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[Frostburn]

I ordered mine yesterday (#2095)... i hope it'll be okay. :/

By the way, what's the brand of the dogbone controller on your pic ?

Yeah I am on their "mailing list" and follow them on Twitter. They were supposed to let us know when the second production run was available for pre-order but apparently it is live now. I went ahead and ordered mine just to be safe #2100

BTW Thank you RetroReid for making a post about the changes and updates to the site or I wouldn't have known about the limited run going on or the fact that it started. I'm very curious about the changes going on with the second run but don't want to miss out on a chance to get one.

 

[RetroReid]

Yeah I am on their "mailing list" and follow them on Twitter. They were supposed to let us know when the second production run was available for pre-order but apparently it is live now. I went ahead and ordered mine just to be safe #2100

BTW Thank you RetroReid for making a post about the changes and updates to the site or I wouldn't have known about the limited run going on or the fact that it started. I'm very curious about the changes going on with the second run but don't want to miss out on a chance to get one.

No problem!
FYI, expect some pretty terrible customer service from Analogue.
I'm not surprised that they didn't alert anyone of the second production run.
Everyone here who has ordered from them has experienced this crap first hand.

If it wasn't for their fantastic product I think we'd all be all be running for the hills.

 

[Frostburn]

Yeah I've been following from about a year ago. The page up now says they are not shipping until March 2016 so I'm not going to expect a final product until at least a few months after that

 

[kazuo]

Judging from the price of these HDMI-modded top loaders, I'm not so sure the whole "The NT is overpriced!" argument really holds water anymore:

http://www.ebay.com/sch/m.html?_odk...TR0.TRC10.A0.H0.XHDMI.TRS5&_nkw=HDMI&_sacat=0

(Note: The kit used in these consoles is literally exactly the same as the kit in the NT)

Sure, you could attribute this to early adopters, etc., but I don't think the NT was ever overpriced at any point, despite all of the claims to the contrary.
I still think Analogue, the company, is shit, and they made a lot of very poor and very stupid design decisions, some unforgivable at that price point, but I can still see the appeal of the NT.

I'm wondering if the issue with the cart slot can be solved by disassembling the case and having the edges of the cart slot machined to provide more clearance. I don't have one, so I don't know what the actual problem is (my understanding is it isn't the dust flaps, but the edges of the slot itself). Kind of ridiculous that this wasn't caught during development/QA, but, really, at this point, no one should be surprised, as it is obviously that Analogue is just winging it from start to finish.

Lastly, as I didn't see this posted in the thread, here's what the inside of the delivered product actually looks like:

 

[sixteen-bit]

Anyone have real-life shots of the special color ones? I want to see what it looks like in pink and blue.

 

[Chittagong]

Judging from the price of these HDMI-modded top loaders, I'm not so sure the whole "The NT is overpriced!" argument really holds water anymore:

http://www.ebay.com/sch/m.html?_odk...TR0.TRC10.A0.H0.XHDMI.TRS5&_nkw=HDMI&_sacat=0

(Note: The kit used in these consoles is literally exactly the same as the kit in the NT)

Sure, you could attribute this to early adopters, etc., but I don't think the NT was ever overpriced at any point, despite all of the claims to the contrary.
I still think Analogue, the company, is shit, and they made a lot of very poor and very stupid design decisions, some unforgivable at that price point, but I can still see the appeal of the NT.

I'm wondering if the issue with the cart slot can be solved by disassembling the case and having the edges of the cart slot machined to provide more clearance. I don't have one, so I don't know what the actual problem is (my understanding is it isn't the dust flaps, but the edges of the slot itself). Kind of ridiculous that this wasn't caught during development/QA, but, really, at this point, no one should be surprised, as it is obviously that Analogue is just winging it from start to finish.

Lastly, as I didn't see this posted in the thread, here's what the inside of the delivered product actually looks like:

There are many, many things wrong with Analogue as a company, but I really don't think the Analogue NT is overpriced for what you get.

