Yep I just set my TV to 4:3, I also thought most TV's had this option. But yea if only 16:9 I wouldn't like it as well!
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Upscalers, CRTs, PVMs & RGB: Retro gaming done right!
- Thread starter IrishNinja
- Start date
- Status
Yep I just set my TV to 4:3, I also thought most TV's had this option. But yea if only 16:9 I wouldn't like it as well!
You may want to modify the line about RGB on the NES to specifically include the NESRGB, which I feel is the ultimate mod to get it, without sacrificing an arcade board for its PPU. I'm not sure what the UniversalPPU would add to it, though having more than one solution is always good.
Also the Master System 2 doesn't output RGB natively, though an easy mod allows it. Only the somewhat rare PAL RGB version sold exclusively in France had RGB out of the box, at the expense of every other output (no RF, Composite or S-Video, you need a PAL RGB compatible TV.) The Master System 1 does output RGB natively though.
Sixfortyfive
He who pursues two rabbits gets two rabbits.
Hooray for peer review.
- Better screenshot/video comparisons of RGB vs lesser video connections. I could offer direct captures for various systems myself and already have a few on my XCAPTURE-1 review page. The one caveat of any of my captures, though, is that they would come with 4:2:2 color sampling that doesn't accurately reproduce the brightest greens or darkest reds on certain sources. (You can check the chroma subsampling section on my page to see example screenshots.)
- Instead of just linking to Fudoh's main website and leaving it at that, add in an additional link for his Micomsoft scaler cross-comparison, which is probably the most useful article on his website. It's fairly up to date, corrects a few pieces of info from his previous articles, and breaks down the strengths and weaknesses of each device when compared to each other. It also even names a few worthy alternatives to Micomsoft's product line, even though they're not expanded upon in detail here.
- Links for places to buy upscalers. Solaris is the only place I know of where you can get them brand new from a reliable retailer, but second-hand markets like eBay and especially Yahoo Japan might be worth a mention. (In fact, if anyone has recommendations for third-party courier services that can deliver YJA items internationally, that would be worth a breakdown in and of itself. I'm not familiar enough with the fees for different services to give a good recommendation personally.)
- A clarification that only the original model SNES/SFC, and not the newer miniature model, outputs RGB out of the box. Perhaps add brief comparisons and pros/cons of system models in general (e.g. putting up with or fixing Genesis 1 jailbars / Genesis 2 audio, early SNES vs 1-CHIP SNES vs SNES 2 etc).
- A note that the PS2 and PS3(?) also support RGB out of the box, although it's only somewhat justifiable on 480p PS2 games and hardly at all justifiable on the PS3.
- As noted upthread: a brief breakdown of the current NESRGB mod and its pros and cons. FYI, graphical glitches with it are fairly uncommon but important enough to note IMO, and if you keep up with the thread on the shmups forum you should be familiar with a few of them, one of which is present on a firmware revision that's not even a month outdated. Tim does squash these bugs pretty quickly as they are found, and it is possible to flash the board with new firmware as he releases it, but it still requires the end user to have some specific hardware to do so, and astute consumers who are unable to mod the system themselves should ask their supplier to add an appropriate connector to the designated area of the board so that it's more plug-and-play ready for a USB blaster.
- Information on sync issues and what can be done to mitigate them. IMO, when modding a console for RGB (or S-video or whatever else), I think it's good practice to make sure that every designated pin on the console's AV port is wired to what it's designed for. That means that when modding an NTSC N64, for example, the user should make sure that the +5V, composite video, and composite sync pins are all wired up, even if some set-ups don't technically require them all. Some RGB cables pull their sync signal from the csync pin, others pull their sync signal from the cvideo pin with no processing, and others might pull their sync signal from the cvideo pin with some kind of stripper in place that requires the +5V pin to supply power for it. So, I think that by taking care of everything on the console side that you can, you can reduce incompatibility issues. (I'd like the experienced modders among us to chime in on this if they have additional recommendations.)
- Perhaps a breakdown on all popular retro game options: CRTs (15khz professional monitors, 31khz professional monitors, consumer TVs, consumer VGA monitors), upscalers (with specific recommendations for more worthwhile options like the XRGB product line and warnings about cheap converter boxes from China and whatnot), SCART-to-component converters, emulator boxes (lol), etc.
