Retro-Bit's GameCube Component Cable Will Save You Some Pennies

Didn't GameCube offer S-Video support?

I have and hdmi adapter for Wii. Since it also runs GC games, I could finally ditch those component cables. Games like baten kaitos can look like switch games on it!

@Spider-Kev it does, but those cables are starting to cost over 100 bucks a pop. I have one hooked up and it’s worth it, but component is the best of the best for the cube.

I am always skeptical of after market cables though, so I’m gonna have to see some comparison videos on this one.

@Savage_Joe you may be confusing component with composite.

Finally!! Doing the lord's work

@Spider-Kev @itslukec they do but just buy a hdmi adapter or a s-video to hdmi splitter that upscales there are tons of different ones on Amazon that will provide a much better picture than component. Also even today most TVs do not have a component setup. Granted you will only get the best video each system will allow that’s hooked up to it but beats buying that component cable and is cheaper than anything retro bit sells.

Please careful about the video!!! BIG SPOILERS inside for Metroid Prime and Zelda Twilight Princess!!!

@itslukec no, I also had component. When I replaced my tv, the components were no longer needed. I had a multi console compoment cables from Gamestop 😂

@Dirty0814 I recently bought an HDMI adaptor for Wii, but I think the component cables actually looked better IMO - the colours looked a bit washed-out with the HDMI adaptor - both far better than composite obviously. I guess it depends on the adaptor

S-Video is/was THE superior video cable back in the day!
Beat Composite and Component!

While great, not all GameCube games support Progressive Scan anyways so the RGB components cable aren't really necessary. It'll bump you back down to composite if you're playing a game that isn't supported.

@dmcc0 it has to be an upscale as well. They will have a switch on them that will allow 720 and 1080.p and don’t just buy the cheapest one either. I also got mine of if amazon too. When you do that you can return it if it isn’t what you expected. Just return it as item not as described because at that point it won’t be.
Here is the one I got and it works perfect just like thousands of others say in the reviews also. Remind you I’m in the USA so not sure where you are or if you would be able to buy it.

RCA to HDMI,AV to HDMI Converter,ABLEWE 1080P Mini RCA Composite CVBS Video Audio Converter Adapter Supporting PAL/NTSC for TV/PC/ PS3/ STB/Xbox VHS/VCR/Blue-Ray DVD Players https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07RX69KR8/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_glt_i_W76FFZD36JA2PNXR1YGM?_encoding=UTF8&psc=1

I also got a a/v switcher 6 in 1 box that uses a push button instead of the remotes. I love and if you have more than one system you can hook them all up to it and use the upscaler on the output and have all the retro systems working in the best picture. Here is the link to that also.

E-SDS 8-Way AV Switch RCA Switcher 8 in 1 Out Composite Video L/R Audio Selector Box for DVD STB Game Consoles CV0235 https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0154QWCM8/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_glt_i_381N0AW9TT1C8H9PDCJ4?_encoding=UTF8&psc=1

Both together is still barely more than half the price of these cables in the article.

I have the kaico component cables. Been using it for a while.
This is great if you have a OSSC to get the best picture possible 960p if your tv supports it with original hardware

Easy combo = use Wii machine to play both Wii and Gamecube games.

I got some cheaper component cables for both the Wii and PS2 off Amazon and they work completely fine. These expensive cables seem to be a bit of a rip off to be honest.

Since then I've got a CRT and everything is now through RGB as my Pal TV doesn't do NTSC, so rgb is needed for the 60hz goodness.

The dedicated kaico gc hdmi adapter is great option, crisp clear picture and colour, can change settings with remote and uses digital out for 576p if you've a ntsc model, pal only 576i though. Their n64 line doubler is great too, 576i resolution and can smooth the image too like the eon super 64 but half the price

@Spider-Kev in the states yes but here in uk/Europe our game cubes supported RGB scart

I have been confused by this for years. Why do people insist on using the Gamecube and buying these super expensive cables, when the Wii plays Gamecube games at 480p on cables that cost $10?

@1UP_MARIO they support both in the states just like in the UK/Europe. Like I said above it’s cheaper to just get an upscale which I linked above as well and am sure you can get it in Europe also and go with a hdmi setup. Only reason to use component is if you really wanna use that old school tv. With me I only use my old tube tv for everything up to well the GameCube and PS2. I start using my flat screen with hdmi from that era up.

