Ultimate Dreamcast VGA box with Scanliner out now

There is a new VGA box product out for Dreamcast. This little beast is what actually makes Dreamcast a bit cooler to have than a Playstation 2. This magical console from Sega, manages to actually give out 480p when connected with a VGA connector. A LCD or Plasma TV that supports VGA, manages to give 4:3 mode is brilliant for such device that is a must to have if you love to play one of the brilliant games that came out for Dreamcast. Read on…

Get your TV ready for some Dreamcast action!

HANZO is a Dreamcast VGA box with built-in scanline generator. Dreamcast natively supports VGA output mode, however you need a special cable to enable this mode. This means you can play your favourite arcade games in higher (480p) resolution on VGA monitors and modern displays like plasma and LCD screens. Hanzo has another built-in feature called Scanliner, which adds scanlines effect to your display.

This is what makes it a unique product. Apart from that it can also support the 480i RGB mode which is identical in terms of what the European Scart cable uses. However Hanzo outputs better audio/video quality than those scart cables due to the nature of those cables’ poor shielding/ground problems.

RGB mode (upto 480i) is interlaced and not progressive as the VGA mode. In the RGB mode, video is 15khz, however VGA output is 31khz, which enables clearer, sharper and more detailed images that you can’t get with an ordinary composite, S-video or Scart cable.

These video modes are selectable by a switch. This is also a unique feature of Hanzo, which lets you play games that are not compatible with the VGA box. All you need to do is trick the console while booting(after the beep sound) by switching to VGA mode position to alter this limitation on those games. Note that not all displays support the 15khz mode.

What makes the Hanzo “Ultimate” is its Scanliner function.

Modern displays don’t give the feel of our old CRT TVs. Old games look better on old TVs, however your new hi-tech screen gives edgy, pixelated graphics which decreases your gaming appetite. This is because CRTs have scanlines and games were designed for these displays. If you are an enthusiast of 2D fighting games or shoot ’em ups, you will notice it’s even worse in VGA mode because of the higher details. Scanliner eliminates this problem by enabling scanlines in the VGA mode. So you can play your Street Fighter 3 game in full glory even better than before.

It’s possible to turn off scanlines easily with a switch, you can also select Even or Odd scanlines or you can change the width of the scanlines.

You can use Hanzo as a standalone Scanliner for other consoles/PC with VGA output if you use the extra Scanliner cable, no need for any other Scanline Generators.

You just need to swap the DC cable with the Scanliner cable which has a VGA (HD15) male plug for input.

Pure Audio output in Stereo…

Hanzo has RCA Stereo audio jacks to let you plug your console to an amplifier or a stereo system or simply your TV. So you can hear the sounds which you have never before and feel as you are in the game.

QUALITY

All of their products is handmade, using high quality imported components. Every component is tested multiple times and chosen carefully for its longevity. They use high quality shielded video cable for better video and audio quality. The price is also set right. At $70 USD this product should be affordable for most people!

SPECIFICATIONS

Supports resolutions up to 480i/480p.
RGB/VGA switch to select the 15khz RGB mode or the 31khz VGA mode.
VGA female connector (HD15) for connecting to your video display.
High quality Stereo RCA audio output jacks for plugging to a Hi-Fi system(amplifier) or TV.
Scanliner ON/OFF switch to turn it on or off.
Scanliner Even/Odd switch for selecting even or odd scanlines.
Scanliner Width switch for selecting thin or thick scanlines for a resolution like 640×480(default) or 1024×768 when upscaling.
Luminosity adjustment as a bonus feature.
Blue power led.
High quality custom made Dreamcast audio/video cable.
Durable plexi case with laser etched Hanzo logo.

Conclusion

So now you can once again play your favourite Dreamcast games on your new TV. Run like wild with Sonic, explore in Shenmue or fight in Soul Calibour. Dreamcast got games in all genres and the games still hold good quality for their age for sure. If you love Dreamcast and haven’t got such addon yet, its your chance and the price is nice at just $70 USD. Well made thing and keeps Dreamcast spirit just continue!