- Perhaps also an additional breakdown on the hierarchy of video signal formats in the first place, from best to worst: HDMI/DVI-D, VGA/DVI-A, 31khz YPbPr (component), 15khz RGBs (SCART), 15khz YPbPr (component), S-video, composite video. Points of interest would perhaps include why one signal is better than another (e.g. analog RGB isn't theoretically worse than digital signals, but interference and signal loss are more of a factor in analog video in real-life circumastances, hence the importance of proper cable shielding) and what the user would need in his display to actually net the benefits of one signal type over another (e.g. the superiority of RGB over YPbPr isn't as much of a factor if the display can only handle limited range 16-235 RGB in the first place AFAIK, not every TV or processor handles VGA very well, SCART sockets on modern PAL HDTVs are kind of junk and would still require an external upscaler or linedoubler to get good quality, etc).
Here's some topics that I feel are worth expanding upon:
- Better screenshot/video comparisons of RGB vs lesser video connections. I could offer direct captures for various systems myself and already have a few on my XCAPTURE-1 review page. The one caveat of any of my captures, though, is that they would come with 4:2:2 color sampling that doesn't accurately reproduce the brightest greens or darkest reds on certain sources. (You can check the chroma subsampling section on my page to see example screenshots.)
- Instead of just linking to Fudoh's main website and leaving it at that, add in an additional link for his Micomsoft scaler cross-comparison, which is probably the most useful article on his website. It's fairly up to date, corrects a few pieces of info from his previous articles, and breaks down the strengths and weaknesses of each device when compared to each other. It also even names a few worthy alternatives to Micomsoft's product line, even though they're not expanded upon in detail here.
- Links for places to buy upscalers. Solaris is the only place I know of where you can get them brand new from a reliable retailer, but second-hand markets like eBay and especially Yahoo Japan might be worth a mention. (In fact, if anyone has recommendations for third-party courier services that can deliver YJA items internationally, that would be worth a breakdown in and of itself. I'm not familiar enough with the fees for different services to give a good recommendation personally.)
- A clarification that only the original model SNES/SFC, and not the newer miniature model, outputs RGB out of the box. Perhaps add brief comparisons and pros/cons of system models in general (e.g. putting up with or fixing Genesis 1 jailbars / Genesis 2 audio, early SNES vs 1-CHIP SNES vs SNES 2 etc).
- A note that the PS2 and PS3(?) also support RGB out of the box, although it's only somewhat justifiable on 480p PS2 games and hardly at all justifiable on the PS3.
- As noted upthread: a brief breakdown of the current NESRGB mod and its pros and cons. FYI, graphical glitches with it are fairly uncommon but important enough to note IMO, and if you keep up with the thread on the shmups forum you should be familiar with a few of them, one of which is present on a firmware revision that's not even a month outdated. Tim does squash these bugs pretty quickly as they are found, and it is possible to flash the board with new firmware as he releases it, but it still requires the end user to have some specific hardware to do so, and astute consumers who are unable to mod the system themselves should ask their supplier to add an appropriate connector to the designated area of the board so that it's more plug-and-play ready for a USB blaster.
- Information on sync issues and what can be done to mitigate them. IMO, when modding a console for RGB (or S-video or whatever else), I think it's good practice to make sure that every designated pin on the console's AV port is wired to what it's designed for. That means that when modding an NTSC N64, for example, the user should make sure that the +5V, composite video, and composite sync pins are all wired up, even if some set-ups don't technically require them all. Some RGB cables pull their sync signal from the csync pin, others pull their sync signal from the cvideo pin with no processing, and others might pull their sync signal from the cvideo pin with some kind of stripper in place that requires the +5V pin to supply power for it. So, I think that by taking care of everything on the console side that you can, you can reduce incompatibility issues. (I'd like the experienced modders among us to chime in on this if they have additional recommendations.)
- Perhaps a breakdown on all popular retro game options: CRTs (15khz professional monitors, 31khz professional monitors, consumer TVs, consumer VGA monitors), upscalers (with specific recommendations for more worthwhile options like the XRGB product line and warnings about cheap converter boxes from China and whatnot), SCART-to-component converters, emulator boxes (lol), etc.
