RetroN5: Hands on first look

[Satoshi_Matrix]

Ouya's emulators are free. They're extremely accurate and work perfectly, and are updated every few months or so.

The Ouya can emulate everything the RetroN5 can (that is, NES, Famicom, SNES/SFC, Genesis/MegaDrive, GameBoy, GameBoy Color and GameBoy Advance) and also many more: Atari 2600, PC Engine/TurboGrfx-16, PCE CD, Sega CD, Master System, Neo-Geo, Neo-Geo Pocket Color, Commodore 64, N64, PS1, Amega and more. There are even DS and PSP emulators for Ouya, and a Dreamcast emulator in beta right now.

The higher end newer systems are hit and miss with games, but everything from the classic era plays perfectly. I play my Sega CD games on my Ouya because they run better, look better, and load faster than actually using a real Sega CD.

Almost all of the emulators support pretty much any controller you want to use, too. For the most part, I use an OEM Super Nintendo controller via a USB adapter. You could also use bluetooth controllers if you want, or any USB controller in existence, from an Xbox 360 controller to a PC arcade joystick. The Ouya being open source means you have incredible flexibility.

You can also create controller profiles - that is, mappings to be however you want them. Wanna play Ninja Gaiden Trilogy for SNES but hate how the controls are mapped? Simply go into the configuration, and create a Ninja Gaiden Trilogy controller profile and now whenever you want to play that game, that profile will be selected and you can play the game with controls that you like.

The ouya is nothing but flexible.

Also, Ouya games and the incredible XBMC.

[Atarileaf]

thanks for the answer, I've been debating Retron 5 vs Ouya lately but with the revelation that the Retron 5 is simply android based emulation itself, I'm leaning more to the Ouya that, as you mentioned does everything the Retron 5 can do and more.

One more question - will the Ouya have a fairly long life as far as support and updates are concerned?

[Leo_A]

Ouya's emulators are free. They're extremely accurate and work perfectly, and are updated every few months or so.

Is there a Atari Lynx emulator? I couldn't find any evidence of such a emulator on YouTube.

Besides my Super Game Boy accessory for the SNES, I stayed away from handheld games of the era. So a handy tv solution for the Game Gear (Which I haven't looked for but I'm sure is emulated well on the Ouya) and Atari Lynx would be great.

Neo Geo Pocket Color emulation looks top notch judging by your video.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1I_A6g4i_ZM

Between those and some classic computers I don't want to deal with the hassle (C64 and Amiga), I think I'm sold.

[PizzaKat]

Ouya's emulators are free. They're extremely accurate and work perfectly, and are updated every few months or so.

The Ouya can emulate everything the RetroN5 can (that is, NES, Famicom, SNES/SFC, Genesis/MegaDrive, GameBoy, GameBoy Color and GameBoy Advance) and also many more: Atari 2600, PC Engine/TurboGrfx-16, PCE CD, Sega CD, Master System, Neo-Geo, Neo-Geo Pocket Color, Commodore 64, N64, PS1, Amega and more. There are even DS and PSP emulators for Ouya, and a Dreamcast emulator in beta right now.

The higher end newer systems are hit and miss with games, but everything from the classic era plays perfectly. I play my Sega CD games on my Ouya because they run better, look better, and load faster than actually using a real Sega CD.

Almost all of the emulators support pretty much any controller you want to use, too. For the most part, I use an OEM Super Nintendo controller via a USB adapter. You could also use bluetooth controllers if you want, or any USB controller in existence, from an Xbox 360 controller to a PC arcade joystick. The Ouya being open source means you have incredible flexibility.

You can also create controller profiles - that is, mappings to be however you want them. Wanna play Ninja Gaiden Trilogy for SNES but hate how the controls are mapped? Simply go into the configuration, and create a Ninja Gaiden Trilogy controller profile and now whenever you want to play that game, that profile will be selected and you can play the game with controls that you like.

The ouya is nothing but flexible.

Also, Ouya games and the incredible XBMC.

Do you just download the games from the Ouya or do you have to go on your computer and get anything to complete the process?

[Tanooki]

The Ouya company isn't supplying illegal roms nor are those companies offering them up if you're asking.

Ouya makes it clear the emulation is there and can be done, but that you need to 'somehow' get your games on there as they're not going to hang themselves in prosecution and persecution either :)

Ouya takes USB and I think it has a SD slot? Just throw the roms on there, dump them to the storage within, and the emulator will fire the games right up.

I've got an android tablet with SNES9XEX+ on it and all I had to do was USB the thing into my PC, unlock it (or it won't show up) and then set a ROM directory and tell the emulator where it is, after that just load, scroll to game, click, and it starts.


One thing I'd be SUPER interested in finding out though is if you can take save games from SNES9XEX+ (or any emulator) from an android tablet and plop them into the Ouya and pick up where you left off? That would tip some interest in favor of an Ouya over the Retron to me because as stated you can get usb cables to allow other controllers to work. If you got a SNES usb cable, then just had an existing PS3 dual shock controller, you'll have all your angles covered. The SNES would be solid for any pre-3D era console system really of interest, and the pS3 pad could handle N64/PS1 era and after.

[Satoshi_Matrix]

One more question - will the Ouya have a fairly long life as far as support and updates are concerned?

I believe so. The Ouya is selling very well, and its popularity is only increasing. Also since the Ouya is an open platform, every Ouya is its own dev kit, so even if its official support were to dry up tomorrow, the potential for its homebrew community to thrive is there for years to come. Also, you can sideload many programs designed for other Android platforms onto Ouya very easily.



Is there a Atari Lynx emulator?
I'm not completely sure, but I don't think so. The Lynx is not a common system to emulate. There might be a Lynx emulator, but I've never installed it.



Do you just download the games from the Ouya or do you have to go on your computer and get anything to complete the process?

The only thing the Ouya Discover store provides is the emulator. You have to manually go find roms and put them on the Ouya by the means of your chosing - a USB thumbdrive or external harddrive, or hook your Ouya directly to your PC via a Micro USB cable.



One thing I'd be SUPER interested in finding out though is if you can take save games from SNES9XEX+ (or any emulator) from an android tablet and plop them into the Ouya and pick up where you left off? That would tip some interest in favor of an Ouya over the Retron to me because as stated you can get usb cables to allow other controllers to work. If you got a SNES usb cable, then just had an existing PS3 dual shock controller, you'll have all your angles covered. The SNES would be solid for any pre-3D era console system really of interest, and the pS3 pad could handle N64/PS1 era and after.

