should I get a retron 3 or the genesis and nes adapter from retrobit ?

[someasianguy]

I need advice guys what would you guys buy if you had to choose between a retron 3 or a retrogen and retroport adapters ?

[dgdgagdae]

I need advice guys what would you guys buy if you had to choose between a retron 3 or a retrogen and retroport adapters ?

First off - I own neither.

I just read a review of the RetroGen (http://anerdoccurrence.com/2012/03/0...dapter-review/) and it wasn't good. By "retroport adapters", do you mean the USB adapters that RetroUSB sells? If so, I'm not following what you're trying to do. Those won't help you with the RetroGen at all. You'll still be using SNES controllers to play Genesis games. For that reason, if it was me, I'd go with the Retron 3.

[Ace]

He means the RetroBit RetroPort Adapter to play NES games on the Super NES. I don't know anything about the RetroPort Adapter aside from these two things:

1) The sound is distorted
2) Castlevania III doesn't work

As for the RetroGen Adapter, there are certain things I've never experienced on my RetroGen Adapter, including the graphical garbage in Super Street Fighter II. Here's what I have discovered:

-My RetroGen Adapter refuses to work on all my Super NES clones and on both my early-revision Super NES and Super Famicom. This is most likely a defect in my RetroGen Adapter, but I haven't received any message to return the adapter and get another one. I mean, it works, but it only works on later revisions of the Super NES(original-model with the sound hardware directly on the motherboard and the Super NES Mini).
-While Super Street Fighter II works, the PCM samples are output as a mess of high-pitched garbage(I have never experienced this on the RetroN3)
-Virtua Racing doesn't work(same as the RetroN3)
-Certain CRT TVs and some capture devices have problems with the video signal. My main CRT TV sometimes warps the picture at the top of the screen(mainly in the overscan area) while white screens roll vertically on my Commodore 1084S, and my capture device has sync issues with not just white screens, but any brightly-colored screens, making video capture almost impossible. Seems the video signal is too strong, but unlike the RetroN3, the video isn't excessively dark.
-Sega Master System converters work, so you can play Master System games on the RetroGen Adapter, however, some of the bigger games(I'm talking ROM size here) have some slight issues with graphical garbage appearing on the screen(I also doubt light gun games will work)
-The sound is better than the RetroN3. On the RetroN3, the volume is very low, the sound is VERY heavily muffled and the PSG is so loud it can drown out the FM Synthesis. On the RetroGen Adapter, the volume is slightly lower than the Genesis Model 2, but the FM Synthesis is much clearer and while the PSG is louder than it should be, it doesn't drown out the FM Synthesis
-The RetroGen Adapter and RetroN3 share identical hardware: a TCT-6801 GOAC.
-GOACs use a Yamaha YM3438 like later models of the Genesis unlike the YM2612 in earlier models of the Genesis. This results in different volume levels for certain notes due to an altered DAC in the audio chip.
-The A/V cables have the Stereo sound reversed. The adapter itself has the Stereo sound wired correctly, but audio left comes out the RED plug on the A/V cable and audio right comes out the WHITE plug. You'll notice this when you plug in headphones into the adapter(it's possible).
-I can confirm Sonic 2 + Sonic & Knuckles doesn't work(why this is, I have no idea)

I still say the RetroN3 is a better buy than the RetroGen Adapter. It may be less accurate, but it seems less problematic than the RetroGen Adapter when it comes to playing Genesis games.

I'm going to try and pick up a RetroPort Adapter at some point in the future and report back on how good/bad it is compared to the RetroN3. I know one thing for sure: it doesn't have reversed sound channel duties like the RetroN3, so while the sound is distorted on the RetroPort Adapter, it's generally more accurate than the RetroN3, though compatibility is not as good(Castlevania III works on the RetroN3 Version 2, the one available now, as does Rad Racer II and After Burner *partially* works as it has severe graphical errors, but on the RetroPort Adapter, since Castlevania III crashes when you begin Stage 1, Rad Racer II will play with severe graphical errors and After Burner will have no background graphics whatsoever. This is a known fact; if an NOAC actually boots up Castlevania III instead of showing a dark green screen and the game crashes when you begin Stage 1, Rad Racer II and After Burner will behave as described).

