Video game club. (school)

[samjc3]

I have the chance to start a video game club at my school. however, before i commit, there are several things i need to know.

first of all, since this is going to be in the computer lab, is there an easy way to hook the composite video from consoles into the vga of computer monitors?

second, how does xbox 360 system link work? we are thinking of maybe having competitions, but i cant do it over live, as that requires net connection, and the school network blocks it.

third, i need a system that keeps people from taking my consoles, games, controllers and stuff. (other peoples too)

any other suggestions?

 

[J.D]

first of all, since this is going to be in the computer lab, is there an easy way to hook the composite video from consoles into the vga of computer monitors?

There's an adapter that can do that, but the video quality isn't very good.

second, how does xbox 360 system link work? we are thinking of maybe having competitions, but i cant do it over live, as that requires net connection, and the school network blocks it.

Buy the correct cable, plug it into the consoles...?

third, i need a system that keeps people from taking my consoles, games, controllers and stuff. (other peoples too)

Hmm...you can store the games in a locked box everyday, and maybe make a makeshift box with holes for the cables and such for the console.

Is this 360 only or Retro Gaming too?

 

[samjc3]

first of all, since this is going to be in the computer lab, is there an easy way to hook the composite video from consoles into the vga of computer monitors?

There's an adapter that can do that, but the video quality isn't very good.
its not that there arent converters, its that they are really expensive. like 80$ and up, for composite to vga.

second, how does xbox 360 system link work? we are thinking of maybe having competitions, but i cant do it over live, as that requires net connection, and the school network blocks it.

Buy the correct cable, plug it into the consoles...?
it seems that as long as they are on the same network, it should work.

third, i need a system that keeps people from taking my consoles, games, controllers and stuff. (other peoples too)

Hmm...you can store the games in a locked box everyday, and maybe make a makeshift box with holes for the cables and such for the console.
i mean, while the consoles are out. i mean, i will just have to trust them at some point, but like a game sign in/out system?

Is this 360 only or Retro Gaming too?

its retro and modern. i am having snes, n64, psone, ps2, dreamcast, and anything else i can get my hands on.
answers in bold

 

[XCVG]

I have the chance to start a video game club at my school. however, before i commit, there are several things i need to know.

first of all, since this is going to be in the computer lab, is there an easy way to hook the composite video from consoles into the vga of computer monitors?
There are boxes you can get, but it's probably better just to get TVs. You can ask members to bring them, or you can get them cheap at thrift stores, people might even donate some they don't want anymore.

second, how does xbox 360 system link work? we are thinking of maybe having competitions, but i cant do it over live, as that requires net connection, and the school network blocks it.
Just hook them all to a router and you should be able to connect. I know the original XBOX works this way.

third, i need a system that keeps people from taking my consoles, games, controllers and stuff. (other peoples too)
A locked box? Sign in/sign out? Fat kid blocking the exit?

any other suggestions?
Since it's in a computer lab, you can play Portable CS or other older games, or browser games at the same time. Or emulators, people love those at my school.

 

[Basement_Modder]

Funny. I was going to make a console modding club at my school. Could score us some more members.

 

[samjc3]

Funny. I was going to make a console modding club at my school. Could score us some more members.

i would do this, but there isnt enough interest to get the school to sanction it. and unless they do, it doesnt happen.

cs and stuff would be cool, but i cant customize the computers. (read: Dang install blocker )

as for bringing tv's, i would, but there is no space to keep them there, and i cant lug em back and forth to school.

and a fat kid may work, but i doubt he could stand up for 2 hours straight. so i would need to bring a lazyboi, which would be another thing to haul around.

 

[Zero]

For the 360, you can just buy a lot of those really cheap 3rd party VGA cables off ebay and that should solve your problem, however its a bit more difficult for the other consoles that don't accept VGA directly, your going to need to either get a VGA box, use TVs, or emulate them on the PCs. Actually, something you might want to do is get a couple of original XBOXs and soft mod em' and then hook them up with VGA cables (eithier buy them or make them) to the monitors and set them up as "retro stations" with emulators.

As for playing system link on the 360, I'm not sure about your school, but my school has ethernet ports on the wall in every classroom (and a ton in the computer rooms), those ports will directly connect you to the school's LAN and you can play system link that way with anybody in the school.

 

[XCVG]

As for running apps on the school computers, most emulators will run off a thumb/flash/usb/pen drive. Portable CS is designed to do just that. And there's plenty of stupid flash games to play online.

 

[Bibin]

Are you guys retarded? ('cept Zero, he got it right) Don't use composite into VGA. Use S-video to VGA. Use Component to VGA. Use the *Can'tSayThisOnTV*ing VGA cable that you can buy for your XBox 360.

A video game club centered around emulation, not real consoles, is very lame.

 

[samjc3]

A video game club centered around emulation, not real consoles, is very lame.