Well, considering that the best official SNES emulator on Ouya is Snes9x EX+ to begin with, Its very reasonable to assume that save files work exactly the same for both the Ouya and tablet formats.

As for your SNES/PS3 pad combo, that's generally what I do, but don't count the official Ouya controller out either. It's actually a lot better than you might think, and until there's a firmware upgrade to change it, many non-Ouya controllers can't navigate the system's internet menus. You'll be able to move the dpad around, but you won't be able to select anything. It's kinda annoying, but its only a minor problem. You just need use the Ouya pad until you get into the emulator, than turn it off (easiest way is to remove one of the batteries). then go and use the controller of your choice with the Ouya.

[Tanooki]

Well I would assume as much the saves carry over, just would have to have an Ouya and look at how it shows up internally if it can be tapped into my laptop to transfer the files. I know the firmware is stupid on the ouya about navigation, but I also know they have/had a lot of problems with the controller having input lag issues wrecking playability. I heard the latest release more or less fixed it, but then they've even admitted their upgraded model they just put out with more internal storage also has a revised gamepad which they stated has no lag which feared me into thinking they didn't quite fix the basic system.

[YoshiM]

Satoshi: with the Ouya emulators, has you had to fiddle with settings? I tried out the NES emulator on there and ran it stock and it seemed to have a frame skip and the music and sound effects were pitched higher. CoinOps on my Xbox ran it practically perfect. I haven't tried any other emus yet.

[Satoshi_Matrix]

Well I would assume as much the saves carry over, just would have to have an Ouya and look at how it shows up internally if it can be tapped into my laptop to transfer the files. I know the firmware is stupid on the ouya about navigation, but I also know they have/had a lot of problems with the controller having input lag issues wrecking playability. I heard the latest release more or less fixed it, but then they've even admitted their upgraded model they just put out with more internal storage also has a revised gamepad which they stated has no lag which feared me into thinking they didn't quite fix the basic system.

If you like, email me a game save and or savestate from your mobile Snes9x EX+ and I'll see if it works on the Ouya's Snes9x EX+. satoshimatrix@hotmail.com.




Satoshi: with the Ouya emulators, has you had to fiddle with settings? I tried out the NES emulator on there and ran it stock and it seemed to have a frame skip and the music and sound effects were pitched higher. CoinOps on my Xbox ran it practically perfect. I haven't tried any other emus yet.

What NES emulator are you talking about? There are several NES emulators for Ouya.
The only thing I had to do was fiddle with the video output resolutions. What you want is 90% screen fill, but 100% game fill. It removes overscan while making the image fit the entire screen.

[YoshiM]

It's NES. EMU and I think I found the problem- goofy ROM. I picked Mario/Duck Hunt and it sounds and plays right. Except for the Ouya controller. I'll have to try a Wii mote.

[Satoshi_Matrix]

NES.emu is the best NES emulator for Ouya. You shouldn't have any issues with it running any game that's part of goodNES.

As of the current version, there is controller lag if you use the stock Ouya controller with it. It's not the Ouya's fault - its a failing of the emulator. I have emailed the author and he assures me that this will be fixed in the next revision. For now though, you can use pretty much ANY other controller and it should function correctly.

[Natty Bumppo]

The retron5 is intriguing for my particular situation.

I am a pretty old geezer and didn't grow up with computers - while I can navigate the basics around a computer and am pretty well versed in excel (I can make nifty hex grid maps in excel if that is of any value) I wouldn't have the foggiest about how to deal with roms and emulators if you put a light gun to my head. I am content to surf the net on my chromebook - while it is limited in what it can do in lieu of a laptop it seems to work eminently well in surfing the net - better than my previous (and now deceased) laptop in some ways.

So I much prefer to play my games on the original format (more or less - I have no problem playing translated or homebrew games on repro cartridges - as long as someone else makes them!).

If this indeed does save a game for the duration that you are playing it, that would be great - as others have mentioned it would save me from the tedious (not to mention expensive if you have a large number of carts - which I do) task of replacing batteries.

If I were to get one it would (for now) replace my snes/super 8 converter. While the super 8 functions it has a couple of liabilities - you almost need a crowbar to get the games out and the connections are wonky on it - wiggle it and you often lose the signal. then you get to wiggle it until you get it to work again. Even more aggravating than getting that GD blacksmith in Shining Force II to give you a decent weapon. Space is at a premium since I like to keep all of my systems hooked up and ready to go. The back of my audio receiver looks like the kraken from Clash of the Titans has escaped again.

It terms of a CRT that is my preferred method of viewing - not only for games but for my laserdisc and dvd collections (I have several thousand of each of those) and I am not ready to go through the hassles of figuring out how to get them to play on the newer tvs. Space is not a big problem since my center is set up in one of the basement rooms and a flat screen of some sort just would not make that much of difference. I currently have a 32" (I had a 36" Mitsubishi at one time until it died) unit and that works very well for the size of the room.

It the retron5 turns out not to have composite outputs it would likely not be a deal breaker for me since you can (I believe) get converters to accomplish that pretty easily/cheaply. And if ever I do switch to a newer tv I would be all set for it in terms of this unit.


This of course assumes that thing is relatively well made and that it does what it seems that it will be able to do. If so I will likely be getting one.

(And it is probably too early to know this - but is the beastie going to play the bs games - I have a copy of Super Famicom Wars and a couple of other BS games on the original carts. )

[Satoshi_Matrix]

Hyperkin has confirmed it will be HDMI only. You will not be able to use it on a CRT. As for Broadcast Satelleview and Nintendo Power Data Carts, it's not yet known if the rom dumping method will work for those since they had their own internal menus. In all honesty I wouldn't expect Hyperkin to even know the existence of such things, let alone set anything up specifically to support them.

[Natty Bumppo]

I'm assuming I could still piggyback something like this behind it though:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_YCfHZF77EA

(Yeah, I know is seems kinda silly to in essence have it converted and then unconverted - but as Buckaroo Bonzai would say, "No matter where you go there you are.")

The cheaper ones of these aren't powered - I imagine the powered might provide a slightly better signal.

The bs carts aren't a deal breaker - just curious.

