expensive, it's nowhere near as costly as the official option.
Price: $89.50
GCHD (EON)
For a large number of people, the preferred option is going to be HDMI; not only will it work best with your fancy 4K screen, it provides a digital signal that is good for upscaling. The unit isn't cheap though as we mentioned in our review, but it's probably the most practical choice for a lot of consumers. There is also a cheaper MK-I model available which costs even less but lacks some of the functions of the MK-II.
Price: ~£119.99 / $130
Comparisons
You'll have to forgive our crude comparison here. We hooked up each of the cables to a DOL-001 NTSC GameCube and our 42" 1080p Sony Bravia LED TV. Using picture mode "Standard" with the factory settings for the most simple/fair tests we can think of. We thought about doing capture of this test, but to be honest, it's all about how it looks on a TV.
Conclusions
On our test TV, the results were actually very similar between all three options; they all gave a pretty clear image that, with further picture settings tweaks, would be very nice indeed.
Unsurprisingly, we still feel that the Official Component Cable just edges it when it comes to the base image; there is just something slightly smoother and nicer about it. In conclusion, all three options have their place.
So, if you definitely want analogue component (say, on a heavier-than-the-moon CRT screen) then the Official Cable is still the best choice; however, if you care about your weary bank balance, the Carby cable is a very worthy alternative. If you want to use HDMI to a gigantic modern flat-panel, then the GCHD is probably the best option for you. Combine this with an mClassic upscaler, and you'll be the talk of the town.
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Comments 38
Dems like it's a viable option, which is great at that price.
Official Gamecube Component cable was really insane expensive.
I use my Wii to play Gamecube games with Wii component cable that much cheaper than Gamecube component cable.
I have always wondered how a HD Component cable using a GCN vs a HD Component cable using a Wii playing a GCN game was in comparison. I assume that using a Wii to play GCN games in HD is equal to or better than using the Gamecube itself right?
But to my recollection, this wont work with European Gamecube systems/software right? Soomething about lacking Progressive Scan?
Gamecube Component>Wii Component. There are a few Youtube videos demonstrating the subtle differences.
Or you can buy the Carby HDMI adapter instead which offer better result and is cheaper than both the GCHD and component cable. Combine it with the mClassic adapter to make for a great combo for your retro HD gaming on modern display.
However; the Carby and GC-HD images are somehow a little bit zoomed in; especially the GC-HD.
I've been paying my GameCube a lot more attention recently.
What I've learned is that the difference between the base Analogue-to-Scart connection is not drastically different to the best money can buy, so if you're interested in this area but baulk at the cost involved, it's really not worth losing sleep over.
I've still got my GC component cable, although mine came pre-modded with a VGA plug to output VGA so it only worked with 480p games (which was pretty much all of the ones I had IIRC).
It looked great on my old CRT monitor back in the day; games like Metroid Prime looked so pin-sharp it was hard to believe it was only 640x480. For some reason the Wii's component output never looked anywhere near as sharp to me.
It doesn't go for silly money that alone makes it viable.
Nice. I’d consider to reconnect my GameCube for the Game Boy Player. I loved to play GBA games on the big screen.
@SpacedDuck the digital port on the GameCube is better than any of the options Wii offers as far as I'm concerned. So I would stick to GameCube hardware for GameCube games.
@Knuckles-Fajita quite a lot of PAL games supported 60hz mode (and therefore 480p) but some of the early ones didn't.
just use Dolphin emulator.
@retro_player_22 the Carby adapter is the best. It also comes with a remote.
Edit. Sorry just saw your picture.
Why oh why didn’t they compare the Carby HDMI adapter too?? Because that’s the cheapest HDMI option available and picture quality is comparable to the EON.
@antdickens Interesting. I may look into this then.
What did I learn here? Nothing.
@ehhh_puuutooo
I don't want to use Dolphin. I want to play on actual hardware on a TV.
That's where the Cube belongs.
@antdickens what is the comparison with hdmi converter through Wii?
@Balta666 I don't know to be honest... but I'm pretty sure those will be starting off with an analogue signal, which isn't great. The GCHD will process a digital signal to HDMI so should be much better.
I've always been curious about getting one of these products but the price always holds me back
@antdickens thanks
@Knuckles-Fajita @antdickens with regards to 480p / component cables on a PAL Gamecube.
PAL Gamecubes ARE capable of outputting 480p via the Digital AV Out. However, PAL games do NOT output 480p officially, only NTSC games do, so you have to use NTSC games to benefit from 480p. Not all NTSC games have a 480p option, either.
Apparently some PAL and non-480p NTSC games can be forced to output 480p using SWISS, but I don’t know much about this.
@Knuckles-Fajita @GravyThief we’ve got a PAL GameCube knocking about somewhere, so can definitely test this and see what happens with some PAL 60hz games
@antdickens that would be great if you can let PAL owners with out SWiss know as I believe the only way is using sd media launcher and SWISS to force progressive scan. Thanks for the review
@Knuckles-Fajita Yeah the PAL games had the progressive option removed from them. Through if you use the SD Media Launcher from Datel then you can use Swiss to force the games into progressive mode and get full 480p goodness with the Carby and this Component cable.
@Pudjay1 @antdickens @GravyThief This may be worth whipping out that PAL Gamecube and a selection of games, get some definitive testing done?
@antdickens PAL 60hz games still only run at 480i. The 480p option was only available to Japan and North America as it was only in these regionS that they were able to buy the Official Component cable to take advantage of it. If you have a Modchip in your PAL GameCube or use a SD Media Launcher then you can use Swiss to force PAL games into 480p. I’ve got an SD Media Launcher and a Carby HDMI adaptor and play my PAL games in 480p. They look stunning running at that resolution, especially FZero GX and StarFox Assualt.
Retro RGB, the first, last and only resource for getting the best signal from any analogue console.
Seriously Nintendo life this article is so bad you really need to provide a link to bobs work at retro RGB otherwise your doing every interested reader a disservice with this poor attempt at explaining and interpreting what each of these products does and the fact you didn't cover the carby HDMI adapter is criminal.
Mylifeingaming on youtube has some excellent adcice on how to get the best signal from a GameCube.
Walk right past Nintendo life for any of these types of articles...
@Knuckles-Fajita the definitive testing has already been done by others. Google, Mylifeingaming, and retro RGB.
I think I'll stick with Wii + component for now.
WiiU can play GC games too, but it's super fiddly, especially since the drive won't read the discs, so you have to rip them to ISO first.
@Asaki Or soft mod the wii u, or a regular wii and play GC isos straight from a USB SSD. So much easier.
Carby v2 has to be the best option. Cheaper and does the same job.
Oh,and for people using swiss,go and get yourself the Gameboy Interface software.
@bolt05 Yeah, it's fiddly though. You have to link the ISOs to your Wiimote, and last time I tried it, I remember it having issues with the screen ratio (I want to say every game was forced into widescreen).
@Asaki I just plug in a GC controller to my Wii as it's the version with the gc controller ports.
@elquelolea wHy DoN't YoU jUsT eMuLatE iT?
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