Can you still buy old Gamecubes, new? (Re: Progressive Scan)

[DEO3]

I recently purchased a rear projection HDTV and am planning on picking up a GC in a week or so to compliment my PS2. I purchased my PS2 a few months before the Gamecube and Xbox came out and have been relatively happy with the available games, and as such, I never really bothered looking into either the Gamecube or the Xbox.

But lately I've grown bored with the same ol' same ol', everytime I play a new game I get this feeling I've already played it before, and so I've been looking for something fresh. Some of the more stylized games on the Gamecube have caught my interest (Paper Mario, Windwaker, etc.) and so I'm looking to pick one up in a couple of days.

But!

As I mentioned in my first paragraph I recently purchased a rear projection HDTV, and naturaly would like to have the ability to play my games in progressive. Unfortunatley, a few months ago Nintendo announced they'd no longer be manufactering Gamecubes with the component cable port needed to run games in progressive. So my question is this, is it still possible to find the older model Gamecubes (the ones with the component cable port) still sold new in stores, or am I going to have to pick up a used/refurbished system in order to have that capability?

TIA

 

[Evil_Cloud]

The Digital A/V Output port was removed from systems produced after May, 2004 (these systems will have a model number of DOL-101). If you have a Nintendo GameCube without this port, and you wish to play your games in progressive scan, please call our Consumer Service department at 1-800-255-3700, to discuss available options.

Here you go.

 

[a4164]

The units with the digital port are DOL-001. Thanks to stores like BestBuy (GameCubes are on a rack near the games) or your local mom and pop (e.g. GameExpress); you can read the model number on the side with the barcode. DOL-101 are a plenty, but there are still a few DOL-001 out there.

It reads something like this:

AC adapter DOL-002
GameCube system DOL-001
Controller DOL-003

 

[DEO3]

If you have a Nintendo GameCube without this port, and you wish to play your games in progressive scan, please call our Consumer Service department at 1-800-255-3700, to discuss available options.

Unfortunatley the only available option they give you is trading out your new Gamecube for an older refurbished unit.

 

[cthellis42]

While we're on it, what is simply "the best way" to pull quality from the consoles--progressive scan, et al? My friend owns all three and recently picked up an HDTV, so I'm sure he'll be looking for the best hookups he can. Right now he's just running them all through S-video.

His PS2 is a 50000, though, so no FireWire port.

 

[Ty]

While we're on it, what is simply "the best way" to pull quality from the consoles--progressive scan, et al? My friend owns all three and recently picked up an HDTV, so I'm sure he'll be looking for the best hookups he can. Right now he's just running them all through S-video.

His PS2 is a 50000, though, so no FireWire port.

Generally go for the highest rez and yes, progressive scan. Not much else you can do (can't adjust refresh rate, color depth, buffering, etc.)

 

[DemoCoder]

Boy, talk about stupidity on Nintendo's part. More and more people have progressive capable EDTV or HDTV, now why the hell would I want a console which can't even do basic progressive scan.

 

[Deepak]

Link

Additional Information:

Why have you removed the component video feature from the Nintendo GameCube?

On newer models of the Nintendo GameCube, we opted to remove the digital A/V out port from the system because we found that less than one percent of all Nintendo GameCube players used this feature. (What silly argument)

Will future Nintendo GameCube games continue to have the progressive scan feature?
About one-third of licensee-published titles and over 90% of Nintendo-published titles currently have the progressive scan feature. We expect that most Nintendo-published titles will continue to support progressive scan. Each licensee will continue to make the decision of whether or not to include this feature in their future games.

********

I am confused, if new GC doesn't support PS than why are developers even bothering about it? Am I missing something? :?

 

[cthellis42]

Generally go for the highest rez and yes, progressive scan. Not much else you can do (can't adjust refresh rate, color depth, buffering, etc.)

I mean cabling-wise, with links to the best (within reason) components.

 

[Ty]

Generally go for the highest rez and yes, progressive scan. Not much else you can do (can't adjust refresh rate, color depth, buffering, etc.)

I mean cabling-wise, with links to the best (within reason) components.

