Going with a full retro setup with a CRT was the original plan, but I did not have room for a separate entertainment system. And now that I have already converted a couple consoles to have HDMI, I dunno if I’ll ever get a CRT. ¯\(ツ)/¯ Things may change in the future tho
Currently the PS2 is using a generic composite video to HDMI that is powered by one of the PS2’s usb ports, and the Gamecube is using an EON GCHD Mk-II. The EON is made specifically for the Gamecube as it plugs directly into 2 ports on the back of the console, the video out and an auxiliary port for power. The Xbox will have a Stellar XboxHD+ kit, it is a bundle of the OS modchip and an HDMI converter. The mod that I am waiting for with the PS2 to replace the janky generic converter is a PixelFX Retro Gem.
PixelFX is trying to make the Retro Gem to be one “size fits all.” Supposedly the board “will” work with any console, and they sell different wiring kits for PS1, PS2, and N64. Other consoles are in the works, and I think they almost have a kit for the Dreamcast ready? So I am really excited to try this out, even though it looks like one hell of a motherfucker to install.
Edit: I should add that the Stellar and Retro Gem are internal and replace the original video out port on the console
Being stuck inside gave me the opportunity to go back and replay some of the video games that I grew up with, and the chance to try the games that I saw in stores but wasn’t able to get at the time. I have a PC that is plenty powerful enough to emulate games from the Gamecube, PS2, and original Xbox, but it just doesn’t feel that same when the game aren’t being played on the original hardware. Hardware that is rapidly aging and degrading, and games on discs that are also getting worn down, scratched, thrown out, or just lost somewhere. I also always kinda wanted a collection of consoles.
So far, I have a Gamecube and PS2 that were in a non working condition when I bought them from ebay. The GC reads games from a SD card, and the PS2 read games from a harddrive installed in the expansion port. Both are using external devices to convert the analog video to HDMI, but I recently ordered an internal converter that I can install in the PS2.
I have a half assembled Xbox on my desk that I have been working on for… way too fucking long at this point, but it is really show why “Murphy’s Law” is called a law. It has a mod chip for a custom OS, and an internal HDMI converter. However, I fucked up some solder joints installing the HDMI converter and it fried the card. Had to wait a couple months to get a replacement. There is also a Wii I got from a family member that is next in line when I get the Xbox functional.
Hell ya dude, that’s awesome!
I haven’t had to think about Fouier since college, so thanks for bringing up that trauma lmao. I do realize that there are ways to reliably get certain effects or even learn how to do this in Photoshop or GIMP, but I like the shotgunning, spray-and-pray of not knowing what the outcome will look like
I guess I find the process of going back to make small changes to the settings and then seeing how that affects the image more satisfying. Getting something that looks good is just a bonus
I did try turning a song into an image last night, and it looked like TV static. Kinda disappointing, but I’ll try some other songs and see if I can mess with some settings
I did try that yesterday, and it looked like TV static. Kinda disappointing, but I’ll try some other songs and see if I can messing with some settings
That should be possible. Haven’t tried that yet, but now I think I might
Here is the original. Just a picture from my backyard looking at the neighbor’s house and then i did some cropping after the audio software fuckery
I have had the thought about trying to make money off of this, and some friends have joked that I should be making album art or something like that.
However, I don’t want to feel like I have to meet a deadline or feel the pressure of making something that someone else wants/likes. I just want to make something I like
Absolutely!
I have a bookmark saved on my computer at home to an old forum with the instructions I followed when I started doing this, and I can send that link later.
There are two programs that I use, and both are free.
GIMP - image editing software
Audacity - audio editing software
Here is the basic process from that bookmarked forum post that I can remember off the top of my head. If something is wrong (especially the Audacity import settings, since I don’t ever change them), I will fix it later.
In GIMP (or other software of your choice) convert the image to a bitmap (.bmp). This step is very important!
Use the option to import raw data as A-law with “little endian” (I have no idea what those setting do, but I assume it’s for keeping the header intact)
Change the timeline in Audacity from time to samples and select everything after the 34th sample to edit and add effects (samples 1-34 are the information that tells your computer that this is a picture CHANGING ANYTHING IN THE HEADER WILL STOP YOU FROM OPENING THE IMAGE AFTER THE EDIT)
Export the audio using the raw data option, selecting A-law again. This should re-save the “audio” as a bitmap image as it will not add an audio file header to the data.
I believe the blue parking garage image uses reverb, or maybe a phasor… possible both to get that effect? But there are a lot of setting to mess with for each audio effect that can dramatically change the outcome. The trees picture was made by putting the original picture in the left audio channel, and putting a horizontally flipped copy of the image in the right audio channel. Delete the header from the flipped copy, and exporting the data smashes them together in this really strange mirror effect. Afterward, I would use GIMP for any color correcting, changing saturation/hue, simple stuff
Edit: spelling and formatting
Most of the time I don’t have a plan of what I want out of something. Sometimes I can get something that looks interesting or cool right away, other times I have hundreds of files trashed over a couple of days and there’s not a single one that I personally liked
Very unpleasant, basically just high pitched static. 1/10 wouldn’t recommend
Not at the moment, but it should be floating around somewhere on my computer at home. I’ll try to remember to find it after work
It was! Taken during the winter so there were no leaves, and at night too
Covert Instruments sells a kit with a pick, rake, turning tool, and a practice lock for about $10
It was so nice of him to make his tombstone a public urinal