These days one can find all sorts of new tech for old consoles. With devices ranging from Framemeisters to Optical Drive Emulators, these products help us keep our old consoles working and expand their feature-base beyond anything we could have imagined. When California based Pound Technologies released their Original Xbox to HDMI cables, they were met with high praise for their signal quality and low price. Their recently released Dreamcast to HDMI cable promotes features such a generous 6.6-foot cable length and the best video output the Dreamcast can provide, but can it deliver?



When the Dreamcast launched in the US on Sept 9th, 1999, it marked the beginning of the end of the 240p video standard. The 240p standard had been the best way to display a rock-solid progressive scan image from consoles for decades. It works by taking half of the horizontal and vertical resolution of a standard definition TV set to quickly refresh the on-screen image. The Dreamcast can output 240p, but it can also display games in 480p. To achieve a 480p signal, the Dreamcast uses an external box that outputs a VGA signal at 640X480. This external box, fittingly called the "VGA box," worked well with the technology of its time, but finding a TV with anything but HDMI ports in 2018 can be a headache.

For our testing we will be using the following equipment:

Cable:

• Pound Technologies Dreamcast to HDMI Cable

Consoles:

• Japanese Dreamcast Model HKT-3010
• US Dreamcast Model HKT-3020 Rev1

TVs:

• 19" Sylvania Model LC190SS2
• 32" LG Model 32LN530B-UA
• 46" Polaroid Model 4641-TLXB
• 40" Sony Model KDL-40W600B

Let's start with the good. The cable length is generous at 6.6 feet and should have enough slack for any setup. The cable is lightweight, but doesn't feel cheap.  The picture quality is sharp and clear with no visual artifacts and is on par with a VGA box or cable. The sound is crisp and free of distortion. There isn't any noticeable lag.

All products have flaws and the HD Link Cable is not without fault. The cable connection to the Dreamcast is a tight fit (death grip) and you have to be careful when unpluging it. The picture will most likely appear off center after the game starts. This can be worked around by either turning the TV off and on or switching to another input and then back to the HDMI input the cable is on. This process will need to be repeated every time a new game is started. While most games are compatible, there are a small number of games that won't work with the HD Link Cable or a VGA box. However, most of the incompatible games can be hacked or patched to work.


While not quite a plug and play solution, Pound Technologies' HD Link Cable for Dreamcast works as advertised. Its inherent quirks of a non-centered screen and incompatible games can be overcome for those that are willing to put in some effort. Thanks to this cable, the Dreamcast will keep thinking for years to come.

Comparison shots:

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