- Perhaps also an additional breakdown on the hierarchy of video signal formats in the first place, from best to worst: HDMI/DVI-D, VGA/DVI-A, 31khz YPbPr (component), 15khz RGBs (SCART), 15khz YPbPr (component), S-video, composite video. Points of interest would perhaps include why one signal is better than another (e.g. analog RGB isn't theoretically worse than digital signals, but interference and signal loss are more of a factor in analog video in real-life circumastances, hence the importance of proper cable shielding) and what the user would need in his display to actually net the benefits of one signal type over another (e.g. the superiority of RGB over YPbPr isn't as much of a factor if the display can only handle limited range 16-235 RGB in the first place AFAIK, not every TV or processor handles VGA very well, SCART sockets on modern PAL HDTVs are kind of junk and would still require an external upscaler or linedoubler to get good quality, etc).
We have a different definition of natively I believe. The AV chip does output RGB but afaik no console were sold with an RGB capable connector. The mod is as simple as soldering the right connector in, but a mod is needed nonetheless.
[edit] I keep talking out of my arse. For some reason I thought only of the SMS2 here. The first model does work with an Megadrive RGB cable.
Uh, don't Genesis/MegaDrive 1 RGB cables work just fine?
I think you're just talking about the Master System 2, bro.
Sixfortyfive
He who pursues two rabbits gets two rabbits.
So, what would I need to open up my NES-101 and other consoles and games? 3.8mm security bit? Anyone know where I could pick up one for cheap? (Dunno if this is the kind of thing you'd find in any old home improvement retail store or Radio Shack or whatever.)
Recently I needed a security Torx bit to open up my RROD PS3 so I bought this set:
http://www.amazon.ca/gp/product/B009MKGRQA/
Highly recommended, it includes lots of weird things for various electronics, including old Nintendo hardware. It has bits for two sizes of nuts, which the NES-101 most likely uses one of them.
PumpkinSpice
Banned
So I acquired a Japanese GameCube, and I am for the first time in nearly half a decade reminded of just how bad composite looks.
Component cables for this thing are out of the question (way too expensive) but I picked up some s-video cables when I was in Japan. Anyone know of a good (and inexpensive) s-video to VGA or HDMI box? Doesn't need to do any scaling, just analog-to-digital.
Component cables for this thing are out of the question (way too expensive) but I picked up some s-video cables when I was in Japan. Anyone know of a good (and inexpensive) s-video to VGA or HDMI box? Doesn't need to do any scaling, just analog-to-digital.
Ever consider just buying an older Wii? You get all Gamecube title support( as well as component) plus all controller support. Just saying.
GayForMaster
Banned
Just wanted to quote this and say I fixed it. If anyone else is getting this problem, and easy fix is to set sync mode to auto and
IMAGE_MODE = PICTURE
AUTO_SCALER = GAME
After playing X4, Chou Aniki and other side scrolling games, the screen doesn't try to reposition itself anymore, although with 3D games (I was playing Ergeiz earlier), picture isn't an advised Image mode as it draws horizontal lines everywhere (just set it to something else).
So is there actually a way to speed up the transition between resolution changes? I mean... it's okay, but for games like Dino Crisis that i was trying earlier, everytime you pick up an item it redirects you to the pause menu which requires a transition. Is there another device that could work with Framemeister to speed it up?
Get a PAL GC and region mod it. PAL GC and Wii consoles output RGB via SCART - and it's lovely. Or just get a Wii.
You can buy a Wii for peanuts nowadays
Later Alligator
Member
i also have the same scaler, and am forcing it to 4:3 on my tv... it looks pretty damn good for what it is, color/clarity is much better then composite or anything like that. but i will be getting a framemeister in the near future
Later Alligator
Member
if it's anything like the front loading NES, just a regular phillips screwdriver does the trick
I got these off ebay for opening/cleaning anything else though:
http://www.ebay.ca/itm/181327798943?ssPageName=STRK:MEWNX:IT&_trksid=p3984.m1497.l2649
I've have some older systems hooked up to a Sony LED TV via composite cables. I am running it in 4:3 mode when I play the older systems so that the picture is not distorted.
