RCA to HDMI Converter Review

Many of us still have old DVD players, game consoles (such as Nintendo SNES, Playsation One, etc.) at home. Sometimes we get nostalgic and want to play a childhood favorite game, but the new TV in the living room often no longer has old connectors for old devices such as RCA or SCART. For such cases, you need RCA to HDMI converters.

The main problem is that the component output is analog as Grandma’s old TV and HDMI is digital. That means you can’t just buy an RCA to HDMI cable, you need an analog to digital converter. Usually they look like a small box with microchips.

So, how to convert RCA to HDMI?

First, when you look for such converter on the Internet, you should pay attention to the pictures in the product description:

Secondly, pay attention to the description — it should clearly say that it is an RCA to HDMI converter, not vice versa. And not just a cable, this will not work! It is also important to mention signal formats such as:

• PAL
• NTSC3.58
• NTSC4.43
• SECAM
• PAL/M
• PAL/N

in the description.

I have found several options for such converters, which will work 100%:

Best RCA to HDMI Converter — GANA 1080P Mini RCA Composite AV to HDMI Video Audio Converter ➡️ Check price

This small black box from manufacturer Gana is one of many very similar in appearance and functionality, which is not surprising as many of them are made in the same factories in China.

This adapter works perfectly with PS2, SNES, N64 original PlayStation and Sega Genesis. There is a slight delay when you turn it on, but it is not there when you play games.

There was also a problem with sound output on some 4K TVs.

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Vilcome RCA to HDMI, AV to HDMI Converter ➡️ Check price

This adapter, although made by another brand, is not much different from the previous one. The only difference is the white color of the box. It works perfectly with many game consoles, including the Nintendo Wii. The only problem is that there is no USB power adapter included.

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Techole Aluminum 1080P RCA to HDMI Adapter ➡️ Check price

Like the two previous converters, this one converts analog RCA input to HDMI 720p/1080p (60Hz) output.

The main difference from the previous models is the material used to make the case. If the previous ones are made of plastic, this one is made of aluminum. This helps with cooling, although other adapters have no overheating problems.
USB cable and AV-composite cable are included, but there is no power adapter.

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Conclusion

There are many different kinds of RCA to HDMI adapters on Amazon, Walmart or Best Buy etc. Most of them look the same and differ only in brand name. I tried to find some better options and see how well they are performing. Unfortunately, there is no general list of compatible devices. You can rest assured that the devices that connect to the input can be absolutely anything. Compatibility issues arise when it comes to connecting a monitor or TV. The most common problem is lack of sound. Unfortunately, the only way to check is to buy one of the adapters and try it yourself. Thank God, we have the option to return any product :)

RCA to HDMI converter FAQ

Q: What is the difference between HDMI to RCA and RCA to HDMI?

A: There is a very big difference between these adapters. In the first case, the adapter is DAC (Digital-to-analog converter), and in the second case the process is the opposite. You need different chips and devices for these operations. Although, you can probably find universal devices on the market.

Q: Can I convert RCA to HDMI?

A: Yes, it’s possible. That’s what this article is all about.

Q: Does an RCA to HDMI cable work?

A: No, a cable without an adapter will not work because the cable cannot convert an analog signal to digital.

Q: Does RCA to HDMI improve picture quality?

A: Unfortunately, no. Converters can change the aspect ratio, emulate resolution increase, but it is impossible to make a picture better than it was on an old TV.

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