[Satoshi_Matrix]

You're better off getting a RetroDuo as long as you have basic soldering skills and can install the audio dampener. If you MUST have Genesis support as well, there's Retrobit's RetroGen adapter, which no matter what Ace or any of the naysayers will tell you, is the best Genesis clone on the market. He has problems with his that I do not with mine. As he says, it's probably a defect. The RetroGen will not play a small number of games and also reportedly has some minor issues with a few more, but its sound emulation is vastly superior to the RetorN3 and it's composite video output is also vastly superior. It doesn't do s-video though.I really like that it allows you to use an SNES controller to play Genesis games. Personally I've always been much more fond of the SNES pad than the Genesis 3 or 6 button pad, but this is personal preference. The RetorN3 allows you to use the original Genesis pads to play Genesis games.

The determining factor is what kind of TV you plan on using. HDTVs are no problem, but CRTs from the mid 90s and older will display minor video sync issues when using the RetroGen.

[Parodius Duh!]

FUCK Retroduo's retrobit's retron's etc.....if it starts with "Re" that means it is Re-tarded.


If you can maintain using original hardware, then DO SO, itll be worth it in the long run. Just buy a NES cheap, a SNES for somewhat cheap (seems like they are going up again), and a genesis is like ten bucks shipped for a model 2.

[Ace]

If you MUST have Genesis support as well, there's Retrobit's RetroGen adapter, which no matter what Ace or any of the naysayers will tell you, is the best Genesis clone on the market.

Best Geniclone? Umm, no. I've seen better GOAC-based Geniclones than the RetroGen Adapter, especially when it comes to compatibility. Video-wise, yes, it's the best Geniclone, but the sound is flawed(albeit not as flawed as other Geniclones like the GN Twin which has horribly distorted audio and inaudible PSG. The FC3 Plus is the most accurate in that regard as the volume balance is correct(the only Geniclone to do so) and distortion is minimal) and the compatibility is inferior to other Geniclones. I'm sorry, but that does NOT make the RetroGen Adapter the best Geniclone.

but its sound emulation is vastly superior to the RetorN3

I f***ing hate it people say the EMULATION of something is a certain way when referring to hardware clone. I agree with the sound being superior to the RetroN3, but it has NOTHING to do with emulation(especially software emulation, so please, save that term for a SOFTWARE EMULATOR and not reverse-engineered hardware)! It's all in the circuitry surrounding the GOAC. The actual sound coming out of the GOAC is the same as a Genesis with a YM3438, but it seems the engineers making these Geniclones keep designing junk amplifiers and changing the way the sound comes out.

FUCK Retroduo's retrobit's retron's etc.....if it starts with "Re" that means it is Re-tarded.

If you know of an NOAC with proper square waves, proper DPCM AND good compatibility, let me know because I may purchase said NOAC and wire it up.

a genesis is like ten bucks shipped for a model 2.

HELL NO, do not get the Genesis Model 2! It's the most disgusting Genesis revision right next to the Genesis 3(most variants of the Genesis Model 2 have HORRIBLE video and audio and the Genesis 3 has compatibility issues), not to mention most of them have a different sound chip than most Genesis Model 1s(YM3438 instead of YM2612, which has some differences in the DAC causing certain notes to output at a different volume level). If you want original hardware, get a High Definition Graphics Genesis Model 1. ACCEPT NO OTHER VARIANT!

[Emperor Megas]

FUCK Retroduo's retrobit's retron's etc.....if it starts with "Re" that means it is Re-tarded.

That statement is re-tarded.

If you can maintain using original hardware, then DO SO, itll be worth it in the long run. Just buy a NES cheap, a SNES for somewhat cheap (seems like they are going up again), and a genesis is like ten bucks shipped for a model 2.

I know that a lot of you enthusiasts are balls deep into this retro gaming stuff, but not everyone is a purist that wants, or can facilitate, a ton of consoles in a limited space. Especially when retro gaming's only a minor portion of their overall gaming regimen. While I think it's worth while to own original hardware, it's not my place or anyone's to say what's worth it or not worth it to him.

