Hardware GBA on TV

[garbanzox]

What's the best option for playing GBA games on a TV?

I've seen GBA to SNES adapters, but they seem very hackish to me, with their separate A/V cables. But I do like the idea of using SNES controllers to play GBA games.

I don't own a GameCube, but have considered buying one just so I can use the GameBoy Player addon - but the idea of using GC controllers to play GBA games isn't too exciting.

Right now I just emulate GBA on my Wii. It works fine, but I prefer hardware to emulation. I guess the GameBoy Player will be the most authentic, since it contains the guts of an actual GBA, but I would have to get over the controller issue...

Anyway, what are your thoughts? Are there any options I haven't considered?

Thanks!

 

[FireEmblemGuy]

I've seen the GBA to SNES adapters on a couple sites - it's a neat concept, and while I haven't seen any reviews, the page I looked at implied that the A/V throughput would work on original SNES systems but not clones. End of the day, though, it's still probably like the Genesis to SNES adapters - bad clone hardware and not a whole lot better than software emulation.

As far as I'm aware there're no decent ways to get A/V Out from a real GBA, although curiously enough, there was a device for the SP that enabled video input. I can't imagine why anyone would truly want that, aside from entertaining kids on a road trip without a car DVD player, maybe.

The GameBoy Player is really the only option; there was a similar device by Datel that might've worked with early Wii firmwares, but it was mostly emulation-based, I think. The downside, obviously, is the cost - a Gamecube, a Player with a working boot disc, and a controller you can live with. If the regular GC controllers aren't going to work, you have three options:
- Hori made a SNES-style GameCube controller that omitted the joysticks but kept the GC ABXY layout; good luck finding one, though.
- You can also go to Amazon and grab a PS2 to GC adapter that should work with all PSX and PS2 controllers, if that's more your style. Shouldn't cost more than $10-15.
- There are some SNES to GC adapters, but the good ones are expensive and/or discontinued, and the bad ones have massive lag.

 

[slingblade1170]

I have a gamecube with a gba adapter and the controller works very well with it. I use to play all my gba titles using that awesome little device.

 

[garbanzox]

Thanks for the helpful replies.

Slingblade, what brand of adapter do you have?

 

[user64]

For K1's clone GBA's, I do believe you can acquire a TV Out cable.

 

[Jayro]

You can use the GC to GBA cable (Official Nintendo one) to use a GBA as a controller with the Gamecube's GBA Player. Just hold Start and Select when the GBA BIOS is booting up, and then connect it to the GC when the Player is loaded.

 

[RHOPKINS13]

There used to be an adapter you could buy to connect your original gameboy advance to the television. Here's a review from IGN:
http://www.ign.com/articles/2002/03/22/gba-tv-review

I actually own one. It really wasn't that hard to install, and while the picture is blocky, what else can you expect when you're taking a game that was meant to be played on a small screen and stretching it to fill a big one? And I really don't think it's that bad. You can find one on eBay if you search for "gba tv". There are also adapters that let you watch tv on your GBA, which I have done as well. It's pretty cool, but now that all the tv signals have gone digital I don't think any of them will work unless you're hooking up the gba as a display for something else.

Here's a listing for a gba that already has the converter installed, so you don't even have to mess with installation:
http://www.ebay.com/itm/271375395763

And yes, I actually used my gba as a portable display for my original xbox once. Was small and hard to play on but all the kids at school thought it was hella cool.

 

[GamerzHell9137]

PC-TV Combo is best.

 

[Jayro]

There used to be an adapter you could buy to connect your original gameboy advance to the television. Here's a review from IGN:
http://www.ign.com/articles/2002/03/22/gba-tv-review

That butt-ugly SCART port though... and the fact that it can't properly 2:1 scale the pixels... yuck.

 

[garbanzox]

You can use the GC to GBA cable (Official Nintendo one) to use a GBA as a controller with the Gamecube's GBA Player. Just hold Start and Select when the GBA BIOS is booting up, and then connect it to the GC when the Player is loaded.

Cool idea! I saw some for cheap at a game store recently but wasn't sure what they were good for. Maybe I'll go that route, I have a few original GBAs around that I don't use since I have an SP.

Thanks!

 

[Jayro]

Cool idea! I saw some for cheap at a game store recently but wasn't sure what they were good for. Maybe I'll go that route, I have a few original GBAs around that I don't use since I have an SP.

Thanks!

Thanks. I got the idea from Pokemon Emerald, and sure as shit, it worked!

 

[Fishaman P]

The Gameboy Player has noticable input lag with both GC controllers and a GBA connected with a cable, even on a CRT. Personally, I would suggest not going that route.

Either get a clone (K1) or mod your GBA for AV output.

 

[garbanzox]

Never seen that clone. It plays roms? Wow! Can it handle GB/GBC as well? Does the brightness of the screen compare to the newer SPs?

 

[eriol33]

you could also try gpsp for sony psp, and connect the psp with tv connection. should work flawlessly.

 

[garbanzox]

I have emulation set up on my PSP and never thought of using that. But if I'm going to emulate, I might as well just use my Wii. Maybe that's the best way to go in the end, as it sounds like hardware options are limited.

I'm disappointed to hear that the GameBoy Player option suffers from input lag, I was really oping that was the solution.

 

[user64]

I'm disappointed to hear that the GameBoy Player option suffers from input lag, I was really oping that was the solution.

I never noticed it, personally. I might have to go plug in my GameCube and check it out.

Never seen that clone. It plays roms? Wow! Can it handle GB/GBC as well? Does the brightness of the screen compare to the newer SPs?

http://gbatemp.net/threads/k1-gba-sp.332120/ $69.99
Or the upgraded model:
http://gbatemp.net/threads/k101-gba-hardware-clone.332854/
(It has things like built in RTC, and such. Costs $69.99 also, and comes with a 4GB microSDHC preloaded with homebrew.)

 

[garbanzox]

Well i've found a guy in Canada who makes adapters for using SNES controllers on a GameCube. I figure $30 for a GameCube, $35 for the GameBoy Player with a disk, and $20 for the controller adapter. Not a cheap setup, especially since I don't have a flash cart for my GBA! Hmm...

 

[reprep]

i have my wavebird but as stated it is not very comfortable to play gba on it. i have a gc/psx adapter and i can use a dualshock though a snes joystick would be a much better choice imo.

all gc/snes adapters i found had terrible reviews about input lag. does anyone know a good adapter?

 

[Bart Lemming]

garbanzox, if you can afford it I'd go the route you last mentioned. I use a Game Boy Player as my main console of choice (it's like a Super, Super Nintendo!) and I've never noticed lag with a Game Boy (with cable) or a wired GC controller. The Wave Bird, yes, but not a wired first party controller but since you have the opportunity of using a SNES pad that shouldn't be an issue. I'm lucky enough to have one of the Hori pads and they are fantastic but even if I didn't I'd still love my Game Boy Player. The picture out is gorgeous and can be output in composite, s-video and RGB. It even outputs fine through component (though I don't think it's a full component quality picture from the GBA Player).

TL;DR - Buy a Game Boy Player. You won't regret it!

 

[reprep]

gameboy player outputs great component video if you got the component cable. the NTSC-U version disc also supports 480p too.