- Original NES CPU and PPU
- Redone black, miniaturised and slick motherboard
- Gold plated controller jacks x 4 (no need for FourScore)
- NES / Famicom cartridge slots, at least mine don't scratch the carts (no need for adapter)
- Precision machined aluminum shell (weighs about 5lbs, it's insane)
- Famicom DiscSystem expansion jack
- NESRGB mod for top tier analog output for CRT
- Kevtris Hi-Def NES HDMI kit integrated for flat panel
- Breathing light inside cartridge slots

There is an incredible amount of technology, manufacturing and love in this box, and even if I think Analogue are incompetent/dishonest, there is no denying that Analogue NT will be the greatest NES that will be ever made. They'll cost a lot in a few years.

 

[Frostburn]

According to this guys blog the RGB and HDMI mods are mutually exclusive so you can only have one working at a time and requires sending the unit to Analogue for them to make the switch (for free it seems).

http://filthypants.blogspot.com/2015/08/analogue-nt-hdmi-first-look.html?m=1

Seems like Analogue knew this at least from the time they started installing the HDMI kits but didn't update the website until the second pre-order wave started. I guess all the units they've been sending out this month have the same issue that the last 300 will.

 

[dallow_bg]

According to this guys blog the RGB and HDMI mods are mutually exclusive so you can only have one working at a time and requires sending the unit to Analogue for them to make the switch (for free it seems).

http://filthypants.blogspot.com/2015/08/analogue-nt-hdmi-first-look.html?m=1

Seems like Analogue knew this at least from the time they started installing the HDMI kits but didn't update the website until the second pre-order wave started. I guess all the units they've been sending out this month have the same issue that the last 300 will.

Hmm, I wonder if the switch is easy enough to do on your own.

 

[kazuo]

All but two of game-tech's HDMI top loaders sold for over $600:
http://www.ebay.com/sch/game-tech-u...lete=1&LH_Sold=1&rt=nc&_trksid=p2046732.m1684

I'm not sure I understand why the NT with HDMI can't output analog video; I believe Kevtris said in one of his videos or a forum post that the analog out is unaffected provided the HDMI out is not in use.

I'd also be interested to see if there's a way to rig some kind of switch to alternate between the analog output and the HDMI. I'm not really sure where you'd mount it, outside of drilling into your aluminium case.

 

[RetroReid]

According to this guys blog the RGB and HDMI mods are mutually exclusive so you can only have one working at a time and requires sending the unit to Analogue for them to make the switch (for free it seems).

http://filthypants.blogspot.com/2015/08/analogue-nt-hdmi-first-look.html?m=1

Seems like Analogue knew this at least from the time they started installing the HDMI kits but didn't update the website until the second pre-order wave started. I guess all the units they've been sending out this month have the same issue that the last 300 will.

I want this confirmed from someone who has gotten their unit here.
Chittagong, can you test this for us? Did you order any analogue cables with your order?

 

[Chittagong]

I want this confirmed from someone who has gotten their unit here.
Chittagong, can you test this for us? Did you order any analogue cables with your order?

I didn't I'm afraid... I'll see tonight if I have any RCA cables at home to test the composite jack

 

[baphomet]

I want this confirmed from someone who has gotten their unit here.
Chittagong, can you test this for us? Did you order any analogue cables with your order?

It may output composite, but an HDMI model shouldn't output RGB, svideo, or component.

 

[Yes Boss!]

It may output composite, but an HDMI model shouldn't output RGB, svideo, or component.

That is a real shame. Really makes the machine a lot less desirable.

 

[mlpz]

I ordered an HDMI unit and the component cables. Both are supposed to arrive today. Whenever they do, I'll test and report back.

 

[RetroReid]

I ordered an HDMI unit and the component cables. Both are supposed to arrive today. Whenever they do, I'll test and report back.

Thanks mlpz!!

 

[Frostburn]

Still no real unboxing or reviews posted besides the few from major media companies. Looking forward to more pictures and info from you guys, the pictures Chittagong took look amazing!

 

[Lettuce]

Judging from the price of these HDMI-modded top loaders, I'm not so sure the whole "The NT is overpriced!" argument really holds water anymore:

http://www.ebay.com/sch/m.html?_odk...TR0.TRC10.A0.H0.XHDMI.TRS5&_nkw=HDMI&_sacat=0

I wouldnt take any notice of those prices, there from GameTechUS who charges over the odds for his work!!. He was charging like $400 odd for the NESRGB systems a while back

 

[TheWraith]

Thinking of ordering one. Anyone know how long order lead time is at the moment?