I have a ton of consoles in my collection, from the Odyssey² to the PS3, but even I have clone, all-in-one, and aftermarket systems like the Retron3 and JVC X'Eye. These consoles provide several benefits over original hardware for the casual gamer. They save space, are cheap, and perform multiple functions. When I want to bring a system to work, or over to a friends, or to give a gift for someone who would get a kick out of playing some of the games they did when they were a kid, clones systems are a good way to go. It doesn't necessarily have to be an original vs. clone thing.

To answer the OP's question, I don't have a Retrogen, but I have a Retron3 and I think it's a great piece of hardware for the money. I also have a RetroDuo which stopped playing NES games after about a month or so, but in fairness, I think I may have used the wrong adapter with it once and shorted something out. The fact that you have decent support for 3 different consoles right out of the box is an obvious plus, and the fact that the Retron3 supports original NES, Genesis, and SNES controllers, in addition to it's own IR remote controllers, is a huge positive, IMO. It's one of my favorite things about the system.

[Parodius Duh!]

I fully agree with your point that a duo clone is great for the casual vintage gamer. Im hardcore and dont play a single modern game aside for some PSP titles and some classic updates. I just full on hate this wave of "American" clone shit that is made for next to nothing out of bogus materials. Sure, there are a ton of great clones out there, the phantom system from Brazil, The original Dendy, Scorpion 8, etc... but in the long run official hardware is far more reliable and overall better quality in every aspect.

[Bazoo]

Best Geniclone? Umm, no. I've seen better GOAC-based Geniclones than the RetroGen Adapter, especially when it comes to compatibility. Video-wise, yes, it's the best Geniclone, but the sound is flawed(albeit not as flawed as other Geniclones like the GN Twin which has horribly distorted audio and inaudible PSG. The FC3 Plus is the most accurate in that regard as the volume balance is correct(the only Geniclone to do so) and distortion is minimal) and the compatibility is inferior to other Geniclones. I'm sorry, but that does NOT make the RetroGen Adapter the best Geniclone.





I f***ing hate it people say the EMULATION of something is a certain way when referring to hardware clone. I agree with the sound being superior to the RetroN3, but it has NOTHING to do with emulation(especially software emulation, so please, save that term for a SOFTWARE EMULATOR and not reverse-engineered hardware)! It's all in the circuitry surrounding the GOAC. The actual sound coming out of the GOAC is the same as a Genesis with a YM3438, but it seems the engineers making these Geniclones keep designing junk amplifiers and changing the way the sound comes out.



If you know of an NOAC with proper square waves, proper DPCM AND good compatibility, let me know because I may purchase said NOAC and wire it up.



HELL NO, do not get the Genesis Model 2! It's the most disgusting Genesis revision right next to the Genesis 3(most variants of the Genesis Model 2 have HORRIBLE video and audio and the Genesis 3 has compatibility issues), not to mention most of them have a different sound chip than most Genesis Model 1s(YM3438 instead of YM2612, which has some differences in the DAC causing certain notes to output at a different volume level). If you want original hardware, get a High Definition Graphics Genesis Model 1. ACCEPT NO OTHER VARIANT!

I f***cking hate when people refuse to put a space between the last word and a parenthesis!!! I agree that software emulation is not the same as reverse-engineered hardware, but it's just TERRIBLE when people fail to examine the English language (especially with spacing, so, please, include spaces between your words and the opening parenthesis!) It's all in sentence structure and how you communicate your written words. The actual meaning of the sentence is the same as if you had included a space, but it seems the posters on this website just can't control their anger! How dare you m*therfuckingefre0tetr4035riefjeogft4t46hrrhjtryte 4445

[someasianguy]

Thanks for all the replies guys,I do have a snes,genesis model 2 and a nes but I've lost the av cables and power adapter for my genesis. I don't really like my genesis model 2 should I buy a model 1 or 3? Also I play my retro games on a sony Trinitron.