On a couple of the systems in 4:3 mode, I end up with a thin white or greenish line that goes vertically up the left side of the screen where the edge of the game picture would be. This happens on my Sega Genesis / CD / 32x, as well as my NES. It basically seems like there is some sort of overscan issue.
Any idea on how to get rid of that, short of running in 16:9 mode? (running in 16:9 makes it disappear.)
On a couple of the systems in 4:3 mode, I end up with a thin white or greenish line that goes vertically up the left side of the screen where the edge of the game picture would be. This happens on my Sega Genesis / CD / 32x, as well as my NES. It basically seems like there is some sort of overscan issue.
Any idea on how to get rid of that, short of running in 16:9 mode? (running in 16:9 makes it disappear.)
PumpkinSpice
Banned
I have a Wii (NA). It does not support GameBoy Player.
It's also annoying to deal with the region locked memory cards and I would prefer to keep those worlds separate to avoid accidentally deleting something.
Region modded PAL GC then? RGB via SCART is pretty much as best as you're gonna get without component.
GayForMaster
Banned
Ok, these might be dumb questions...
Would this make the gamecube gameboy player look better through 480i on Framemeister rather than component into the framemeister?
Also, does PAL GC run at 60hz or should there be a hertz switch like the SNES?
That makes me also wonder, would Wii SCART through framemeister look better than component into framemeister? Currently, I can't get Wii component to look like anything but absolute trash through the framemeister.
It runs at 60Hz automatically if you play NTSC games. If you play PAL games you get a choice at boot.
I don't know about the Framemeister stuff, but you'd need a PAL Wii too AFAIK for SCART, just as a consideration.
Since i pretty much given up on finding a PVM or BVM in my country, i would like to know what are the next best options. I know Commodore monitors are good, since i have one, i have used it for years, but nowadays sadly 14" just doesn't cut it for me, so i'm looking for 19"-21" TVs or monitors.
I got this.
Got the exact set of cables and have served me well for SNES, N64, & Gamecube. Should I post pics of what they look like on a PVM?
Some of the later Sony CRT TVs are supposedly almost as good as a PVM.
If you're not in a country where SCART is standard on TVs, you can get a SCART to component converter to leverage RGB on supported consoles with minimal quality loss.
drhankmccoyphd
Member
Looks like the outer casing on my Genesis RGB cable is coming apart from the plug that goes into the console tore a little bit, right where the outer casing meets the plug. Probably from me being an idiot and pulling on it too hard. Can anyone recommend a simple solution to keep the wires inside from breaking? I put some tape around it but not sure that will hold up.
Heat-shrink tubing and a lighter...sold at hobby stores.
sixteen-bit
Member
shoutouts to the new thread title.
IrishNinja
Member
these are good suggestions
can you post a few write-ups or links so i can edit them in & cite your work? cause i'm mad lazy
after having sort of a fission mailed last week, i'm trying again a pic comparison with better settings. hopefully i didn't mess up anything this time.
for the framemeister, i set up the Smart x2 option to have 1:1 pixel ratio and set the output to 1080p (it doesn't work below 1080p anyway) to have the clearest scaling possible. the Wii U doesn't have extra scaling options and just fills the frame with a 4:3 image.
from this, it looks like the Wii images are a bit greener than the others. must be an effect of the Wii2HDMI adapter.
for the framemeister, i set up the Smart x2 option to have 1:1 pixel ratio and set the output to 1080p (it doesn't work below 1080p anyway) to have the clearest scaling possible. the Wii U doesn't have extra scaling options and just fills the frame with a 4:3 image.
Metroid Prime 2
Gamecube + Component cable + Framemeister
Wii + Wii2HDMI adapter + Framemeister
Wii U (console output is 1080p without any external enhancements)
Gamecube + Component cable + Framemeister
Wii + Wii2HDMI adapter + Framemeister
Wii U (console output is 1080p without any external enhancements)
Gamecube + Component cable + Framemeister
Wii + Wii2HDMI adapter + Framemeister
Wii U (console output is 1080p without any external enhancements)
SSBM
Gamecube + Component cable + Framemeister
Wii + Wii2HDMI adapter + Framemeister
Wii U (console output is 1080p without any external enhancements)
Gamecube + Component cable + Framemeister
Wii + Wii2HDMI adapter + Framemeister
Wii U (console output is 1080p without any external enhancements)
Gamecube + Component cable + Framemeister
Wii + Wii2HDMI adapter + Framemeister
Wii U (console output is 1080p without any external enhancements)
from this, it looks like the Wii images are a bit greener than the others. must be an effect of the Wii2HDMI adapter.