[Satoshi_Matrix]

I'm sure that would create some kind of result, but overscan and non native 4:3 resolutions will be problematic. It's likely that the RetorN5 won't display correctly at all on a 4:3 CRT.

[Leo_A]

Hyperkin has confirmed it will be HDMI only. You will not be able to use it on a CRT.


There are HD CRT's with HDMI. I heavily considered buying a large Sony Trinitron that was so equipped until I started taking measurements of my car and house the day I was going to buy it and realized it was much too large. I switched course instead to a smaller SD Trinitron that was 26" or so.

So while what you say is correct for greater than 95% of the time without the use of an external downscaler, it technically isn't correct.

[BricatSegaFan]

There are HD CRT's with HDMI. I heavily considered buying a large Sony Trinitron that was so equipped until I started taking measurements of my car and house the day I was going to buy it and realized it was much too large. I switched course instead to a smaller SD Trinitron that was 26" or so.

So while what you say is correct for greater than 95% of the time without the use of an external downscaler, it technically isn't correct.

Yup. My main Sony CRT is HDMI compatible. Behold!

[Tanooki]

I don't currently have any game on my tablet that has a true save file as i haven't bothered finishing a course in F-Zero (too damn hard to drive on a tablet or mini keyboard, and i think it's the emulator as the keyboard acts dumb as much as the screen) nor have I tried out a RPG either.

If I can get the time (wife laid up from surgery today this morning) to mess with SMRPG or something just to save as soon as possible I could try and send that to see if it takes.

I still am curious about the whining about the Ouya controller lag. It's a concern as the creators have said they fixed in their 1.5 model of the original system with the new controller and more capacity which makes me think the original just plain sucks.


...speaking of controllers aside from hauling my one PS3 controller around, is there a cheap solid alternative bluetooth controller a tablet can pick up that's small and portable, oh and cheaper than a $50 PS3 pad?

[treismac]

Yup. My main Sony CRT is HDMI compatible. Behold!

Bricat, what Sony TV is that and:

1) How's the input lag and

2) Do light guns work on it? [can they work on any HDTV, even if they are CRTs?]

[BricatSegaFan]

Bricat, what Sony TV is that and:

1) How's the input lag and

2) Do light guns work on it? [can they work on any HDTV, even if they are CRTs?]

Well to answer the input lag, there seems to be zero. Everything seems super snappy and retro consoles look outstanding. Modern consoles look sharp but because of it's 4x3 size widescreen will be cutoff a bit.

Here is a pic of the model and everythinghttp://img.tapatalk.com/d/14/02/20/5uzuza9y.jpg

For the lightguns I honestly have not tried. Give me like 30 min and I'll update. I actually am in the process of setting up my spare sms to it.

Update: no light gun support :(

[Satoshi_Matrix]

There are HD CRT's with HDMI. So while what you say is correct for greater than 95% of the time without the use of an external downscaler, it technically isn't correct.

Ah you're right, I was generalizing. HDMI compliant CRTs are incredibly rare, as they were made only in the short window between ~2003-2007. I see CRTs for sale in local ads and people just giving them away in many cases, but I have never once personally seen a CRT that has HDMi. I'd love to own one and then essentially get rid of all the CRTs I have that only do up to 480i.




I still am curious about the whining about the Ouya controller lag. It's a concern as the creators have said they fixed in their 1.5 model of the original system with the new controller and more capacity which makes me think the original just plain sucks.

You keep bringing this up, but let me again assure you - controller lag is NOT a problem with the Ouya. While yes, certain Ouya games and emulators have lag with the controller, it is those games and emulators that are the problem, not the Ouya itself. Menu navigation and most games are completely lag free using the stock Ouya controller.

By and large most games and apps on Ouya are as responsive with the Ouya pad as the Xbox 360 or PS3 are with their controllers. And if you're THAT concerned, plug in any USB controller you want and play the emulators and many Ouya games that way. Controller lag isn't something to be concerned about, especially if you plan on playing emulators with another controller like a USB Super Nintendo pad or something. The Ouya controller is only needed for system menu navigation.



I
...speaking of controllers aside from hauling my one PS3 controller around, is there a cheap solid alternative bluetooth controller a tablet can pick up that's small and portable, oh and cheaper than a $50 PS3 pad?

In my experience cheap bluetooth controllers do not equal solid or quality bluetooth controllers. If you want a cheap controller, go with something that's USB. If you want a wireless controller, you're best off with that $50 PS3 controller you spoke of. Or just buy one used?

[BricatSegaFan]

Ah you're right, I was generalizing. HDMI compliant CRTs are incredibly rare, as they were made only in the short window between ~2003-2007. I see CRTs for sale in local ads and people just giving them away in many cases, but I have never once personally seen a CRT that has HDMi. I'd love to own one and then essentially get rid of all the CRTs I have that only do up to 480i.


I wouldn't be so hasty to do so. While my HD Sony CRT is great I'd have to say my retro consoles look the best on my 27" Toshiba SD CRT. Not sure of the model because it was never printed on mine but here is a pichttp://img.tapatalk.com/d/14/02/20/e9a3umu9.jpg

[Satoshi_Matrix]

Right now, I own seven CRTs. One of them is indeed a 32" Sony Trinitron, but its from from 2004 and does not have HDMI.

I want to replace it most of all with a Trinitron that does have HDMI.

[BricatSegaFan]

Right now, I own seven CRTs. One of them is indeed a 32" Sony Trinitron, but its from from 2004 and does not have HDMI.

I want to replace it most of all with a Trinitron that does have HDMI.

I ended up getting mine from good ol craigslist for free! I just had to nearly kill myself and friend just moving it

[RP2A03]

Right now, I own seven CRTs. One of them is indeed a 32" Sony Trinitron, but its from from 2004 and does not have HDMI.

I want to replace it most of all with a Trinitron that does have HDMI.

Keep and eye out for either an XBR960 or an XS955, both of which have the super fine pitch tube. I just got 30 inch XS955 from Goodwill and squeezed it into the the back seat of my Pontiac. Now all I have to do is figure out how to squeeze that 150 pound beast out of my car. :D

[BricatSegaFan]

Keep and eye out for either an XBR960 or an XS955, both of which have the super fine pitch tube. I just got 30 inch XS955 from Goodwill and squeezed it into the the back seat of my Pontiac. Now all I have to do is figure out how to squeeze that 150 pound beast out of my car. :D

Lol that's why I ended up gettin a Toyota Tacoma ;)

[treismac]

Well to answer the input lag, there seems to be zero. Everything seems super snappy and retro consoles look outstanding. Modern consoles look sharp but because of it's 4x3 size widescreen will be cutoff a bit.