Sorry I guess I'm still at a loss for what you mean exactly.

Cable-wise you're pretty much stuck with OEM cables (the Nintendo Component cable ~30 bucks) or some other 3rd party cabling that may or may not have enough bandwidth for component signals. I haven't run any sweep signals across cables of this sort so I can't vouch either for or against them.

By components do you mean A/V gear?

 

[cthellis42]

I DO mean the component cables. I'm just talking about all three systems and know there are any number of 1st/2nd/3rd/15th-party products out there, so I'm shopping for opinions on which work best, and where would be a good place to pick them up.

 

[Ty]

I DO mean the component cables. I'm just talking about all three systems and know there are any number of 1st/2nd/3rd/15th-party products out there, so I'm shopping for opinions on which work best, and where would be a good place to pick them up.

I'd presume the OEM ones would likely be the best (Mad Katz stuff never really impressed me) but as I said before, only a sweep test would really highlight the differences and even then, they may not translate to ones you'd actually see.

 

[Rodéric]

On newer models of the Nintendo GameCube, we opted to remove the digital A/V out port from the system because we found that less than one percent of all Nintendo GameCube players used this feature. (What silly argument)

Yeah it's not like you can find the digital out cable easily... if at all...
Tried to get my hands on one w/o success; just like I can't get my hands on a high speed modem either !

That's my only complain about the Cube, but it really annoys me.

 

[ChryZ]

Yeah it's not like you can find the digital out cable easily... if at all...
Tried to get my hands on one w/o success

For the PAL version of the GC Nintendo choose to replace progressive scan feature with a 50/60Hz option, so there is not reason for them to sell the component cable in PAL territories. The official component cable is only sold through Nintendo itself (anyone in the US could order it at their online store). Nintendo is even forbidding retailers to sell the cable behind their back, that's why not even stores like amazon.com are offering them. Import users in PAL territories need to get it from import shops. HK is very pricey in terms of shipping costs, but there are shops within Europe selling those cables at reasonable prices. I am not going to advertise here, but feel free to PM me for details.

 

[cthellis42]

That answers it for the GameCube I guess, but what about the other systems? (And what if the PS2 has no FireWire port?)

 

[Cryect]

Just curious somewhat offtopic but does it bug anyone else with Nintendo going their component output Digital A/V?

(it doesn't even send a damn audio signal and there sure is no digital signal involved at least)

 

[kipper67]

On newer models of the Nintendo GameCube, we opted to remove the digital A/V out port from the system because we found that less than one percent of all Nintendo GameCube players used this feature. (What silly argument)

Yeah it's not like you can find the digital out cable easily... if at all...
Tried to get my hands on one w/o success; just like I can't get my hands on a high speed modem either !

That's my only complain about the Cube, but it really annoys me.

Without wanting to sound too much like an advert but lik-sang sell the official Nintendo DVC and ship worldwide

http://www.lik-sang.com/info.php?category=76&products_id=1468&
or http://www.lik-sang.com/info.php?category=76&products_id=777&

I've ordered a couple for delivery here in the UK with no problems - they worked out about £27 inc shipping so about 40 euros .

They also do the broadband adapter but I can't see the standard 56k modem on their site.

Another international site I've used a lot is www.dvdboxoffice.com who also do the broadband adapter again about 40 euros

Mark

 

[Tagrineth]

Just curious somewhat offtopic but does it bug anyone else with Nintendo going their component output Digital A/V?

(it doesn't even send a damn audio signal and there sure is no digital signal involved at least)

It's digital. The large plug on the component cable contains a DAC.

 

[PC-Engine]

Hey welcome back Tag where have you been?

 

[Fox5]

Cthellis, you want to know what the best hookups for each console are?
I believe for gamecube it's the official component cables, or the official component cables modified into a RGB or VGA cable, or the official d-terminal cable.

PS2- Component cables or official sony vga cable or RGB, but most games lack progressive scan so...
You may consider the blaze vga adapter which forces games to run in progressive scan. Hmm, can you use the disk to force progressive scan and then run with component cables?

Xbox- Component cables or vga box.