Guncon 2 RANT

[mkdevo]

well, i suppose i'm a moron for not doing research before i picked up my Guncon2/Time Crisis 2 package last week (didn't think i had to), but i'm really disappointed that after opening the box, i can do nothing but put this puppy up on eBay...

my problems:

#1 - short cables. not too much of a problem, as extensions are an easy fix.

#2 - RCA video hookup. after opening the package and thinking about it a bit, i realize that this won't work for me, as i have all my game systems hooked up via S-Video. :-(

#3 - not compatible with projection TV's. if #2 didn't already kill it for me, this one definitely did.

#4 - not compatible (or so i've read) with video game selector switches. ugh.

my question is: why the usb/rca hookup?? what advantages does that have over a controller port hookup?? better accuracy??

there should be a nice big warning on the front of the package saying If you're a serious gamer (multiple systems/system selector), like to play your games on a big (projection) TV, and/or like better quality out of your games (S-Video), the Guncon2 will not work for you.

though i do notice now that there is a fix for S-Video on the back of the package, but it requires the purchase of another adapter, and still doesn't solve the other problems...

thoughts?? like i said, this was definitely a rant... i'm not happy..

[darkside]

Bought my wife Vampire Night and noticed the same thing. I just had to switch to RCA imputs when playing the Guncon games. Didn't use it with a projection screen though.

[Darknight]

Actually, you're incorrect. It does work with projection screens as far as I know since I've seen them used on there, and there is a way to keep your s-video or component video connection. When the newer original PlayStations came out, they made an adaptor to make up for it taking up a port. You need one of these:

http://sony.fp.sandpiper.net/www.us.playstation.com/img/temp/conp_97034_f_a.jpg

This has composite video, s-video, stereo audio, and a PS proprietary a/v port. All you do is plug this in, and then you can plug the composite video plug into the adaptor and that will satisfy the connection needed. Then you can hook whatever connection you would like up to the TV and be fine. This was invented when they took off the standard composite port off the original PlayStation since the GunCon had been designed around the original design of the system. Get one of these, all your problems should be solved. I actually use this on my Japanese unit so I don't have to keep swapping my s-video cable with my VGA adaptor on my Japanese unit.

As far as the usage of USB and video port, yes it has to do with accuracy. If you compare the original GunCon which worked off the normal controller port and a composite video connection, the light gun was 10 times more accurate than any other light gun available at the time. Now if you compare the GunCon to the GunCon 2, with USB, there is even better accuracy. Although there might be a slight bit of delay in the timing compared to the original GunCon but you may not even notice it. The difference in accuracy is noticable but not huge so you might want to try just a normal GunCon to see if it's more to your liking since all the games now work with both guns.

[mkdevo]

Darknight, thanks for the info.. i noticed that that was the adapter they had 'advertised' on the back of the package... *however*, this does not solve my system selector problem. of course, i don't know this to be true first hand - i read about it in the latest gamepro - but i don't wanna drop any unnecessary cash on that adapter just to find out it doesn't work...

so, does anyone in here run a Guncon2 with a system selector box?? also, how much do those adapters go for? they look like the XBox ones...

btw - i got the projection TV thing from an earlier DVDTalk thread when i did a search before i posted earlier. again, not first hand.

[Darknight]

Maybe I'm just confused but I don't see an issue with your video selector problem. How is it not compatible? I use a video selector box without a problem.

[belboz]

You gotta be a little careful with the projectors. IIRC, the guncons work by synching to the NTSC signal as it sweeps on the screen. So any projector (rear or front) that has any kind of scan processing (ie line doubling/quadrupling) going on won't work correctly. Many new high end TV's and projectors use these scan processing features automatically so you'll need to double check that you can turn it off if you want to use the guncon with these units.