For the lightguns I honestly have not tried. Give me like 30 min and I'll update. I actually am in the process of setting up my spare sms to it.

Update: no light gun support :(

Thanks for the reply, Bricat. Too bad about the lack of light gun support. I can live without light gun games, but it a slightly sadder world.

I'd love to snag one free off of Craigslist, too. Suppose I better start keeping an eye open until I strike gold.

[BricatSegaFan]

Thanks for the reply, Bricat. Too bad about the lack of light gun support. I can live without light gun games, but it a slightly sadder world.

I'd love to snag one free off of Craigslist, too. Suppose I better start keeping an eye open until I strike gold.

Yea just be prepared to break your back lol.

[Cryog]

Retron 5 Extended Footage


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TZPxMg4EJkw

[treismac]

Retron 5 Extended Footage


http://youtu.be/TZPxMg4EJkw?t=7m06s

^ @7:06

Hyperkin is trying to get savestates for games to go on the RetroN5? What the hell? Why is this feature an afterthought? Hyperkin doesn't need to reinvent the wheel here; simply bringing over features that emulators have had for years seems like a no-brainer. Perhaps the rep is clueless, as the "Save State" option seemed to be on the ui screen.

[lagartija_nick]

I had trouble hearing the video but did I hear that you cannot have more than one cartridge plugged in at one time?

I know this lacks the selector of the retron 3, but I could have sworn that I read elsewhere you pick the slot from the startup screen after bootup.

Maybe its a minor thing but it defeats the purpose of having all those slots handy.

[Tanooki]

^ @7:06

Hyperkin is trying to get savestates for games to go on the RetroN5? What the hell? Why is this feature an afterthought? Hyperkin doesn't need to reinvent the wheel here; simply bringing over features that emulators have had for years seems like a no-brainer. Perhaps the rep is clueless, as the "Save State" option seemed to be on the ui screen.

He said game saves not savestates. He's talking about having the ability to have your saved data carried between the retron5 and your home system and the computer so you can take your saves wherever and if you like to hack saves you can do that on a PC, then put the hacked save back on your cart through the retron5 (I'd guess dumping stuff to the SD card as am middleman.)

[BricatSegaFan]

Maybe its a minor thing but it defeats the purpose of having all those slots handy.


Call me crazy but having all those slots handy was for the purpose of playing different systems right? Not necessarily for the purpose of loading it up.


But yes a minor setback but certainly not a deal breaker.

[Satoshi_Matrix]

It probably is caused by the fact that the RetroN5 reads games by dumping them to rom, and it can't do that at the same time for multiple game formats.

This seems like it could be possible to overcome with a firmware update as in theory all that would need to be done is the system told to ignore all slots but the one chosen but I don't really see this as something that Hyperkin will bother with. I have a RetroDuo, RetroN3, Gen-X, and Super 8, and when I want to play a game on any of those, I use only one cart at at a time. Just because it has multiple slots doesn't mean you need to plug the with various cartridges at all times, y'know.

[lagartija_nick]

Didn't mean to make a mountain of a molehill.
Certainly its not a big deal at all, but I swore in some write ups the cart selection was done with the menu.
Perhaps the feature was there at one time but proved to be buggy/faulty.
What Satoshi_Matrix said makes sense after all.

[Leo_A]

Just because it has multiple slots doesn't mean you need to plug the with various cartridges at all times, y'know.

Originally I had a far too long post here. To sum it up, I think they're wrong to not have this jump to a selection menu when two or more cartridges are detected. In fact, I bet a few even get returned as defective when the customer doesn't pick up on the pattern and instead views it as an intermittent problem and a defective system (Even if it's explained in the manual written in engrish). Seems a shame when all it saves is a few minutes of programming time.

It might be superfluous to you, but I bet many think it's just basic functionality and will be expecting it to work this way.

[Satoshi_Matrix]

I agree, and I would prefer that there was a sort of multicart select menu, but Hyperkin has already stated it's this way, I don't see them fixing this, and ultimately, its not a big deal.

Yes, idiots will return it to the store on account of this I'm sure, but that's inevitable. I'm reminded of that Nintendo training video from 1990 that was posted online a few years ago, training store clerks on how to reduce returns by doing basic troubleshooting like asking the customer "did you plug the controller into port 1 or port 2 to play your single player game?"

[Satoshi_Matrix]

Today I decided to take the plunge and preordered a gray RetroN5 as I found a canadian online retailer that was accepting pre orders so I an avoid the horrible price gouging Amazon and other US retailers have. This means that I should be getting my system within the first few days its available, maybe even the day of. This means that I'll be able to bring you guys the truth of its preference and compatibility right away.

Not to create additional hype or anything, but I'm just curious - has anyone else here preordered one, or are you in the camp that prefers to sit this out and wait for reviewer verdicts from me and others?

[StoneAgeGamer]

We just received our RetroN5 beta unit.

We are bound by a Non-disclosure Agreement. We can not comment on anything regarding the RetroN5 that hasn't been announced by Hyperkin already. This includes compatibility. So unfortunately not too much we can talk about.

https://www.facebook.com/StoneAgeGamer/photos/a.304816229534791.92328.136116593071423/817899691559773/?type=1&theater

[Leo_A]

Out of curiosity, what's the point then of you receiving one?

I hope your impressions are positive even if you can't say so. I look forward to you hopefully having a detailed look at this ready to post for the time when you're able to openly discuss it.

[StoneAgeGamer]

Out of curiosity, what's the point then of you receiving one?

I hope your impressions are positive even if you can't say so. I look forward to you hopefully having a detailed look at this ready to post for the time when you're able to openly discuss it.

To test it. :)

Game compatibility testing mainly. If we find a game that doesn't work or has problems we have access to diagnostics tools that makes some files on the SD card that we can send to Hyperkin so they can fix the problem. We also have access to a secret forum where we can post bugs and issues.

