XRGB-1 Logo Meister
NCS Upscan
   Video upscan convertors are a fairly common beast in Japan. Most upscan units are targeted at the home PC market and are primarily used by computer owners to connect their PCs to televisions. In the world of video, upscan convertors provide users of VCRs, gaming consoles and any other consumer device that can output video with a pristine picture. The quality of an upscan video signal is unmatched by anything else in the market today thanks to the use of a computer monitor as the viewing screen, and of course, the capabilities of the upscan itself.
XRGB-1 from the Top    Micomsoft's XRGB-1 is one such upscan and it is probably the most versatile unit in the market today. The XRGB-1 can accept video output from any electronic device with a video port, an S-Video port or a 21 pin RGB connection. This means that you can connect your VCR, laserdisc, Playstation or DVD player to the XRGB-1 for a perfect picture on any SVGA or multisync computer monitor.
  The quality of the XRGB-1's output to a monitor is always superb but it improves based on the quality of the input signal that you provide. S-Video is superior to  RCA video and RGB output from your device is superior to S-Video. An RGB signal that is upscanned to a multisync monitor is incredible. For example, Colony Wars for the Playstation looks pretty good but upscan it with a SCART RGB lead and the game looks mesmerizing. In the picture to the right, we have the front of the unit. From left to right, the components are: power button, video-in port for RCA video, S-Video in and finally, 21-pin RGB in. On the left side of the unit, we have two insertion holes for setting hue and color. XRGB-1 at an angle
The rear of the XRGB-1 The back of the unit. From left to right, we have: 2 audio ports (red and white) and four dials that control red level, green level, blue level and brightness. Next, we have four dip switches that you set for your particular use. The default settings that come from the factory should be suitable for most consumer devices but you may want to experiment with different settings for peak performance.
   To the right of the dip switches, we have the 15 pin display output port which you plug your monitor cable into. To the right of the output port, a 15 pin input port is available if you want to connect your computer to the upscan unit and improve the signal from your computer to a monitor. Finally, the port on the rightmost side of the upscan is the power in jack. The power supply is included with the XRGB. Micomsoft also manufactures a device called the XPC-2 which connects your PC or Macintosh to any television, including projection screens. The XPC-2 will only support a screen resolution of 640X480 however. Retail price: US$380.
   The XRGB-1 upscan is not for everyone. If you are satisfied with the screen quality of your current set-up and the colors and contrast are to your liking, you don't need an upscan convertor. However, if you're looking for something better than S-Video or RGB, look no further than this. Your playing sessions will look brighter, sharper, crisper and essentially bring a whole new viewing experience to your games. But it doesn't stop there, the XRGB-1 also does wonders for viewing your laserdiscs or your favorite video-tapes. XRGB-1 at a back angle

    To read the technical specifications of the Micomsoft XRGB-1, click here.

   To read a short summary of the recent history of video upscan convertors, click here.
   The upscan text, photos and links are the copyright of National Console Support 1997.