 

[Chittagong]

They will only ever do 300 units so better get your order in. Their estimated shipping date is March 2016, so about a year from now.

 

[PumpkinSpice]

They will only ever do 300 units so better get your order in. Their estimated shipping date is March 2016, so who knows when its coming.

FTFY

 

[sixteen-bit]

FTFY

ain't that the truth, lmao

 

[Chittagong]

Hope you are getting yours soon mlpz!

Back home today, got to spend a whole evening playing mine. Played some Dr. Mario, Cobra Triangle and Snake Rattle & Roll. Spent a lot of time on Super Mario Bros 3 and Star Tropics. While its mechanics are a bit clunky, I love the sense of discovery in Star Tropics.

Some observations

- NES games seem to have sprite flicker near screen edge, or maybe my carts are dirty?
- Super Mario Bros 3 seemed to have bad contact once, the bottom bar was all mangled
- Analogue NT seems to have very sensitive connectors and a bit of slack in the cart slot, you can freeze the game by touching the cart

Love the dogbone, and man NES games are hard!

FTFY

Haha, yeah maybe my 6 months sandbagging was a bit optimistic

 

[Frostburn]

You can try messing with the overscan and crop settings in the HDMI menu. It can mask the strange sprite/flickering on the boarders of the graphics. Some games have a bunch of flicker on the normal NES too.

 

[Firebrand]

- NES games seem to have sprite flicker near screen edge, or maybe my carts are dirty?

Do you mean the moving sprites, or color flicker on the background? Color palettes for tiles are done in 2x2 blocks so in scrolling games you can sometimes see color "corruption" near the edge. This was usually masked by overscan but could be visible without it, or in PAL versions.

 

[mlpz]

Got it! Arrived today, and I only had a few moments to hook it up and test it out tonight, but wanted to share some photos and quick reactions to it.

The first big question: Do the Analogue Nt branded component cables work with a unit with the HDMI upgrade?



Unfortunately not.

I plugged it in to my CRT, and my LCD HDTV, and didn't get any signal from these cables whatsoever. So it's either or. HDMI for me it is.

But that's okay, because I played a quick level in Mega Man 2 to test it, and my god...it's beyond outstanding. I'm not one for hyperbole usually, and given all the difficulties with this thing's production I was inclined to be harsh on it, but it sold me by the end of the title screen. I don't have any capture equipment to show native screenshots, but trust me it's flawless. No noticeable lag that I could tell, but I'm hoping to put it through its paces this week, and especially over the long weekend.


















Anyone know what this sunken switch does? Is it for the color palette if you used RGB/Analog/Component?



All in all, very impressed, very happy with it, and can't wait to use it to breath new life into my small (but growing) NES collection. I also tested with Metroid, and my memory was shocked to see it in this new fidelity. Like wiping the grease off a composite smeared window!

Regarding the cartridge slot, yes it has very tight tolerances. I was careful to insert the carts at 90 degrees and still felt them slide against the slot, but didn't notice any wear or scraping. But I'd advise everyone to be careful and mindful when inserting and removing. The receiving end itself is not terribly tight, so that made me feel at ease when inserting these now 30-odd year old carts.

Hopefully everyone else will receive theirs soon and will enjoy it as much as I am already!

 

[mlpz]

Oh also wanted to add, there are a plethora of options and configurations in the HDMI menu while playing a game. I didn't mess with any of them, and honestly I don't think I will. The native palette looked good to me, and since I don't even know what half of these options do I'll probably keep it in default for a while.

 

[RetroReid]

It is a huge let down that the rgb cables do not work.
Someone needs to file a class action lawsuit against Analogue for false advertisement.

 

[baphomet]

Wait, so they actually charged you for and sent you useless cables?

What a bunch of fucks.

 

[kiun]

welp, placed an order (#2119), time to subscribe to this thread.

 

[mlpz]

Wait, so they actually charged you for and sent you useless cables?

What a bunch of fucks.