@dcast2 because they don’t have a Wii maybe?

Where were these 10 years ago? By now I got an HDMI adapter so it's no longer nearly as appealing as it would have been.

@Dirty0814 Wii's are cheap and there are 5 times as many in the wild.

@Dirty0814 to tell you the truth the link you provided is something I might have used 15 or more years ago no disrespect. Most will want to use the component as it gives the best picture, av video is ugly and if you want the ultimate picture you can line double with the OSSC. I’ve thrown the old tube heavy tv away since I bought the OSSC. I play the original nintendo 64 on a HD tv and it still looks great
Ill send the picture of the upscaler I use
Edit

@Spider-Kev only the NTSC-US and NTSC-J GameCube consoles had S-video output.

I use a RetroTink Mini for my Gamecube. No component support, but it makes composite look much better on my HDTV than it would without. The advantage is I can use it for ALL my retro systems. So if you're looking for a way to plug in multiple old consoles, you might look into getting a good upscaler.

@dcast2 Cause those adapter on Wii introduced input lags on GameCube games, sure they look nice but certain games became annoying to play. It just doesn't feel the same such as games like F-Zero GX and Super Smash Bros. Melee where quick pixel perfect reflexes are required in able to perfectly do maneuvers and time attack. Chapter 4 of F-Zero GX Story Mode is more difficult to play on Wii through an HD upscaler as the input lags interfere with the precision of control whereas with the GameCube and its cables it's more accurate.

I use my Wii U with Nintendont and the Gamecube controller adapter instead. But the Gamecube console itself of course looks cooler than the Wii U.

@dcast2 Makes them more hardcore gamers I guess, beats me.

@Dirty0814 I actually have my gamecube hooked up in a crtv trinitron. No HDMI there haha.

@Savage_Joe haha, I have some of those game stop cables. I think I still use them on my n64

The official cables were $30, not $60.

@Specter_of-the_OLED

I think there’s a home brew mod out there that forces all games to render at 480p. But I think it causes visual glitches in some titles.

Been a while since I was researching the classic mod scene.

@Specter_of-the_OLED
It gets bumped down to 480i if progressive scan is not supported (and you don't force it with Swiss), but 480i Component is still FAR better than 480i composite (and somewhat better than 480i s-video).

GameCube games that supported 480p required you to hold a button while the logo loaded in order to enable progressive mode. This doesn't happen on the Wii, and I've always wondered whether the Wii loads a GC game at 480i or 480p.

@Dirty0814 Yeah, I'm using an upscaler too, but that one you've linked to is for composite RCA (R/W/B). I was using one of those initially, but it wasn't great. I've also tried a Wii2HDMI adaptor as well, but found the best results using component cable and upscaler similar to the one @1UP_MARIO pictured above.

If you have a Wii that can run GameCube games, component cables are cheap for that

Not sure how much I would need these yet, considering both my TVs have component inputs and I still have spares (lucky enough, my 4K Smart TV was the last model to have it).

@itslukec yea those have component hook ups and a/v. Only way it would benefit you would be to go with a newer tv. Even then it would put out the same output as the component cables. My solution is for those that don’t have that option or want to use a newer tv. I myself have the GameCube component cables and the all in one cable they made also that fits the GameCube, Xbox and ps2 also.

I remember buying cheap component cables and Ethernet adapters for all of my family members when they bought Wii. Don't think I've messed w/ component since then. PS2 and Dream cast I had So video cables.

Oh, and my parents were cleaning out a closet recently and gave me back tat Ethernet adapter unopened.😂

@dmcc0 you take the upscaler and it’ll work with a av to hdmi cable converter.
One thing people fail to mention is GameCube games only put out 480i resolution so the component cables actually do not make a difference. Both the av and component cables output the same resolution even though component cables will support up to 1080 the GameCube is limited to 480 unless modified. There are tons of articles on it so this upscaler would work if your wanting to go with a av to a upscaler to a av hdmi converter cord which is what I was talking about on doing. It’s cheaper to just play it on a newer tv that way instead of these cords unless you really want one. Me if your going to spend that much might as well fish out the rest and get a authentic compo cord. The method I mentioned is universal for many consoles. I tend to switch from my crt tv to a newer 70in sometimes so works perfect for me.