[Leo_A]

If they did it in order for you to partake in the testing process, that makes sense. :)

As one of the retailers for this product though, I didn't much see the sense of you receiving one when you couldn't take advantage of the fact to actively promote it. Would be like a car dealer getting one of the first models to roll off the assembly line but not being allowed to put in the showroom to take advantage of it.

That's what I was thinking.

[StoneAgeGamer]

If they did it in order for you to partake in the testing process, that makes sense. :)

As one of the retailers for this product though, I didn't much see the sense of you receiving one when you couldn't take advantage of the fact to actively promote it. Would be like a car dealer getting one of the first models to roll off the assembly line but not being allowed to put in the showroom to take advantage of it.

That's what I was thinking.

I can promote it, but I cant say "X game doesn't work yet" publicly. Which makes sense, no point in announcing that publicly when there's a good chance it will get fixed before launch. Or if there is a quirk or issue I don't like about it I can't really say that publicly because that may get fixed or changed before release. Most of what I could say has already been said or seen. The interface is very nice and there are a ton of different options, especially when it comes to how you want it to display on your TV. So far from my experience the video is very crisp and the sound is good. Master System games do work on it already. I tested with our PowerBase Mini product and it worked. I may eventually post some more pictures and maybe videos.

[Leo_A]

When I say promote, I mean reveal information that one can't already locate from Hyperkin released information from your own impressions as you put it through its paces.

Sounds like a promising start.

[Tanooki]

I get the NDA racket, been under more than one in the past working with games in development. It's a shame they're taking that stance but it makes sense too. They already put up the gallows and the rope as it stands bragging they'll be 100% compatible. If they fail to deliver on that and someone puts it out there on a beta hardware unit that's just primed for firmware/software updates that X Y and Z games don't work, or games using some chipset fail, they're screwed plain and simple. I would not be surprised if they had that hardware ready to go a few months back and have hit some emulation walls with bugs they're chasing so they don't eat crow.

I think media wise they'd have been in a far better and safer position to have NEVER said that stupid brag and allowed those with pre-sale beta firmware units the ability to then state if something worked, or if something is being worked upon instead of just being all under a suspiciously delayed more than once lock and key. What's done is done now, and it can't be taken back so I hope for their sake they get that 100% they claimed on any legit software developed during the living period of the systems it runs.

[StoneAgeGamer]

I get the NDA racket, been under more than one in the past working with games in development. It's a shame they're taking that stance but it makes sense too. They already put up the gallows and the rope as it stands bragging they'll be 100% compatible. If they fail to deliver on that and someone puts it out there on a beta hardware unit that's just primed for firmware/software updates that X Y and Z games don't work, or games using some chipset fail, they're screwed plain and simple. I would not be surprised if they had that hardware ready to go a few months back and have hit some emulation walls with bugs they're chasing so they don't eat crow.

I think media wise they'd have been in a far better and safer position to have NEVER said that stupid brag and allowed those with pre-sale beta firmware units the ability to then state if something worked, or if something is being worked upon instead of just being all under a suspiciously delayed more than once lock and key. What's done is done now, and it can't be taken back so I hope for their sake they get that 100% they claimed on any legit software developed during the living period of the systems it runs.

Maybe I am wrong, but I have personally never heard Hyperkin claim that the R5 is 100% compatible, I have only heard them say they are shooting for 100% compatibility. Big difference in those two statements. Based on my interaction with them so far this indeed seems like the case. If a game doesn't work at all or run correctly they have you send you files that the beta OS generates so they can work on that compatibility. Now will it be 100% compatible at launch? I have no idea, but I highly doubt it based on the sheer amount of different system it currently supports. That being said I really don't think most people will care as long as the compatibility is very high and luckily unlike other "clones" this one can be updated. The RetroN5 is not targeted towards hardcore retro gamers like most people on this forum, no "clone" has been. They are targeted towards casual retro gamers. Believe or not the people on this forum, AtariAge, NintendoAge, the list goes on are actually the minority. Most people who play retro games do it casually. This is the first system that supports retro carts that actually works well with modern TVs. That's not joke either, probably my biggest praise of the system so far from my experience is works really well on my 60" HD TV. A lot of different filters, resolutions, scan lines, etc. You can really customize exactly how you want it to look. Even without filters it looks very sharp. This will be a big selling point for casual players.

[Satoshi_Matrix]

StoneAgeGamer, can you please post some photos of the unit from angles not typically seen? Specifically, I want to see a direct image of the front of the console facing into the GBA slot. A head-on view of the system.

The other image I request is from the bottom - please flip the console upsidedown and take a detailed shot of the underside of the unit. I want to know what kind of screws the unit has, if it has venting, what kind of 'feet' it is, etc etc.

[Atarileaf]

Today I decided to take the plunge and preordered a gray RetroN5 as I found a canadian online retailer that was accepting pre orders so I an avoid the horrible price gouging Amazon and other US retailers have. This means that I should be getting my system within the first few days its available, maybe even the day of. This means that I'll be able to bring you guys the truth of its preference and compatibility right away.

Not to create additional hype or anything, but I'm just curious - has anyone else here preordered one, or are you in the camp that prefers to sit this out and wait for reviewer verdicts from me and others?

What canadian online retailer? I'm in the same boat with price gouging us shipping

[Nesmaster]

I've got one from the multicart kickstarter coming whenever the bundles start shipping.

No matter how good or bad it ends up being, there's no denying my excitement to try it out and the hope I have that it delivers.

[StoneAgeGamer]

StoneAgeGamer, can you please post some photos of the unit from angles not typically seen? Specifically, I want to see a direct image of the front of the console facing into the GBA slot. A head-on view of the system.

The other image I request is from the bottom - please flip the console upsidedown and take a detailed shot of the underside of the unit. I want to know what kind of screws the unit has, if it has venting, what kind of 'feet' it is, etc etc.

Front:
http://www.stoneagegamer.com/images/r5/IMG_1388.JPG

Right Side:
http://www.stoneagegamer.com/images/r5/IMG_1389.JPG

Left Side:
http://www.stoneagegamer.com/images/r5/IMG_1390.JPG

Back:
http://www.stoneagegamer.com/images/r5/IMG_1391.JPG

Bottom:
http://www.stoneagegamer.com/images/r5/IMG_1392.JPG (screws are philips, not sure if that will change, my guess is that rubber feet will be on final production units)

Just a quick video of my beta unit of the RetroN5 playing Y's for the Sega Master System.