YES.^


can i get svideo out of :
-snes
-psone
-ps2
-n64
-dreamcast
-xbox

with little or no modification?
i dont want to mess with em too much, although i will if i have too.

 

[Bibin]

Just solder on the connection or buy cables for those, yes.

 

[samjc3]

Just solder on the connection or buy cables for those, yes.

connections for svideo? are they on the boards?

 

[XCVG]

A video game club centered around emulation, not real consoles, is very lame.

YES.^ I was just saying, I mean you have all those computers there, might as well do something with them. Over here nobody has retro consoles pretty much. People love the emulators over here, but I get your point completely. Real hardware is much cooler (though not always better).


can i get svideo (VGA) out of :
-snes big, yes. mini needs a mod no, RGB but no VGA
-psone yes no, RGB but not VGA
-ps2 yes possibly, there is a thread somewhere
-n64 yes no, and no RGB either (unmodded)
-dreamcast yes yes, with a commercial or homemade VGA box
-xbox yes yes, with a custom BIOS (modchip or TSOP flash) and cable

with little or no modification? except for the mini-SNES, no mods see individual systems
i dont want to mess with em too much, although i will if i have too.

You could add a jack, but it's probably better to make a cable. Sony and M$ cables have all the pins, so those are easy. Dreamcast cables have all the cables I THINK. Nintendo cables only have the necessary pins. The problem is that the converters are kind of expensive and degrade quality. For RGB-capable consoles an upscan converter is far better. They are just as expensive but you get better quality. Also, check the monitors, maybe some of them have inputs.

 

[samjc3]

A video game club centered around emulation, not real consoles, is very lame.

YES.^ I was just saying, I mean you have all those computers there, might as well do something with them. Over here nobody has retro consoles pretty much. People love the emulators over here, but I get your point completely. Real hardware is much cooler (though not always better).


can i get svideo (VGA) out of :
-snes big, yes. mini needs a mod no, RGB but no VGA
-psone yes no, RGB but not VGA
-ps2 yes possibly, there is a thread somewhere
-n64 yes no, and no RGB either (unmodded)
-dreamcast yes yes, with a commercial or homemade VGA box
-xbox yes yes, with a custom BIOS (modchip or TSOP flash) and cable

with little or no modification? except for the mini-SNES, no mods see individual systems
i dont want to mess with em too much, although i will if i have too.

You could add a jack, but it's probably better to make a cable. Sony and M$ cables have all the pins, so those are easy. Dreamcast cables have all the cables I THINK. Nintendo cables only have the necessary pins. The problem is that the converters are kind of expensive and degrade quality. For RGB-capable consoles an upscan converter is far better. They are just as expensive but you get better quality. Also, check the monitors, maybe some of them have inputs.

im seeing contradiction. "yes no, and no rgb either"

so, it is possible, pretty easily? i dont need particularly high quality. these are standard dell 15" lcds. not anything special. so far as i know, theres no inputs on them.

someone explain all this video nonsense. composite is the yellow plug, with red and white audio, right? and svideo is basically video with the sync lines separate?

 

[Bibin]

Who said Svideo(VGA)? That makes no sense. S-video and VGA are different.

The SNES's RGB is 15hz Hsync, not the 30hz VGA standards require.

 

[Tibia]

What about getting some cheap TV tuners/input boxes that plug into the USB ports on the computer? I've had a few, and they work.

 

[XCVG]

Who said Svideo(VGA)? That makes no sense. S-video and VGA are different.

The SNES's RGB is 15hz Hsync, not the 30hz VGA standards require.

No, it was s-video bold, and italics for VGA. Also, I know RGB is different, but it can go through an upscan converter which is better than a normal converter.

So to clear things up:
SNES (big): s-video and RGB out. No VGA.
SNES (mini): no s-video or RGB, but can be modded. No VGA period.
PSone: s-video and RGB. No VGA.
PS2: s-video and probably RGB. Possibly VGA out with a custom mod/cable. There's a thread in the PS2/GC/XBOX section.
N64: s-video, no RGB (stock). No VGA.
Dreamcast: s-video, RGB. VGA output is possible with a custom or commercial box, cable, or the console can be modded.
XBOX: s-video, RGB. VGA output is possible with a special BIOS (modchipped or TSOP flashed) and a custom or commercial cable.

What about getting some cheap TV tuners/input boxes that plug into the USB ports on the computer? I've had a few, and they work.

Maybe. Some say it is possible, some say it works but the quality sucks, some say it LAAAAAGS. Buy ONE and try it if you want. DX has some really cheap ones I think.

 

[samjc3]

What about getting some cheap TV tuners/input boxes that plug into the USB ports on the computer? I've had a few, and they work.

got a link? [/lazy]

 

[Tibia]

Ummm. One's by Dazzle, one's by KWorld. I sold the Hauppauge one. I got them all from Goodwill.

 

[XCVG]

DX has some cheap. I'll get links tomorrow.