I actually believe it was an honest mistake. Here's what happened, which was strange at first but now makes some sense: At the same time I got the shipping notification for the Analogue Nt, I also got a cancellation email for the separate order I made for the component cables, saying it was cancelled at my request. I wrote them back saying that I never cancelled them, and that I still wanted them. So they sent them a few days later.

So I'm guessing they cancelled them, knowing that they would be useless to me. Then probably whoever handled the email I sent went ahead and sent them, maybe not knowing about them not working. I need to check my credit card to see if they were even refunded or recharged. Regardless, I'll be emailing them tomorrow about them and will send them back.

 

[Fowler]

There is an incredible amount of technology, manufacturing and love in this box, and even if I think Analogue are incompetent/dishonest, there is no denying that Analogue NT will be the greatest NES that will be ever made. They'll cost a lot in a few years.

But that is what makes me wary: Analogue as a company. I just don't know that I want to reward them with my business for all that's gone on here, as much as I want a nice HDMI NES.

Having said that, I loved the Famicom, but I was always more of a Super Famicom guy, so if they ever do a HDMI version of that... I might find it a good deal harder to take a stand.

I am glad you guys in this thread got (or are getting) your units though! The long wait must have been hard but it's great that it finally paid off.

 

[kazuo]

I wouldnt take any notice of those prices, there from GameTechUS who charges over the odds for his work!!. He was charging like $400 odd for the NESRGB systems a while back

Those weren't BIN listings; they were auctions. That means, people paid what they thought they were worth. Thus, I'm not sure how Game-tech overcharging for anything is relevant, since he didn't set the prices, the bidders did.

Anyone know what this sunken switch does? Is it for the color palette if you used RGB/Analog/Component?

Yes, that's for the palette switch on the NESRGB. I'm curious if the board is actually present in your console, given you purchased the HDMI model.

Regarding the cartridge slot, yes it has very tight tolerances. I was careful to insert the carts at 90 degrees and still felt them slide against the slot, but didn't notice any wear or scraping. But I'd advise everyone to be careful and mindful when inserting and removing. The receiving end itself is not terribly tight, so that made me feel at ease when inserting these now 30-odd year old carts.

That's pretty disappointing, honestly. I was thinking that, if I ever bought one of these, machining the cart slots slightly would do the trick, but I'm not sure how that'd affect the dust covers... seems like you'd only need to remove a very tiny amount of material to stop the rubbing, but I'm no expert.

Honestly, speaking as a collector, it's a bit of a deal breaker at that price point. I'd rather just stick with my RGB top loader and a XRGB.

 

[D.Lo]

Those weren't BIN listings; they were auctions. That means, people paid what they thought they were worth. Thus, I'm not sure how Game-tech overcharging for anything is relevant, since he didn't set the prices, the bidders did.

The price is still irrelevant as the first one. People pay to be the first.

They're selling the boards for $150 right? So add a $20 NES/Famicom and a possible $100 installation/shipping fee depending on your skills and you have an HDMI NES for $170 to $270. With the advantage of it being one of the beautiful original iconic designs.

 

[The_Afroman]

The price is still irrelevant as the first one. People pay to be the first.

They're selling the boards for $150 right? So add a $20 NES/Famicom and a possible $100 installation/shipping fee depending on your skills and you have an HDMI NES for $170 to $270. With the advantage of it being one of the beautiful original iconic designs.

i sort of agree with you.. but...

What 20 dollar NES are you talking about? A toaster style? because that would be a waste of money if it doesn't at least have a blinking light win in it.

Top loaders go for 100.. easy. HDMI board might go for 150..no official price yet. Thats 250. Now add installation? $350. Me?

I have a Twin Famicom that i paid 180 for. I want the HDMI done to it, thats another 250 with installation. That makes it $430 for me already.. So the Analogue NT isn't too far off from scratch on a nice top loading machine.

 

[Chittagong]

But that's okay, because I played a quick level in Mega Man 2 to test it, and my god...it's beyond outstanding. I'm not one for hyperbole usually, and given all the difficulties with this thing's production I was inclined to be harsh on it, but it sold me by the end of the title screen. I don't have any capture equipment to show native screenshots, but trust me it's flawless. No noticeable lag that I could tell, but I'm hoping to put it through its paces this week, and especially over the long weekend.

