Josh H

Unfortunately it isn't a simple hookup, and using it will void your warranty as you have to open up your GBA and hook it into the circuit board. However, no soldering is required. It is supposed to be coming out in Japan this October, but no price has been announced yet.

anyway, here's the article form http://pocket.ign.com


Play Game Boy Advance on TV

A non-licensed peripheral company promises a cable connection that will put GBA on the big screen.

September 19, 2001

It was bound to happen -- an Asian group by the name Gamesark has announced that it will produce a non-licensed peripheral that will enable gamers to play their Game Boy Advance up on any television with A/V inputs. The unit, known as the TV de Advance, will consist of a cable that will plug into the GBA, and will route the video and audio signal to the standard RCA A/V ports on the other end. The cable will be released in Japan this October, but no price has been announced.
There is a catch -- the peripheral will require users to physically open their systems and perform a "simple" task of snapping the one end of the cable to the GBA's circuit board -- the company promises that it's an easy process that requires no soldering...but this process will void your Nintendo warranty. The sound's output comes through the headphone jack, so the unit will have a second wire that plugs directly into it.

This isn't the first instance of this type of peripheral surfacing -- back in May at the Electronic Entertainment Expo, another Asian group -- Yobo Gameware -- was shopping around a similar cable in the lower hall (and says they still expect their version to be available in import markets by the end of this year). Unfortunately, like the TV de Advance, no physical proof was shown that such a cable will actually work. After all, developers must utilize an expensive kit called the AGB Capture to have video and audio out on the Game Boy Advance. Something like the TV de Advance just seems too good and convenient to be true.

We'll keep our eyes peeled on the release of the TV de Advance, and we'll prepare one of our Game Boy Advance systems as a guinea pig for when (or if) it gets released.

-- Craig Harris

Deftones

As far as I know, a little Asian company called Yobo has plans to bring out something similar. Except this one, you won't have to open your GBA. It's basically a cartridge that plugs into the cartridge slot with AV cables coming out the top. The game plugs into this cartride sort of like the Gameshark. I'll call them in the next few days to see what the status is on it. They showed it at the E3 show this past may.

Outlaw

Thats really interesting, I think it would be great to play GBA on my TV, especially Castlevania. With such a larger screen hopefully the character sprites won't look blocky or pixilated, although the company making this probably already sorted this out(hopefully), thanks for the info!

Burnt Alive

I've always wondered why it couldn't interface with the Gamecube so you could play it on your TV.
You can use it as a controller but can't play it's games...WTF?
Major missed opportunity and selling point for the Gamecube there.

Mezzanine

This is interesting... I like playing games on a TV much more than on handheld systems with small screens, so I'd be tempted to buy a GBA if this product is eventually released. Especially since good 2D console games seem to be few and far between these days.

Josh H

I read something about this the other day. The reason it isn't possible is that they plug on top is not a A/V out, and that is the plug that will hook it up to Gamecube. I agree that they missed the boat on this one. Maybe they will release something else that will allow this to work, something like the old Super Gameboy?

Deftones

That cartidge thingy sounds cool. Much better than having to open up your system and plug something into the circuit board.

Drexl

The GBA has an aspect ratio of about 1.5:1. In the concept art, they have drawn a TV that is shaped like that (not wide enough for 16:9), and the image fills the screen. I really hope this thing will letterbox the image on a 4:3 TV so that the image isn't distorted.

RudeBoie

I remember seeing this at E3. I can't stand the GBA screen and want this cable to be a reality (no warranty voiding though) so I can finally play my GT Advance.