Retro Game Repair Shop is now selling a $50 HDMI-out kit that easily installs into either 32 or 40 pin Game Boy Advance handhelds. It generates the video signal from the ribbon cable, making this a mostly plug and play install: You’ll need to trim the case and either solder two wires for audio, or use the GBA’s built-in audio. It can be used as TV-out only, or with a compatible IPS screen. For a full overview check out Tito’s video above and if you’d like a real-time walkthrough, see Makko’s video below:
HDMI Kit: https://retrogamerepairshop.com/products/game-boy-advance-hdmi-out-mod/
Compatible (optional) IPS Kit: https://retrogamerepairshop.com/products/funnyplaying-gba-ips-v2-game-boy-advance-backlight-mod
This looks like a ver cool mod, but its important to keep expectations realistic: This is a $50 kit that plugs into the GBA’s ribbon cable and generates 480p via non-integer scaling and an improper aspect ratio. If you’re comparing it to something like the Innovation TV-out adapter from back in the day, it’s absolutely better in every way, including ease of installation. If you’re planning on using a flat-panel, it’s also better than the GBA composite-out mod, as you won’t need any other type of scaler.
That said, this is nothing like the GBA Consolizer, which outputs sharp-scaled 720p, scanlines, gamma options, supports external controllers and countless more options. However, it’s about 1/3 of the price and offers the option to use it in handheld mode or TV mode, which is something te GBAz can’t do.
So, if you’re someone who mostly plays in handheld mode, but occasionally wants to stream or play on a flat-panel TV, this kit might be perfect for you. Alternatively, if you mostly want to play in handheld mode and occasionally on a CRT, the composite video out kit might be a better choice and I believe even processes the video in the proper aspect ratio.
…but of course, if you’re primarily playing on an external display, the Game Boy Advance Consolizer (video below) and Game Boy Interface are still the top options.