All in all, very impressed, very happy with it, and can't wait to use it to breath new life into my small (but growing) NES collection. I also tested with Metroid, and my memory was shocked to see it in this new fidelity. Like wiping the grease off a composite smeared window!

Awesome update, happy you are enjoying yours, it was a long road! Pretty much identical initial impressions to mine Mega Man 2 is a great game to start with, it's remarkable how well it holds up still today.

I am actually really waiting forwards to getting home and getting to play Star Tropics. The purity and simplicity of NES games is really refreshing compared to modern games where there is a huge amount of game modes, options, collectibles and such.

 

[sixteen-bit]

i sort of agree with you.. but...

What 20 dollar NES are you talking about? A toaster style? because that would be a waste of money if it doesn't at least have a blinking light win in it.

Top loaders go for 100.. easy. HDMI board might go for 150..no official price yet. Thats 250. Now add installation? $350. Me?

I have a Twin Famicom that i paid 180 for. I want the HDMI done to it, thats another 250 with installation. That makes it $430 for me already.. So the Analogue NT isn't too far off from scratch on a nice top loading machine.

lol, was that word choice intentional?

 

[mlpz]

Analogue has updated their FAQ yet again....new part in bold:

"When you upgrade your Analogue Nt to HDMI it will output HDMI only. The internal functionality of analog & digital are two different systems that are not compatible with each other. Though, your Analogue Nt can be converted to RGB and HDMI at any time (we'll even install it for you for free!). Moreover, any future advancements in NES technology should be compatible with the Nt too.

In other words: your Analogue Nt is modular and can be modified at any time to suite your desires.

Future:

1. The PPU in every Nt has the ability to output analog composite video. We believe we can develop a cleanly installable mini daughterboard solution that will provide analog composite video to an HDMI upgraded Nt. We'll be offering to install this for free, to all customers who are interested. This will be the surest solution for providing an analog video output to an HDMI upgraded Analogue Nt.

2. For those interested in their Analogue Nt dual outputting analog and digital: we are investigating development into a 'kit' solution in the future for customers who'd like this 'dual' output option. "

These people can't communicate clearly worth a shit.

So part 1 sounds to me that there might be the option to grant an HDMI upgraded Nt the ability to output analog video, but ONLY analog video. Part 2 up there sounds like they're developing a second method, that will allow dual output capabilities. So part 1 sounds like either/or, part 2 sounds like dual output.

Given all this, I'm keeping the damn cables they sent me should I ever change my mind, or want this dual output version. But the idea of sending this thing back and forth through the mail, with god knows what kind of wait times, is not appealing in the least.

 

[RetroReid]

Analogue has updated their FAQ yet again....new part in bold...

This might somewhat be my fault, I complained to them last night lol.
The whole thing is very dumb, they told me the Analogue Nt was never "intended" to dual output HDMI and RGB, but who here knew that??
I think everyone who ordered was under the impression it could do both!
Straight up false advertisement.

Can't a guy have large flatscreen to play NES games casually with friends/family and a Sony PVM CRT for single player hardcore gaming??

 

[mlpz]

This might somewhat be my fault, I complained to them last night lol.
The whole thing is very dumb, they told me the Analogue Nt was never "intended" to dual output HDMI and RGB, but who here knew that??
I think everyone who ordered was under the impression it could do both!
Straight up false advertisement.

Can't a guy have large flatscreen to play NES games casually with friends/family and a Sony PVM CRT for single player hardcore gaming??

Hah! Well it shouldn't take someone complaining for them to be clear about their product. It was never, ever, ever mentioned on their site that the Nt wouldn't dual output. I combed the site before ordering. It was easy to be under the assumption that, with their prior, external HDMI solution, the Nt could output whatever you chose. Then they changed the HDMI situation without notice, and that's probably where we lost the ability to dual output. But they never told anyone.

