Playing Retro Consoles on 4KTVs is going to be easier than ever with the RetroTINK 4K and PixelFX Morph scalers

Grechy34 said:
Have you read bug fix notes for most of old cores? Incredibly minor stuff.
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Yes I have, and I've been familiar with mister for multiple years. Back when they weren't minor fixes.

The point is, it's not some magic perfect recreation of hardware. It's just a different type of emulation, and neither of them are perfect.
 
I really want to get one, but at that price it's absolutely ridiculous. I think I'll stick to a Pi outputting to a real CRT for now for 240p games.
 
I still prefer it this way 🧐
vOaJjTo.jpg
 
I'm looking to buy a Sony Trinitron Multiscan 500PS CRT.

Does anyone know of an analog line doubler that does 240p RGB scart to 480p HD15 VGA or RGB BNC?

I don't want to spend a fortune on a combination of a scaler and hdmi to vga converter
 
existensmaximum said:
I don't understand why anyone would want to play these beautiful old consoles on a large 4k TV instead of on a beautiful CRT but cool I guess.
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CRTs only last about 20,000 hours of use before they start to degrade and typically fail within another 20,000 hours. That's about 4 combined years of use.

No one is making replacement cathode ray tubes anymore, the supply will dry up and the last CRT display will die within our lifetimes.
 
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It's a hard pass from me if it's anywhere near $1000. I'm not exactly a fan of CRT emulation anyway, hate phosphor emulation, and I don't believe that all games were designed to particularly rely on blending despite what some people try to tell you.
 
baphomet said:
Yes I have, and I've been familiar with mister for multiple years. Back when they weren't minor fixes.

The point is, it's not some magic perfect recreation of hardware. It's just a different type of emulation, and neither of them are perfect.
Click to expand...

Fair points, it's pretty good in my opinion though.
 
UltimaKilo said:
Forgive my ignorance, but what's the major difference between this and an mClassic?
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mClassic is for improving 1 HDMI output, RetroTink is for hooking up older consolers (SCART, Component/Composite, S-Video) and output it with various (optional) improvements to HDMI.
 
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This looks awesome but then the price range ripped my dick off. I have no clue what I based that on but I was expecting like...$100 to $150 to be "hefty".

Definitely looks great though.
 
simpatico said:
You could buy a hell of a CRT with that money and get a better experience.
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But then you gotta deal with that high pitched noise anytime you turn it on.
Suppose you could get a trinitron pc monitor and pump the fps to 120 to hit 240p
 
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Would this be able to inject post-AA eg. SMAA or FXAA into games? Would be ideal for the HD generation machines and Switch since mClassic isn't great and the ancient PtBi solution for Black Magic Intensity capture cards has a ton of issues.
 
Killer8 said:
Would this be able to inject post-AA eg. SMAA or FXAA into games? Would be ideal for the HD generation machines and Switch since mClassic isn't great and the ancient PtBi solution for Black Magic Intensity capture cards has a ton of issues.
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The RetroTink 4K will at least have various smoothing filters in addition to scanline and CRT filters.
 
The RetroTink 5x is already a stunning achievement for classic games. This 4K version is almost the end goal (8k would be optimal). However, the 5x is already $300, and the 4K will be at least twice that. "Easy", sure, but at a high cost.

I sold my 5x and bought a JVC CRT for $25 instead. The 4K could bring me back.
 
Think the BFI sold me on this, getting even better motion clarity on modern display panels will be a delight. My HDMI modded N64 and even Switch will benefit from the BFI.
 
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Mike just released a new firmware for the 5x that adds Inverse Telecine 2:2 Deinterlacing which is fantastic for PS2 games that run at 480i30fps (which we are finding out is a fair amount of them).

He also added a 3:2 Telecine Deinterlacer which is great for digitizing VHS tapes and early DVDs.

www.retrorgb.com

RetroTINK 5x v3.69 Firmware Update

https://youtu.be/H8scxwwPVNw Mike Chi has just released a new beta firmware for the RetroTINK 5x, with some interesting features. The first is an exciting feature for PS2, 480i30 games: 2:2 pulldown (see example from Wobbling Pixels above). This allows for sharper deinterlacing without any art
www.retrorgb.com
 
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Mike Chi has been crazy productive. Might sell my 5x and get the new 4K so I can hook up PS2, PS3, Dreamcast and Switch to it. Also got a Saturn recently....

Hmm....
 