Sixfortyfive
He who pursues two rabbits gets two rabbits.
You want me to re-write your OP for you? Man, you really are lazy. (lol)
I might send something along later this week.
EBay.
lostinblue
Banned
First Retron 5 review I know of:
-> http://metro.co.uk/2014/06/01/retron-5-review-the-all-in-one-retro-console-readers-feature-4745573/
Not so good Tidbits:
Sounds baaaad. Not a lot of good things going for it atm. (seems like a machine for macgyver... erm, I mean richisawesome)
-> http://metro.co.uk/2014/06/01/retron-5-review-the-all-in-one-retro-console-readers-feature-4745573/
Not so good Tidbits:
(...) To power the console you have to hold the power button down for between 5-10 seconds before it switches on, it seems like a little bit of an inconvenience but you get accustomed to it. Also, when I tried pairing the controller with the system it didn’t give me an option to pair it up when the console first booted up, luckily I had an old SNES controller lying around so I could get into the menu system.
(...) I have played several games from my own personal collection on the system and it seems to run those games well, even though it kind of was perplexed by my Super Famicom game Patlabor and stated it was an unknown cartridge, as well my US copy of Street Fighter II Turbo… but it played well.
(...) Cartridge slots on the system seem to suffer from having a vice like grip on my cartridges that I had to use more force than I would like trying to pull them out, so that I was concerned I would have broken the connectors. Which was ironic because the Famicom slot seemed to be the worst affected when I was trying to remove Mike Tyson’s Punch-Out!!
(...) review unit is running on an older firmware some games weren’t playable, like Sonic & Knuckles while it’s locked onto another game. RoboCop for Game Boy didn’t work, as it crashed trying to start the first level. Not to mention there was a sound emulation issue with Road Rash II for the Mega Drive. Also, with the current firmware it isn’t possible to plug in more than one cartridge at a time, originally it was a precaution to safeguard the motherboard. I have been assured there will be a newer firmware ready when the RetroN 5 is released in the Americas on June 6.
(...) not long after the playtest I had the Mega Drive and SNES cartridge slots fail on me, also a message ‘Catridge Slot Power Failure’ appeared several times. Which was quite shocking and also raises some concerns as to the build quality and testing of the machines. Luckily I managed to fix the issues myself, but it does leave a lot of questions.
(...) You can’t start the machine up with the controller, and there is no battery meter on the RetroN 5 system to give you an accurate reading of how much power the controller has.
But I think the worst issue I have is that with some games it does actually wipe the save off the cartridge, or if it does copy the save it acts like you’re starting from the beginning with the game which are major concerns to people who have a large collection of games they would like to revisit.[
(...) I gave the RetroN 5 a rigorous test but there were still numerous issues, like cartridge slots randomly failing to detect a cartridge has been inserted and where the machine has locked up for some unknown reason. With the build quality of the machine coming into question, I am concerned on whether the actual retail units will fair any better.
(...) Update:
I was halfway through Sunday when the Famicom slot on my RetroN 5 failed completely. Below is a picture of the Famicom slot and the warped connectors that I mentioned, because of the cartridge slot having a vice-like grip.
I have contacted Hyperkin with regard to my faulty unit but I haven’t heard anything back at all.
Sounds baaaad. Not a lot of good things going for it atm. (seems like a machine for macgyver... erm, I mean richisawesome)
Looks pretty informative!
IrishNinja
Member
yikes.
a lot of that was mostly under "not ideal" for me (i can be more forgiving than other retro-gaffers, haha) but the pic of the connectors + save wiping carts? damn, this went worse than expected so far.
a lot of that was mostly under "not ideal" for me (i can be more forgiving than other retro-gaffers, haha) but the pic of the connectors + save wiping carts? damn, this went worse than expected so far.
sixteen-bit
Member
lol, Retron sounds like a shit sandwich.
lostinblue
Banned
They can still pull a 180º most problems seem to be addressable providing they're software woes - but they had lots of time to ensure this wouldn't happen.