Sorry if it sounds like a have a bunch of marbles in my mouth. I took this video right after waking up.

http://youtu.be/sQK4LuikR08

[Satoshi_Matrix]

thank you. That's exactly what I was looking for. I'm a bit concerned about the exposed GBA slot - could you take a close up of that please? It doesn't look like it has a dust flap.

On the back of the unit, there appears to be a small hole between the HDMI and USB ports.Is that a pin-activated factory reset button, a LED, or something else? it isn't marked it seems.

I hate to seem greedy, but could you also take one form directly above? Older shots don't include that controller bay, and I'm curious what that exactly looks like.

It was obviously designed to hold the RetroN5 wireless controller, but I wonder, does it at all comfortably hold other controllers like the rectangular NES-004 controller or the Super Famicom/Nintendo controller, Genesis, etc?

Thanks!

[StoneAgeGamer]

thank you. That's exactly what I was looking for. I'm a bit concerned about the exposed GBA slot - could you take a close up of that please? It doesn't look like it has a dust flap.

On the back of the unit, there appears to be a small hole between the HDMI and USB ports.Is that a pin-activated factory reset button, a LED, or something else? it isn't marked it seems.

I hate to seem greedy, but could you also take one form directly above? Older shots don't include that controller bay, and I'm curious what that exactly looks like.

It was obviously designed to hold the RetroN5 wireless controller, but I wonder, does it at all comfortably hold other controllers like the rectangular NES-004 controller or the Super Famicom/Nintendo controller, Genesis, etc?

Thanks!

I just re-posted from my last post and added some more pictures since we flipped to a new page and a lot of people may miss it. No idea what pin holes do, but both the controller and system have them. Maybe for sync? Ir could be for factory reset for both.

SYSTEM:

3/4:
http://www.stoneagegamer.com/images/r5/IMG_1387.JPG

Front:
http://www.stoneagegamer.com/images/r5/IMG_1388.JPG

Right Side:
http://www.stoneagegamer.com/images/r5/IMG_1389.JPG

Left Side:
http://www.stoneagegamer.com/images/r5/IMG_1390.JPG

Back:
http://www.stoneagegamer.com/images/r5/IMG_1391.JPG

Top:
http://www.stoneagegamer.com/images/r5/IMG_1396.JPG

Bottom:
http://www.stoneagegamer.com/images/r5/IMG_1392.JPG (screws are philips, not sure if that will change, my guess is that rubber feet will be on final production units)

Controller Cradle:
http://www.stoneagegamer.com/images/r5/IMG_1397.JPG

CONTROLLER:

Top:
http://www.stoneagegamer.com/images/r5/IMG_1398.JPG
http://www.stoneagegamer.com/images/r5/IMG_1399.JPG

3/4:
http://www.stoneagegamer.com/images/r5/IMG_1400.JPG

Bottom:
http://www.stoneagegamer.com/images/r5/IMG_1401.JPG

How it fits in hand:
http://www.stoneagegamer.com/images/r5/IMG_1402.JPG
http://www.stoneagegamer.com/images/r5/IMG_1403.JPG
http://www.stoneagegamer.com/images/r5/IMG_1404.JPG
http://www.stoneagegamer.com/images/r5/IMG_1405.JPG

Just a quick video of my beta unit of the RetroN5 playing Y's for the Sega Master System.

Sorry if it sounds like a have a bunch of marbles in my mouth. I took this video right after waking up.

http://youtu.be/sQK4LuikR08

[fairyland]

They'll be asking you to crack that baby open and taking photos of the insides next. LOL

I never realized until now how painful that D-pad looks. I have some serious doubts about using that thing.

I wonder if this one will turn a nice shade of yellow like the SNES does?

Either way, I'm really tempted to buy one now. I've been waiting to hear others put it to the test and reporting the negs before doing so though. I keep feeling it's just too good to be true and something will go wrong with it.

[Tanooki]

I don't remember the exact quote, just that they wanted 100% compatibility with it. If it was directly saying it will be or they'll go for it, it still puts the thought out there was the point.

I know that thing isn't meant for nitpicky die hard old game fanboys and fangirls, they'll want it all original or they'll turn their nose up to it. But a lot of people, even those at NA are interested in the system because it serves a real genuine purpose of getting all that old hardware in one device, claiming such high support, and then can be output with 1080p HDMI without lag supposedly and has the save/load states along with the audio and visual filters.

Clones I've got a mostly hate relationship to, especially the NES ones because of the dodgy quality when it came to audio, visuals, and just spotty support on games. SNES has faired somewhat better, and I even have the v2 to the Supaboy which does a heap, just a couple FX games fail, sadly SFAlpha2, and the SA1 games I need to cart swap to work, but they do and it does the audio/visuals right and when I modded the d-pad to work right it's fun to use. I see the Retron5 more like that where they're shooting for quality, not just quantity out there throwing enough to stick to the wall they profit off it being just OK. With the firmware upgrades I like that, it places itself as an emulator in a box like Ouya, but it uses real games not ROM copies.

Just to put it out there, when I was at Midway for a couple years a good chunk of that time was testing, then after that technical standards testing as well among other things. I get why they're out there, and probably more than some others would what is going on and needs to be done in the back and forward in the process and I'm most pleased they're taking this route instead of just being in house as you never know what will happen in the real world.


Satoshi, why the concern over the GBA slot having no flap? The Nintendo made GB Player has no flap.

[StoneAgeGamer]

They'll be asking you to crack that baby open and taking photos of the insides next. LOL

I never realized until now how painful that D-pad looks. I have some serious doubts about using that thing.

I wonder if this one will turn a nice shade of yellow like the SNES does?

Either way, I'm really tempted to buy one now. I've been waiting to hear others put it to the test and reporting the negs before doing so though. I keep feeling it's just too good to be true and something will go wrong with it.

D-pad is not uncomfortable, however I think some people may not like it just because its different than your normal d-pad.

[StoneAgeGamer]

Some sound and video testing: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vsTSiPwAPRQ

[BlastProcessing402]

Ah you're right, I was generalizing. HDMI compliant CRTs are incredibly rare, as they were made only in the short window between ~2003-2007. I see CRTs for sale in local ads and people just giving them away in many cases, but I have never once personally seen a CRT that has HDMi. I'd love to own one and then essentially get rid of all the CRTs I have that only do up to 480i.