 

[Nostalgic Nightmare]

Hah! Well it shouldn't take someone complaining for them to be clear about their product. It was never, ever, ever mentioned on their site that the Nt wouldn't dual output. I combed the site before ordering. It was easy to be under the assumption that, with their prior, external HDMI solution, the Nt could output whatever you chose. Then they changed the HDMI situation without notice, and that's probably where we lost the ability to dual output. But they never told anyone.

That's terrible if so. Don't worry though, once the kit comes out your problems will be solved.

Spoiler

It will only cost you $80 in shipping, $150 for the kit & $30 for the cables (unless you already bought them ouch)

 

[baphomet]

This might somewhat be my fault, I complained to them last night lol.
The whole thing is very dumb, they told me the Analogue Nt was never "intended" to dual output HDMI and RGB, but who here knew that??
I think everyone who ordered was under the impression it could do both!
Straight up false advertisement.

Can't a guy have large flatscreen to play NES games casually with friends/family and a Sony PVM CRT for single player hardcore gaming??

That's absolute bullshit. The HDMI upgrade was originally external. They were going to upscale the RGB output via an external solution. It has always been understood that it would output both. Hell, they were originally using the NESRGB for all of the units.

 

[metsallica]

This might somewhat be my fault, I complained to them last night lol.
The whole thing is very dumb, they told me the Analogue Nt was never "intended" to dual output HDMI and RGB, but who here knew that??
I think everyone who ordered was under the impression it could do both!
Straight up false advertisement.

Can't a guy have large flatscreen to play NES games casually with friends/family and a Sony PVM CRT for single player hardcore gaming??

Whoa, wait, what? It's either/or? HDMI OR RGB, not both? I thought HDMI was just an option but didn't realize it was at the expense of RGB...

 

[mlpz]

Whoa, wait, what? It's either/or? HDMI OR RGB, not both? I thought HDMI was just an option but didn't realize it was at the expense of RGB...

No one did. These jackalopes didn't bother to inform any of their customers who already paid in full.

I gave them a lot of leeway through the production process, but this is a downright bait and switch. They should've sent out an email to all who purchased the HDMI model, explaining what's going on, and offer full refunds if you wanted it due to the lack of RGB.

You know all those "customs delays" they kept having? Bullshit. I'm willing to bet that there were no customs delays, but were instead revised manufacturing specs. When they switched from the external HDMI to Kevtris's internal setup, they probably had to retool/re-engineer the housings with the manufacturer, in order to have the HDMI port at all. I bet "customs" and "port congestion" were just a stall tactics.

 

[Chittagong]

welp, need to update the 'Controversies' section of the OP later today... but first I'll enjoy my console for an hour or two

 

[NoFaceNico]

I'd also be interested to see if there's a way to rig some kind of switch to alternate between the analog output and the HDMI. I'm not really sure where you'd mount it, outside of drilling into your aluminium case.

Where would you put the switch though? The case is high grade aluminum and all the buttons and switches have a very artsy-fartsy look going on. I can't imagine adding a switch would look pretty.

 

[mlpz]

welp, need to update the 'Controversies' section of the OP later today... but first I'll enjoy my console for an hour or two

What're you playing on it? I'm hoping to dig in for a few with it tonight too.

 

[Chittagong]

What're you playing on it? I'm hoping to dig in for a few with it tonight too.

Star Tropics is my number one game at the moment. Missed it as a kid, and ever since regretted it. Another similar case is Snake Rattle & Roll, that's my second go-to game now. And if I get burned out I have the original Lolo, interesting to see how 25 years have affected my logic.

 

[entremet]

Chitta, you're not putting the Analogue in you main living room setup?

We need an update on that, bro lol.

I need ideas. Unless it has remained unchanged.

 

[Chittagong]

Chitta, you're not putting the Analogue in you main living room setup?

We need an update on that, bro lol.

I need ideas. Unless it has remained unchanged.

Haha, living room has been significantly updated, 75 inch Samsung, iMac. NES feels nicer on a smaller, cosier setup however. Now that I have the Analogue NT I can finally get new pictures for the Gaming Setup thread in the next week or two!

 

[televator]

A real bust that they couldnt get analog video working on HDMI units.

Looks like I can do without the hassle of dealing with analogue in general. Hopefully Games-Tech gets separate kits out for people to buy soon.