Worse yet though, for me, is how he says he contacted them and got no response after the famicom connectors bended. He is doing a review for a still unreleased machine - before today that is, it launches june 6th! - and the thing just broke, bad publicity goes bad to worse if they shut the door or take a long while to answer before they even launched it and it is in the hands of thousands. I mean, it can only get worse.
"If I buy the thing and have a problem I won't have an immediate response?" That's what everyone thought about there.
Hopefully a V2 hardware revision switches the cartridge connectors for better ones, because that's one of the worse problems, the holding a button for 8 seconds to boot is very silly also but probably addressable as is the game compatibility. Controller looks ass, they could do away with it and since it's a modern machine just let us use a Wii or PS3 controller. I'm assuming the thing has bluetooth.
Spare on the controller and Invest that money in quality assurance and better parts instead. Hell, if they're so desperate to include a controller and from the look of it just include a generic wired controller mimicking a NES, SNES or Genesis. It's bound to be cheaper.
I don't get why the hell they went and included a controller with a damn joystick! I mean if this thing did 32/64 bit 3D systems one could argue it would be a jack of all trades solution, but no, not even the case.
WTF is this:
This thing has the potential to be a good companion system, be it for playing games on a HDMI-only TV/Monitor sans investing on a XRGB/other scaler and proper cables (and in NES case modding it to hell and back) or memory save backup and/or save states and cheats. But certainly not as it is.
Worse yet though, for me, is how he says he contacted them and got no response after the famicom connectors bended. He is doing a review for a still unreleased machine - before today that is, it launches june 6th! - and the thing just broke, bad publicity goes bad to worse if they shut the door or take a long while to answer before they even launched it and it is in the hands of thousands. I mean, it can only get worse.
"If I buy the thing and have a problem I won't have an immediate response?" That's what everyone thought about there.
Hopefully a V2 hardware revision switches the cartridge connectors for better ones, because that's one of the worse problems, the holding a button for 8 seconds to boot is very silly also but probably addressable as is the game compatibility. Controller looks ass, they could do away with it and since it's a modern machine just let us use a Wii or PS3 controller. I'm assuming the thing has bluetooth.
Spare on the controller and Invest that money in quality assurance and better parts instead. Hell, if they're so desperate to include a controller and from the look of it just include a generic wired controller mimicking a NES, SNES or Genesis. It's bound to be cheaper.
I don't get why the hell they went and included a controller with a damn joystick! I mean if this thing did 32/64 bit 3D systems one could argue it would be a jack of all trades solution, but no, not even the case.
WTF is this:
This thing has the potential to be a good companion system, be it for playing games on a HDMI-only TV/Monitor sans investing on a XRGB/other scaler and proper cables (and in NES case modding it to hell and back) or memory save backup and/or save states and cheats. But certainly not as it is.
Lynd7
Member
Ok, I need advice from the N64 PVM users.
I have been trying to find the ideal image size for my RGB N64. My current image grid using the 240p test suite in the Wii looks like this.
http://i.imgur.com/ys70Fdu.jpg
I can't seem to widen the image anymore without distorting the image. This setup seems to work, mostly. But some games are stil showing black around the edges, some even on the top and bottom. It seems N64 games don't always have the same image centre either.
I am just wondering what other people do or have done in regards to having a good balance for this system? I don't think old CRTs used to show the games like this in some of these cases.
Here's some examples of how some games are looking.
http://imgur.com/WbvNITg
http://imgur.com/7f2v81j
http://imgur.com/wSfbdZn
http://imgur.com/QeC3Wuq
Overall, I think I have it as close as I can. But in case there is a better way..
Thanks.
I have been trying to find the ideal image size for my RGB N64. My current image grid using the 240p test suite in the Wii looks like this.
http://i.imgur.com/ys70Fdu.jpg
I can't seem to widen the image anymore without distorting the image. This setup seems to work, mostly. But some games are stil showing black around the edges, some even on the top and bottom. It seems N64 games don't always have the same image centre either.
