(NGC) Digital AV Out (for Audio signal)

[Sim8395]

Hello everyone!

I write today about an information I couldn't find over many sites, related to the "Digital AV " output of my (NGC) Nintendo GameCube (PAL).

I already got an RGB cable (that I use on SCART plug of my quite small HDTV) using the "Analog A/V Output" at the rear of the console so the image quality is already very good. Not sure if there will be a difference with the "Digital AV" (both are at the rear).

However, I would like to output the digital audio signal of the NGC (therefore bypassing the NGC's DAC that is not hi-fi/audiophile), and I'm wondering if it will work with this digital AV output. I saw opposite informations about that point on the internet.

The idea will be to use a cable/adapter (Bitfunx) of that kind to output the digital AV signal to the HDMI port of the TV >

aliexpress url/item/1005005764230834.html?spm=a2g0o.cart.0.0.4b93378dPz4brF&mp=1

And then to output the Audio digital signal with the Toslink SP/DIF Optical output (that quite all TV have) towards a Hi-fi DAC (or even a FDA Amp, as Alientek D8 for instance).

Can you confirm that it will work?


( Bitfunx do another AV cable/adapter aimed for the Analog AV output of the NGC, see link below, but it's not useful for me as there will be a Digital to Analog (DAC) audio conversion in the first-step from the 'poor' internal DAC of the console, so it has no interest here >

aliexpress url/item/1005006416865703.html?spm=a2g0o.cart.0.0.4b93378dPz4brF&mp=1 )

Thanks all!

B'regards,

Sim

 

[splaca]

Hi Sim,

However, I would like to output the digital audio signal of the NGC (therefore bypassing the NGC's DAC that is not hi-fi/audiophile), and I'm wondering if it will work with this digital AV output. I saw opposite informations about that point on the internet.

These opposite informations that you mention disagree on what exactly?

I can't vouch for this particular adapter, but since it's based on GCVideo it should output digital audio from your console just fine.

If what you're seeking to confirm is the viability of the general idea of setup (sending AV signal to TV through HDMI, and then sending digital audio from TV to sound system through SPDIF), again I can't vouch for your particular devices but in principle it's a very common chain.

Sorry if I fail to understand your question!

-Sam

 

[Sim8395]

Thanks Sam for your answer!

The opposite informations were on the fact that the Digital AV Out of the NGC could (or not) output the Audio signal, somewhere I saw on some forums (sorry I don't have the name in memory) that only the Video signal will be digitally outputed, that quite surprised me too (as of the "A/V" mention, both signal should be).

Yes I think that it should theorically work fine, but with a small doubt, just wanted to have some feedbacks before ordering this kind of cable/adapter.

Thanks again and have a nice WE,

Sim

 

[splaca]

Ah, I think I understand the source of this mismatch in information!

It just happens that the official Nintendo GameCube component cable only has Y Pb Pr, i.e. video output. Using the official cable, you were supposed to still source the audio from the analog AV Out.

But if you look at the pinout info on the Digital AV Out, there's audio. I can't include links but it's well documented on the web.

Thanks and a nice weekend to you as well!

 

[master801]

I don't understand what you're trying to ask.

Are you asking whether the audio coming out of that HDMI adapter is actually using the digital audio and not the analog audio?

I'm unsure of that as well, but since it's based on GCVideo Lite, it could use either one.

https://github.com/ikorb/gcvideo/tree/main/Hardware/gcvideo_lite_09#audio
https://github.com/ikorb/gcvideo/blob/main/HDL/gcvideo_lite/README.md


As a side note, you can bypass this entirely by just making your own dedicated audio amp circuit instead.

https://gamesx.com/wiki/doku.php?id=av:nintendodigitalav
https://gamesx.com/wiki/doku.php?id=av:nintendogcda

 

[Sim8395]

@Sam > Thanks! yes you're right, the NGC's official component cable may have been the reason of my wondering issue.

As of the kind of adapter that Bitfunx sell (on their website and aliexpress), I saw yesterday this one from another manufacturer (I was thinking before to maybe open a Reddit topic to be 100% sure, but now there is no need):

(Type "insurrectionindustries carby-v2" on Duckduck or Google)

This sentence (that I couldn't see on the Bitfunx cables descriptions) made it clear again:

• Digital audio and video interface for clear and precise video and stereo sound (available modes depend on console region and game title)

@master801 > my initial question were on the NGC digital AV output. The adapters/cables I mentionned on the thread (my first post) are just different ones (one will convey the digital source to Hdmi, the other the analog source to Hdmi). Thanks for your reply and the links!

​

 

[splaca]

Alright! If you do buy the adaptor, please let us know the results. I think it should work great. Good luck!