@dcast2

For some people, it's wanting access to the Gameboy Player attachment.

Also, similarly to the small hardware differences between the PS2 fat vs. slim, and the various Xbox 360 revisions causing problems with certain games: even though it is technically not emulation, playing Gamecube games on the Wii seems to occasionally introduce bugs that don't exist otherwise.

One that I personally encounter is Gohma in Wind Waker never stops swinging their claws to leave an opening for some reason (doesn't make it impossible to finish the fight by any means, just a minor inconvenience). Another one of my friends once told me they encountered a strange bug fighting Ridley in Metroid Prime. One of Ridley's attacks where they are invulnerable was never ending, thereby making him impossible to defeat. They tried resetting the console multiple times and starting from their earlier save to fix it, to no avail. Which prompted them to only use the Gamecube from then on for their Gamecube games (where they have never encountered said issue).

I still prefer to play on the Wii, though. One less thing to hook up to the TV, and one less thing to maintain.

@Spider-Kev

Component is far superior to S-Video... among other reasons, it offers progressive scan (sync signal).

In short, composite = 240i, S-Video = 480i, Component = 480p/720p.

I just use my Wii for running Gamecube games via component cables.

@Dirty0814 Pretty sure some Gamecube games support 480p... not too many, but there is a prompt during boot up if you are using component cables that asks if you want to output 480p and lets you know that your TV may not support progressive signal input.

Also, pretty sure the resolution lines and color information output is still better than the a/v composite when running Gamecube games with proper component output, despite not using the sync signal for progressive scan... should be at least as good as the S-Video output.

@Specter_of-the_OLED Thanks for the reply. I was not talking about the HD upscaler, just the Wii component cable. That is what I use and have never had a problem, albiet I do not have F Zero.

Aw man, nice! I think i'ma pick one up for ze Youtubez!

@Dirty0814 oh totally. I have a big modern tv for my modern consoles and my old crtv for my old consoles. Haha.

Still 60 bucks is an awful lot to play some old GameCube games on a modern TV without wanting to throw up. Let me know when I can get a cable for 30 or less. Then we'll talk.

I've still got my component cable, although it was modded with a VGA connector. The only console of that era capable of a picture as sharp as the GC was the Dreamcast.

I've never really understood why the Wii's component output doesn't look as sharp as the GameCube's. It always looks muddy to me.

@Dirty0814 That would make sense... Except you can buy 10 used Wiis for the price of a single GameCube component cable. I've heard that Gamecube with component cable looks better than using a Wii though, but I can't confirm, my eyes are not able to detect the tiny differences.

I have a modded gamecube That can play games off an SD card with a matching Gameboy player hooked up to a CRT. It has component inputs, but not HMDI. I’m getting these Cables so I I can play F-Zero (and other games) at the best possible picture quality on the screen this game was designed for. When all
My other consoles (PS2, Wii U, Mister) all use component, it’s easy for me to tell the difference when the gamecube can only do composite or S Video. I guarantee there are others out there who will pay 60$ For these cables when the originals consistently go for 150$ online. These will definitely sell out, so get them now if you have a set up that can use them!

Does this mean I can get my kidney back?!?

@Spider-Kev yes, but why would you want them.

@Spider-Kev It literally, definitively, did not.

S-Video offered improved visuals over COMPOSITE, but no advantages over component. Tech info from Wiki:
"S-Video (also known as separate video and Y/C) is a signaling standard for standard definition video, typically 480i or 576i. By separating the black-and-white and coloring signals, it achieves better image quality than composite video, but has lower color resolution than component video."

Component cable separates the video signal further than S-Video, affording higher clarity and speed than S-Video was ever capable of.

@Spider-Kev NTSC did and so did early PAL systems. Nintendo removed S video from the second PAL revision much as they did on N64 if my memory serves me correctly.

I installed all my Wii and GCN back catalogue as custom apps on Wii U which is connected to 4K set via MClassic adapter - GCN games look awesome through it with Nintendont patching in 16:9 widescreen perfectly on practically all games, not to mention the higher clock speeds means all GCN games at a unlocked 60fps are a locked 60.

Still have my old GCN hooked up to a CRT also.

I snagged a Carby HDMI adapter for my 'cube when they were apparently clearing them out, and have been very happy with it's handling of the signal. No lag, no issues.

