Connecting your console

Connecting a retro console to a recent TV takes two things: the right video output and a compliant power supply. This selection brings together composite and component AV cables, replacement power bricks and the HDMI converters that make a PS2, a Wii, a GameCube or an Xbox 360 usable again on a current flat screen.

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How to choose between an original cable, an adapter and an HDMI converter

Start from the video output the console actually has

The starting point is not the TV but the console's connector. A Super Famicom, a Nintendo 64 or a GameCube output composite over three RCA plugs; a PS2 or a PS3 also accept YPbPr component over five RCA plugs, which is sharper. The first-generation Xbox and the Xbox 360 Slim each have their own AV cable, not interchangeable. Without a yellow RCA input on the TV, you need to add a converter, for instance a BitFunx RGB and YPbPr to HDMI 1080p unit for the PS1 and PS2.

A converter is not a cable, and the power supply matters just as much

  • Conversion: an AV-to-HDMI box always adds processing time; a plain cable adds none.
  • Power: a power brick must match the original voltage and polarity, such as the 12 V of a 135 W Xbox 360 Slim brick.
  • Plug: the bricks sold here have an EU plug, which saves you a travel adapter on a Japanese console.

What it doesn't do

A converter does not recreate detail that is missing from the source: a 240p picture stays a 240p picture, simply scaled up. These boxes do not remove the TV's display lag. And an AV cable is no substitute for an internal RGB mod.

Cables & connectors · Retro video cables · Scalers & image processing · Power & batteries · HDMI cables · Workshop & modding

Questions fréquentes

My TV no longer has a yellow composite input, what can I do?
You need an AV-to-HDMI converter placed between the console and the TV, such as the RetroScaler2x or a BitFunx model dedicated to the PS2 and PS3. The original AV cable plugs into the box, which outputs HDMI. Some models draw their power from a simple USB port.
Can I use any power brick for my console?
No. Each console calls for a precise voltage, current and polarity: an Xbox 360 Slim brick delivers 12 V for 135 W, a PS2 Slim 70000-series brick suits only that series. A badly chosen brick can damage the motherboard. Always take the reference listed for your model.
Composite or component, what difference does it make to the picture?
Composite mixes luminance and chrominance on a single yellow RCA wire, which produces blur and colours that bleed. YPbPr component splits the signal across three video wires and accepts 480p on the PS2 and PS3. On the same screen, the difference shows up immediately on text and gradients.