There aren't that many with HDMI, but there are more with DVI, which you can use with adapters to work with HDMI.

[Leo_A]

Is the sound out of sync? I'm hearing what i think is the sound that you get when Mario fills up the arrows which means he's running at maximum speed (And can fly if he has the raccoon suit) but it doesn't correlate with what's on the screen.

[Leo_A]

Is the sound out of sync?

I'm hearing what i think is the sound that you get when Mario fills up the arrows which means he's running at maximum speed (And can fly if he has the raccoon suit). But it doesn't correlate with what's on the screen.

Yet things like the sound when you jump seem to be matched up.

Edit: Or is it a telephone I'm hearing?

[Leo_A]

Double post...

[StoneAgeGamer]

Is the sound out of sync?

I'm hearing what i think is the sound that you get when Mario fills up the arrows which means he's running at maximum speed (And can fly if he has the raccoon suit). But it doesn't correlate with what's on the screen.

Yet things like the sound when you jump seem to be matched up.

Edit: Or is it a telephone I'm hearing?

Yes its a phone call. :)

[Satoshi_Matrix]

They'll be asking you to crack that baby open and taking photos of the insides next. LOL

I never realized until now how painful that D-pad looks. I have some serious doubts about using that thing.

I wonder if this one will turn a nice shade of yellow like the SNES does?

Either way, I'm really tempted to buy one now. I've been waiting to hear others put it to the test and reporting the negs before doing so though. I keep feeling it's just too good to be true and something will go wrong with it.


Indeed. Although I don't expect him to do so, it would be completely AWESOME if StonageAgeGamer could take the screws off and let us peek at the motherboard. It would help answer some questions as to exactly what is powering the RetroN5, and possible mods.

As for the d-pad stick or whatever it truly is, I again will repeat what I said the moment the thing was shown: I'm going to reverse judgement until I actually get the controller in my hands. There are many controllers that LOOK uncomfortable or junky, but in reality are pretty cool, and vice versa.

The SNES yellows with exposure to UV radiation because of incorrect fire retardant mixtures in the plastic. I doubt that The RetroN5 will have the same long term problems, but if you're that concerned, buy the one that's all black.

As for the "too good to be true", that's in the back of my mind too. This is Hyperkin we're talking about here, and one only needs look at their track record of terrible fault-ridden clones to be wary.


I don't remember the exact quote, just that they wanted 100% compatibility with it. If it was directly saying it will be or they'll go for it, it still puts the thought out there was the point. even those at NA are interested in the system because it serves a real genuine purpose of getting all that old hardware in one device, claiming such high support, and then can be output with 1080p HDMI without lag supposedly and has the save/load states along with the audio and visual filters.
Satoshi, why the concern over the GBA slot having no flap? The Nintendo made GB Player has no flap.


Hyperkin's quote was that they were "aiming" at 100% compatibility. That statement essentially doesn't mean anything, since that's neither a promise that it will happen, or even something that's a true priority.

The Retron5 will only output 720p, not 1080p. That's something the Ouya has the leg up on the RetroN5.

I'm concerned about the lack of a dust flap because it looks like its a gaping hole int he system, not just to the GBA cart slot. Potentially bugs such as spiders could crawl in that and set up a nest and all sorts of nastiness. If that's the case, then i'm going to have to engineer some sort of plug for the GBA slot when not in use, sort of like the plug that covers the Famicom's DB-15 expansion controller port.

[StoneAgeGamer]

double post

[StoneAgeGamer]

I'm concerned about the lack of a dust flap because it looks like its a gaping hole int he system, not just to the GBA cart slot. Potentially bugs such as spiders could crawl in that and set up a nest and all sorts of nastiness. If that's the case, then i'm going to have to engineer some sort of plug for the GBA slot when not in use, sort of like the plug that covers the Famicom's DB-15 expansion controller port.

That's not the case. Its not a gaping hole into the system, it has an enclosure around it. You probably just can't see it in the pictures. I would believe what you are doing is nitpicking. :) If no dust flap on the GB slot is the biggest issue with the RetroN5 then I think that's a good thing.

[Satoshi_Matrix]

looks like DP is working again.

StoneAgeGamer, I'd like to know just what that bluetooth controller's analog nub thing is. Hyperkin hasn't really said anything about it at all.

I just want to just what that is. Is it:

a floaty d-pad like the NES Max or Messiah's wireless Generation NEX controllers?
a microswitch driven click-stick like the NeoGeo CD controller or NeoGeo Pocket Color? If so, does it make any audible clicking sound when you move it?
an analog stick like you'd find on any modern console?
something else entirely?

[StoneAgeGamer]

StoneAgeGamer, I'd like to know just what that bluetooth controller's analog nub thing is. Hyperkin hasn't really said anything about it at all.


Its an 8-way micro-switch joystick basically. Like NGPC. The d-pad, the 6 face buttons, and the 2 shoulder buttons are all micro-switch. Clicky.

[Satoshi_Matrix]

Awesome. I'm so glad to hear that. That fact has the potential to silence many of the naysayers about the controller.

If it's a microswitch based click stick like the NGCD and NGPC, then I take it that the stick makes a clicking noise as you move it? Try moving it without the system on, and holding it up to your ear if you are unsure.

[StoneAgeGamer]

Awesome. I'm so glad to hear that. That fact has the potential to silence many of the naysayers about the controller.

If it's a microswitch based click stick like the NGCD and NGPC, then I take it that the stick makes a clicking noise as you move it? Try moving it without the system on, and holding it up to your ear if you are unsure.

Its clicky. I said this in my previous post. :)

I am sure not everyone will like the controller because of the d-pad being different than people are normally used to, especially with these systems. Luckily it still has regular controller ports. I will admit it did take me some getting used to, but the more I use it the more I like it. Do I like it better than a normal game pad yet? Probably not, but trying to erase 20+ years of using original controller may take some time. Also, I am sure for some games it may have an advantage, especially fighting games and it being wireless has actually made me prefer using it in my living room setup over original controllers. I should be able to do this in a few weeks when I go down to my store. Just because I may not like it as much as original controllers is not me saying it sucks. Its actually much better than I was expecting, but this is also just my opinion. I am sure a lot of people will hate it because its different or because its just no their cup of tea.