That said, devices of this nature aren't super cheap, and if you've got a TV that can handle direct component format input, a nice set of component cables sounds like a solid cheaper option for most gamers. That's a solid win for retro gaming.

@NotSoCryptic
I'm confused, why would I want what?

I went back through my posts and don't see what you are referring to.

A little too late. I've gone HDMI on all my old consoles and it's well worth it.

Just use an original Wii with Component cables 👌👌

@nkarafo
Big spoilers for 15 year old games?

@Anti-Matter you fool! Most of GC fanboys uses their GBA adapter at least twice a day !!
AT LEaST 😁

@SenseiDje
I didn't grow up by Gamecube during early 2000's era so I have no idea about the trivial things of Gamecube.
The thing I only knew was using Wii to play both Wii and Gamecube games.

I’m the proud owner of original expensive cable!

For those interested, component cables are currently the best way to get a great looking picture out of you GCN. Using a retrotink 5x, you can scale a 480p signal (achievable with pretty much every game using Swiss) up to 1440p accurately. You can also add crt filters or masks on top of those for a more authentic experience if that’s your thing.

I think the Carby/Prism is a better option if you’re not looking to spend $300 on a high end scaler though. 480p still looks good, though YMMV depending on how well your tv scales lower resolutions.

To the several people who asked why people just don’t use a Wii, the main reason is that the Wii’s component output is softer than a GameCube’s. Some of the later models attempted to correct the issue, but overall the GCN’s output is sharper. Also, personally speaking, I don’t want to have to have to swap controllers just to boot the game.

@Spider-Kev I’m assuming you’re not a follower of retro stuff these days? Component gives a much better signal than s-video, this is universally known on the retro scene. All the hardcore gamers knew that back in the day as well. Component is close to RGB quality.

@mattysaurus Unless you have a CRT of course. You can get a 480p RGB signal directly from the console via either a modded official component cable or GCvideo. Although there are fantastic solutions out there, flat panels can never match a good CRT for a smooth, clean 480p image, whatever the input or scaler.

@HolyGeez03 There’s no such thing as RGB component. Component is YPbPr

@Dirty0814 Totally wrong. Many GC games can output 480p. Most in my collection do in fact.

Grat.
Sadly my Gamecube has no digital output
But i can live with the Cable from Retrogamingcables
Love their Cables

@andykara2003 Yes, if you are being technical, which the conversation here on NLife is not. But I edited my post for you.

I was using RGB to help eliminate some people's confusion with composite... the component cables are literally coded with Red, Green, and Blue connectors. Which is pretty annoying since the green and blue can look very similar when working behind a TV!

@itslukec Really? I just bought a cheap one (under $20 I think) last year, I was skeptical that it wouldn’t be true S-Video, and just composite running through an S-Video cable (or something), but to my satisfaction, picture looks noticeably sharper and more stable, whatever it’s doing.

Yeah I bough like 3 of em, one for SNES, N64, and GameCube. Got a different one for Wii (I think?), and yeah, haven’t put enough time into figuring out/deciding on a cheap solution to improve my NES image quality.

@andykara2003 I think that comes down to personal taste at this point. Retrotink 5x plus a good mask is a real game changer. I’d rather use that on my oled than my crt any day of the week.

@BlubberWhale authentic Nintendo brand s video cables have become pretty pricey.

There are cheap versions from China obviously, and your mileage on those will vary.
Or if your cables have have the standard s video red and white connectors but also the yellow composite connector that’s an indicator of a poor cable.

If your got three authentic cables for that price I commend you! If you want to have a heart attack look up the price of authentic composite gamecube cables haha.

Edit - Nes improvement takes console modding. You can add an s video port to an nes but it takes some doing. And if you are going that far you may as well just get an rgb modded nes.

@WillQuan Same. I bought cheap PS2 and Wii component cables off a local website. Both the PS2 and Wii look better now. They work absolutely as intended.

@Danrenfroe2016 Gamecube doesn't look good through an HDMI converter though.

@Gungner I agree if taking about composite or component thru a converter, but Using the digital out with the EEON GCHD Mk-II adapter then feed thru m-classic. Looks great on 92" 1080p projector. Amazing infact. It's super clear with no ghosting or artifacts. I encourage GCN users with a digital out to buy to the he gchd mk-II and the m classic.