[Ace]

I f***cking hate when people refuse to put a space between the last word and a parenthesis!!! I agree that software emulation is not the same as reverse-engineered hardware, but it's just TERRIBLE when people fail to examine the English language (especially with spacing, so, please, include spaces between your words and the opening parenthesis!)

Fine, grammar police (is this better? Jeez, you're picky as hell. Or are you still annoyed at my response to your question in Hellraiser's RetroGen Adapter thread and have a bone to pick with me? Hmm? You didn't even properly censor the F word).

it seems the posters on this website just can't control their anger! How dare you m*therfuckingefre0tetr4035riefjeogft4t46hrrhjtryte 4445

I'll be the first to admit to this. If something annoys the hell out of me, it boils over and I have to let out steam. No exception.

I don't really like my genesis model 2 should I buy a model 1 or 3?

Genesis Model 1 all the way. Get one that says High Definition Graphics on it and you're set for the best Genesis experience you can get.

[Parodius Duh!]

Thanks for all the replies guys,I do have a snes,genesis model 2 and a nes but I've lost the av cables and power adapter for my genesis. I don't really like my genesis model 2 should I buy a model 1 or 3? Also I play my retro games on a sony Trinitron.

Model 1 High Definition Graphics version.

Or if you are keen on Importing, Japanese Megadrive carts will fit and work on a Genesis model 3 with no modification.

[Ace]

Or if you are keen on Importing, Japanese Megadrive carts will fit and work on a Genesis model 3 with no modification.

Not quite. You have to keep an eye out for region-locked games. Some games check the region settings of the Genesis and if they don't match the region setting the game expects, you'll get an error on the screen, in which case a region switch is necessary (I don't think the Game Genie method works for everything).

[Parodius Duh!]

Not quite. You have to keep an eye out for region-locked games. Some games check the region settings of the Genesis and if they don't match the region setting the game expects, you'll get an error on the screen, in which case a region switch is necessary (I don't think the Game Genie method works for everything).

True, but I believe that very few worthwhile titles are region locked, also I think some Megadrive titles if inserted in a Genesis will display English text rather than Japanese.

[Emperor Megas]

It'snot relevant to the original question, but I play Megadrive imports on my JVC X'Eye without any modding or need of an adapter. I haven't come across any that wouldn't play yet, but then I only have a few Megadrive games. I'm only talking about carts of course. It doesn't play Mega CD games.

[someasianguy]

I would like to play genesis games in s-video should I buy a retron 3 or buy a s-video modded genesis, there is a ebay seller named spacemonkeyfromthefuture who sells s-video modded genesis's on occasion but he just ran out of them not long ago.

[hellraiser]

That statement is re-tarded.

I know that a lot of you enthusiasts are balls deep into this retro gaming stuff, but not everyone is a purist that wants, or can facilitate, a ton of consoles in a limited space. Especially when retro gaming's only a minor portion of their overall gaming regimen.

I agree! This as a matter of fact is my exact situation. I would say that retro gaming is about half of my overall gaming regime. To be 100% honest gaming as a whole isn't even my main hobby. I own a retroduo with a retrogen adapter and the suit my needs fine. They have there issues but none of these issues have really ruined my experience.

I think if I had a huge collection or was more then a "casual" gamer I would get original systems.

[Bazoo]

Fine, grammar police (is this better? Jeez, you're picky as hell. Or are you still annoyed at my response to your question in Hellraiser's RetroGen Adapter thread and have a bone to pick with me? Hmm? You didn't even properly censor the F word).



I'll be the first to admit to this. If something annoys the hell out of me, it boils over and I have to let out steam. No exception.

No, I thought it was pretty obvious I was parodying your clearly overstated responses to trivial, easily mistaken issues. Guess not.

[Ace]

No, I thought it was pretty obvious I was parodying your clearly overstated responses to trivial, easily mistaken issues. Guess not.

It's all in the wording, Bazoo. Your response rubbed me the wrong way as would any similar response from other people (and parodying something I did REALLY rubs me the wrong way).

[Satoshi_Matrix]

Ace you know I respect you, but dude, you totally need to get over yourself. This is the internet. Contrary to popular belief, it isn't serious business.