Hands On: Dreamcast VGA Box

As previously reported, Sega recently released a peripheral for the Dreamcast called the VGA Box. Essentially it's a device that let's you hook your Dreamcast up to a PC monitor for some truly stunning hi-res graphics. Here's what it was like:

The VGA BoxThe VGA Box looks like a little black square, about four inches wide and an inch thick. On one side it has composite jacks (video and two stereo RCA's), and an S-Video jack, which you can hook up to a traditional TV and sound system. On the other side is the pin-slot to connect your PC monitor, as well as an audio jack for connecting to a PC speaker set-up. A switch on the VGA lets you choose which video set up you're using. Conveniently, you can hook it up to your PC monitor and still output the sound via the RCA jacks, for some truly kick-ass sound.

The GamesVirtua Fighter 3TB: VF3TB looked good when it was on a regular old TV, but throw this puppy on a Sony 400PS Multiscan and you're in for some serious high-high-high resolution fighting action. Actually any monitor will do, but the Sony is what we're using the VGA Box with. Ironic isn't it? Anyway, the light-sourcing seems to have more impact, textures are much cleaner and despite the imperfect port criticisms leveled at the Dreamcast version, on a PC monitor, VF3 looks better than it does in the arcade.

Sega Rally 2: Rally 2 probably benefits the least from the switch to a PC monitor. That's not to say it doesn't, but the improvements aren't as drastic as they are on other games. Things still look much nicer, that's for sure, with mountain textures looking almost impossibly real as you whiz by in 60fps. That's right, 60fps. It may be an optical illusion, but the frame-rate "issues" actually seem to improve on the PC monitor. Sure it still dips to 30fps now and then, but overall the game seems to move smoother when playing in such hi-res conditions. It's also easier to pick out details that were previously imperceptible, such as road signs way in the distance and whatnot. Definitely a better experience overall.

Sonic Adventure: Of the three games tested, Sonic Adventure benefits the most from the VGA Box. To say that this was the best looking console game ever was certainly true. Now it's plain fact. With the VGA Box in tow, Sonic and company practically burst off the screen. Super-high-res and, as with VF3TB, the light-sourcing becomes much more obvious. In fact, details that you never noticed before, like the furry textures on Sonic and Knuckles, and even some subtle details in the title screen appear with the use of the VGA Box. Head over into one of the action courses, like the Emerald Coast, and everything moves by at a blinding pace, that also seems to benefit, however, slight, in the frame-rate department. While the VGA Box doesn't help the hardware with this, perhaps it's the high refresh rates of the monitor that irons things out visually. Either way, it's the gamer that benefits.

The VerdictAlthough the VGA Box doesn't work with all the Dreamcast software (i.e. Evolution), we expect most of the future titles to incorporate VGA compatibility. Heck, why not? It doesn't make sense not to. In any case, with the price of PC monitors coming down like the sky is falling, if you plan on getting a Dreamcast, or if you already have one, it's recommended that you grab a VGA Box. S-Video is fine, but VGA is the bomb! Since it outputs to both composite video as well as to PC monitors, the VGA Box is user-friendly to the extreme. If you can find one, it comes highly recommended.