If you are like me and occasionally get into a retro frenzy and want to indulge in some nostalgia, you’ll encounter the problem of connecting old consoles like PlayStation 1 and 2, the first Xbox, or one of Nintendo’s numerous consoles like the N64 or Wii to newer or smart TVs. That’s why I purchased an generic AV2HDMI converter from Amazon.
There are many offers for this kind of converter on the internet. Judging by the appearance and my experience with such Chinese mass-produced goods, they all seem to have the same circuit board and chipset in the inside. An explicit comparison is usually not possible here. However, I wouldn’t spend more than ~10 EUR on this online, or, for those who can wait, order for a cheap 3 EUR directly from China.
In short: these devices do their job, but one shouldn’t expect miracles or a high quality. The converter can upscale to 1080p, but noticeably sacrifices quality in the process. It should only be used if there are issues at 720p. Unfortunately, I encountered the problem that my soundbar started to whine. However, it was not an issue with the built-in speakers of my TCL smart TV.
3.5mm jack cables often delivered with Smart TVs are better
After I had already connected and tried out the “AV to HDMI” converter, I happened to come across the RCA jack cable from my smart TV. It’s an adapter cable that saves space for Smart TV manufacturers by combining three large RCA jacks into one. When I switched to using it, I noticed that the picture quality was significantly better and there was no more whining on the soundbar.
Therefore, my advice: It’s better to use the often included RCA jack cable instead of an HDMI converter. Of course, those who have no other choice, such as when connecting a projector, still need to resort to a converter solution. However, the RCA jack cables not only save space but also power, especially if the smart TV is already doing the job anyway.
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