[Satoshi_Matrix]

That's true. Based on my Neo-Geo pad experiences, click-sticks are controller pad-arcade stick hybrids that cater to genres that benefit from using an arcade stick - shoot 'em ups, fighters, adventure, and occasionally platformers, but not really puzzle, sports, RPGs, flight, etc etc.

I suspect that I'll prefer using the RetroN5 controller with only those specific genres I mentioned. Luckily, shoot 'em ups and fighters especially make up a large portion of the Famicom, NES, SNES, Genesis and GB/A games that appeal to me so I'll more than likely give the controller a real work out.

When you get a chance, could you ask your Hyperkin contact if they'll be selling additional bluetooth controllers separately, and how much they'll retail for? I'll probably want to buy a second one of these when a friend comes over.

Oh yeah, while I think of it - I have another question for you.

After you insert cartridges into the bays, do carts wobble front to back, particularly NES and SNES games? This can be a minor concern for some clones, and I wonder where the RetroN5 falls in this regard. It doesn't look like it has anything to stabilize the taller carts, particularly NES ones after they're plugged in.

[StoneAgeGamer]

That's true. Based on my Neo-Geo pad experiences, click-sticks are controller pad-arcade stick hybrids that cater to genres that benefit from using an arcade stick - shoot 'em ups, fighters, adventure, and occasionally platformers, but not really puzzle, sports, RPGs, flight, etc etc.

I suspect that I'll prefer using the RetroN5 controller with only those specific genres I mentioned. Luckily, shoot 'em ups and fighters especially make up a large portion of the Famicom, NES, SNES, Genesis and GB/A games that appeal to me so I'll more than likely give the controller a real work out.

When you get a chance, could you ask your Hyperkin contact if they'll be selling additional bluetooth controllers separately, and how much they'll retail for? I'll probably want to buy a second one of these when a friend comes over.

Oh yeah, while I think of it - I have another question for you.

After you insert cartridges into the bays, do carts wobble front to back, particularly NES and SNES games? This can be a minor concern for some clones, and I wonder where the RetroN5 falls in this regard. It doesn't look like it has anything to stabilize the taller carts, particularly NES ones after they're plugged in.

I don't know the pricing, but I am pretty sure they plan on selling them seperately because you can link up to 4 controllers to a system. Similar to modern system. There are 4 LEDs on the controller obviously whichever led is let is which player it is.

Some carts can wobble a bit, but the connectors seem solid. When inserting a cart you don't feel like you are going to break the system into pieces if you press too hard. All-in-all the RetroN5 seems pretty well built. Better than any other clone I have used so far from any of the clone companies. Dust flaps are very solid, not flimsy. Controller feels solid as well. There is nothing I have seen so far in regards to build quality where I have though "well that's cheap". Is the build quality on par with modern consoles? No, but that's to be expected, but IMO its leaps on bounds better than any other clone I have used so far.

I know it may seem like I am kissing the RetroN5's ass, but there are some issues I do have with it, but since those issues may possibly be corrected I can't really publicly talk about them at this time. Most of the issues are not huge deal breakers for me, but some may be deal breakers for others. They are not really typical issues had with clones either, most of those problems seemed to have been corrected. If/when the NDA is lifted I will be happy to bring them up. I will say this though, there is a lot of good here. As long as Hyperkin keeps their side of the bargain and continues to update the system's OS with better compatibility and possibly new features I think it is a big step in the right direction. Really this is probably the first "clone" I wouldn't mind having next to my modern systems on my main household TV (I know it may not technically be a clone, per se, but you know what I mean).

[Satoshi_Matrix]

Yeah, I noticed the LEDs, which is why I thought "oh, that means they'll be sold separately. but I wonder how much they'll charge? this is why I thought it would be good if you asked your Hyperkin contact.

Unlike Retro-Bit, Hori, and many others, I am not currently partnered with anyone from Hyperkin, so I have no contact myself.

I'm pleased to hear the connections are solid. I'm just concerned about the vertical nature of NES carts.

[StoneAgeGamer]

double post

[StoneAgeGamer]

Yeah, I noticed the LEDs, which is why I thought "oh, that means they'll be sold separately. but I wonder how much they'll charge? this is why I thought it would be good if you asked your Hyperkin contact.

Unlike Retro-Bit, Hori, and many others, I am not currently partnered with anyone from Hyperkin, so I have no contact myself.

I'm pleased to hear the connections are solid. I'm just concerned about the vertical nature of NES carts.

They have not released pricing on controllers, only pricing on the system so far.

[Satoshi_Matrix]

I've got another question I've thought of.

In that last video posted, the Hyperkin rep stated that you can't have multiple game carts plugged at the same time, as it would confuse the system. What about controllers?

What happens if you plug an NES, SNES and Genesis controller all into their respective player 1 game ports? Assuming they're all mapped, say you're playing a Mega Man game for NES. can you (in theory, nobody would actually do this) be using say the NES controller and put it down, and then pick up either the SNES or Genesis controller and resume playing? In other words, choose any one of the controllers at any time, or does one connection override the others? I'm just curious how this works.

Along the same lines, can you mix and match controllers between players? In other words, say you're playing a vs match of Street fighter 2. Can the player 1 use an SNES controller, and the player 2 use a Genesis controller? I assume the answer is yes, but I'm just curious.

[StoneAgeGamer]

I've got another question I've thought of.

In that last video posted, the Hyperkin rep stated that you can't have multiple game carts plugged at the same time, as it would confuse the system. What about controllers?

What happens if you plug an NES, SNES and Genesis controller all into their respective player 1 game ports? Assuming they're all mapped, say you're playing a Mega Man game for NES. can you (in theory, nobody would actually do this) be using say the NES controller and put it down, and then pick up either the SNES or Genesis controller and resume playing? In other words, choose any one of the controllers at any time, or does one connection override the others? I'm just curious how this works.

Along the same lines, can you mix and match controllers between players? In other words, say you're playing a vs match of Street fighter 2. Can the player 1 use an SNES controller, and the player 2 use a Genesis controller? I assume the answer is yes, but I'm just curious.

You can not have multiple carts in at the same time, if you do it does throw an error. This is one issue I do have with the system. Is it a deal breaking issue? No, but it could potentially be annoying.

I will have to try out controllers. I know I have had NES controller plugged in while using the wireless and I could switch back and forth and that didn't seem to be an issue, but I have not tried with multiple controllers and using a different system's controller on second player and stuff like that.