I am just wondering what other people do or have done in regards to having a good balance for this system? I don't think old CRTs used to show the games like this in some of these cases.
Here's some examples of how some games are looking.
http://imgur.com/WbvNITg
http://imgur.com/7f2v81j
http://imgur.com/wSfbdZn
http://imgur.com/QeC3Wuq
Overall, I think I have it as close as I can. But in case there is a better way..
Thanks.
That review was based on a pre-release console and not the final hardware version and final firmware, hence some of the problems not reported in other reviews, which are way more positive. Anyway my amazon order is on the way so hopefully can give my own impressions soon.
Me too. I hate being right. It'd be glorious if somebody actually made a decent product in this vein.
Well here are some positive reviews:
http://gamester81.com/retron5/
http://www.gamespot.com/articles/hyperkin-retron-5-review/1100-6419841/
sixteen-bit
Member
I read some people here are using Bandridge Scart switches. Can anyone tell me if the Scart audio is turned off if using the red and white audio out instead? I'd like to use an external amplifier but I don't want to play with a big Mute icon on my screen
I don't think so but then again I have it setup to a BNC breakout cable without audio setup anyway.
theSlacker
Member
I read some people here are using Bandridge Scart switches. Can anyone tell me if the Scart audio is turned off if using the red and white audio out instead? I'd like to use an external amplifier but I don't want to play with a big Mute icon on my screen
I can't answer for sure on that, but you can't just turn the volume all the way down to nothing without the mute symbol appearing?
There were positive reviews for the NeoGeoX Gold. Just sayin, lol.
I'll give them a read though. Weird how people aren't putting many pics up of image quality though.
lostinblue
Banned
As are all the reviews up until now seeing the console ships today, 6th June. Dude didn't stole a console he got a review unit just like everybody else.
Honestly, the guy just went further than usual/most by being a power user - the exact same person the machine targets, I mean, he even had famicom cartridges about as well as games from other regions for other platforms something a lot of people won't (the port that eventually went kaboom being the Famicom one). I have nothing against the dude's testing doctrine or review, if anything it's the most indepth review out there instead of lip service and giving a pass to every misgiving the thing has. I haven't seen one of them yet (because I prefer text to video reviews), but Gamespot is not exactly sparkling it's just not very critical either, it's "meh, this exists, kinda works, meh - they have an excuse which is: not final software".
And still it mentions wiped saves too.
The fact that the person testing it further from the initial reviews is the one that gets problems is telling - if it had been the other way around it would be proof that the console with problems was defective, I mean person who barely used the console got problems, but it's the opposite, and it's a mechanical fault too, comes with wear, and wear that shouldn't happen in so little time.
So he either got a defective unit or most units after 6 months of normal use will be like that. Time will tell, but it's certainly a reason to delay any possible purchase in my book.
I'll be interested in your hands on later on, but I'd be weary of the connectors if I were you specially if carts require more strenght than usual to pull.
7DollarHagane
Banned
I'm having trouble using rgb scart converted to YUV on a CRT.
Its always worked fine but all of a sudden both my genesis and SNES only display in black and white.
I'm using this converter http://www.amazon.com/dp/B004XSSDPO/?tag=neogaf0e-20
And amazon basics cables for component to the TV.
Its worked great for over a year and now its not. I've connected my ps2 with component to the TV as well as tried a different crt. The ps2 worked fine, but the genesis/SNES were black and white on the other CRT as well.
Any ideas?
Its always worked fine but all of a sudden both my genesis and SNES only display in black and white.
I'm using this converter http://www.amazon.com/dp/B004XSSDPO/?tag=neogaf0e-20
And amazon basics cables for component to the TV.
Its worked great for over a year and now its not. I've connected my ps2 with component to the TV as well as tried a different crt. The ps2 worked fine, but the genesis/SNES were black and white on the other CRT as well.
Any ideas?
sixteen-bit
Member
make sure the cables are plugged into their corresponding colors (i.e. blue isn't plugged into green), that's the first thing that comes to mind
7DollarHagane
Banned
Yeah, I've redone it several times.
The video also seems to scroll vertically sometimes. I think its the converter, unfortu lately.
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