RetroTink shop shows it for 750$. :messenger_winking_tongue:

www.retrotink.com

RetroTINK-4K Pro | RetroTINK

The RetroTINK-4K is the latest evolution of the RetroTINK line of video line doublers and upscalers. Below is a list of a few standout features. Outputs HD Digital Video up to 4K60. Flexible output modes including 480p, 1080p, 1440p at various refresh rates (60/120/etc.) Custom modelines...
www.retrotink.com www.retrotink.com
 
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Ulysses 31 said:
RetroTink show shows it for 750$. :messenger_winking_tongue:

www.retrotink.com

RetroTINK-4K Pro | RetroTINK

The RetroTINK-4K is the latest evolution of the RetroTINK line of video line doublers and upscalers. Below is a list of a few standout features. Outputs HD Digital Video up to 4K60. Flexible output modes including 480p, 1080p, 1440p at various refresh rates (60/120/etc.) Custom modelines...
www.retrotink.com www.retrotink.com
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Man I want one but definitely not at that price. Will wait for the inevitable knock off
 
I mean at some point wouldn't it actually be easier and cheaper to just find an old CRT TV, an old console, and just plug the old console into the old TV and play it like it was in your childhood?
 
The 4K retrotink apparently also does BFI injection superior to native BFI on oled televisions.

Will wait for a cheaper version with dp 2.1 so that I can enjoy crt motion resolution on my future 360 hz QD OLED monitor.
 
Unknown Soldier said:
I mean at some point wouldn't it actually be easier and cheaper to just find an old CRT TV, an old console, and just plug the old console into the old TV and play it like it was in your childhood?
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Yes. The 4K isn't something that you need, Mike and Co and clear and honest about this. The 4K is a high end product for users who want to maximize their experience on their modern TVs and for streamers to get the best most compatible output from their consoles for capture cards.

Finding a boob tube and playing that way or just getting the $300 RetroTink 5x (which maxes out at 1440p but has most of the important scaling and image processing features of the 4K sans the imo big one, black frame insertion).
TastyPastry said:
noob questiion maybe but if i plan to get a mister i don't need this right? mister already scales the picture by itself?
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Correct. But wait and check out the MARS FPGA project
 
People complaining about the price, nobody needs to buy the 4K one there's are a whole family of tink devices to suit the pocket of everyone. Even if you went to the higher end and grabbed the 5X is so feature packed it's enough for nearly anyone if they still use old original hardware. Currently use my tink 5x mainly for PS1 as it makes the image look amazing and as i play a lot of rhythm stuff the resolution switching speed makes it an essential device as through my framemeister it was utter shit making rhythm stuff unplayable. Considering just how much a decent size PVM/BVM can set you back i don't think the price is as outrageous as some people seem to be making it, the thing is a high end piece of gear plus it's a one off purchase if any monitor dies you can just plug it into another another this alone is why i never wasted my money buying internal HDMI mods for my retro consoles and got a tink instead as if your console dies you have to resolder it in a new one.

Once supply settles and they will be easier to grab i'm planning on upgrading from my 5x to the 4K one. CRTs are on their deathbed nobody is making them anymore so the ones out there are eventually gonna break & will get to the point that they can't be repaired there is no way to unburn a tube. I gave up CRTs years ago they are great picture wise but a total pain, too heavy too bulky and once you get over 20" they become even more of a hassle.

What i'm really interested in is what Mike will managed to squeeze out of the 4K as he literally stuffed so many new things into the 5X via firmware additions that he could get away with he pushed the chips as far as they could go. With this additional power it's gonna be fun to see what he can do, glad there are people out there making this hardware to allow us to make old games look like they were intended to, getting really close to a CRT look now to the point where it's eventually gonna be hard to tell the difference.
 
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Unknown Soldier said:
I mean at some point wouldn't it actually be easier and cheaper to just find an old CRT TV, an old console, and just plug the old console into the old TV and play it like it was in your childhood?
Click to expand...
They get bulky real fast and for the smaller ones I'll have to sit real close where you'll probably have to lean forward the whole play session.
 
I have the baby retrotink and I love the thing. The price on these are fair (they aren't going to sell a ton in the scheme of thing and they have to stay in business) but too much for me as retro has been like 5% of my diet for the last three years.

I have a new-in-box vga crt at work but I live in an apartment and I just have nowhere to put it. We are moving buildings in a year or so so I'll at least take it to my storage until I have a place for it some day.
 
It's $750
www.retrotink.com

RetroTINK-4K Pro | RetroTINK

The RetroTINK-4K is the latest evolution of the RetroTINK line of video line doublers and upscalers. Below is a list of a few standout features. Outputs HD Digital Video up to 4K60. Flexible output modes including 480p, 1080p, 1440p at various refresh rates (60/120/etc.) Custom modelines...
www.retrotink.com www.retrotink.com

The retro sphere of gaming can be a very expensive one now. There are people out there that paid $450 just for a HDMI nes clone from analogue. Speaking of HDMI that's a feature i'm really glad the new tink will have as an input, there are a lot of HDMI mini consoles as well as old retro game compilations on the switch & other consoles that have totally shit scanline implementation so now we'll be able to make them look amazing.
 
Impotaku said:
It's $750
www.retrotink.com

RetroTINK-4K Pro | RetroTINK

The RetroTINK-4K is the latest evolution of the RetroTINK line of video line doublers and upscalers. Below is a list of a few standout features. Outputs HD Digital Video up to 4K60. Flexible output modes including 480p, 1080p, 1440p at various refresh rates (60/120/etc.) Custom modelines...
www.retrotink.com www.retrotink.com

The retro sphere of gaming can be a very expensive one now. There are people out there that paid $450 just for a HDMI nes clone from analogue. Speaking of HDMI that's a feature i'm really glad the new tink will have as an input, there are a lot of HDMI mini consoles as well as old retro game compilations on the switch & other consoles that have totally shit scanline implementation so now we'll be able to make them look amazing.
Click to expand...
IMO it's not just better scan lines, but even better CRT effects than what the MiSTer itself does. And being able to get 720p HDMI from a PS3 or X360 and outputting to 4K with CRT effects will give a much better image than the old HDTV CRTs of the time gave.

Most TV scaling from 1080p to 4K is low latency, but 720p and below can be higher. Now we can have integer scaling that should only be a frame of lag.

And yes the price is very high, but people were dropping a bunch of money on framemeisters years ago. And with inflation, the price on a Tink 4K isn't that really any higher. There's always the Tink 5x, and OSSC Pro for 1/2 the price that will give most of the features at up to 1440p. But the Tink 4K feels like throw whatever you want at it, and you'll get the best possible image back, even beating out 5 digit professional hardware.
 
SScorpio said:
IMO it's not just better scan lines, but even better CRT effects than what the MiSTer itself does. And being able to get 720p HDMI from a PS3 or X360 and outputting to 4K with CRT effects will give a much better image than the old HDTV CRTs of the time gave.

Most TV scaling from 1080p to 4K is low latency, but 720p and below can be higher. Now we can have integer scaling that should only be a frame of lag.

And yes the price is very high, but people were dropping a bunch of money on framemeisters years ago. And with inflation, the price on a Tink 4K isn't that really any higher. There's always the Tink 5x, and OSSC Pro for 1/2 the price that will give most of the features at up to 1440p. But the Tink 4K feels like throw whatever you want at it, and you'll get the best possible image back, even beating out 5 digit professional hardware.
Click to expand...
It also has BFI options for better motion clarity. :messenger_winking_tongue:

But then you'll have to play in 1440p 120Hz since it can't do 4K 120Hz coz of the HDMI 2.0 limitations.
 
For those wanting something in between a RetroTink 5X Pro and the 4K, there's the OSSC Pro for 360$

ossc-pro-closeup-unit-only-1.webp


OSSC Pro has several advantages over the RetroTINK 5x, including:-
  • Digital video input
  • VGA input
  • Wide compatibility with computers and consoles
  • Support for PC resolutions, medium resolution etc
  • Character OLED display (no trying to switch modes blind if you accidentally select a mode that your display doesn't support)
  • 120hz and black frame insertion (BFI) modes
  • Better downscaling (easier to configure on OLED and more output options)
  • Advanced downscaling (want to downscale to PAL 60? Now you can!)
  • Pure and adaptive line multiplier modes
  • USB port (for controlling external devices, attaching game controllers and other future possibilities, please note these functions are not yet implemented)
  • Expansion card socket for additional input and output options 240p/480i pass-through
  • Wider range of output resolutions (up to 2880×2160@60 with pixel repetition and 1080i modes for HD-CRTs)

Just like RetroTINK 5x, the OSSC pro also has:-
  • Motion adaptive deinterlacer
  • Frame buffer modes to prevent signal drop on games that switch resolutions on the fly
  • Scanlines, shadow mask and other filters
  • Wide compatibility with TVs, monitors etc
  • HDR injection
  • Profile support
Currently the RetroTINK 5x has these features that OSSC Pro does not:-
  • Composite and S-Video support
  • Additional deinterlacing modes (e.g reverse 2:2 telecine)
  • Slightly less lag in framebuffer modes

Downside is that you'll probably need to do most of the configuration yourself at the beginning where as the RetroTink has many usable pre-settings for most popular systems.
 
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I had the RetroTink 2x and 5x. Back then, I would have loved to have this 4K version. Then I bought a JVC CRT for $25 and all desire for these things disappeared. Sold my two Tinks for a total of around $1000 CAD.
 
I have the 2x Pro Multi and 5x, and would have liked 4K, but $750 is a bit too much for it (I think cost is fair for the features).

So will be looking at OSSC Pro or that Pixel scaler as I would like to get my PS3 and potentially Switch hooked up to it.

Edit: it would be interesting to connect Dreamcast over VGA as well.
 
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